About the Book
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In flying single seat jet fighters, you have to know the manual inside and out because your life depends on how well you know how each of the aircraft systems operate and interface. The flight manual covers the whole spectrum of aircraft operation: how each component works separately and how that component interfaces with the other systems collectively. For example you have to know how the hydraulic systems works and how many different hydraulic pumps there are and what each of them powers, like flight controls, landing gear, flaps and so on. If one pump were to fail, you have to know how to get power to needed systems from the other pumps.
Then there is the complete system; the pilot, the airplane and the mission. The pilot has to know he has the ability to fly the airplane and deliver the appropriate ordinance, and that the airplane is capable of getting to the target through whatever weather may be involved and whatever enemy threat may be present, such as ground fire or missiles. Then he has to know the mission objective: support ground troops, fly air cover or do interdiction. Complicated.
In sex and relationship I felt I had to know how each component works separately and how it interfaces with the other systems collectively. There is me, my partner and the relationship itself. Men and women have totally different systems and don’t always seem to work in conjunction with each other. To make it even more interesting, we each have different hormones and neurotransmitters that affect how we operate on a daily basis. Knowing how her complicated hormonal system works can help ease the way through heavy weather or possible hostile environment.
My wife has her vision (like an overall mission) and I have mine. They may be the same in some areas but completely different in other areas, and it is important that I know what her vision is and that I support her in fulfilling it just as she supports me in my vision. There is also a vision we have for the relationship.
We have divided the book into sections that are similar to the way an aircraft flight manual is organized, while keeping the flow of ideas in some semblance of coherence.
In flight manuals there are special annotations to emphasize important bits of information. They look like this.
NOTE
An operating procedure, condition, etc. which is essential to highlight.
CAUTION
An operating procedure, practice, etc. if not strictly observed, could result in damage to or destruction of equipment.
WARNING
An operating procedure, practice, etc. which if not followed correctly, could result in personal injury or loss of life.
Almost every phase of flight is covered by a checklist. As you probably know the checklist is a listing of tasks that have to be performed in a certain order to ensure that the airplane is operated safely. There are a lot of exercise and lists in this book and I refer to them as checklists. The idea is that a lot of guys, like me, respond to that kind of guidance. So have fun with it.