Half a pilot
Written by John Teel.
Back in 2006, while living in sunny Arizona, I decided I wanted to learn how to fly.
I’d always loved flying, and the freedom it offered seemed irresistible. Plus, Arizona’s stable weather makes it an ideal place to learn.
Before long, I was halfway through my flight training.
I could take off, fly the plane, and even recover from some potential problems like a stall.
But landing?
Well, let’s just say it wasn’t exactly smooth. I could do it with some help, but it wasn’t pretty.
Right around this time, my wife Jessica and I made a big decision: we were going to move to Alaska.
We’d fallen in love with it after a recent vacation and thought it would be an amazing place to live—at least for a little while.
I could have continued my flight training in Alaska. But flying in Alaska is a whole different ballgame.
Flying anywhere is complex, but in Alaska, it’s downright dangerous if you’re not a pro.
The terrain is rugged, the weather can change in an instant, and even experienced pilots frequently have accidents.
It’s a deadly hobby there, and I decided this was a case where it was better to leave it to the experts.
One of the reasons we were so excited to live in Alaska was the opportunity to charter small planes and get dropped off in the remote wilderness for some backcountry camping.
With so few roads in the state, planes are a gateway to exploring some of the most stunning and untouched areas in the state.
But to get there safely, you need a seasoned pilot who knows the challenges of Alaska’s terrain and weather like the back of their hand.
So I decided to give up working towards becoming a barely acceptable pilot, and instead found a local pilot with an impeccable safety record and years of experience flying in Alaska’s harsh conditions.
Here’s the thing, though: my half a pilot’s license still came in handy.
On every flight we took, I sat upfront, paying close attention to everything our pilot did.
I asked lots of questions and kept a watchful eye on the sky, the gauges and our location.
Why? Because if something ever went wrong—if the pilot had a heart attack, for instance—I wanted to be the person who could take control and get us safely on the ground.
And by safely, I mean not dead – but no promises on the condition of the plane afterwards:)
It was this basic understanding—definitely not enough to call myself a pilot, but enough to handle the fundamentals in an emergency—that gave me confidence.
And this same idea applies to developing a new product.
Few people have the expertise to completely design every aspect of their product on their own.
There are parts of the process that are better left to experts. But that doesn’t mean you can afford to be completely in the dark in those areas.
You don’t need to become an expert in every area of your product, but like me when I sat upfront in the plane, you need to have enough knowledge to stay involved, ask good questions, and ensure the experts you’ve hired are competent and on track.
Developing a product is a lot like flying in Alaska. It’s complex, risky, and full of unexpected challenges.
You need experts to guide you, as well as enough knowledge to take control if something goes wrong.
And this knowledge may be the difference between your project crashing to the ground or reaching the destination.
Get the help you need to develop and launch a successful new electronic product inside my Hardware Academy.
