Mission Orthodoxy

Finding the Right Airplane

What was it like flying the F-15? My typical canned response; "It is the most fun you can have with your pants on!" After a few more probing questions I would gladly try to explain the exhilaration of strapping on a modern day flying machine. Some are fascinated by the speed, some by the prestige, some by the design and the really keen focus on the capability.

In the flying business, I define capability as mission. The union of a tool and an experienced operator yields extraordinary results that are game changing. That tool can be as simple as a pencil or paint brush. It can also be very complex like an aircraft. One without the other is in my view simply squandered potential. I wonder if Jimmy Doolittle could identify Japan on a map before he became the first pilot to perform the outside loop. Did you realize he was also the first pilot to perform a successful instrument flight in zero visibility conditions? One could argue that these were foundational milestones that led to the famous Doolittle Raid. I provide these examples to illustrate what it takes to overturn an orthodoxy and change the rules of the game. Our friend, Webster, defines orthodoxy as "a belief or orientation agreeing with conventional standards." We all have them. However, successfully overturning orthodoxies can open a world that is so gratifying it is impossible to accept viewing life from any other lens. Try to imagine a day where no pilot attempts an outside loop, IFR flight or catapults from an aircraft carrier.