addition to preflight checklist

I have a vivid memory of my instructor making a statement "Don't kill us today" He made this statement as I was finishing my verbally announced prelaunch checklist. At the time It did not seem to be a statement of my lack of skill, but rather a directive for my mental attitude. I think the Instructor was making sure that I had an appreciation for the consequences possible while flying gliders.
To this day I mentally finish my checklist with "Don't kill myself"


When we pilot a sailplane, we have just ourselves, the craft, and the air. Our enemies are (in random order) adverse weather conditions, mechanical malfunctions, inadequate skills, bad luck, and unwise decisions or actions, and errors. I'm sure there are many more.

So, just adding "don't kill myself" to my checklist could be seen as trite, however, For me, it resets my perception of myself to that of a fragile and vulnerable creature who can and will make mistakes, setting a mental tone of caution.
As a usually confident guy this little reminder helps me stay more conservative than I might otherwise be.

Of course, my Instructor could also just have been making a statement about my lack of skill.

Safe Flying!
Scott W.