Christopher Columbus did his homework before "sailing west to go east". Sitting down with the best mapmakers of his day, he calculated the distance from the Western part of Europe to the fabulous riches of the east. He knew what his ships could do as far as speed, what they would need for supplies, and off he went. Yes, America got in the way, but Columbus still has a national holiday in his honor and a circle named after him at the southwest corner of Central Park.
So clearly "planning ahead" is the way to go, even if you end up encountering the unexpected. And so it goes with airway management -- plan ahead with a good airway evaluation.