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To Be a U.S. Naval Aviator
For anyone with the will to become a U.S. naval aviator, the future begins now. Marine fighter pilot and combat veteran Jay Stout shows us just what it takes to be a U.S. naval aviator in the twenty-first century, conducting us through every step of training as these dedicated, everyday heroes prepare for tomorrow's threats while taking the fight to the enemy today. Throughout, Stout offers behind-the-scenes perspectives on the community of naval aviators, with profiles of the men and women who fly naval aircraft, of celebrated naval aviators, and of important figures in the history of naval aviation.
- GenresMilitary FictionAviation
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
8 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Jay A. Stout
23 books32 followersJay A. Stout is a retired Marine Corps fighter pilot. An Indiana native and graduate of Purdue University, he was commissioned during June 1981 and was designated a naval aviator on 13 May 1983. His first fleet assignment was to F-4S Phantoms at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. Following a stint as an instructor pilot at NAS Chase Field Texas from 1986 to 1989, he transitioned to the F/A-18 Hornet. He flew the Hornet from bases on both coasts and ultimately retired from MCAS Miramar during 2001.
Aside from his flying assignments, he served as the executive officer of 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, and in a variety of additional assignments with various staffs around the world. During his twenty-year career he flew more than 4,500 flight hours, including 37 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm.
Following his military career Stout worked for a very short time as an airline pilot before being furloughed after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He subsequently flew for the Kuwait Air Force for a year before returning to the States where he now works for as a senior analyst for a leading defense contractor.
Lieutenant Colonel Stout's writing has been read on the floor of the U.S. Senate and has been published in various professional journals and newspapers around the nation. Works published while he was on active duty addressed controversial topics (women in the military, the MV-22 Osprey, effectiveness of the AV-8B Harrier, etc.) and took viewpoints that were often at odds with senior military leadership. Nevertheless, his cogent arguments and forthrightness contributed considerably to his credibility. Indeed, his expertise is widely recognized and he has made many appearances as a combat aviation expert on news networks such as Fox, Al Jazeera and National Public Radio.
Aside from his flying assignments, he served as the executive officer of 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, and in a variety of additional assignments with various staffs around the world. During his twenty-year career he flew more than 4,500 flight hours, including 37 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm.
Following his military career Stout worked for a very short time as an airline pilot before being furloughed after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He subsequently flew for the Kuwait Air Force for a year before returning to the States where he now works for as a senior analyst for a leading defense contractor.
Lieutenant Colonel Stout's writing has been read on the floor of the U.S. Senate and has been published in various professional journals and newspapers around the nation. Works published while he was on active duty addressed controversial topics (women in the military, the MV-22 Osprey, effectiveness of the AV-8B Harrier, etc.) and took viewpoints that were often at odds with senior military leadership. Nevertheless, his cogent arguments and forthrightness contributed considerably to his credibility. Indeed, his expertise is widely recognized and he has made many appearances as a combat aviation expert on news networks such as Fox, Al Jazeera and National Public Radio.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 14, 2012
I'm early in this and will expand later. This is clearly a fabulous guide for anyone interested, considering, or with family or pals who are engaged in this complex, demanding course of professional training.
This is more a manual/guidebook than a "text" or typical read, and Stout is the perfect author, almost. He is a 20 year USMC aviator (ret) with nearly 5,000 air hours in several aircraft. He captures the training process fully, carefully, precisely, and articulated in a way that laymen and experts can appreciate and enjoy. He explains much of the key terms and alphabet soup used by the Navy, including Naval aviation. The photography is simply outstanding and crystal clear, balancing artistic license with informative visual illustration and complemented by insightful, informative verbal descriptions that go beyond the text read. Still, having said this, this is NOT for the casual reader not interested in knowing the nitty-gritty of the various stages of pilot training, joined with much of the emotional roller-coastering that accompanies that. It's the latter issue, with its very sensitive and accurate articulation that gives this soft-covered book its special worth, imo. Stout really nails so much of this.
Being published in 2005, while the process of pilot preparation is somewhat timeless, building on techniques learned over time and married to technology of the day, at some point, this will require a substantial edit. Thankfully we're not there yet.
I really appreciate this piece and will be expanding this in the future. One note ... look at the sources other than Amazon. For some reason, Amazon is quite a bit more expensive than some of the other locations for purchase. btw, back to the "almost" ... Stout went to Purdue in lieu of the USNA where the vast majority of Naval aviators come from, adding to the perspective of this amazing journey.
This is more a manual/guidebook than a "text" or typical read, and Stout is the perfect author, almost. He is a 20 year USMC aviator (ret) with nearly 5,000 air hours in several aircraft. He captures the training process fully, carefully, precisely, and articulated in a way that laymen and experts can appreciate and enjoy. He explains much of the key terms and alphabet soup used by the Navy, including Naval aviation. The photography is simply outstanding and crystal clear, balancing artistic license with informative visual illustration and complemented by insightful, informative verbal descriptions that go beyond the text read. Still, having said this, this is NOT for the casual reader not interested in knowing the nitty-gritty of the various stages of pilot training, joined with much of the emotional roller-coastering that accompanies that. It's the latter issue, with its very sensitive and accurate articulation that gives this soft-covered book its special worth, imo. Stout really nails so much of this.
Being published in 2005, while the process of pilot preparation is somewhat timeless, building on techniques learned over time and married to technology of the day, at some point, this will require a substantial edit. Thankfully we're not there yet.
I really appreciate this piece and will be expanding this in the future. One note ... look at the sources other than Amazon. For some reason, Amazon is quite a bit more expensive than some of the other locations for purchase. btw, back to the "almost" ... Stout went to Purdue in lieu of the USNA where the vast majority of Naval aviators come from, adding to the perspective of this amazing journey.
February 18, 2013
An extremely helpful primer to help the process make sense!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews