“NORMAL”
MAYDAY
The eye in the sky
By
Ron Berger
Published by:
berger publishing
14662 Mountain Vista Dr.
Rancho Belago, CA 92555
951-485-3052
Email – mail@ronberger.com
Web page – www.bergerbooks.com
Copyright ©2007 by berger publishing
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored or transmitted, by any means, without the soul, written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a newspaper, magazine or journal.
Printed in the USA by:
InstantPublisher.com
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P.O. Box 985
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Fax – 1.901.853.6196
ISBN 13 – 978-0-9799257-0-2
ISBN 10 – 0-9799257-0-3
Library of Congress Control Number: 2007906565
First printing
Ron’s other books –
The House That Ron Built
(1-4137-8605-7) (978-1-4137-8605-7)
PublishAmerica, LLLP
Are You Being Served Yet?
(1-4241-2485-9) (978-14241-2485-5)
PublishAmerica, LLLP
P-Nut, The Love of a Dog
(1-59824-303-9) (978-1-59824-303-1)
E-Book Time, LLC
CONTENTS Dedication . . .
1X Acknowledgements . .
. X1 Author’s Note .
. . X111 Dreams . . . 1 Lackland AFB, San
Antonio, TX . . . 7 Keesler AFB, Biloxi,
MS . . . 15 Burtonwood AFB,
Warrington, England . 33 Dhahran AFB, Saudi
Arabia . . . 67 Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
City, OK . . . 103 Volk Field, Camp
Douglass, WI . . . 107 Vandenberg AFB,
Lompoc, CA . . . 115 Civilian Life . . . .
. . . 123 March ARB, Moreno
Valley, CA . . . . 129 “Normal”
Civilian Maydays . . . 139 Southwest Airlines . .
. 149 Over & Out . . .
153
Dedication –
This book is dedicated to all the “old timers” as well as the “new timers” in the air traffic control business. Those that I met at March ARB in Moreno Valley, CA and those I didn’t in places like LAX, ONT, SFO, etc., are all worthy of praise from every flyer.
It is also dedicated to those that have suffered through the “Normal” Maydays that many of us encounter on a regular basis. May this book help in knowing that you are not alone.
Ron
Acknowledgements
Although the last 48+ years have diminished my memory powers, the pictures that my mind portrays are very clear. The Master Sergeant in England, my tower “buddies” both in England and Saudi Arabia, the Tech. Sergeant in Oklahoma all have been “live” memories all these years. All were top-notch people, as well as some of the best “tower operators” around.
Even some of the officers, especially the Major and Captain in England, were high in my minds’ memory banks. Without their help and backing, I would not be the person I am today – whatever that is.
Truly the United States of America can be comfortable in the knowledge that there is many more of this caliber in our Armed Forces. This is only a small sampling of personnel to be remembered. I remember many more.
Author’s Note –
When I first started to write this book my idea was to relay my experiences in air traffic control, as a control tower operator, and show how “exciting” and nerve racking this line of work could be.
Reaching the mid-point of my writing I realized that I needed more, up-to-date information about this trade. I wrangled a visit to the control tower at March Air Reserve Base in Moreno Valley, California and had a chance to interview several operators. I learned a fact that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own and decided that I needed to revamp the writing somewhat.