This book could easily have been titled From Farm Boy to Chief Pilot… An ordinary Kiwi kid, Ted Crawford grew up in rural 1940s and 50s New Zealand, beginning his working life as a farmer… until he felt he should be involved with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) – a sense of calling that changed his life and set him on a journey filled with adventure.

Having learnt to fly, he began his aviation career taking tourists to Milford Sound, then in venison recovery, before marrying Elsie and moving to the even more formidable terrain of Papua New Guinea, via Ballarat, Australia. After nine years as a line pilot, he was appointed as Chief among 24 pilots for MAF-PNG, before eventually returning home to lead the work of MAF-NZ until his retirement.

A fascinating memoir, full of sparkling tales and the excitement, challenges, perils and rewards of a pilot’s life.