Behind the Cockpit Door

by Arthur Whitlock

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Clinton Sequerah-Salmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favourite books ( not just becuase it's signed ) and I've read it about 12 times..maybe more! Basically the story of one, Mr Arthur Whitlocks from leaving school to his retirement from commercial aviation. It's full of interesting, dangerous, and downright fun escapades. I love the sketches. drawn by Mr Whitlock, that really help to bring the story out from the pages.

One of my fave parts is when he has a very superstitious local crew on board his ageing airliner and for giggles, he wires a pair of gloves to the controls and flicks on the autopilot, then waits for the screams as he and his Co-pilot discreetly dissapear to watch, from the the back toilet.

Or another occasion when he' decides to buzz some boats and do some crazy flying over the sea on a cargo run (before the days of cockpit recorders). After his fun he climbs to cruise altitude and gets a knock at the door having completely forgotten that he does actually have at least one passenger on board.

Mr Whitlock really eptiomises the dichotomy between the developing wonders of an advancing world and aviation technology and the often nomadic, frozen-in-time, lifestyles they'd liaise with in the desert whome they'd be refeuling from; a perfect clash of ancient world and the ultramodern.

[William Barr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pilots tale spanning the years from biplane days to his occupancy in the left hand seat of a Tristar.
Funny and terrifying in turns, An underrated must for any aviation enthusiast.
Hard to get now, deserves a reprint.

[John Mchale · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent read, try it you will like it. Just a pleasant trip through the history of the growth of the airline industry.