Leaping Off: "The Tortured Path to Flight"

“Leaping Off” is a story about the rigors of becoming an Air Force pilot in a time when the need for pilots was at a low point, immediately following the Korean War. It entails the miniscule items used to wash out prospective pilots through physical and mental demands prior to being found qualified to enter pilot training. Once in the pipeline the fledgling fliers are now subjected to hours of flight time in various aircraft with instructors told to have little patience for infractions duri...