Fighter Pilot: What It Takes to Perform Under Pressure | Commander Kristen Findlay
May 15, 2024
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Commander Kristen Findlay, experienced in landing F/A-18 Super Hornet on an aircraft carrier, discusses high-stakes decision-making, mental toughness, and leadership insights. She shares her experiences in combat sorties, challenges of flying in rough seas and the dark, and the importance of teamwork in the military. Kristen also delves into the transition of legacy Hornets to super Hornets, coping mechanisms under pressure, and the thrill of being a female fighter pilot and participating in 'Top Gun' movie filming.
Preparation is key for high-stakes situations, aligning mindset, self-talk, and mental imagery for optimal performance.
Reflective debriefs and course corrections are essential for overcoming challenges and building resilience in training.
Team collaboration and support are crucial for operational success, transcending squadron rivalries for common goals.
Competition should be viewed as a means for personal growth and collective improvement, emphasizing mentorship and learning from others.
Structured debriefing and mental imagery play vital roles in enhancing performance, optimizing outcomes, and preventing errors in combat missions.
Deep dives
Landing an F-18 Super Hornet on an Aircraft Carrier at Night Requires Extreme Precision
Landing an $80 million fighter jet on a moving target in the middle of the ocean at night demands split-second timing, unwavering focus, and sustained high performance. Commander Kristen Finley, a distinguished naval aviator, shares insights from her career, accumulating over 2700 flight hours, 66 combat sorties over Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, and nearly 500 carrier landings. She stresses the importance of consistent peak performance, drawing parallels between sports and aviation, where every flight must count towards building skills for critical moments.
Preparation and Readiness Are Key to High Performance in Challenging Environments
Commander Kristen Finley emphasizes the significance of preparation and readiness for high-stakes situations. She highlights the critical need to align mindset, self-talk, and mental imagery to ensure focus and flexibility during challenging tasks. By prioritizing thorough preparation, individuals can make informed decisions, anticipate consequences, and adapt to changing circumstances effectively, fostering sustained high performance.
Dealing with Mistakes and Course Corrections in Dogfighting Training
Commander Kristen Finley candidly discusses her struggles in dogfighting training, emphasizing the importance of learning from mistakes and course corrections. She recounts facing challenges in mastering basic fighter maneuvers, which led to setbacks in her training. Through reflective debriefs, trend analysis, and tactical adjustments, she navigated through failures, adopted supportive self-talk, and developed resilience to overcome proficiency hurdles.
Understanding Team Collaboration Beyond Squadron Loyalties in Military Operations
Commander Kristen Finley reflects on the shift in perspective about team collaboration in military operations. Beyond squadron rivalries, she emphasizes the importance of collective efforts within an air wing for operational success. Recognizing the broader impact of teamwork and mutual support among all squadrons, she underscores the significance of being a reliable team member across different units to achieve common goals.
Competing for Skill Improvement, Not Personal Victory
Individuals discuss how they approach competition and skill development in various areas of their lives, such as sports and the military. The focus is on using others' skills as benchmarks for personal growth rather than aiming to outdo them. The importance of mentorship, learning from credible individuals, and viewing competition as a means to collective improvement is highlighted.
Debriefing Practices for Improvement
The podcast delves into the debriefing process, emphasizing the importance of structured post-activity analysis for learning and growth. It outlines a standardized debriefing framework used in Naval Aviation, focusing on evaluating flight preparations, performance, and safety considerations. The significance of thorough debriefing in enhancing performance and preventing errors is underscored.
Mental Imagery Techniques for Performance Enhancement
The episode explores the use of mental imagery for performance enhancement, drawing parallels between individual and team visualization practices. While highlighting the effectiveness of mental rehearsals and visualizations, the discussion showcases differences in group mental imagery strategies between solo and team-oriented scenarios. The role of mental preparation in optimizing performance outcomes is discussed.
Challenges and Risks in Combat Missions
The challenges and risks associated with combat missions, particularly air-to-surface operations, are detailed in the conversation. The speaker shares insights on the critical decision-making and precision required in such missions to prevent collateral damage and ensure mission success. The intense pressure, meticulous planning, and emotional toll of combat scenarios are illuminated.
Encouraging Tenacity and Pursuit of Excellence
The podcast concludes with a motivational message aimed at inspiring individuals to pursue excellence and tackle challenges head-on. Emphasizing the value of resilience, self-belief, and continuous improvement, the speaker encourages listeners to push past obstacles, strive for personal bests, and maintain a competitive spirit in their endeavors.
Navigating Gender Stereotypes and Professional Success
Throughout the episode, the individual shares their experiences in a male-dominated field, shedding light on the journey of breaking gender stereotypes and forging a successful career path. The discussion touches on resilience, determination, and the role of strong mentorship in overcoming barriers and achieving professional goals.
Imagine what it takes to land an $80 million fighter jet on a moving target — in the middle of the ocean — at night.
The extreme precision, split-second timing, and unwavering focus required for such a feat are beyond the grasp of ordinary experience.
Our guest today, Commander Kristen Findlay (née Hansen), knows precisely what it takes to land an F/A-18 Super Hornet on an aircraft carrier – in rough seas and in the dark, where every decision can have monumental consequences.
Kristen is a distinguished Naval aviator whose career spans two decades of sustained high performance in military service. She’s accumulated over 2,700 hours of flight time, 66 combat sorties over Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, and just under 500 carrier landings.
As a prior TOPGUN instructor - yes, just like the movie - and current Commanding Officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 122 (The “Flying Eagles”) she leads and trains some of the Navy’s most elite pilots.
Kristen's career experience now extends to Hollywood, where she served as a technical consultant and pilot for the hit film, "Top Gun: Maverick.” Epic.
Kristen offers a unique perspective on leadership, teamwork, and mental toughness. In this conversation you’ll hear valuable insights into high-stakes decision-making and the lessons we can all learn from a life lived at full throttle.
