Captain Mike Clarke trained as a pilot in the 1950s. His first flying job was with DanAir and very soon after he joined BEA, which later became British Airways. His flying career encompassed a variety of different aircraft, ranging from the piston-engined Dakota (DC3), through turbo-props such as the Viscount, to the early jets (Trident) and finally, the new computerized aircraft such as the Boeing 757/767. He was also heavily involved in the British Airline Pilots’ Association at a turbulent time in its history.
Civil aviation has changed out of all recognition over the period during which the author was involved. In many ways it is now far safer than it used to be. In the early sixties, majority of flights were conducted in piston engine aircrafts and many were tail draggers i.e. you would have entered at ...
