Commanding the Aircraft. . . What's it all about?

Mobility Forum, Mar/Apr 2004 by Meintel, Julie

Before the AC was in command, he or she was first a pilot. As a pilot, one of the cardinal rules of flying is to know your own limits with respect to your flying abilities. It's difficult to assess your own strengths and weaknesses, but it is essential. When you are aware of your limits, you are much less likely to allow another pilot or crewmember to draw you into an uncomfortable or unsafe situation. As the aircraft commander, you need to know when to step in and assume control when and if another pilot is about to make a questionable decision that may exceed the aircraft's or your limitations.

Yet another role of the AC is being aware of the limitations of the crew. Flying and living together for long periods while working maximum crew duty days causes fatigue to set in and can hamper judgment. In addition, tempers can become notoriously short. As the AC, it's your job to see these circumstances coming and do your best to defuse them before they get out of hand. At some point, an AC might consider delaying the mission for what is commonly referred to as "safety of flight." This is just what it sounds like-the mission goes into delay because the aircraft commander has decided that the crew is not safe to fly at that point. This is most the things the AC must do. Not only must the AC know the technical orders having to do with the physical operation of the aircraft but the ones pertaining to weather and the limits the weather creates, the different airfield operation guidelines, any tactical procedures that may be necessary for combat or hostile environments, special regulations regarding transport of medical patients-the list goes on. Of course, you are most familiar with the regulations that pertain to the work you do most often, which is why an AC should not hesitate to refer to the regs or manuals when he or she is just not sure. It's not whether you know all the answers, but whether you know where to find them that's imperative.

So what's being the aircraft commander all about? It is about much more than just flying the airplane from point A to point B. It is about leadership, coordination, interpersonal relationships, good judgment, communication, diplomacy and negotiation. Not all these skills are required all the time, but chances are, every AC will be called upon to use them all at some point. Only through experience, trial and error does an AC learn the fine art of balancing the crew's wants and needs against the demands of the mission.

By TSgt Julie Meintel, 356 AS, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH