In the fast-moving world of aviation, any pilot who can claim forty active years at the controls will also want to claim the distinction of being involved in the most interesting era in aviation. There was no such era. From the Wright brothers to the Raptor, it has been a short swift journey. I was in the middle somewhere; as a commercial pilot from 1964 to 2004.

Being red/green colour-blind, I was consequently a late starter; finding out aged twenty-seven that I could be graded "red/green, defective safe, grade 2" (whatever that meant), and thus began my exciting airborne life; a small part of which is depicted in "Touch and Go" – the Rambling Adventures of an African Bush-Pilot.

In those days, the military were playing around with evolving jet and turbine power plants. These engines have slowly come to infiltrate most areas of aviation; but thankfully that was after my time; (which was 'hands-on' and in the left-hand seat); so, I never got to start a turbine or jet engine aircraft. Days, mostly eclipsed by the sophistication found everywhere today.

If a dedication is required, then it must be to the generation of Air cooled, horizontally opposed, Normal aspirated, Turbo-charged, and Super-charged power plants that took me into the sky and made for a life of adventure most people can only dream about.