Page 59 - Never Fly Solo

32 | NEVER FLY SOLO
shoe fits the other foot, too—you have to be able to put aside
your ego and be open to feedback. It’s vitally important that
you have the courage to give and receive feedback, especially
when it’s something you or your wingman may not want to
hear.
As a trusted wingman, you have to be willing to give and
receive those “break right” calls, just as Major Tullia did
when dodging those SAMs over Iraq. Lieutenant Colonel Shi-
ban also gave feedback vital to the success of the mission in
his communications with Captain Rose and the tower con-
troller. He explained the entire situation and made sure expec-
tations were clear. He even made sure to tell Captain Rose to
“get the aircraft stopped.” Did Rose need to hear that? Prob-
ably not. Of course he knew that he needed to stop the jet!
But Shiban knew that in stressful situations, even the most
basic tasks can be overlooked or botched, sometimes out of
sheer nervousness.
Sometimes when handling an emergency or engaging a tar-
get, fighter pilots get “task saturated.” Task saturation means
that one is so fixated or engrossed in the task at hand that she
cannot cross-check other mission-critical items or communicate
with her wingmen. As a result, she may not see a possible mis-
sile or other factor that can affect her jet or the mission. In a
heartbeat, she turns from a supporting wingman to a solo flier.
Moreover, she may not think she has a problem until the wing-
men who are checking her six give her feedback.
Good wingmen will keep you aware of your surround-
ings, build your situational awareness (SA), and make sure
you don’t get shot down. They’ll let you know you’re burn-
ing the candle at both ends or stressed out beyond your lim-
its. They’ll make sure you stay in contact with your customers
and loved ones. They will also let you know when you’re