Fly high on your race day: The power of Aviate, Navigate, Communicate

As a daughter of a military and later commercial pilot I learned a lot of life lessons from sayings in aviation. The two that have been most influential in my daily life and my time on the bike are: “flying is a set of corrections” and “aviate, navigate, communicate.”  Let’s explore how they can help us be adaptable, focused and effective in our pursuits.

Flying is a set of corrections:

A pilot (or in modern day, often the autopilot) is constantly reacting to changes in the environment. Air temperature, wind speed and direction, amount of power to the engines, changing weight as the fuel is used, changing weather, other aircraft, directions for air traffic control, on board passenger needs…..all of these factors and more impact how an aircraft operates. They are constantly monitoring how the aircraft is functioning, they are adapting to the situation and predicting what is to come. 

As athletes we do the same (with much lower stakes!). We are constantly responding to our changing environment, how the terrain is changing, how we are using nutrition, what the athletes around us are doing, any mechanical issues that may come up. A pilot has the assistance of the other pilot, or air traffic control, and of the onboard computer. A pilot has also gone through very intensive training, and simulator training multiple times a year to practice all sorts of changing situations. As athletes we have our training throughout the season to practice skills and different situations. On race day, we may have the assistance of a team or other athletes, or we may be on our own to deal with the situation. 

I like the saying “flying is a set of corrections” because it reminds me that as athletes our best plans go out the window the second the race starts. If we are not adaptable we will not perform well. We are now faced with the reality of the moment and that we have to be flexible to respond to what we are now presented with. It also reminds me to give myself challenges to overcome in training. Those challenges will give me the experience of handling the stress of the moment.

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate

I’ll admit it, I often repeat this over and over to myself when on my bike. Trust me, I’m not going fast enough to think I’m actually flying. 

A pilot has to prioritize. She has many possible distractions. Have you ever seen the inside of a cockpit??? It’s nothing but possible distractions. There is weather radar, radio to talk with other planes, the flight crew and air traffic control, there are a variety of aircraft information including air speed, elevation, horizon indicator, engine performance for each engine…..All of the information is important, but not all of it is needed in each and every moment. If the pilot doesn’t aviate, there will be no need to navigate or communicate. Aviate, navigate, communicate gives the pilot a reminder of paying attention to the most important task first. 

As athletes, we can use this idea. We must prioritize what we focus on. Although my bike computer might be telling me to drink, it is not a great time to reach for my bottle if I am flying down a technical hill. We simply cannot do everything all at once. We perform, we navigate, we refuel. Or, in other words ambulate, navigate, hydrate. Using this allows us to stay in the moment, to literally not get ahead of ourselves. It also reminds us that all three are important. 

As you fly on your bike, as you soar as a swimmer through the water or as you glide over the path while running, remember to find your way to aviate, navigate and communicate. Prioritize, stay focused, and don't forget the essentials. By doing so, you'll not only improve your performance but also discover a newfound sense of control and clarity in your race or training day