Risk Management Magazine

It was February in Iraq, and we were returning from our final mission of the day. As we crossed the wire, we crew chiefs and gunners removed the ammo belts from our 240H machine guns and then let the weapons fall forward, muzzle down, prior to landing.

To understand the basic dynamics of a thunderstorm, just remember M-I-L. Moisture. Instability. Lift. Start with some moisture, add a pinch of instability and a dash of lift. That’s the basic recipe for a thunderstorm. Throw in a sea breeze, an outflow boundary, merging cells or other interaction, and a run-of-the-mill air-mass thunderstorm can quickly turn into something far more dangerous.

As an Army pilot with 750 flight hours, I’m still fairly new to the world of aviation. Everyone knows what it’s like to be the new guy — you want to prove yourself and never want to be the person who throws in the towel when training runs late or you’re not feeling well. But sometimes it is necessary to take a step back and reevaluate what you’re doing to avoid making a mistake that could lead to a catastrophe.