Born to Fly: From Hangar Floor to Chief Pilot

Five-year-old Bob Williams flew to Berlin with his family in a noisy, freezing Avro Tudor. He was bitten by the aviation bug and made up his mind to always work with aircraft. He started as an apprentice engineer with British Eagle, experienced redundancies, and gained his command on Boeing 737s before being made redundant. He rose to the rank of Chief Pilot and the story of his career is the story of a remarkable industry that flourished in the years following World War Two but experienced many failures and setbacks. Born to Fly is essential reading for those who want to understand the growth and periodic failures of Britains airlines.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 11 July 2023
Publisher: SunRise Publishing Ltd

When five-year-old Bob Williams embarked on a noisy and freezing Avro Tudor flight to Berlin with his family, his mother was in tears, yet he considered it the most exhilarating experience of his young life. Bitten by the aviation bug, he realized there was no cure and decided to pursue a career in the field. Starting as an apprentice engineer with British Eagle, he faced his first redundancy when the company folded in 1968. However, Dan-Air sponsored him for his commercial pilots license, and he gained command on their Boeing 737s before experiencing another redundancy. Over the ensuing decades, he flew for ten different airlines, with only two surviving. He ascended to the rank of Chief Pilot, and his career, in many ways, reflects the remarkable growth and periodic failures of Britain's airlines. Born to Fly is a must-read for those interested in understanding the remarkable expansion and occasional setbacks of Britain's airlines, or for those seeking a captivating story of a boy who pursued his dreams.

Weight: 700g
Dimension: 216 x 140 x 70 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781914489372