Shortly after World War I, aviation has reached a hiatus in England. The novelty of civilian flight has worn off. Passenger travel in the small planes of the era is neither feasible nor profitable. In this world, Stephen Morris is one of many pilots trying to earn a living in an industry that can't accommodate them all. Stephen has one advantage over most of them, a degree in mathematics.
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A fortuitous meeting with aircraft designer C. G. H. Rawdon leads Morris into a career as a designer and test pilot.The job is more stable and remunerative than barnstorming and piloting short charter flights. However, unless the aviation industry can become profitable for owners and pilots, even the higher-level skills of an aircraft designer could become redundant.
As Rawdon is forced to lay off designers during hard times for the
industry, Morris agrees to act as test pilot for a risky scheme to show that mail delivery, at least, could benefit from the new technology.
Carrying a heavy payload halfway across the Atlantic, he faces headwinds, a minimal amount of fuel for the journey and a lack of any nightflight equipment.
In a tense conclusion, Morris's family and Rawdon's organization await word of an airplane that is hours overdue. Will this daring test pilot come through this adventure alive?
The review of this Book prepared by David Gordon
