Balloons, Bleriots and Barnstormers : 200 Years of Flying for Fun

This is the definitive history of recreational flying in the East Midlands. Since time immemorial ordinary people have flocked to gaze upon daring feats in the hope of witnessing some death-defying or even death-inducing act. Aeronautics was turned into a public spectacle and exploited financially from its very beginning and thus it has remained ever since. The book sets out to elaborate upon those concepts in the East Midlands, and demonstrates that the region is truly representative of the progress of general aviation in this country as a whole over two centuries. The history covers balloons for shows and sports, the pre-First World War period, women aviators, Sir Alan Cobham, through to private and small air taxi flying operations, Amy Johnson, and continuing up to the present day. This illustrated book enables the reader to feel the euphoria and frustrations of the flyers, and experience the same excitement as the people who actually witnessed their efforts.

Born and bred in Spalding, Lincolnshire, Alastair Goodrum has held a passion for aviation ever since being taken as a small boy to the 1954 Farnborough Air Show. Now sixty-four, he has been married for forty years, has held a commission in the RAFVR from 1968 to 1975, is an occasional radio broadcaster and presents illustrated public talks on his pet subject.