The 80/20 Rule

Apparently the 80/20 rule is also known as the Pareto Principle. Broadly applied, it means that 20% of your activities will account for 80% of your outcomes. In my previous careers in advertising and education, I would contend that 80% of stuff I spent my time on were...

Plateau

It’s always fun at Oshkosh when one of the technologies of GA makes a move after spending a lot of time on the plateau. Avgas is the latest example. For years we just pumped it and worried about the short-term cost and the long-term availability, and now...

Maverick

I’m not spoiling the movie if I tell you that one of the opening scenes of Top Gun: Maverick is a pilot swinging a wrench on an owner-flown piston-powered warbird. That may be enough to make you want to see it, although from the box office numbers so far they...

Foxes and Hedgehogs

The Greek poet Archilochus wrote, “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” I’m reminded of this when clients ask “Which engine monitor should I buy?” Savvy doesn’t endorse brands or product models, so...

Startle Response

When you’re flying and inadvertently run a tank dry, or the cabin door pops open, or you smell smoke, or any similar unexpected threat, the part of your brain that listened to your CFI — train like you fly and fly like you train — goes to work. Your...