Absolute Altitude

by Martin Buckley

In this age of sleek 500-seat transglobal airliners, what remains of the mystery and romance of flight? Martin Buckley circumnavigated the world in a whole series of mostly small aircraft, flying by some of the oldest and strangest planes still in use to some of the remotest places on earth - places where flying is almost the only transport option; and to meet some of the oldest surviving pilots, as well as contemporary pilots who still fly by the seat of their pants. Some years ago Martin discovered that with a qualified pilot's license you can sometimes 'hitch-hike' in the co-pilot's seat (pilots like it, plane owners and insurance companies like it, and customs officials are usually well-disposed). He decided that the subject of his next book would be to try and hitch hike around the world by plane.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Aviation, Biography, History

Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Angela Pleasance · Rating 5 out of 5]

The blurb on the back of the book tells you that once the author had gained his pilot’s licence he set off to hitchhike around the world by plane. That implies a continuity of travel which is absent from the book. However, it is a series of stories about flying in different parts of the world and in various aircraft, for free. Along the way we are introduced to fascinating characters and their lives. Interspersed with this is the story of the development of aviation. Martin Buckley does all this with a natural modesty and flare for storytelling which keeps the reader turning the pages.
Unfortunately all this happened before 9/11 and would not be possible now.
I learnt to fly nearly 40 years ago and I have wondered if one has to be interested in aviation to enjoy the book, but I have concluded that one only needs to be interested in life.

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my second attempt to get through this book and again I'm struggling with it. I was hoping it would be what the blurb promised, with a guy hitching rides on 'planes to travel across the world. But the first half of the book feels like total padding, with pages devoted to a history of early flight and arguments about who really invented powered flight. Well, if I wanted to know that maybe I'd read The Wright Brothers, or a similar history. I wanted to read a travelogue though and that's not what I got. I did enjoy the brief chapters where the author is learning to fly, and I'd give them four stars. But the rest of the Wikipedia cut and paste research would get one star. Currently unfinished, and I don't think I'm going back to it.

[Julian Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fabulously engaging book - packed with history and anecdotes, I bought this because of the cover, and couldn't be more pleased with my purchase.

The author's passion for flying is infections and his writing style superb, as he takes you through the development of manned-flight - from way before the Wright brothers (it's all history so no real spoiler alert there) to completing his odyssey in far flung parts of the world - to modern day developments, with all kinds of enthusiasts in all sorts of contraptions.

This is a genuine treat of a book.

[Attila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite what it says on the box. The back cover says it is a story of a man hitch-hiking through the globe by plane; however, there are only short and disconnected episodes of flying, and most of the book is taken up by history lessons about aviation pioneers and memories (while these are interesting, I knew about most of them, and it is not what I expected).

[Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my absolute favourite of all time. The author managed to keep it all entertaining, alternating between his story around the world and the history of aviation.

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 3 out of 5]

487 - 2015