It seems like this episode is the turning point for the rest of the series. It starts of with Kotobuki being asked by the Nazarin squadron to extinguish a raging fire at a small town, which they accept. Along with the fire, they also have to deal with those pesky pirates in the sky again. This time, however, the Kotobuki have more than met their match, as they're going up against much more formidable planes and pilots this time around. It's crazy to see them becoming more like the hunted rather than the hunter. It's a great change of pace, and with more formidable opponents showing up, that just means the fights will probably get better from here!