Page 122 - Never Fly Solo

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS | 95
tone for everything that follows. If the briefing is rushed or
sloppy, guess what? The mission will be rushed and sloppy!
But if the briefing is crisp, detailed, and well coordinated,
that’s how the mission will go.
Do you and your wingmen brief a plan to succeed when
launching a project, tackling a sale, planning a meeting, or
opening a new store? Have you created an easily understood
“lost comm” procedure to handle potential problems? And,
most important, do you have full buy-in to the plan—are your
wingmen committed to the mission’s success?

CHECK-IN

Throughout a mission, fighter pilots have planned times,
when they not only check each other in on the radio to ensure
that every wingman is on the correct frequency but also share
information about their fuel state, the status of weapons sys-
tems, and any irregularity that may have come up. These pre-
established check-in points ensure that everyone is heading in
the “same way, same day.” If something irregular or nonstan-
dard is shared, the team can troubleshoot immediately and
adapt the plan accordingly.
For example, if a wingman is having an engine problem
or a fuel tank isn’t feeding, another wingman will rejoin on
their wing and help run through various checklists to get the
problem fixed as soon as possible. This concept of mutual
support is critical in times of emergency, because when trying
to fix a problem, a pilot may fail to cross-check his altitude,
attitude, or heading and get off course. When trying to fix a
problem, it’s easy to bury your head in the cockpit and let the
aircraft point toward the ground. Your wingmen will keep
you straight and level.