toad wrote:
Bob,

I think I start to understand your thesis, but I have to tell you,
brevity is not your strong suite.
No? :-)
- - - - - -

So, If I really truly believe that I can have an accident, I will pay
close attention to all possible dangers and work hard not to have an
accident. I think that I can boil your thesis down to 2 principles:

1) Pay attention
2) Don't push the limits

Does that fit your model?
1) certainly does. 2) does not. I have no philosophical problem with
pushing one's limits...it's a great way to get better after all. What
one's limits are 'simply' need to be known, and pushed 'wisely.' (What
might go wrong if I do this next thing...? How will I address it?)
- - - - - - -

I will assume that it does and forge ahead
with my comments.

I completely agree with "Pay attention", no issues at all.

The other one though has 2 issues.

2a) It's hard to know where the limits are (sometimes). This is
where specific knowledge comes into play. Even if you are paying
attention and trying to stay conservatively back from the limits, if
you have a false concept of where the safe limit is, you can't be
safe.

Therefore to improve pilot safety, you must improve knowledge of where
the safe limits actually are.
Indeed. Personal research, listening more than contributing to hangar
sessions [other than insightful questions, I mean :-)], and merely
understanding the truth of your working premise immeedjutly above
definitely apply, here.

2b) I enjoy pushing the limits. :-)
Have at it...thoughtfully, as incrementally as possible, and intelligently!

Thank you
Todd
Thanks for puzzling over my prolix discourse. :-)

Regards,
Bob W.