At Chance Vought Aircraft in the Aeronautical Engineering Department, rookies were assigned to experienced engineers for the first year. My tutor, when I worked in the department at times I was not flying, was Al Borserine.

(Keep in mind Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine pilots were still flying propeller planes, not jets.)

Al and I were working on how many “g’s” a pilot could physically withstand in a curve or “pull out” and still be conscious enough to think clearly.

I’ve forgotten the numbers we each presented, but Al’s was considerably higher than mine. Instead of arguing, I said, “Al, how would you like my showing you, so you can develop a feel for the subject, and we move onto our other problems?”

“You mean take me up in a plane?”

With my “yes,” he exploded, “Wow!”

The following weekend, he and his bride of two years, met me at Floyd Bennett’s Naval Air Station in South Brooklyn. My skipper had approved my proposal when I phoned him during the week.

I had told Al to dress in old clothes. Instead, he came in his wool ROTC uniform.

We were assigned a trainer SNJ. It didn’t take long to illustrate how “g’s” treat a pilot. Al vomited several times!

After landing, we adhered to the Standard Procedure which was the guest cleaned EVERYTHING until the mess and odor were eliminated, and the plane was accepted by the line mechanic.

I tried to help but found myself staying as far from Al as I could because of the pungent odor. His wife, also dressed very well, assisted as best she could. She was a real trooper but had to keep her distance from the worst of smell combinations – a sweaty ROTC uniform and vomit.

Al and I never argued much after that weekend.

Later in my life, in other industries, I have found "an edge" exhilarating and important. If reading His Edge leads you to develop "an edge," you will have captured the esprit of the esprit de corps found in the successful people around you.
~Wayne Harding _______________________________________________________________