"This book is an episodic log of some of the more memorable of (the author's) nearly 10,000 hours aloft in peace and in war. It is also an attempt to define by example his belief in the phenomenon of luck-- that the pattern of anyone's fate is only partly contrived by the individual".--The New Yorker.

Ernest K. Gann is the author of numerous books, among them The High and the Mighty, Twilight for the Gods, The Aviator, and The Magistrate. He lives in Anacortes, Washington, and continues to write and publish prolifically.

CONTENTS



PREFACE



PROLOGUE



THE TIP OF THE ARROW



AN UNDESIRED RENDEZVOUS IN THE NIGHT



I THE INNOCENTS



AND OF THE FACTS OF AERIAL LIFE



II A NOVITIATE



TANGLED AND STUMBLING IN THE ROBES OF HIS ORDER



III HUMILITY LEARNED



IN WHICH A MASTER IS TOLERANT



IV A CAPTAIN



AT WORK



V THE SEASONING



WHERE THE MIND IS HONED AND SWEAT IS FOUND TO MIX WITH ICE



VI OF NUMBERS



AND THEIR POWER TO REDUCE THE PRESUMPTUOUS QUICKLY



VII GYPSIES



DOUBTFUL OF STATION AND INTENTIONS



VIII RULE BOOKS ARE PAPER



THEY WILL NOT CUSHION A SUDDEN MEETING OF STONE AND METAL



IX VALHALLA



THE TORTUOUS ROUTE THERETO



X A LONELY, UNLOVED SHIP



FINDING HAZARD THE MORE BITTER WHEN MATCHED WITH TRIFLES



XI THE NUMBERS



IN A WICKED, VENGEFUL MOOD



XII COLD



EXHAUSTING, UNRELENTING, MURDEROUS COLD



XIII HEAT



IN MOST MEN THERE LURKS A LESSER MAN, AND HIS PRESENCE SMELLS IN THE SUN



XIV FORTUNE



WHERE IS THE MAN WHO SURVIVES WITHOUT



XV A HOLE



SO SMALL, BUT OF EXQUISITE DESIGN



XVI A PRETENDER



HOW ONE FINE MAN IS ILL-USED BY FATE AND ANOTHER DARES DECEIVE IT



XVII A CERTAIN EMBARRASSMENT



THE URGE TO SHIFT BLAME BECOMES EVEN UGLIER WHEN THE ACCUSED HAS LEFT THE FEAST



XVIII TRAGEDY AND ESCAPE



THERE IS A DEGREE OF MERCY BEYOND WHICH ANY MAN IS RUDE TO INQUIRE



EPILOGUE



NOTES