13Release Brakes!Conquer the Fear Barrier That Holds You Back

THE FLASHING TAXI lights reflect off my canopy and light up my cockpit with a warm glow. It’s eleven p.m., and the moonless sky is blanketed with stars—a beautiful night to fly. Waiting nervously for the tower’s clearance to take off, I silently review the departure procedures in my head. The mission has been briefed, and the objectives are clear. I’ve already “chair flown” the mission a dozen times in my head. I know by heart the tactics, radio calls, and threat-reaction procedures to defeat the missiles that will soon saturate the airspace we will be navigating.

I look to my left and right and see the three other members of my formation. Yoda, the four-ship flight lead, is to my ...

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