Written in the Sky

Since childhood, Mark Carr wanted to and fly he did -- firstly as a naval aviator, a jet instructor and then pilot for Cathay Pacific Airlines. This book is written for those who, like him, have hydraulic oil flowing through their veins. It also gives readers of a non-flying background an insight into military and civil aviation. Sit in the cockpit with Mark and gain a rare insight into how these amazing machines, that we now take for granted, work, and how the men and women in the cockpits and flight decks operate them safely and efficiently. At a young age Mark developed an obsession with aviation, making his first solo flight at the age of sixteen and joined the Royal Australian Navy as a pilot at eighteen in 1976. He developed into a seasoned carrier pilot, operating Grumman Tracker aircraft, and later became a flying instructor on jets. In the early eighties he transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force and continued instructing on jets, then Orion patrol aircraft before joining Ansett Airlines of Australia in 1987, where he flew Fokker and Boeing aircraft. Two years later Mark was caught up in the bitter Australian Domestic Pilots Dispute, and he and his young family left Australia to fly with Cathay Pacific Airways Limited in Hong Kong, where he flew Boeing 747 and Airbus aircraft. I wanted to do justice to all of the wonderful aircraft that I have flown, a credit to their designers, manufacturers, and the people who maintained them. I sincerely hope that the reader, of whatever age or background, finds the work informative, entertaining, and possibly even inspiring. His story is also entwined with historical context including his first-hand account of the infamous Australian Pilots' Dispute of 1989 and life as an expatriate in Hong Kong.