We "may" need a Rules clarification to determine who flies what and when. Traditionally, the Squad COs advise the Frame CO of what they will be flying in the next Frame prior to Orders being drawn-up. If one just read the Series Rules, one might believe that any pilot who successfully flew his "First Line" aircraft without being KIA, that he could fly that "First Line" aircraft EVERY FRAME.
5. Squad Aircraft - each pilot may fly any aircraft listed for their squad in the A/C table to start the series. If a pilot is listed as KIA after a frame they cannot fly a 1st Line aircraft next frame they fly but must choose a 2nd line aircraft instead. After flying a 2nd line aircraft for a frame they can then go back to any plane type for the next frame regardless of if they were KIA or not. A pilot that flys all 5 frames can at the most be forced to fly a 2nd line aircraft twice during a series(ie KIA in frame 1 and frame 3). Squads may choose to downgrade themselves so their unit all flys the same a/c type, this is soley their choose though. KIAs are listed after a frame and include any KIA result regardless of how it happens. So please double-check your setup and aircraft before hitting the throttle.
OTOH, the "fine print" in the "Rides and Sides" list seems to have the requirement that each pilot fly each of the available airplanes at some point in the Series. In the case of our Squad, we have three listed (required) aircraft. If it is the case that each pilot must fly each aircraft, even a pilot who was never KIA would have to fly a "second line" aircraft for at least two Frames. (And in each of those two Frames, a DIFFERENT "second line" aircraft would have to be flown.)
A/C = squad assigned a/c steps. All steps must be flown during a series, when and what mix is up to the squad CO.
It would be handy if the Squad COs KNEW what their aircraft choices were for each of their pilots in each Frame so that the Squad CO can inform the Frame CO which aircraft will be in use.
