Nine Lives: The Compelling Memoir of a Cold War Harrier Pilot

Chris Burwell's career in aviation spans nearly 50 years, from joining the RAF in 1969 to managing a flight training base in Spain. He has flown on front-line squadrons during the Cold War, introduced new technologies to the Harrier front line, and has valuable insights into military and civilian flying operations.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2022
Publisher: Grub Street Publishing

Chris Burwell's remarkable journey in aviation spans nearly five decades, beginning with his enlistment in the Royal Air Force (RAF) at the age of 18 in 1969. His training took him to RAF Cranwell and RAF Valley, where he honed his skills as a flying instructor on Jet Provosts. His military career took off when he joined the Harrier Force, flying frontline squadrons in the UK and Germany during the Cold War. He also served as an instructor on the Harrier Conversion Unit, imparting his knowledge to aspiring pilots.

Burwell's adventures continued with deployments to Belize in 1977, the Falklands (twice), ejection from a Harrier GR3, the introduction of FLIR and NVG to the Harrier front line, and operational missions in Northern Iraq. After 30 years of dedicated service, he transitioned to Cobham, where he managed their Teesside base and flew the Falcon 20 on operational training for the military. He also played a key role in flying the King Air 200 on international flight calibration tasks.

Finally, Burwell spent four years in Spain with Flight Training Europe (FTE) Jerez, where he took on the responsibility of training a new generation of pilots. Throughout his career, Burwell has accumulated invaluable insights into military and civilian flying operations, making his experiences both engrossing and noteworthy. His book is highly recommended to readers from both disciplines.

Weight: 710g
Dimension: 165 x 240 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781911667285