[MLeake]

... is something we called "sitting on our hands" in flight training.

While this isn't specifically firearms related, the idea of responding under stress should be very much on point.

Anyway, the concept is that doing the wrong thing, quickly, can be much worse than doing nothing. For example, on takeoff, a light twin aircraft swerves, its climb performance drops, and its speed starts to slow. Obviously an engine (or possibly prop) problem. Shutting down the wrong engine at this point would result in a glider; it might even be worse than a glider, if the problem engine's prop is still windmilling and creating drag.

Same idea, when a fire light illuminates during initial climb. If the fire isn't confirmed by other indications, do I shut down immediately, or use power to clear obstacles first? (By the way, if there are obstacles on the climb path, I should have planned for them ahead of time, and have some idea of the safest direction to turn the aircraft in the event of this sort of problem.)

Same idea, aircraft departs controlled flight and enters a spin. Which rudder do I push? If I push the wrong one, I can double the rate of spin, or worse, and make recovery much more difficult.

I've been flying for twenty years now, and have had these sorts of situations pop up. At least as far as moderately high stress flying scenarios have gone, I've reverted to training. This is one reason why I'm a big believer in realistic and intensive training, to the extent that it can be safely conducted.

Will that sort of training kick in if I find myself in a firefight? I can't say. It hasn't happened. But based on flying, boating, motorcycling... I'd have to say that when stress makes conscious thought difficult, my body really does fall back on learned responses and muscle memory.

Sometimes that learned response is to wait a moment, to make sure I don't make things worse.

Regards,

M