Key point 1: “Make a Flight Plan”

In our blog posts on the “#clearedtoland success principle” we would like to explain the individual key points in more detail.  The “8 key points” are a tool from the cockpit that can be immediately implemented in your professional and private life.
In this first episode of our series, we would like to introduce you to the key point 1 “Make a Flight Plan”.
We wish you a lot of fun with the implementation in your everyday life!

Good planning is more than half the battle

A good flight preparation is the basic requirement for a safe flight. As a private pilot I plan the route and draw courses, flight altitudes and distances on the map. Flight altitude and course per route section: Everything is defined and planned in detail. I also prepare the radiotelephony – the “voice” – through which I communicate with the tower and air traffic control and set the necessary frequencies for aeronautical radio before take-off. I also calculate the take-off weight and fuel consumption for the planned route. And by the way: even in times of GPS, the planning should still be marked on the map and written down by hand.

For pilots it is advisable to recapitulate the various procedures and processes in advance and to fly the route mentally. This also includes contingencies that might occur along the way.

They are anticipated, i.e. played through and visualised in the mind, so that they can react adequately in the event of an incident.

And no later than the morning of departure, the weather is checked and a decision is made on the take-off.

In private aviation there is usually no must for the flight, the “private flight” is usually a pure leisure pleasure.

But “Safety First” always applies to all flights: A safe flight is of course the top priority. “Safety First”, a principle that is a life insurance in aviation. So it may be that on the day of the trip, despite the most intensive planning, it is advisable to leave the aircraft on the ground – it may be enough that the weather is worse than expected. Highest flexibility is therefore required! It is also part of a pilot’s mindset: if conditions change, the destination and route must be adjusted immediately, and in some cases even changed completely.

What does the #clearedtoland key point 1 mean for your professional and private life?

Okay, maybe you don’t fly airplanes. But surely you are constantly busy keeping your everyday life on track. Therefore, #clearedtoland Key point 1 can be applied to your professional and private life!

Especially in the Corona Lockdown with the challenges of home schooling and home office, many of us have noticed how important a day structure is. All of a sudden, our processes were completely different, the challenges were different and we had to structure how we could get the different tasks past each other and set ourselves daily goals if possible.

If you want to bring your goals and projects to a precision landing, the same applies as in aviation – proper planning is essential.

“Drawing the line on the map”

You are planning your career and have a short, medium or long-term goal in mind?

“First draw the line on the map” and mark your “route from A to B”. Think about where your starting point is and what your starting position is. Where do you plan your “stopovers” and where is your destination? What are the destinations for the week, month, year and where are the stopovers?

“Alternative landing places”

A central question is also: Where are “alternative airports or other landing spots” available? In other words: What are professional alternatives if the conditions on the road change and the destination cannot be reached as planned – or not at all?

Imagine you want to change jobs and a worldwide pandemic comes your way. Are there any alternatives that will take you to your destination via a detour and at a later date? Or is there another professional goal that can serve as an alternative landing place?

Visualize

It is also recommended in professional life to mentally “fly” and visualize the route in detail beforehand.

Our brain is not a static but a learning organ. That means: We can train it to navigate through our everyday life in a stronger and more focused way.

The brain does not distinguish between visualization and reality. You can use your imagination to create and store positive experiences as if you had really experienced them.

Do you know this, when before a difficult negotiation you already prepare possible sentences that you could say? In the same way you can play through a difficult meeting in advance with all the details. What do you want to say, with what goal, with what arguments?

A good planning for the implementation of your own goals and projects guarantees a smoother course of your professional flight path.

This extra time spent on preparation and planning is an essential part of success in a flight, both in your professional and private life, and ensures less stress and more focus on the road.

Your crew

The composition of the crew also plays a major role in both areas. In the cockpit as well as in professional life, the team should consist of employees who think for themselves and take responsibility. In times of the Corona crisis, it was advantageous to have team members who were able to deal quickly and flexibly with a completely changed situation and who were able to identify new paths in the crisis with creative ideas. It is also pleasant for a private pilot to have a co-pilot on the side-seat who thinks along with the team, keeps her nerves in emergency situations and can share work and responsibilities.

Also for private challenges you can use the #clearedtoland key point 1 by the way extremely worthwhile. Ask yourself also here: Which is my desired destination? What does the route to it look like? How do I want to design the route?

Think about who will take on which responsibilities, with whom you would like to share the work and how, and what tasks are actually involved.

By the way, this is especially recommended before starting a family with someone. This is a point that should not be lost in the exuberance of the common high altitude flight. Here, too, it is essential to discuss and clarify things in advance:

Who works when there are children and at what rate? Who gets up at night? Who picks up the children at the crèche when they are sick and skips the meeting with the CEO in return?

And also: Who takes over when you and your partner take an evening off to talk about your work, apart from sentences like “Where is the car? Who picks up the children? to have another exchange as a couple?

Be your own “Pilot in Command” in your life, professionally and privately!

Steer safely and successfully towards your desired goal and never lose sight of your “point of view on the horizon”.

But don’t forget: The best flight route planning does not protect you from the unexpected (e.g. the already mentioned worldwide pandemic), in your professional as well as in your private life. So be prepared for our #clearedtoland key point 2 on your flight: “Expect the unexpected”.