The Head Game: Learning the language

Every flight is an opportunity to learn and develop mental skills that can make a difference. In this context, it is essential to understand what we mean by “mental” and how it influences not only our performance but also our safety.

This article – a non-exhaustive list – explores the basics of sports psychology to identify the different mental skills involved in free flight. They are all skills that enable us to make effective decisions, adapt, and maintain emotional stability. 

Goal setting: this consists of establishing specific and achievable short-, medium- and long-term goals. We often talk about outcome goals (eg a competition result) and mastery goals (the means to achieve them,...