Flying the Line, An Air Force Pilot's Journey: Pilot Training, Vietnam, SAC, 1970-1979 Hardcover – January 7, 2014

Great book. The author is a terrific pilot and excellent writer.

I'm a Naval Aviator who flew SAR helicopters. Later, I flew dustoff in the Maine Army National Guard. So, this is pretty far from my sweat soaked flight suit. I also know how to fly airplanes (thank you Navy) so I have some small affinity to Jay's experience. The Buff, however, had landing gear that could accommodate crosswinds. Oh my. The J-3 I now fly is a lot different. Be that as it may, his experience is epic. From the C-123 in Viet Nam to the B-52, this guy is a pilot extraordinaire. Not only is he a line pilot but he's an IP and pulls the chestnuts out of the fire when necessary. So glad I read this book and looking forward to volume II.

This book made me think back to my days in the USAF. Although I started pilot training in the Aviation Cadet program 11 years before the author, I did not graduate because the Air Force determined my "color deficiency" disqualified me even though I originally passed their physical in order to be admitted to that program. Go figure! I like Jay's writing style and more importantly his willingness to admit that his support for the Vietnam war when he was fighting in it was not warranted. He readily acknowledges that a number of things that happened back then were inappropriate but I suggest that he add to that list how he gave candy to Vietnamese children after his plane landed. Sharing with children who had nothing and were suffering in ways that we cannot imagine was certainly appropriate but "pouring" the candy on the ground and watching the children scramble and probably fight over it was unseemly and cruel on his part. Generosity to those less fortunate is admirable. Making a game out of doing that and a competition is not. I'm sure he didn't intend it to be that way but he has the opportunity to correct that wrong now. A minor point but an important one IMO. Thanks Jay for bringing back many memories of my 4 years in the Air Force a long time ago and for sharing both your experiences and insights!

I finished reading this book on the second day after getting it in the mail... it is very good. It was too good to put down and after reading it I'm looking forward to the next two books in the series that Lt Col Lacklen is in the process of writing.I don't know what I expected but Jay Lacklen is a very good writer, he covered the subject matter in a way that made it possible for me to visualze things that I'd never actually seen before. The book was also fun, and Jay admitted to some things that will surprise you, it surprised me.I would never give away the story... I will not read the jacket covers on any book... I want the whole story in the book with paper pages. My wife reads all book covers... I won't let her to say more to me than "Honey, you should read this one." With that, I hope that all of you get a copy and read it.... it is a fantastic book...I was in the USAF several years before the author and was in the Strategic Air Command, and stationed at Loring Air Force Base. As I read the book I recalled memories of events that I had forgotten for close to half a century.The same airplanes are still flying, and these pilots are still protecting all of us. Lt Col Lacklen is still training military pilots, and I'm still proud to be an American... and an USAF Veteran.Lt Col Jay Lacklen, thanks again for writing this book ... and thank you for your life time of service to our country,

As a former SAC B-52 crew chief, really enjoyed this book and it holds up well. Lots of great stories--everything from IFE's to ORI's to "movers' to crashes, alert pad, near misses, politics and everything else that defined SAC. About every other page I'd read something, smile to myself and say "yep---he nailed it".

Sorry to be a wet blanket here, but, as a Vietnam veteran ('68-'69) I was profoundly offended by the author's attempt to equate the brutality visited upon captured American pilots by the North Vietnamese with the waterboarding of a few terrorists,after the atrocity of 9/11 (including Kahlid Sheikh Mohammed, the monster who planned the attack on the Twin Towers) . While we are all familiar with the term "flying with your head in the cockpit", it seems to me that , at least for that part of this book, the author is writing with his head up his......well you get the picture. Further, I didn't buy this book to read about the author's collection of sexual conquests ( even inserting one in the prologue). Was he bragging? I also did not buy this book to read about the author's political opinions. To be fair, I do agree with the author's description of his emotions as he attempted to visit The Wall in Washington. Like him I have visited the site a number of times and have been unable to get any closer to the wall than the area where the sculpture of the soldiers stands. Unlike the author, however, I have only contempt for Jane Fonda and cannot find it in my heart to forgive her as the author apparently has. I'm guessing that the families and friends of the soldiers whose names are on that wall would feel the same as I do. If you are looking for a book describing how the Buff flies and how pilots fly them, this isn't your book, instead, I would suggest Lt. Col. Earl J. McGill's book "Jet Age Man". Anyway, I'll be giving any future books by this former Lt. Col. a pass.