Wingman Wednesday

Service → Safety → Teamwork: Fly Better Together (and Have More Fun Doing It)

Does this sound like you?

• You’ve launched with a client watching and suddenly every thumb movement felt like a final exam.
• You pack spare props like snacks… but forget to eat the snacks.
• You’ve said “just one more pass” and immediately wished you hadn’t.
  If you nodded at least once—welcome. This one’s for you.

One last salute: Yesterday, we stood in silence. Today, we honour that spirit by flying with care for each other and the people below. Service shows up as safety.

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The “Service → Safety” Loop (why crews beat lone wolves)

Service mindsets (humility, discipline, watching each other’s back) become safety habits (clear briefs, clean comms, honest logs). Put those together and you get teamwork that makes every mission smoother—and more enjoyable.

Three ways the loop shows up on real flights:

1. Shared picture, shared calm. Everyone knows the objective, the fences, and the abort. Stress drops, performance rises.
2. Buddy eyes > blind spots. Your VO isn’t a spotter; they’re your second processor.
3. Debrief = upgrades. Crews that debrief without ego improve faster than pilots who “fly and forget.”

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Quick Wins (you can use today)

1) The 30-Second Team Warm-Up

Say it out loud together:
IMSAFE (Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Eating/Hydration) → GATES (Gust spread, Alt ceiling, Temp/battery, Expected vis, Sustained wind) → Abort phrase: “ABORT, ABORT, ABORT.”
If any box is red, you don’t launch. Simple beats heroic.

2) The Mission Card (index-card magic)

One card. Six lines: Objective · Roles · Comms · Airspace · Hazards · Abort criteria.
If it isn’t on the card, it isn’t real.

3) Love Your VO (they make you look good)

Give them power: “If you’re uneasy, call ABORT—no permission needed.”
Agree two hand signals and three short phrases before spool-up.

4) Weather: Numbers, Not Vibes

Set gates before you see the site (tune to your platform/SOPs):
Wind ≤ 25 kt (gust spread ≤ 8) · Vis ≥ 5 km · Ceiling ≥ 500 ft AGL · Battery temp ≥ 15°C.
Then actually respect them.

5) Lost-Link Script (60-second rehearsal)

PIC: “Lost link. Climb to ___ ft, safe heading ___, RTH on, recover to Pad Bravo.”
VO repeats back. Do one rep facing away from the controller to simulate distraction.

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Field Scenarios (pick fast, then check yourself)

A) GPS wobble + people drift near your pad.
Do you: A) finish the shot, B) call ABORT and recover to the alternate pad, C) drop to ATTI and descend over people?

B) Battery sag on a cold morning.
Alerts at 46% after a short climb. Do you: A) push two more minutes, B) land now, swap warm packs, shorten legs and raise swap %, C) mute alerts?

C) New NOTAM 30 minutes pre-launch.
Do you: A) fly the plan you wrote last night, B) update ceiling and re-brief, C) ignore it because you’re sub-250 g?

Answers: B, B, B. (Safety is a team sport, not a dare.)

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Team Radio Phrasebook (steal this)

• “Picture check.” VO summarizes what they see in 5 seconds.
• “Stable / Unstable.” One-word flight health report.
• “Eyes on traffic, 2 o’clock, high.” Short, specific, useful.
• “ABORT, ABORT, ABORT.” Everyone knows what happens next.

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The Fun Part: Tiny Challenges for Big Gains

• Two-Minute Drill: Build a mission card on an index card for your next flight.
• VO Upgrade: Teach your VO one new call today (e.g., “Unstable—recommend climb”).
• One-Line Debrief: After landing, capture a single improvement you’ll keep.

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Why this works in Canada and the USA

Different regs, same muscles. Whether you’re under CAR Part IX or Part 107, crews that brief clearly, guard weather gates, rehearse the abort, and debrief without ego fly safer and produce better footage. That’s service at work.

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Your Wingman Wednesday Pledge

I’ll look out for my crew, fly the plan I briefed, and finish with one improvement—every mission.

If this hooked you, share it with your VO or post your one improvement in the comments.