Tanker Pilot: Lessons From The Cockpit by Mark Hasara is one heckuva good read.
The theme of the book in one line: "You Can't Kick A__ Without Tanker Gas".
You'll read that line a lot in the book, and his autobiography proves it to be true. Taking you through Colonel Hasara's experiences as both pilot and refueling planner in peacetime and war you get a view from the cockpit of the end of the Cold War, both Iraq wars and numerous other conflicts where tankers served in a vital role and Hasara was in the thick of it. Colonel Hasara was responsible for planning various fueling packages that made Shock and Awe possible, among many other operations. In addition to planning fueling arrangements, he may very well be the only Air Force Colonel to have conned an aircraft carrier during an underway replenishment.
You'll get lots of inside info from reading the book about the planning and execution of the air war over Iraq and many other conflicts that you likely won't get anywhere else. Very interesting reading and lots of neat personal stories that illuminate aspects of operations that you otherwise had no idea about at all.
The book ends each chapter with "Lessons from the cockpit" - lessons that can be applied in life and in the business world just as much as they can be applied in the military.
If you like aviation, are interested in logistics, or just want a chance to read an inside look that is well written as to how modern wars have been fought by someone who was there, this is a book for you.
2 comments:
In an airplane, the only time you can have too much gas is when you're on fire.
That having been said, there was a big difference between refueling with SAC tankers (stateside) and PACAF/USAFE tankers.
Hey Aaron;
I will add it to the reading list....Thanks
Post a Comment