Softcover: 232 Pages; Language: English ; ISBN 978-1-0688480-0-1

Major (Retired) Dan McWilliams flew over 3,500 hours during a 20-year military career with the Canadian Forces.  He flew CF-18 Hornets operationally for the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) in Canada and the USA and for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Western Europe, and he is a Gulf War veteran. Although, not a full autobiography, Dan, in a straight forward manner, provides a dramatic first-person account of what it’s like to train for and then excel as a fighter pilot in the modern world. The subtleties and the constant challenges and stresses to perform flawlessly are clearly and ably articulated. The technical details in all their complexity are both carefully explained and supported with diagrams and photos so that the layman can gain a sense of the issues.  Every military career comes with its “highs and lows” and Dan is honest and convincing as he outlines the details of his initial training on CF-5 Freedom Fighter and then of successfully moving into the premier cockpit for a fighter pilot in the CF on the CF-18 Hornet.  He speaks truthfully of some of the joys and losses along the way and of the often threadbare and / or “shoe-string” approach used by the Canadian Forces in trying to meet some of its operational taskings but also of the resilience, adaptability and competence of CF personnel in overcoming those shortcomings.  Coming from a military family and, as an RMC graduate, Dan was better placed than many to understand the challenges of military life going into his career.  Still the stress of not knowing what’s coming next, constantly moving from place to place, and going to war, takes it toll on the individual and his family alike.  And Dan is once again able to clearly articulate those problems and their impact. But what comes across most clearly in this deeply personal account is the exhilaration of succeeding in the complex world of a fighter pilot, the camaraderie shared with squadron personnel and with other members of the CF, and the pride in standing shoulder to shoulder with other nations pilots in NORAD and NATO as a highly competent Canadian fighter pilot.  Profusely illustrated, it is a must read for those interested in the fighter aviation fraternity and in RCAF history.