...
[*]If needed drop a heat sync
[*]JUMP...
If I'm in a retreating sort of mood (which is often, though not always) and my attacker is on my six and firing, I often end up using two heat sinks: the first one allows me to get some distance from my attacker in preparation for the jump, but while building that distance further my afterburner lights me up on his/her radar again fairly quickly while still in weapons range (yes, even in a Cobra if my attacker is another Cobra or an Eagle), so I drop a second sink a few moments later. This usually allows me to jump away with only shields weakened or at worst a little hull damage. Unless my attacker has rail-guns and has been targeting my drives...
Sometimes I also go silent running immediately after dropping the first sink, while being cautious of heat build up from my FSD/hyperdrive charging and my radiators being closed at the same time. Dropping that second heat sink gets rid of the excessive heat, of course.
Now the real test of cool-headedness while under fire is to remember to do these otherwise simple tasks and time them well while flying the spacecraft... I must admit to delays in remembering "Oh that's right, I've got heat sinks and silent running!"
