Light Aircraft Association BOOKS - BIOGRAPHY & HISTORY.

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	CURIOUSITIES OF FLIGHT - Some Unusual Ideas on Flying, from Flapping Wings to the Jet Age Arthur’s many fans world-wide will welcome this exploration of aviation anomalies written in his usual whimsical and entertaining style. 112 pages, softback, b&w photos throughout. Price: £18.00


	PROPELLERHEAD - by TV 'star' Antony Woodward!! Imagine Nick Hornby mixed with Jeremy Clarkson, throw in an initially reluctant flyer, and you get 'Propellerhead'! Hilarious, engaging, petrifying, eccentric, daring and full of incident, Antony Woodward's account of his introduction to to aviation, and his journey to becoming a pilot, will touch a chord with all flyers. An unlikely bestseller, this book has rapidly become a minor classic. 274 pp, p/back. Price: £10.00


	De Haviland Moths in Detail - DH60, DH80, DH82, DH83,DH85, DH87 & DH94 The creation of the DH60 Moth in 1925 led to a family of light aeroplanes which continued to evolve until the very eve of World War II. This new book outlines the early days of the de Havilland company and studies the evolution of each of the Moth variants and their engines, which took place between 1925 and 1939 - the first time that an amalgam of such detail has been drawn together into a single volume. It features DH Co at Stag Lane Aerodrome; DH60 Moth; DH80 Puss Moth; DH82 Tiger Moth; DH83 Fox Moth; DH85 Leopard Moth; DH87 Hornet Moth; and, DH94 Moth Minor. This is the first time that the whole family of de Havilland Moths have been covered in such detail in one volume. Specially commissioned color photography shows each of the aircraft in huge detail. The author is the most trusted and best-respected name in Moth circles. He founded the De Havilland Moth Club and was heavily involved in the formation of de Havilland Support Ltd, which ensures the continued airworthiness of the worldwide fleet of de Havilland aircraft. This magnificent volume is a suitable tribute to the Moth; cloth hardback, with dustjacket, 400pp, illustrated throughout in colour and B&W. Price: £45.00


	EMPIRE OF THE CLOUDS - WHEN BRITAIN'S AIRCRAFT RULED THE WORLD - new in paperback THE 2010 BESTSELLER NOW IN PAPERBACK!! In 1945, Britain was the world's leading designer and builder of aircraft - a world-class achievement that was not mere rhetoric. And what aircraft they were. The sleek Comet, the first jet airliner. The awesome delta-winged Vulcan, an intercontinental bomber that could be thrown about the sky like a fighter. The Hawker Hunter, the most beautiful fighter-jet ever built and the Lightning, which could zoom ten miles above the clouds in a couple of minutes and whose pilots rated flying it as better than sex. How did Britain so lose the plot that today there is not a single aircraft manufacturer of any significance in the country? And what was it like to be alive in that marvellous post-war moment when innovative new British aircraft made their debut, and pilots were the rock stars of the age? James Hamilton-Paterson captures that season of glory in a compelling book that fuses his own memories of being a schoolboy plane spotter with a ruefully realistic history of British decline - its loss of self confidence and power. It is the story of great and charismatic machines and the men who flew them: heroes such as Bill Waterton, Neville Duke, John Derry and Bill Beaumont who took inconceivable risks, so that we could fly without a second thought. 300pp, inc 12pp of b&w photos Price: £10.00


	WRECKS & RELICS - LOST AVIATION COLLECTIONS OF BRITAIN (50th Anniversary ed'n). A special tribute to the UK’s bygone aviation museums and collections. Britain’s diverse aviation heritage owes much to the pioneer museums and collections that fell by the wayside from the 1930s onwards. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first publication of Wrecks & Relics (approx 52,000 sales since it’s first publication) this limited edition commemorates our bygone glories. Warbird pioneers such as Richard Nash, Spencer Flack and Charles Church are put into their context and important institutions that helped kick-start the ‘booms’ of the 1960s and 1970s - Cranfield and Loughborough - are explained. Then there are the much-loved museums that are no more, including Colerne, Skyfame, Southend, Strathallan and Torbay. Over 40 such organisations, large and small, are covered with important types that slipped the net and are ‘extinct’ in the UK, including the ATEL Carvair, Miles Marathon and the Westland Whirlwind fighter. Lavishly illustrated with over 200 period images, including 96 in full colour Lost Aviation Collections of Britain. Price: £18.00


	WRECKS & RELICS, 22nd Edition. Want suggestions of aviation museums to visit? Need to know about the aviation heritage of Yorkshire? Would you like to see an airworthy Spitfire? Are there any Boeing 727s in the UK? Wrecks & Relics can answer all these questions and many more. If you have an interest in the aviation history and heritage of the British Isles, then this is the one book you should have. Covering more than 750 locations, Wrecks and Relics has an enviable reputation as a comprehensive touring guide: providing details of visitor attractions large and small, including major exhibits, locations, opening times, contact points and web-sites. 700 aircraft types and over 5,000 individual aeroplanes are detailed, including potted histories, helpful comments and over 190 colour illustrations. 'Warbirds', classic and vintage types, out-of-service propliners and jets, modern military types, restoration projects, replicas, derelicts and long forgotten airframes are all here. Now it its 22nd edition, Wrecks & Relics is a trusted reference source on the UK and Ireland's aviation heritage and is highly regarded by museum curators, restorers, operators and enthusiasts alike. Hardback, 318 pages, illustrated throughout with colour photographs. Price: £20.00


	COLOUR ENCYCLOPEDIA OF INCREDIBLE AEROPLANES Stroll down memory lane with this celebration of 150 memorable airplanes, from the first flimsy flying machines to the widebody giants of today. A fascinating look at a wide range of interesting and revolutionary aircraft from the last 170 years, from unbuilt designs of the 19th century, to Fosset's Atlantic Globalflyer. Includes technical specs and a potted history of each aeroplane featured. 360 page, well-bound, landscape shaped softback - b&w, sepia, and colour photographs throughout. Price: £10.00


	AIRFIX KITS With the aid of stringy glue and scalpel-sliced fingers, young and old have turned display cabinets and bedrooms into mini-museums, or tiny battlefields. This book looks at the fascinating tale of this British company - a pioneer in the world of modelling - as well as its products, its changing fortunes over the years, and its links with popular culture. Accompanied by color images, Trevor Pask explores this thriving pastime, allowing Airfix kit lovers to indulge in a nostalgic journey and those new to the hobby an intriguing insight into its history. Although of modest size, this is a fascinating book, of interest to boys (and girls!) of all ages who ever put a sticky tube of glue to little bits of grey plastic! Softback, 56 pages, excellent quality colour photographs throughout. Price: £7.00


	JUAN de la CIERVA AND HIS AUTOGIROS Fans of Arthur’s dry wit will welcome another addition to his highly popular series. His depth of knowledge and the unbounded enthusiasm with which he approaches each book gives us a unique insight into the escapades of entrepreneurs and heroes in the early days of flying. Price: £15.00


	FLYING FLEA - HENRI MIGNET'S POU-DU-CIEL With more than a little nostalgia for the days when flying was still an adventure that anyone could participate in and the sky was not restricted and controlled as it is today, the author presents to us one of the original participants in that adventure. Frenchman Henri Mignet's creation, the Flying Flea provided the enthusiast of the era with a viable machine for a mere £25 (£65 with a decent engine). He took on the UK aviation bureaucracy and won, allowing ordinary folk to build and fly his soon-to-be-famous little machine. His story is the stuff of Boy's Own heroics and in the telling of it the author allows us to re-live his own youthful enthusiasms in the early years of flying. Large-format softback, illustrated with more than 150 b&w photographs. Price: £15.00


	THE FIRST HOMEBUILT AEROPLANES These days anybody can build his or her own aeroplane in their garage or shed. But back in the 1930s it was a different story. Aircraft were considered too complex for the ordinary man, F J Camm, champion of do-it-yourself thought otherwise and started Practical Mechanics magazine which told the reader how to make all sorts of things at home. In 1935 he published a series of articles on how to build the Flying Flea aircraft which created a sensation. Although this aircraft was not a success, it sowed the seeds of amateur flying in what today we know as 'D-I-Y Man'. When the Flying Flea was grounded because of mishaps, Practical Mechanics again rose to the challenge with the tiny Luton Minor and told its readers exactly how to make one at home. The 1939-45 war stopped everything and when peace returned home-built aircraft were effectively banned until Arthur W J G Ord-Hume,a post-war pioneer in amateur aviation, revived the pre-War Minor design and battled with the authorities to get amateur aircraft flying again, with his new Luton Minor becoming the first British design to gain post-war approval. In this fascinating and unique book all of the Practical Mechanics home-built aircraft articles are reprinted just as they were published from the Flying Flea to the LA.4a Minor. 108pp plus 4 page colour section. £12 INC P&P Price: £12.00


	CRASHES AND PRANGS : Aircraft that have Suffered Mishap through Fair Means or Foul In these days of sleek super-metals and indestructible polymers the realisation that the earliest fliers left Terra Firma in fragile constructs often made of wood and fabric seems unbelievable. A sudden gust or down draft could spell disaster and errant birds (then as now) were hazards to be avoided at all costs. None of this however seemed to have dampened the enthusiasm of these aviation pioneers and this wonderful collection is a tribute to their zeal and determination against all odds. Quotes such as "Dear Mum: I am getting the hang of this flying business and I have already mastered taking-off. My instructor says that all I have to do is to practice my landings a bit and then I'll be a real pilot!" juxtaposed against of one of the many photographs featuring an inverted aircraft is an typical of the wry humour present throughout the book. Written by Arthur W. J. G. Ord-Hume, the book has more than 130 photographs from the last 100 years or so. The comprehensive and informative text looks at causes, and the occasional improvements that the incidents resulted in. PRICE INCLUDES P&P. Price: £15.00


	CHASING THE MORNING SUN, by Manuel Queiroz. Ten years ago Manuel Queiroz declared his intention to fly solo around the world. Having just beaten cancer, he was buoyed by the recent brush with mortality and ready to take on a life-changing goal. Five years ago he fulfilled his ultimate dream and Chasing the Morning Sun is the exhilarating story of his record-breaking journey. In February 2006 Manuel circumnavigated the globe in a home-built aeroplane on an adventure which took him 27,056 miles. The journey lasted thirty-nine days, as he made eighteen stops in twelve different countries, becoming the only Briton ever to achieve this feat. And for this he was honoured by the Royal Aero Club with their highest award, the Britannia Trophy which was bestowed on him by His Royal Highness the Duke of York. Taking off from an icy Britain, he was within days flying over burning deserts, through tropical rainstorms and the sweltering equatorial heat. Within a week he had landed on a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The journey wasn’t all plain sailing, there were dangers to confront and overcome: flying through sandstorms in the Saudi desert, terrifying electric storms, taking off from unlit runways at night and the ever present possibility of mechanical failure over an inhospitable ocean. It was a truly solo effort. There was no co-pilot to take over the controls when exhaustion set in, no ground staff to handle repairs, no one to check the route or the weather, or to turn to for advice when critical decisions had to be made. An inspiring tale of personal strife against impossible odds, both inside and outside the cockpit, makes Chasing the Morning Sun not just a book for pilots or adventurers but for anyone looking for inspiration from the realisation of a lifelong ambition. Hardback, 160pp, b&w and colour photographs throughout. FOREWORD BY POLLY VACHER PLEASE PHONE DAVE DALE ON 01280 846783 IF YOU WISH TO ORDER A SIGNED COPY - LIMITED AVAILABILITY! Price: £20.00


	CHASING THE MORNING SUN - SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. if you would like a copy of the book signed by the author, Manuel Queiroz, please order from this page. Price: £20.00


	FLY BY WIRE; THE GEESE, THE GLIDE, THE 'MIRACLE' ON THE HUDSON On January 15, 2009, a US Airways Airbus A320 had just taken off from LaGuardia Airport in New York, when a flock of Canada geese collided with it, destroying both of its engines. Over the next three minutes, the plane's pilot Chelsey 'Sully' Sullenberger, managed to glide to a safe landing in the Hudson River. It was an instant media sensation, the 'The Miracle on the Hudson', and Captain Sully was the hero. But, how much of the success of this dramatic landing can actually be credited to the genius of the pilot? To what extent is the 'Miracle on the Hudson' the result of extraordinary o but not widely known, and in some cases quite controversial o advances in aviation and computer technology over the last twenty years?From the testing laboratories where engineers struggle to build a jet engine that can systematically resist bird attacks, through the creation of the A320 in France, to the political and social forces that have sought to minimize the impact of the revolutionary fly-by-wire technology, William Langewiesche assembles the untold stories necessary to truly understand 'The Miracle on the Hudson', and makes us question our assumptions about human beings in modern aviation. PRICE INCLUDES P&P. Price: £8.00


	FLYING FROM MY MIND - Innovative and Record-Breaking Microlight and Aircraft Designs David G Cook's memoir is the story of one of Britain's most outstanding microlight designers, who has flown his various aircraft to achieve a multitude of record flights. His fascinating story begins in 1973 when David Cook built a glider in an attempt to win the Selsey Birdman Rally ' an annual event where all types of creations are launched from the end of Bognor Pier. Between 1975 and 1977 he won every National and International hang gliding competition entered and then in 1977 he designed and built a power unit for his glider. In 1978 he became the first and lowest-powered microlight to cross the English Channel. His successes in this venture led to sponsorship from Duckhams Oil and there followed a period of demonstration flights at major air shows. In 1982 he designed a microlight called Shadow and in 1983 it took the FIA world speed and distance records for the class. In 1992 he took the aircraft to 23,600ft to claim the world altitude record for the class, beaten later by himself in a newly designed Streak to 27,150 ft. David started a company to build the Shadow in 1984 and has demonstrated its remarkable flying abilities around the world, during which time he had many amusing and some exciting experiences. In 1987 the Shadow won the British Design Award. Hardback, 228 pages, plus 36 pages of B&W photographs. Price INCLUDES UK p&p Price: £22.00


	MILES AIRCRAFT - THE EARLY YEARS The Story of F G Miles and his Aeroplanes 1925-1939 - one of the most radical British designers and manufacturers up to World War Two. The distinctive Miles Hawk series of monoplanes was popular amongst private fliers both in the UK and overseas, while the derivative Magister trainer was a key part of the RAF expansion programme. This is the history of Miles from his barnstorming days at Shoreham to the aircraft producing years at Woodley. A4 hardback, dustcover. 448 pages which includes 10 in colour including unique 1940s colour cine stills! Price INCLUDES UK p&p. Price: £58.00


	THE SPITFIRE POCKET MANUAL - All marks in service, 1939-45 Developed in 1938 from a Schneider trophy-winning design by the aeronautical engineer and designer R. J Mitchell, the Supermarine Spitfire went on to become the definitive Allied fighter of the Second World War, and ranks amongst the most famous aircraft of all time. Numerous manuals were produced for pilots and ground crew, dealing with all aspects of the Spitfire from engine specs to cockpit layout. This handbook collects together the most useful of these publications, reproducing them as they would have appeared when originally issued to officers of the RAF and other Allied air forces. It is split into key sections including a general history of Supermarine and the Spitfire type & variants, pilot's notes, flying instructions, emergencies and fighting tactics. The text is supplemented with illustrative plans, diagrams and photographs. Such information gives a real insight into the design and operation of this classic fighter, from day-to-day maintenance to dogfighting tactics. Published in an attractive and authentic wartime format, the "Spitfire Pocket Book" perhaps represents the closest thing to actually flying this exceptional aircraft. PRICE INCLUDES P&P. Price: £8.00


	UNFIT TO FLY The book title, "Unfit to Fly", sums up the content of this publication nicely for the author has achieved and enjoyed a varied aviation career as a civilian pilot despite a medical condition which threatened to curtail his flying before it had even began. Had the Civil Aviation Authority had its way, this book would never have been written. The theme of the book is one of determination to succeed against the odds, overcoming several periods of redundancy which ironically has made the writer's flying more varied and interesting. It is hoped that readers will be given encouragement to pursue a career in flying even if they have had a poor start to life; if you want to succeed, you can, provided you put in the effort and study hard. There is also a flight safety element to the book as Hugh has been happy to reveal some remarkably lucky escapes which he hopes will help to prevent similar incidents happening to other pilots. He has also created and developed a small airstrip in south Shropshire at "Milson" which he is proud to declare as his legacy to aviation. His efforts to overcome planning difficulties are given a particular emphasis. The Ruskin quote "Every Noble Life leaves the Fibre of it interwoven for ever in the Works of the World" relates to this achievement. Anyone wishing to fly will find this book interesting and useful, but if you can already, it will be an interesting read about someone else's flying history. Enjoy it. About the Author Hugh Thompson was born to a country farming family at Milson in South Shropshire and was educated at Hightree House, Lentwardine, Aymestrey School, near Worcester, and Lucton School, near Leominster in Herefordshire. Fascinated about flying from the age of 11 having seen the X-15 Rocket Plane on film, he learnt to fly at Shobdon airfield in Herefordshire shortly after leaving school and has had a varied career in aviation ever since; flying aircraft as diverse as the De Havilland Beaver, Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer, Twin Otter and the Shorts SD 360; acquiring over 12000 Hours to date. He continues to fly occasionally as a part time instructor and currently lives with his partner Wendy near to Ludlow in England. He hopes to find a new employment connected with aviation, and is prepared to be grounded for good if need be! Price: £11.00


	You want to Build and Fly a What? or....How I learned to fly, build a WW1 Replica, and stay married! The true, highly unlikely and very funny autobiography of Dick Starks, a Maths teacher who, having succeeded in learning to fly, buys an old Cessna, then goes on to build a Replica Nieuport Fighter Plane. A lively mix of humour, trials and tribulations, technical information and his philosophy, Stark's story gives a unique insight into the mind of a determined and dedicated homebuilder. He cheerfully reveals the disasters he encountered (many self inflicted!), but in doing so shows the value of direct thinking and learning from your mistakes. 250 Pages. Price: £15.00


	LIVING IN THE FUTURE : The Education & Adventures of an Advanced Aircraft Designer -- Dan Raymer Dr. Daniel P. Raymer, noted aircraft designer and author of the award-winning textbook "Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach", has written a non-technical book that will be treasured by everyone who loves airplanes, wonders how they get designed, and wants to know how somebody becomes an aircraft designer. Half the book is Raymer’s warm and personal memoir of growing up in the 50’s and 60’s as the son of a Navy Test Pilot, discovering his own love of aviation, and entering the rarefied club of those who stare at a blank sheet of paper and turn it into a new aircraft or spacecraft design. The other half covers Raymer’s early involvement in the projects that became the X-31, B-2, F-22, T-45, F-35, and many more. (Yes, you get both halves bound together for one price!). The book is an easy read, quick-paced, funny, and aimed at a general audience. Raymer includes his mistakes, disappointments, and downright stupid decisions. It’s not all airplanes either. Read about Raymer’s aborted musical career, his misadventures in exotic destinations like Belarus and Bulgaria, how he got on the Internet early enough to grab www.aircraftdesign.com, and how he came to write his design textbook. 378 pages. NB - The layout of the book is deliberate! Price: £33.00


	Not Much of an Engineer - Sir Stanley Hooker If you have not yet heard of Sir Stanley Hooker, this will come as a treat. As a young (and brilliant) mathematician he joined Rolls Royce near the outbreak of WW2 - to find that the Merlin engine which powered the all-important Hurricane and Spitfire was down on power due to a supercharger design flaw that only he had spotted due to his mathematical abilities. In finding that extra power he will have earned the gratitude of a generation of pilots and by extension the gratitude of the nation whose existence depended on their ability to out-fly the invaders. There is more... Throughout the war he continuously extended the development of the aircraft enigine superchargers that he had mastered, and became one of the first to appreciate and support Whittle in the development of the Jet Engine. Hooker was one of the key figures in the success of Rolls Royce jet engines, and went on to develop the Key ingredient in the Harrier Jump-jet, it's dedicated power plant. And more, much more.... "Not much of an Engineer" has its dramatic personal twists, and Hooker is ruthless with what he saw as his own personal failings. In addition to his mathematical and engineering skills, he writes both fluently and with feeling. Beg, borrow, or buy it, and read it. Highly recommended. Softback, illustrated, 255pp Price: £15.00


	What Engineers Know, and How They Know It : Analytical Studies From Aeronautical History - by W G Vincenti. To solve their design problems, engineers draw on a vast body of knowledge about how things work. Examining previously unstudied historical cases, this author shows how engineering knowledge is obtained and presents a model to help explain the growth of such knowledge. "The biggest contribution of Vincenti's splendidly crafted book may well be that it offers us a believably human image of the engineer." -- Technology Review. "'Must' reading for all thoughtful engineers and historians of technology, and even for those physical scientists who wonder why engineers frequently act and think differently than do basic scientists." -- American Scientist Softback, 336pp, illustrated. Price: £20.00

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