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'A witty, sometimes heart-stopping, and always engrossing path from "boy pilot" to elite aviator.' Jaundiced Eye columnist, William Saunderson-Meyer Robert Schapiro always wanted to fly. Challenging anti-Semitic bullying, mockery and fierce rivalry, he realised his dream by earning his wings in the South African Air Force and going on to command C-47 Dakotas in the Border War. He joined South African Airways (SAA) in 1979, soon learning it was a time when SAA crews were dominated by the 'Royal Family' captains who thought themselves above the rules and who spent time overseas on drinking binges or coaxing air hostesses to be their 'airline wives'. When sanctions forced SAA to cut back on its routes, he was seconded to Japan's Nippon Cargo Airlines, routinely flying between New York and Tokyo and grappling with often-hilarious cultural misunderstandings as he adapted to a Japanese style of operations. Schapiro is disarmingly frank about life as an international pilot. He divulges near misses, emergency landings, navigation errors, passenger shenanigans (seat sex, anyone?), how pi control rowdy travellers and absorbing detail about the technique of flying different aircraft types. Uplifting and humorous, his memoir offers a rare slice of aviation history.
Born from a dream during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, ReadMatter has blossomed into one of South Africa s premier online used bookstores. Operating from three strategic depots in Gauteng, we diligently deliver hundreds of books weekly, illuminating minds and enriching souls and bringing the joy of reading to every corner of the nation. Our shelves boast roughly 10,000 books and 4,000 authors at any moment, with an additional 100,000 unlisted treasures available upon request. Can't find what you're looking for? Allow us the privilege to unearth it for you! At ReadMatter, a portion of every sale is lovingly donated to a variety of good causes supporting the aged, the vulnerable, and animal conservation. Join us in turning pages and transforming lives, one story at a time.