Pulse June 2019 | Page 70

connect With me on faceBook! lynne Walker mcnees Have you ever wondered why geese fly in a perfect “v” formation? When geese fly in a group and arrange themselves correctly, everyone behind the lead bird gets a little extra lift and doesn’t have to flap as much to maintain altitude and forward momentum. The less they flap, the more energy they conserve and the farther they can fly. a group of researchers from the centre d’Etudes Biologiques de chizé added heart rate monitors to a flock and filmed them in flight to gain insight into why they do what they do. The data showed the heart rates of geese flying in “V” formation were 11.4–14.5 percent lower than that of one flying alone, and that the birds in formation could afford to flap less and glide more. Sound familiar? as a member-driven association, we must continue to fly in formation to assist each other and remain mindful to not drift off course quickly. We rely heavily on the feedback of hundreds of volunteer members who help guide our “V” as we adapt to the rapidly changing world around us and continue to address urgent industry needs. This leads to evolution and improved member satisfaction. When you think about a flock of geese flying in a “V” formation, it is an illustration of iSPa’s purpose. We fly together in formation to accomplish our goals by giving everyone respect and appreciation for the role they play. We will continue to evolve as an industry because of our commitment to listening to the incredible people who make up our V-formation. i'm grateful for our iSPa family—don’t we all like to flap less and glide more? —lynne mcnees, isPa President 68 PULSE ■ jUnE 2019