BANG… HERE I WAS FLYING SUPERSONIC… FOR LIFE
“Oberst, Korporal Pilloud, ich melde mich zum Überschallflug ab!” These were the last words that I said to the commander of the Fighter Pilot Academy before I headed out for the flight that would teach me three valuable life lessons. I had just signed out (in German) for my first supersonic flight, and one that changed my life forever.
March 05, 1991, 7:30 AM. I put on my flying gear and zipped up my G-suit. I grabbed my helmet and jumped on my bicycle. It was one of those typical, cold crispy winter days. All the trees were coated with a beautiful white frost. I pedaled like crazy towards the control tower feeling excited and anxious at the same time. It was a special day. I checked the weather to ensure that the parameters were met for the flight of my life. I needed a clear sky and the perfect temperature at high altitude to reach supersonic speed above the minimum altitude.
When we break the sound barrier, a shock wave (the big BANG) follows the aircraft and hits the ground. If we are too low, the high energy of the shock wave makes a scary noise and damages structures on the ground, cracking walls, and breaking windows. In winter, avalanches can be triggered by these shock waves too. That day, every condition was met. The sky was a crystal-clear blue, without a single cloud.
After filing my flight plan, I rode my bicycle to the tarmac where my airplane was waiting. Yes, the only way we moved around the base as a student pilot was with very old, black, single gear, Swiss military bikes. I grabbed the parachute and put it on my back before climbing the ladder into the cockpit. The mechanics helped me to strap in, removed the safety pins from the ejection seat handle, and closed the cockpit. From that moment, I was on my own.
This mission is a challenge. Reaching supersonic speed over the Alps with a Tiger F-5, within the Swiss borders is very difficult. My flight path had to be precise moving from the farthest point East to the farthest point West of the country. As you know, Switzerland is a very small country and so I needed ample space to accelerate above the speed of sound.
After I started both engines and made all the checks, I taxied to the holding point of the runway. Then, I received the clearance from the control tower to line up on the runway. I checked my engine parameters and the runway heading, extended my nose gear strut, and set the time of take-off.
“Tiger 79, you are clear for takeoff on runway 23,” said the controller in the tower. I pushed my throttles to military power, checked my engine instruments, released the breaks, and kicked in the afterburner. There I was, rolling towards the flight that would change my life forever. When I reached the rotation speed, I pulled back on the stick and lifted the nose up 10 degrees. The aircraft left the earth. I waited a few seconds and pulled the gear level to UP position. There I was, accelerating and climbing. I made a smooth left turn and proceeded East, towards Davos, a small town in the East corner of the Swiss Alps. I had to reach 33,000 feet at a speed of Mach 0.92 as this was the optimum speed to save fuel. Ten minutes after takeoff, I was over Davos, at the right altitude and speed, ready to make my right turn toward Geneva in the most western corner of Switzerland.
Very carefully, I made the turn avoiding any loss of speed and energy. The air is so thin at this altitude that any sudden maneuver results in losing a great amount of speed or altitude.
I was flying with only the tips of two fingers on my stick to make the smoothest turn possible. When I was at 262 degrees, I was ready. The adrenaline was high and my heart was pumping. My focus was razor-sharp. I called into the controller on the radio: “Tiger 79, ready for the supersonic path.” The controller replied: “Tiger 79, you are cleared on heading 262 for supersonic. Report when passing Mach 1.0”, I kicked in the afterburner, pulled the nose up 2 degrees to gain just 3,000 feet, accelerating to Mach 0.94. When I reached 36,000 feet, I gently pushed the nose down to be at zero gravity. This was the best profile to accelerate efficiently. The needle slowly moved up… Mach 0.95, 0.96, 0.97 … then it barely moved, Mach 0.98, 0.99, and got stuck again. The needle was shaking against the Mach 1 mark. It felt like there was a wall and I couldn’t break through.
Through the control stick and my butt (yes that is one of our primary sensors for feeling the aircraft) I could feel the airplane behaving strangely. It felt like surfing a wave. Something was happening. I looked outside to my left. Some pilots say that sometimes, depending on the temperature and humidity, you can see a rainbow light, a line on the side of the cockpit when you are close to passing the supersonic speed. I didn’t see anything. I looked back in front and focused on the machmeter on my artificial horizon. I continued moving the nose 2 degrees down. Then, the Mach needle jumped and broke through the Mach 1 mark.
There I was, flying supersonic. “Tiger 79, supersonic,” I radioed, “Roger,” the controller replied. We always record the time and the geographical position in case there is damage on the ground or an avalanche is triggered. After passing this huge resistance at Mach 1, my aircraft was accelerating. Mach 1.1, 1.15, 1.2. I was looking carefully at my fuel gauge. When I hit Mach 1.2, I reached the minimum fuel needed to come back to the base. I had to take off the afterburner. At that point, I was going more than 950 miles an hour! It was crazy. It was intense. It was the fastest speed I had ever flown in my life… I yelled a scream of joy in the cockpit: “Whooohoooo, I did it!”
A few seconds after I deselected the afterburner, I was subsonic again. “Tiger 79, subsonic.” “Roger that,” replied the controller, “You are clear now to descend to Flight Level 190. Turn right on heading 320 towards Payerne.” I turned and started my descent. Even though I was ecstatic, I needed to keep my focus on the last part of the flight, returning to the base. The mission was not over until I was on the tarmac with both engines shut down. I continued to follow the instructions of the radar controller. I had to fly the perfect profile as I had no extra fuel to spare. After 31 minutes of flight, I kissed the earth with the main landing gear. While I was taxing back to the tarmac, I reflected on what had just happened. I had finally flown supersonic. At 21 years old; I had broken the sound barrier… When I put my foot on the ground, I didn’t realize at that time that this flight would later become such a significant moment for me. That day, I learned three valuable lessons that I will now share with you.
1. The big “BANG” (inner-world vs outer-world)
When an airplane flies supersonic over you, you will hear nothing at first. Then, a few seconds later, there will be a big “bang”. You may feel the ground and the buildings around you shaking. That is what is happening in the outer-world. In my cockpit, in the inner-world, there is no “bang” or noise. It is quiet like a Sunday morning in church. We don’t feel any shaking like you feel under your feet. The only thing I felt in the cockpit is that the aircraft was gently and softly surfing a wave. This wave is created by the change in the aerodynamic flow around the aircraft The physics between subsonic and supersonic change 180 degrees and pressure and speed correlations reverse (don’t worry, I will keep it there, no further physics for you today!)
What is happening in my world, in my cockpit (inner-world), is totally different than what the outer-world experiences on the ground. We are both in the same reference of space and time, but the experience is totally different. The softness in the cockpit is so different than the scary noise on the ground. To give you an example of that difference, I will share with you my latest experience in meditation. It is like the bubble in the picture. What is happening within is different than what is happening outside.
For the past 8 months, I have disciplined myself to meditate one hour a day. My goal is to do it for a full year and see if there are big changes in my life or how I perceive life. When I do it every day, I don’t see really anything changing from one day to another. Nothing is notifiable from before and after the meditation itself. I didn’t feel any changes happening in my mind or in my heart. I did not see a subtle change but people around me do. After a few months in my practice, I noticed people close to me telling me that I have changed a lot. The way I speak, the way I move, and the types of conversations I have are different. First, I was skeptical. I thought that they were just being supportive. Now, looking back, I can see how I have evolved into a more peaceful, positive, heartfelt, and equanimous way of “being”. Yes, whilst my inner-world was changing subtly that transformation was visible for the outer-world in a bigger way that I didn’t see at first.
In life, if you decide to take over a big shift or a big transformation, be aware that the daily grind to generate this transformation may not be noticeable for you. But, in the outside world, it is noticeable. Your energy and your vibrancy change and people notice and feel it. If you feel you are not making progress, don’t be discouraged. Push on. Be persistent. All the subtle changes within you are adding up. People around you will see the big “bang” transformation you are going through. It will come, I can reassure you. Just stay focused and push forward!
2. The highest point of resistance
Breaking the sound barrier is the best metaphor I have for when I must make tough decisions in challenging times. When we fly transonic (phase between subsonic and supersonic), just before the resistance increases exponentially. We need a lot of power to break the sound barrier. For that, we use the afterburner that consumes an insane amount of fuel and energy. When we pass it, the resistance drops and everything becomes smoother. We can then take the throttle back out of the afterburner and continue to cruise or even accelerate at supersonic speed. Look at the picture and you will understand how much the resistance increases before we transition into supersonic.
Now, how does this translate into our life and our decision-making?
Let’s say you want to leave your job, your career, and start your own business. You want to become an entrepreneur. At first, it is just an idea. Then, with time, you think more often about it. It becomes something tangible, something you really want to do. Then you feel attracted to this idea but feel scared to just think about the possibility that it could become a new reality. You know you will step out of your comfort zone and take risks. You talk more about it with your close friends. You scratch numbers and start to create a plan. You slowly see that it is feasible, but it is still scary. The energy you give into it increases exponentially, as does the anxiety or excitement. There are a lot of confusing thoughts that tell you on one side to do it and on the other side not to do it. Then you reach the point where you must make the decision. Do I start it or leave this dream behind? At the exact moment when you say, “yes, I will” or “no, I won’t”, you pass the point of most resistance. You break the sound barrier of your limiting beliefs. After the decision is made, you know what path you must follow. You either start your dream or not. From that point, everything will become smoother. In your mind, you won’t debate anymore (choosing to do or not do it). You find your energy. You can take the pressure off, take the afterburner back.
Always remember that the higher resistance point is at the exact moment you make the decision. After that, you will always feel a sense of relief. Things will become clearer, and you will have more energy to move forward. Think about the last time you were anxious or stressed about making a decision? What happened after you made the choice… didn’t you feel some relief, some peace? Every time you get to make an important decision in life, remember that the greatest resistance is just before you make the decision. Don’t be scared. Know that whatever you feel is normal and that it will go away after you make up your mind.
3. Perception of reality
We covered before what is happening in our inner-world versus the outer-world. We focused on what is happening within ourselves and how our transformation is impacting the outer-world. Here, I want to look at the event itself, the transition to supersonic speed, the “bang”. The perception of this event is very different for two observers who witness it with the same time and space reference (the pilot and the observer on the ground). First, let me share one misconception about the “bang” you hear on the ground when an aircraft is flying supersonic over your head.
Many people think that there is one single big “bang” when the aircraft passes the supersonic speed. Then it is quiet. Why do people believe that? The reason is simple. In their world, they just hear one big single “bang”, they hear the shockwave sound that passes over them. That is their observation and understanding of what just happened at that moment. It makes sense from their perspective, right? As we say, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, so here it is!
But what is really happening with this shockwave? Simply said, it is a shock cone that follows the airplane. This cone is with the airplane all the time if it is flying supersonic. The shock cone starts from the nose of the aircraft and spreads outwards. I think the picture can help you to understand. This noise is constant. From the pilot perspectives, there is no “bang”. Inside the cockpit, it is quiet. You can almost not feel it. You must read the machmeter to know that you are supersonic. For the people on the ground, there is this scary “bang”, the shaking, and vibration of it. They can feel it!
The lesson I learned from these two points of observation (pilot and observer on the ground) is that in life, everyone has a different perspective of the same event.
For example, you have a conversation with someone. You both have a different point of view or a different solution to the problem discussed. Now, everyone tries to defend and argue that he or she is right. Escalation and intensity increase. Both stand their ground. Nothing moves forward. Each faces the other with no way to move forward. So, how can you do it better and what can you learn from this flight?
Before you start to debate, argue, or make a decision, try to understand where the person is coming from. What are their background, knowledge, and experience? Be in their shoes first. Only when you know and understand their point of view can you address the root cause of what may create the discrepancy or the disagreement. You come from a place of acknowledging and understanding that the other person does not have. Learning his or her perspective will change the path of the conversation. You will see the gap and understand why the person thinks that way. From that place and only that place, you can start to have a constructive conversation. Start the conversation from where they are and not from where you are. The perception of reality is different for every one of us.
Next time you face a similar situation, be mindful of your counterpart. Don’t start by defending and arguing the rightness of your position. Instead, open the door to understand how the person perceives, feels, and sees their reality. Ask questions, be curious, and only when you understand their point of view, share yours.
Final words
Flying supersonic is not possible for everybody. I consider it a privilege. Yes, I worked hard for many years to get to that flight. It changed my life. It helped to understand the world, but the reality is that it is by itself not singular. Everyone perceives the “real” world differently. The color of a red rose can be a dark red color from my perspective but maybe a medium-light color for someone else. How someone perceives the intensity of the smell of a rose is different. One can barely smell it and the other one can sense it strongly.
My goal through this privileged experience is to share with you three lessons that can be summarized as follows:
Inner transformation is subtle. You may not feel it right away. Patience is required and perseverance is essential. You must push through. Observe what is happening around you. Listen to other people. Watch how the interaction has changed. Listen to their compliments. Then, look a few months or years back. Look at the trail you created. You will see the subtle changes that added up and brought you to where you are today.
Any decision in life will follow the profile of this supersonic flight. First it starts small. Then it grows. It starts to take more energy, more time, more resources. At one point a decision has to be made on what path to follow. It can be scary and exciting at the same time. It may create stress and anxiety. You may have a few sleepless nights. But know that, at this point, it is the most energy-consuming time you will experience, the greatest resistance. You will feel it, be okay with it. It will pass. Know that after you make the decision, things will ease. Peace of mind will return. You will have more clarity on what to do next and no more doubt about the path ahead. You will walk that path confidently, courageously, and with persistence.
Whenever someone disagrees with you, take a step back. Instead of defending your point of view or arguing with facts you have on your side, step into the shoes of the other person. Look from their perspective. Identify the gap. Maybe a piece of information is missing on their side or maybe it is on your side. Maybe your perspective is better or maybe theirs is. Don’t judge. Listen first. Ask questions. Understand their background, knowledge, and experience. Be compassionate and empathic. At the end, it does not matter who is right or wrong or who has the best idea. That kind of thinking is ego-driven and you don’t want that. What matters is that both respect the point of view of the other and both can make a choice based on facts and motivated by wisdom.
Next time you feel yourself at Mach 0.99, when you see the needle of the machmeter shaking, push the throttle fully into the afterburner. Break the sound barrier. Break your limiting beliefs. Don’t be scared. You won’t fall out of the sky. New dimensions, new adventures, new opportunities will appear to you. Be confident in your capability to figure things out. Trust that the Universe is supporting you. Know that there will be much less resistance on the other side.
Now, I want you to take your bicycle and pedal as fast as you can to your airplane, jump in and have the flight of your life. I will be here, cheering you on and supporting you. I will stand here, watching and waiting for you and I will welcome you back into your new life after you land.
Many happy landings my friend!
- Hubert
YourHPcoach
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