There are not a lot of aviation memoirs from this time period. This one is excellent, covering the author's experience as a British test pilot. It is somewhat unique in that the author flew a very large variety of different aircraft types. The book provides a good selection of pictures too.

A fantastic account of the author's professional piloting career. From flying the very basic Chipmunk to test piloting the brand new Tornado (in the 1970s), the book covers details of each posting from fighting in Aden to flying a desk in the MoD.
A compelling read which is fascinating from cover to cover.
If you are interested in aviation then this book is a must for your bookshelf.
Highly recommended.

For those who, like me, have only a tacit level of understanding of a test pilot’s role, this book will be quite illuminating. Ron Burrows did not set out to become a test pilot and even through his career tried to get back to operational flying but clearly his mix of pilot skills, understanding of technology and analytical thinking are not common and as such the Military Establishment were determined to get the most out of their investment. Burrows documents the flight characteristics of the many aircraft he flew which, on its own, could be tedious but he manages to weave it into anecdotes of his life at different times so the stories are both entertaining and informative. Many of these death defying tales are told in such a “matter of fact” way it makes it almost sound like a job with slight risk but all within a relatively safe envelope. The truth, as we learn, is that the Test Pilot’s role is to define the edges of this envelope so that others can more safely operate. For the test pilot this means constantly living in the danger zone. Towards the end the Author recounts the high number of close friends and colleagues whose lives have been lost in flying accidents mostly due to pilot error. He says that this is rarely down to recklessness, rather understandable mistakes and errors of judgement at critical times. Of his own survival, he says this maybe down to “just plain luck” a statement packed with humility from a person in a profession which, above all, is deserving of bragging rights.
Aeroplane buffs, RAF enthusiasts and general Military readers will all enjoy reading this book which will enhance their understanding of aircraft types from the cold war period and the workings of the Military Establishment around that time.
I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publishers Pen and Sword Books for the opportunity to review this book.