For Love of Flying
by Harle Whitehead

This book is largely about the author's decision – at age 55 – to learn to fly, and what followed thereafter. The story reveals that flying involves a lot more than just basic learning steps and includes excitement, hardship, mistakes, successes, adventures, tragedy and making new friendships.

This book describes in detail the challenge of flying and is thus essential reading for any person contemplating becoming a pilot.

It also contains many photographs, mostly taken by the author, and descriptions of beautiful New Zealand scenery as viewed from the air; he outlines flights to the country’s rarely seen wilderness areas.

The crash of his first Cessna 172 (while on lease) is covered and the book also unravels two tragedies: the loss of a pilot friend in an aircraft crash; and the untimely death of two neighbouring friends – mutual developers of Aylesbury Airstrip – who died in a flying accident.

There are also sections on various flights in friends’ and others’ aircraft, including in a WWII P-51D Mustang fighter.

The book is a sensitive story of the ability to face a serious challenge and learn, coupled with in-flight experiences.

Harle Whitehead's book offers reassurance to intending pilots – whether they are aged 15 or 55 – and he makes the point that age is not important in learning to fly.

For Love of Flying has been written to express the author’s thoughts and experiences as a Private Pilot in the hope that people, young or old, who feel they would like to fly – will give it a go.