About Paco

Francesco "Paco" Chierici spent two decades as a U.S. Navy fighter pilot, flying some of the most capable aircraft ever built. From the A-6E Intruder to the legendary F-14A Tomcat, he logged 3,000 tactical hours and served as an F-5 Adversary pilot, the "Bandit" who simulates enemy tactics to train fellow aviators.

A graduate of Boston University, Paco wanted to share the stories: the tension of carrier landings at night, the split-second decisions in combat, the camaraderie forged at 40,000 feet. He partnered with award-winning filmmaker Peyton Wilson to create Speed and Angels, an award-winning documentary following two young aviators chasing their dreams of flying the Tomcat.

Then came the novels. Lions of the Sky introduced readers to Sam "Slammer" Richardson, a fictional fighter pilot grounded in Paco's real experiences. The book earned praise from fellow aviators, bestselling authors, and the former Secretary of the Navy. The sequel, Like Fire From Heaven, arrives in 2027.

Today, Paco flies the Airbus A-350 commercially and flies a Yak-50 aerobatic aircraft for fun. He lives in Northern California with his wife Hillary and their two children. His writing has appeared in Fighter Sweep, Fight's On and Writer's Digest, and he was profiled in AOPA Pilot.