There’s needing a gummy to take the edge off of hurtling through the air at 500 miles per hour. And then there’s obsessive tracking of flight variables.
One woman is convinced that her research is good enough to convince literal experts. In a recent TikTok, Sara Foster (@sarasadmomfoster) stands in the cockpit of a commercial plane. She’s presumably having a conversation with the pilot and co-pilot about her investigation. The video has been viewed over 473,000 times.
Vibes-Based Flight Decisions
“When you have studied the weather, flight route, turbulence tracker and feel like we probably shouldn’t take off,” says bold text across the screen. Foster wrote in the caption that she really thought she had a convincing case.
Hopefully, the pilot thought differently, and the flight went off without a hitch.
Foster did not immediately return BroBible’s request for comment.
Don’t Tell A Pilot How To Do Their Job
Despite the seeming absurdity of the situation, reactions range from the emotionally exhausted to the professionally mean.
The top comment (as of this writing) goes to user @357733g, who said, “Pilot here – do I tell you how to eat the pretzels?”
That viewer was backed up by a flight attendant, who reminded travelers to “please take your seat.”
But then, the real jokes came out.
One joked that Foster is “the final boss of backseat drivers.”
Another said, “As a commercial pilot, we’re not playing Microsoft flight simulator anymore but thanks for reminding [me] about the information I already looked into.”
Everyone Is An Expert On Everything
Multiple users also pointed out that the pilot has already considered everything that Foster has researched—except through the eyes of an actual, trained professional.
So even if this was a prank (or clickbait), and Foster was just saying “hello” to the pilot and co-pilot, it points to a wider trend: Americans’ trust in institutions is reportedly eroding.
So how to avoid the pitfall of thinking you’re an expert on a topic you actually only understand about 12% of? In short: stay curious, doubt yourself (especially in the beginning), and talk to the acknowledged experts. Just, like, maybe not in the cockpit right before the takeoff.
BroBible reached out to Sara Foster via TikTok direct message and with a comment on her post.
@sarasadmomfoster I really thought I had a convincing case. #verynervousflyer