Flying stories have held a fascination from time immemorial, from the legend of Icarus to the jet age. This is a book of flying stories, but with a difference. All of these stories are true, covering the experiences of the author as a test, demonstration, airshow, film, jet charter, and competition aerobatic pilot. The stories include aircraft from the early flying machines to modern military and civil jets. Here you will read of the exultation of a first solo in a Spitfire, the desolation of being lost over the Indian ocean at night, short of fuel in a jet bomber, the sickening fear of hurtling earthwards out of control, the humor of receiving a parking ticket after a forced landing, the shattering experience of crashing an airplane in front of a crowd of 80,000 people, and the unbelievable story of how the author crash landed an airplane after a wing folded in flight, which gained him the Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air.

A wide and exciting variety of aircraft are covered including the Mosquito, Sopwith Pup, Hunter, Scimitar, Meteor, Yak, Heinkel, Falcon, and many others. The Magic of flight is here to be shared; the tranquility, the excitement, the terror, the humor, and the adventure.