“You’ve got to Push it up to take off.  And you have to take-off to fly!” I’ll never forget the first time I flew the F-16.  The rush of adrenaline was amazing. The tower controller cleared me for take-off and from the back seat my instructor pilot, Captain “Deke” Slaton, called out over the intercom, “Push it up, Waldo!” “Yes, Sir!” I replied. I nervously pushed up that throttle to full power and felt a kick in the seat unlike anything I’ve experienced ...

So, how do you get a 35,000-pound F-16 jet fighter to fly? It’s no easy feat. To overcome the force of gravity, you have to create a force that is greater than gravity’s grasp. That force is lift. As the F-16 blasts through the sky, there is an “enemy” of  lift that must be overcome known as drag. There are two kinds of drag – Induced and Parasite. Induced drag is a “good drag’ in that it is a bi-product of lift and ...

COMMIT COMMIT! December 21st, 1998 – a brisk winter day in Saudi Arabia. I was stationed on my first combat deployment, flying missions enforcing the Iraqi southern no-fly zone. I was scheduled to take off on only the fourth combat sortie of my career, inexperienced and quite nervous. It was a mission I’ll never forget. I was flying that day with my flight lead Lt Col “Hos” Hyatt, the commander of the 79th Fighter Squadron Tigers. Our “2 ship” of F-16’s were ...

We have a saying in the fighter pilot world, “lose sight, lose fight.” Lose sight for just a second of the ground or aerial target, and chances are you’ll lose the fight (i.e. miss the target or get shot down). It takes intense concentration, discipline, and focus to keep sight. Your vision is only as good as how well you see the immediate target. We’ve all heard the experts talk about vision. Vision paints an inspiring picture of what an organization ...

I just started re-reading certain chapters of one of my favorite books…Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. It’s an amazing book that emphasizes the power of our thoughts in creating our reality (in particular when it comes to business). I definitely believe in the power of our minds, and the control we have over our success. But as I read through certain chapters I started thinking of the most successful people I know and what created their success. If I ...

I am well aware of the toil, and blood, and treasure, that it will cost us to maintain this declaration, and support and defend these states. Yet, through all the gloom, I can see the rays of light and glory; I can see that the end is more than worth all the means, and that posterity will triumph. John Adams letter to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776 Tomorrow is the 4th of July. My ‘orders’ from my trusted wingman and business ...

I recently moved into a new town home in the quaint community of Vinings ~20 minutes outside of Atlanta. I have been checking out the local business establishments and wanted to share a few experiences. Scenario #1: Searching for a new local chiropractor Location: “The Joint” (www.thejoint.com) Overview: It was my first visit. The young receptionist didn’t welcome me or say hello. Her first words were “Name, please” as she searched the computer for my records. When she realized I wasn’t in the ...

You’re at 20,000 feet and 550 knots in your F-16 and your instructor pilot (IP) just demonstrated a perfect offensive BFM (Basic Fighter Maneuver) engagement. Now, it’s your turn to show him what you’ve learned. He yells out on the radio, ‘You have the aircraft!” You respond, “Roger Sir, I have the aircraft!” and waits for you to shake the stick (meaning you’re now in control.) Are you really ready to fly that $30 million piece of machinery? Are you prepared, focused, and ...

"We’re each of us angels with one wing, and can only fly by embracing each other" Luciano De Crecenzo Mayday is the universally recognized call of distress. It’s a call you never want to make, but it could be the most important call of your life. Fighter pilots use it during extreme emergency situations – when we lose an engine, are getting prepared to eject from an un-flyable aircraft, or even when witnessing an emergency of one of our wingmen. Mayday translates to ...

“Survival is when you’re focused on the competition. Winning is when you’re focused on the customer!” Waldo Waldman Many of you have heard me emphasize that no fighter pilot ever flies a combat mission solo. We always fly as a team – with our wingmen. It’s impossible to win solo because the missions are very complex and change so rapidly. As a unified team, we assign roles and responsibilities to each member of the formation, train accordingly, and finally – hold ...