The air attack is basically the officer in tactical command of the air battle. He's coordinating efforts between the ground IC, the heli guys, and the air guys. The lead plane is utilized for specific tactics, especially when you are close to homes, water, or have numerous air tankers on scene. The lead is determining the exact tactic to use to accomplish the goal of the air attack or IC. Without a lead, usually the air tanker Initial attack captain will decide on the exact tactics to use.