Acknowledgements
As a writer, one of the most difficult things I do is write realistically about situations I’ve never encountered. For me, a lifelong flight enthusiast, writing about multiple military and civilian aircraft making difficult landings in unusual operational situations is thrilling, but daunting—especially since I’m not a licensed pilot. It’s on my bucket list, but that’s another story.
Bridging that gap in real world knowledge is made even more difficult when writing about an airliner about which very little information is public, especially a military aircraft where most of the information on it is classified. Dear FBI, please ignore my browser history.
I wanted to offer a special thanks to Lee Smith, an Air Force veteran who reviewed certain details of the complicated landing sequences in this novel, and his son Chris Smith who graciously put me in contact with him. Thanks, Lee, without you, this would probably have come off poorly.
To my legion of willing friends, especially those Airedales—you know who you are. Thanks for making the U.S.S. Gerald Ford a little more realistic. Yeah, I might have bent the rules and mistreated the Ford, but I think it all came together, and the math works.
To my test readers, valiant and patient they are. A good writer needs even better test readers, and I have some of the best. Rick Ewald, Patrick Welch, Robin Stephens, Alijah Ballard, and my son, Patrick Wandrey, who managed to read a chapter or two between rounds of various computer games.
Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Patty McIntosh-Mize for her gracious early run at re-editing this novel and making it ready for the 2nd Edition, and her husband, Scott McIntosh-Mize for giving it a read through as well. Without friends, efforts are meaningless.
And finally, to the love of my life, Joy.
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