Breathe
he first time I ever took the controls of a Bell JetRanger
helicopter, I wanted to show the pilot that my years of flying sorties in the
RAH-66 Comanche, taking out enemy strongholds and hoards of Russian T-80 tanks
and Hind and Havoc helicopters, had proven useful. Of course, flying the
Comanche was just a great game and simulation - the JetRanger was real.
We left the small patch of dirt next to a communications
building and descended out of the mountain range to head back to the airport
about 20 miles away. The pilot reacquainted me with the rotor torque and
airspeed indicators, turbine RPM, altitude and compass, then turned the
controls over to me. I was familiar with all of them in theory. Missing from
the instrument panel were the targeting screens and Heads Up Display. The
inputs also lacked the firing control systems for the Hellfire missiles and
nose mounted mini-gun. Too bad. The pilot handled conversations with the tower
and I made smooth corrections to the cyclic and collective to maintain
specified heading and altitude instructions.
I was doing quite well until we ran into some warm, unstable
air. The helicopter began to pitch and sway and we bobbed side to side like
riding in a boat over wakes in the water. I was trying really hard to
compensate for the unstable air, making instant corrections that didn’t seem to
do anything other than toss us around even more. Finally the pilot came on the
intercom and said, “You’re over-flying it. Just keep the stick steady and the
nose pointed the right direction. Don’t worry about the turbulence.”
Still, it was hard resisting the urge to instantly react
every time an unseen force suddenly gave us a healthy shove. I had to mentally
accept the fact that these outside influences had no real effect on the
aircraft’s overall direction and attitude (that’s attitude as in composure or
state of operation). My attempts to make corrections for every variance only
made the ride harsher and more dramatic, and changed nothing else. The impetus
and heading to the destination remained the same.
Could this possibly be any better of a life lesson? Just one
article ago, I described all the challenges and concerns that seemed to be
impeding my efforts to effectively move my work forward. In fact, these
‘hindrances,’ even as infuriating and frustrating as they might be, are all
just turbulence. My goals and overall direction have not changed.
Overreacting does nothing more than cause unnecessary
contention that distracts a person from the point of the journey. Sometimes
real corrections are necessary. But don’t let unstable forces along your path
distract you from your course. Just take a deep breath, hold the controls
steady, keep the nose pointed in the right direction and ride it out. See you
when we land.
Postscript: With the press release scheduled
for distribution next week, the printer just released the final version of the
book with the wrong interior. Someone pass me a barf-bag.
- Ranse
Parker
Circle
of Doors
