Brian offers how to Straighten Up and Fly Right
Straighten Up and Fly Right (Writersworld.com, hardback £15 and paperback £10) offers the memoirs of Brian Smith who lives in Wisborough Green.
The book is available directly from Brian at briansmithair@uwclub.net.
In July 1962 Brian joined British European Airways (BEA) as a steward. In 1991 he retired as a senior training captain with British Airways.
Brian recalls some of the many hurdles and adventures along the way. The adventures start with his desire to learn to fly.
His working life as a training captain with BOAC and British Airways is described in detail.
Brian, aged 82, said: “The idea of writing a book came shortly after I had given a talk about flying.
“Quite a few people came up to me and said ‘You should write a book’. So I did!
“The seed was sown. I wasn’t sure I had enough material, but when I started to look back at my life in the air, I felt an account of my adventures might appeal to more than just family and friends.
“I wanted to tell the story of my struggle from working as a steward to becoming a senior training captain with British Airways.
“I feel if you set your mind to achieve something, you will do it, but you must give it your all. Live it 24/7 to the exclusion of everything else.
“Many of the chapters grew from short stories about aeroplanes.
“Each chapter is laced with humour, from a sheep jumping out of a plane to a stewardess’s stocking used to repair a projector.
“There are many photos and cartoons supporting each chapter.
“There are two adventures that I feel changed my life. The first concerned the first successful attempt to fly a balloon non-stop around the world, and a flight by balloon to the north pole.
“My wife and I were flight controllers for these two epic flights.”