Risk Management Magazine

I was just four months out of flight school when I found myself deployed to Iraq. For the most part, progression was uneventful, except for those dust landings under night vision goggles.

Helicopter pilots have a potential landing site at any open field, but fixed-wing pilots really like to have a runway available to them. Being aware of airports that are viable alternates, regardless of weather conditions requiring it, just adds to your list of options.