Flying By the Seat Of Your Pants

My husband is training to become a helicopter pilot. He has his private license and has been training for his instrument rating where he learns to fly only by reading the instruments in the cockpit. I never thought I would be so well-versed in aviation knowledge, but if you stay with me through this technical lingo, you will discover a valuable lesson.

Up to this point, he has been flying by VFR, which is pilot-speak for Visual Flight Rules. In my language, it is better understood as “flying by the seat of your pants”. This phrase actually comes from the earlier days of aviation when airplanes had few navigational aids and flight control systems.

With VFR, pilots rely mainly upon their own senses. VFR conditions can be somewhat restricting because if the cloud ceiling is too low or visibility is limited, a pilot is unable to fly. My husband must use his vision to observe the attitude or position of the helicopter. He watches for obstructions like clouds and other aircraft in addition to watching for wind speed and direction. He utilizes his sense of hearing to listen to the engine and the hum of the RPMs. His sense of touch maintains the cyclic in his hand while his feet work the pedals, which control the tail rotor. He also feels for changes in vibration that would indicate a mechanical malfunction.

As I considered this idea of flying by the seat of your pants, I reflected on the way in which we are so often tempted to walk through life according to our senses. Turn on the news and you hear of war, devastation, and violence. One may feel an unknown lump or sharp pain signaling uncertainty or confirming the validity of a doctor’s diagnosis. You might even see the tears in the eyes of a loved one signaling trouble or heartache. When we go by feel we so often respond with fear, anxiety, worry, and dread. We fixate on the problem and become the victim rather than the victor.

When my husband explained to me the idea behind flying by Instrument Flight Rules or IFR, it all became crystal clear. You see, the instruments he was taught to follow were things like the airspeed indicator, tachometer, vertical speed indicator, directional gyros and other gauges which give him the ability to navigate in clouds and darkness, conditions in which he is unable to fly according to VFR regulations. His instructor taught him to trust what his instruments said no matter what he felt.

It was also instilled in him that he can never panic. The results could be disastrous! To drive this point home, his instructor had him wear goggles so he could not see out the cockpit of his helicopter for months. He had to hone in on the instruments of the helicopter.

Like blinders on a horse, God’s word, our one true instrument and indicator keeps us on the path of life. We do not navigate by ground references or “pilotage” as aviators call it. Instead, we have a Heavenly perspective that causes us to rise above the fray. We are able to go beyond what our senses and emotions dictate in the physical realm.

When we walk in the Spirit, we are walking in the truth and the light of God’s word. His wisdom is a lamp to our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119: 105). Instead of reacting in fear and anxiety, we put our trust in the eternal word of God which has answer for every uncertain situation that arises in our lives. Oh yes, you may feel the pain, see the trouble, and hear the news that seeks to exalt itself above the truth, but heeding it instead of God’s word brings about alarm and as even my husband learned, the result is indeed devastating.

Do you want to fly through life by VFR and be hindered in your ability to navigate through the clouds and storms or do you want to soar above your circumstances using God’s faithful and eternal word which allows you the ability to see your way through the darkness? Rather than going by feel or sight, we walk by faith! The flight may be bumpy and turbulent, as it can be even in IFR conditions, but the outcome is the ability to reach the destination with peace and certainty.