The hangar is a maintenance workplace as well as a place to stow aircraft. Losing two aircraft from a group of eight can remove a quarter of the force and leave almost no margin after one four-aircraft sortie. A larger group can absorb more simultaneous engine work, landing damage, or combat repairs while continuing to generate missions. Promises based on flawless scheduling and invulnerable equipment ignore unavoidable accidents and human error. Military aviation therefore needs reserve capacity even when just-in-time efficiency would treat that margin as waste.
Chapter · 27:49-33:49
Build maintenance and loss margin into the air group
A viable carrier air group needs slack for repairs, accidents, combat damage, and human error because some aircraft will always be unavailable.