“One of the trickiest things I found coming to the F-22 from the Typhoon was thinking fifth-gen. I didn’t appreciate that until I started flying the F-22. I’d worked with the Raptor on numerous occasions in the past on joint exercises and I had a good appreciation of how they worked. However, what I didn’t have an appreciation of is how you have to think in the cockpit to make that happen. Our tactics [in the Raptor ] are very important- it’s all about being a team. It’s very much about how we share information with the formation.” -Duzza

RAF exchange pilot and squadron leader

“Duzza” was recently interviewed in Combat Aircraft magazine on his experiences training in the F-22 Raptor as an exchange pilot. The re-thinking of tactics in a fifth-generation fighter like the F-22 served as a great reminder to him of one of the most valuable lessons in both combat flying and in life…the need for being a team player and sharing information with his fellow pilots. This is what we call “sharing the gouge.”

Right now, your quest to become a fighter pilot is a solitary one. You have a desire to set yourself above the herd and prove to the service of your choice that you truly are the best candidate in your batch for the job. This is good! You will need that aggressiveness in combat flying.

Once in the service, however, you will have it drilled into your head the importance of the team. You will also come to see where trust, commitment, loyalty, and looking out for each other come into play. This is also good. It may seem like the opposite approach you should be taking to get to the cockpit of the jet of your dreams, but it’s actually essential that you prove that when you are in that cockpit with almost God-like power to search and destroy through your hands, you will follow orders, do the right thing, and give responsible orders of your own.

There is no such thing as a ‘born leader.’ Leadership is a skill! It’s a skill that a lot of people actually have a natural talent for but few actually learn to use well. On the Afterburner Club, we will teach you about being a responsible leader, and what it takes to be a great officer as well as a top pilot. With the fine-tuned skills of leadership, you will be on the way to becoming a top squadron leader yourself.