Book excerpt: Solo Stages By: David K. Vaughan In his book, Solo Stages: A Recollection of Jet Pilot Training in the United States Air Force, 1962-1963, David K. Vaughan recounts an influential part of his life as an Air Force pilot. After graduating from the Air Force Academy, Vaughan is sent to Webb Air Force Base at Big Spring, Texas, where he undergoes a variety of lessons both in the air and in the local community. Vaughan details both his flying lessons and his day-to-day experiences throughout the book, beginning the written journey of the solo stages that shaped his life and career.