Amazing that he was able to start the engines let alone taxi to the runway and take off without being noticed. He wasn't the first maintenance man to steal a jet, might be the first who survived without getting shot down.
I was on active duty when it happened and remember the incident.
It's especially tricky considering that starting the A-4 requires an external electrical power cord from an electrical cart AND an APU for compressed air to rotate the compressor (aka a "huffer"), both of which need to be disconnected after the engine is started.
So he had to hook up the electrical power cord and the "huffer", start the engine, get out and disconnect the power cart and the "huffer" hose and then get back in the cockpit. If he used a ladder to get in initially, he had to also take it down and no matter how he got into the cockpit to start it the jet, he had to climb back in AROUND THE INTAKE OF THE TURNING ENGINE.
A bit acrobatic wearing g-suit, torso harness and SV-2 vest but we did it when at a non-A-4 base with no ladder. 