When Scott Birrell said he wanted to be a pilot after leaving school, his headmaster’s response was crushing: ‘Don’t be stupid, boy.’ This is the story of how he proved his ambition was anything but stupid.
After taking his first flying lesson at the age of 14, he went on to be a flying instructor, a commercial pilot flying the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, an international airline captain, a chief trainer, a senior pilot examiner and a major figure in the aviation world.
Read about his early “hooliganising”, flying low over fishing boats, his near-fatal attempts at aerobatics as a fearless young pilot, his dodgy adventures delivering aircraft around the world, and the time he was unwittingly involved in snatching Israeli DC-3s from Entebbe – the day before the notorious raid on the airport.
Discover what it is like to be on the flight deck of a jet airliner as, looking back on his career as a senior captain, he describes dangers he has dealt with – and discusses how other pilots handled potentially (and sometimes actually) fatal situations. He writes about aviation safety and how the industry needs to change to survive.
If you are a pilot, private or commercial, if you ever fancied becoming one, or even if you have ever been a passenger in a plane, you will find this a fascinating read. It is a brilliant book about flying by a man who really knows his business.