This sounds very analogous to ground breaking work that was done in decision making theory many years ago. An Air Force fighter pilot (Col. Boyd) noted that in the Korean war, the US jet (F86) was out performed by the MIG15 in every important area of flight performance (acceleration, absolute turn capability, top speed, etc.), but the US pilots were shooting the MIGs down at a ratio of something like 8:1. Why?
Boyd found that every action taken by a pilot involves the "OODA loop" of decision making (also called the Boyd cycle):
- observation (eg, the MIG is to my left)
- orientation (I may need to turn right)
- decision (I will turn right)
- action (initiate bank to right - increase power, etc.).
These OODA loops are repeated with every decision or action -- hundreds of times in any flight and 10s of times in short air-to-air engagement.
Boyd found that although the US plane had inferior performance in any category, it was designed in a manner that facilitated the OODA loop, and permitted fast decision making and transition from one flight attitude to the next (eg, the canopy had excellent visability, the controls were easy to use, the plane turned from right to left more quickly).
Similarly, I think Keith is applying these same principles to racing, where taking a single turn requires not only numerous "initial decisions," but a bevy of OODA loop/continuing modifications to the original decisions (tightening the line, adjusting cornerspeed), many of which interact with each other.
Facinating stuff.
