In an industry of “Type A” personalities, routine is nothing foreign. This comfort in habits may be seen as obsessive to some, but the professionalism gained by doing the same things the same way time and again cannot be overstated. As the sports axiom goes, practice how you will play and you will play how you practice.
This was made apparent earlier this season when a performer with a spotless safety record over many years let down his guard. The performer had given a media ride prior to his performance, and, instead of securing the headset of his passenger as he had done every other time, he rested the headset on the throttle. When the pilot went to start his plane, the throttle opened fully with nearly disastrous consequences. Fortunately, there were only minor injuries, and the pilot was able to walk away with the lesson to pass onto the rest of the industry.
Performers, support service providers and event organizers may all benefit from this lesson. Know what works best for your routine, and deviate from your routine only in an immediate emergency. Practice how you will play and you will play how you practice.
