Ron Raymond served 25 years in the Royal Australian Air Force, including 20 years as a general duties pilot, before leaving the military to continue his career in airline pilot training and management. He finally retired after 67 years in aviation.
Over the Rainbow initially focuses on Ron’s time in the RAAF and his early efforts to establish himself as a professional aviator before his selection as a general duties pilot. The story describes training methods during the 1950s and ’60s, handling the WW2 heavy bombers of the day (Lincoln Mark 30 and 31—Lancaster variants), fast jets (Vampire), air instruction, tactical air operations (Vietnam and Papua New Guinea), an Air Staff career assignment and, finally, appointment as the Chief Flying Instructor at the RAAF Basic Flying Training School.
