Managing a construction project from the inception to its completion is a lot like completing a flight from the flight planning, to the airborne segment, and finally the post flight inspection.  Both construction executives and professional pilots have to play chess, not checkers. In chess, unlike checkers, each piece moves in a different way, so the strategy and plan requires the careful coordination of many pieces with different attributes.

Flying an airplane requires your mind and aircraft to become one. It takes intense - and unwavering - concentration and 'mind over body' control. You must be able to trust your instruments so completely that you allow them to propel you through 250' in a valley, with mountain peaks on either side of you, each peak topping

Cockpit of an L-39 Military Jet Trainer CAI Owner Chris Orifici with more than 400 hour in an L-39.

thousands of feet, with no visual reference of the ground. Could you imagine performing an inverted pass at 75' AGL and allowing an outside influence to divert your attention even for a second, thus causing you to pull on the stick instead of pushing on what you thought would be the pull up? In this same way, managing a construction project, from beginning to end,is a lot like taking a flight, from pre-flight planning to the post-flight inspection.

A pilot's 'mind over body' skill is what a Project Manager must possess to implement or expedite a CPM schedule. If that PM were to let outside influences affect his thought process concerning the CPM, he would certainly deviate off course and crash, sending the project back - perhaps spiraling out of control - ultimately hurting the owner and all the contractors involved who went along for the ride.

Can you imagine the consequences if a flight crew did not implement the procedures to monitor time, distance and fuel consumption? In the same manner, it does not bode well when a CPM is not followed and a project falls behind or goes off course. It's a recipe for disaster, just like when an aircraft runs out of fuel. There's no pulling over!

This is a reality that pilots must face and manage by having a "no second chances" mindset. It instills a management quality that is second to none.  If our education system required students to get a private pilot and instrument rating in order to receive a high school diploma, we would see a difference in our youth.  This is an area where a "no fail","no cut","or every kid gets a trophy" rule" would not work.

With no second chances, pilots possess management skills that are truly exemplary; and second to none. It also requires a discipline so strict that it is woven through every aspect of a pilot's life. For me, that discipline influences me even in my personal life, even when I'm away from my plane or my office.

A pilot knows the dangers of 'concentration loss'. By their very nature, pilots are very detail oriented individuals who are used to following procedures, schedules, and checklists. Piloting requires the planning, implementing, and managing of numerous systems and controls that affect the successful outcome of a flight. Time, distance, and fuel consumption need to be managed to make way for an efficient and timely flight. Other tasks, such as pitch, roll, yaw, speed, and altitude also need to be constantly monitored to maintain safety.

A CPM Schedule like the cockpit of the L-39, is equipped with hundreds of moving parts.

Communication skills and situational awareness are also two very critical skills that pilots possess that a professional Project Manager must also possess to be 'worth his weight'. Imagine an aircraft cockpit where poor communication exists, either between the captain and the first officer or the crew and Air Traffic Control (ATC). Not Good! Accurate information, clearly communicated between an aircraft crew itself, and between crew and ATC is essential in ensuring a smooth, safe and successful flight. Just as a pilot performing a triple aileron roll at a 100' AGL, must maintain control of his situation, so must a business executive lead from a position of managerial control and situational awareness, to prevent the maneuver/project from falling into a messy situation.I feel very strongly that if managers developed these critical skills, they would be more consistently successful in piloting their projects from the comfort of their own executive cockpits.