“The Rogue Aviator: In the Back Alleys of Aviation” was recently published.
Writing under the pen name Ace Abbott, the retiree tells tales of his life as a pilot, which began in 1965 when he began his career as an F-4 Phantom pilot in the Air Force. He returned to the civilian world in 1971, flying corporate/charter Learjets until 1979. After a short stint as a G-159 pilot he transitioned to the Boeing 727. He accumulated nearly 11,000 hours as a 727 captain with 14 different airlines until he reached the FAA-mandated retirement age in 2002.
The book details Abbott’s travels to 44 countries with 25 different employers and includes anecdotes about encounters with celebrities and iconic musicians. Abbott also tells of his many experiences and “war stories” from his early career as an F-4 Phantom fighter-pilot based in the Far East.
The story also reveals the “muck and crud” of the smaller commercial airlines as they slide profitability in front of safety, according to Abbott, who said he exposes several accounts of unethical and often “reactive” responses by the FAA and its effects on commercial flight safety, especially situations involving flight crew fatigue.
For more information: TheRogueAviator.com
