In 1946 Roy Farrell and Syd de Kantzow's beloved, battered wartime DC-3 touched down in Shanghai for the first time. On board was a cargo of morning coats and toothbrushes from New York, forging the first post-war supply route across the treacherous eastern Himalayas. The international airline now known as Cathay Pacific was born.Gavin Young tells the swashbuckling story of an empire of the air, a thrilling, action-packed adventure that began in an era closer to Biggles and biplane...

In "The Misses Mallett (The Bridge Dividing)," E. H. Young explores the intricacies of familial relationships and societal expectations in early 20th-century England. Through the lens of the Mallett sisters, Young employs a rich, introspective narrative style that combines sharp wit with poignant observation, creating a tapestry of emotional depth. The novel captures the tension between personal desires and societal roles, reflecting the changing landscape of gender and class in post-Edwar...

DESCRIPTION“An excellent book to read at this time during the anniversary of the bombing of the German dams by what seemed impossible odds.” Review.**Guy Gibson: Legend of the Dam Busters tells the dramatic story of a renowned British flying legend and his leadership of the infamous raid on the Ruhr dams in May 1943, providing a fitting and timely tribute to a truly courageous aviator.This short i...

DESCRIPTIONRJ Mitchell: Legend of the Spitfire recounts the extraordinary achievements of one of Britain’s greatest aviation legends, the man responsible for creating Britain’s most iconic fighter aircraft, the Supermarine Spitfire.The book, which is around the length of a short story, approximately 40 printed pages, gives the reader a concise and straightforward insight into the life of RJ Mitchell, his role in the prestigious Sch...

Three thousand feet above the Zambian bush, the DHC2 Beaver had only ten minutes' fuel remaining. Night was drawing in; ground features were indiscernible. I could not raise anyone on the radio. Would this be the end? John Flexman knew he wanted to be a pilot from moment he saw an RAF flypast as a boy of eight. At sixteen he joined the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy, getting his 'wings' in 1961 at the age of 18. From there on he never looked back. His flying career took him around the wor...

Brings to full and rich life the extraordinary characters, events and challenges that have made Qantas an Australian icon.From its earliest days, Qantas has attracted its fair share of unusual challenges and unique characters. These are the stories of a great airline and the people who made it, told by a man who has Qantas blood running through his veins. They are hilarious, nostalgic, heroic and sometimes even odd.They are about the brilliant risk takers w...

"Spotlights the career of a fascinating modern warrior, while also shedding light on some of the conflicts that have raged throughout the world" ( Tucson Citizen).A former South African Air Force pilot who saw action throughout the region from the 1970s on, Neall Ellis is the best-known mercenary combat aviator alive. Apart from flying Alouette helicopter gunships in Angola, he fought in the Balkan war for the Islamic forces, tried to resuscitate Mobutu's a...

Fragrant Harbour is the story of four people whose intertwined lives span Asia's last seventy years. Tom Stewart leaves England just before it is hit by the Great Depression to seek his fortune, and finds it in running Hong Kong's best hotel. Sister Maria is a beautiful and uncompromising Chinese nun whom Stewart meets on the boat out from England; their friendship spans decades and changes both their lives. Dawn Stone is an English journalist who becomes the public face o...

The gripping biography of one of New Zealand's most distinguished farmers, entreprenuers and aviation heroes. When Sir Tim Wallis’s Spitfire crashed at Wanaka airfield in 1996, his accident was reported around the world. This lion-hearted Central Otago man, a legendary figure in the aviation, deer farming and business worlds, was suddenly fighting for his life. Sir Tim Wallis is known as the helicopter pilot and entrepreneur who pioneered New Zealand’s deer industry. A mu...

So how do you test drive a Jumbo? And why did a future civil aviation director once taxi a plane down Perth's main street to attend a ball?From the ridiculous to the downright dangerous, the story of Australian aviation is full of tales of adventure and nation building. It is also a story about tragedy and eccentric characters with wild larrikin spirits.In this surprising, fascinating and sometimes very funny collection, Jim Eames brings together the great forgotten and unt...

The daring adventures of a New Zealand search and rescue pilot. 'Somewhere, up ahead, a person is bleeding, but you have to put that out of your mind. Your job is negotiating with time and space. You have your clock, that person has their own, and in the end, whether the rate at which your clock is clicking matches theirs is out of your control.' John Funnell is one of New Zealand's longest serving search and rescue pilots. Often referred to as a 'search and rescue daredev...

Silver Medal Winner at the 2017 Independent Publisher Book Awards in New York, NY, USA.Sometimes it’s not about the destination...it’s about the journey.‘Flying the Knife Edge’ is the story of an ordinary man experiencing extraordinary things as a pilot in Papua New Guinea in the 1990s.After an untimely exit from the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Matt McLaughlin took a leap into the unknown, travelling to Papua New Guinea to work as a missio...