AirBattleForce.com / Skybird: Dale Brown’s Ops Report

SKYBIRD:
Dale Brown’s Ops Report
June 2002
Copyright © 2002, HDM Inc.

Featured Articles:
Combat Crew Rest and Recuperation: Exercise Part Three

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS: Let’s Stop Pussyfooting Around

PSR: POST-STRIKE REPORTS: Reader Mail

Just a quick Email to say the same thing I'll bet you hear hundreds of times a day. I have read and enjoyed all of your novels, actually I've read them many times over. I am also a fan of your website, and whilst there today I re-read your essay tittled "Plan the Flight, then Fly the Plan". I think your advice was meant specificaly for me. I'm about to begin my training in the West Australian Police Academy, it is something I have wanted to do since I was a boy. Your essay sums up why I have chosen to take on this 6 month initial challenge, not to mention the lifetime challenge ahead. It is the ONE thing I want to do. Keep those novels coming, they are a great release, being able to fly around with Patrick and Co.

One last note, I'd like to share my personal moto with you. You already know it as a basic rule of flight, but it gets me through whenever the going gets tough.

Performance = Power + Attitude

Cheers.

Jayd Morawski
Perth, Western Australia.

Mr. Brown,

Sounds like your Hammerhead concept might become, with a few modifications, reality. Just saw the article on yahoo news that Northern Defense is being created. Didn't read the full article, just the first paragraph or so, but immediately thought of Hammerheads.

Very cool. BTW, I'm almost done with Warrior Class, it is awesome, can't wait for Air Battle Force. PLEASE make sure your movie of it sticks closer to the book than your fellow author's (Mr. Clancy's) movies do!!

Thanks!!

J Sexton

Thanks for the e-mail!

Unfortunately, I probably won’t have too much input on the motion picture version of any of my books. Once visual media rights are sold, many more creative forces go to work--screenwriters, producers, directors, and actors. Everyone has a different vision of what the story is about--and depending on who has the most clout, you don’t really know which vision will finally make it on the screen.

Remember Hollywood’s Golden Rule: whoever has the most gold, Rules!

Thank you for many hours of excellent reading entertainment. Since my retirement from the Cincinnati Police Department, I have become an avid reader, my wife describes it as obsessive. Since I became aware of your works just recently, I had the fortune to read all of your books in sequence. What a treat.

I simply wanted to feedback to you how important artists like yourself are to the general public. Your talent creates a "living" world with "real" people to allow readers to escape this hectic, screwed up world we live in today.

In your essay on terrorism, specifically paragraph 7, you convinced me you have a professional, level headed grasp on the real world situation, and the correct path for a super power to take. Why don't the politicians listen more closely to you?

In addition to the fame, fortune, and material gains you have accumulated, your true legacy is the relaxation and healthy distraction you provide to the reading world.

If your flight plan ever takes you to LUK, please send a heads up e-mail, I'd like to shake your hand.

Thanks for your work.

Jim Howe

Dear Mr. Brown,

I just finished reading Warrior Class and as always it was a great read. It is very sad to see McLanahan get treated the way he does- it seems to get worse every time. Thorn is pretty off the wall as Prez., even for you! (Martindale, etc.)

Anyway, I don't ever write authors: they have plenty to do and get tons of mail, but over the years your novels have meant a lot to me as an Air force brat (My father retired as a bird Colonel last stationed at RAF Mildenhall with 3rd AF- I think F-111's were flown out of there.) Every book seems to rekindle some fond memories. Thanks again.

Don Dinger

See you next month! GBA, Dale Brown

11-17 June 2002

The Cayman Caravan and International Aviation Week on the Cayman Islands

This is the ultimate adventure for any pilot: flying with several dozen of your buddies from Key West, Florida, across Cuba to Grand Cayman Island for International Aviation Week.

Unlike the fears expressed by us ex-Cold Warriors, flying across Cuba is safe, legal, and hasn’t been a problem despite several unexpected forced landings there. Caravan organizers help pilots in planning and preparation, including filing all necessary Customs and overflight request forms. Cuban air traffic controllers speak English, their radar system is excellent, and no one has been shot at yet (you are more likely to get intercepted by an American fighter jet these days!).

When I called about information on the Caravan, I spoke with Ross Russo, an Air Force fighter squadron commander who was profiled by Dave Gwynn in a recent article in the Pilot’s Audio Update. Ross is an airplane owner, and Gwynn told about how Ross approaches flying his own plane as seriously and as competently as he flies his F-16 Falcon. My kind of guy!

I’m not sure if my schedule permits me, but if you go on the Caravan or attend the Air Show, look for me on the beach in the Cayman Islands!

July 2002

G.P. Putnam’s Sons Publishers is planning a book tour for the publication of Wings of Fire. Bookstores and media outlets interested in setting up an appearance, please contact Michael Barson at mbarson@penguinputnam.com or Bob Rooney at Warren Cowan and Associates at bbrooney@warrencowan.com.

So far, Reno, NV and Sacramento, CA are on the list. I’ll post more details as we get them firmed up.

The publisher and the bookstores organize the events, and I support both in whatever they’d like to do. But I enjoy doing events where I contribute to the audience as much as they are contributing to us by buying my books.

So if you’re planning an event, may I make a suggestion: set up a few dozen chairs, invite a bunch of your best customers, and we’ll hang for awhile and talk about whatever they’d like to talk about: my books, the writing biz, swap war stories, talk about world events, flying, whatever.

Air Force Civic Leaders Tour, 18-19 July 2002

Sponsored by the Air Force, the 940th Air Refueling Wing, and the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, the Civic Leaders Tour welcomes civilians on a special VIP tour of Air Force operations. The purpose of the tour is to acquaint influential civilians “up close and personal” on day-to-day Air Force operations. Various Air Force units conduct these tours many times throughout the year all around the country.

The tour starts at Beale Air Force Base near Marysville, CA, with a tour of the Ninth Strategic Reconnaissance Wing and the U-2 Dragon Lady spy planes. The tour then loads up in a 940th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotanker and heads off to Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, NV. On the way, the tanker is tasked to perform air-refueling missions, and those on the tour get their turn in the refueling pod with the boom operator to watch the refueling. Although the refueling missions are scheduled ahead of time, you never know what might show up on the boom: you might be scheduled to refuel a B-52, but a KC-10 tanker, a B-2 stealth bomber, F-117 stealth fighter, or F-15 Eagle might show up as well!

At Nellis AFB, the tour gets a look at unmanned reconnaissance aircraft operations with a tour of the Global Hawk unit. The tour also looks at the Red Flag Operations Center, which controls the world’s most extensive air combat war games; the USAF Thunderbirds Demonstration Team headquarters; and the Threat Museum, a look at enemy fighters and anti-aircraft weapons from around the world.

My old buddy Dennis Hall is the volunteer coordinator for the tour; he can be reached at DHall@ots.ca.gov.

As usual, my book tour schedule and other real-world events determine if I can participate--but I’m looking forward to this tour as well!

July 26, 2002 National Physique Committee
USA Championships
Las Vegas NV
Johnny Morris
Sponsored by AirBattleForce.com
AirBattleForce.com Skybird: Dale Brown’s Ops Report LOGO

September 2002
The Reno National Championship Air Races, Reno, NV

I live just 40 minutes from Reno, but I’ve never been to the Air Races--an inexcusable omission that I plan to correct this year (I actually planned to go last year, but the September 11 terrorist attacks and the subsequent grounding of VFR aircraft led to cancellation). I finally did see the racecourse at Stead Airport near Reno, and believe me, you will be right in the middle of the action. See you there!

Rights:
Robert Gottlieb
Trident Media Group
(212) 262-4810

Webmaster:
Parker Information Resources
bparker@parkerinfo.com

Welcome to AirBattleForce.Com
Lake Tahoe, Nevada, USA
Cyberspace home of: Dale Brown
readermail@dalebrown.info