"Making the Call": if there is any doubt about whether or not you are in total control, "make the call" for yourself, your crew, or the flight

Combat Edge, March, 2003 by Hal M. Hornburg

We haven't had a Combat Air Force (CAF) aircraft combat loss since Operation ALLIED FORCE. Similarly, we have had only one CAF flight related combat fatality since Operation DESERT STORM. In the same time period we have lost 274 CAF aircraft in training and suffered 119 fatalities.

While it will always be essential to train realistically, we must continue to do everything we can to keep our warriors alive and our aircraft intact. Combat aviation training is both challenging and dangerous, so we can expect, but should never accept, training losses.

What kind of in-flight performance mistakes have we seen recently across ACC? The following are just a few that highlight breakdowns in the fundamentals:

* Wingman executing an aggressive 150-degree slice back at night and impacting the ground

* Wingmen losing sight of their lead and colliding

* Flight leaders not monitoring their wingman and colliding

* Wingman failing to over shoot properly on a rejoin, losing control of the aircraft, and ejecting

* Instructor pilot executing a defensive turn into the ground

So how do we reduce losses such as these?

Consider the USAF Weapons School, the most demanding training we have in the OAF -- four losses for the same timeframe as above. Why? My take is that it is the combination of a building block approach, "no-quarter" for in-flight deviations, strong flight leadership, and no slack regardless of rank or position in the debrief. Weapons Instructor Course (WIC) instructors stay ahead of the jet and flight. When in-flight performance warrants, they do not hesitate to make a termination call. Their "calls" might be viewed as conservative, but are based on aggressive in-flight leadership and achievement of specific training objectives.

Sometimes the termination call is made by the student, when their cranium is not in the game. Sometimes the call is made by the instructor/flight lead, but it is all about leadership and control. These calls save combat pilots' lives and aircraft. Clearly, the realistic combat training environment of the WIC also brings a safety record that confirms the pay-off of persistent and aggressive emphasis on staying ahead of the jet and the flight.

Do this: If there is any doubt about whether or not you are under total control in your cockpit and in your flight, "make the call" for yourself, your crew, or the flight. The call may be a Knock-It-Off (KIO); it may be directive deconfliction vectors and altitudes; it may be Instructor Pilot (IP) direction to go to the alternate mission; and it can certainly be a terminate for yourself. Flight leads and IPs can always bring the flight home and make an instrument approach and landing if the flight is not up to the in-flight tasks of the briefed mission.

We count on each and every pilot and crewmember to be ahead of the flight for the day and terminate the mission when you are not 100% on top of your game. Let's not do an enemy pilot's job for him. Be a leader, be prepared, be ahead of every flight task, and don't hesitate to make the right "call."