About the Book
There are many interesting stories of people in all walks of life, be it personal, professional, or just about their lives. The following is my story on how my world developed from an early age.
The first powered flight occurred in 1852 by Henri Giffard, a Frenchman, in a Dirigible powered by a 3HP steam engine, then in 1903, the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk in a monoplane called the Wright Flyer powered by a four-cylinder water-cooled four-stroke internal combustion engine.
Of these 168 years of flight, I have been privileged to have participated for 60 of those years in aviation.
This book provides an insight into the life of an aviator/engineer and how his career evolved from a migrant refugee into an Australian citizen and became an engineer in one of the most demanding and exacting industries—aviation.
How it all started and its genesis is described in chapter 1, where the family background is the impetus to enter into the field of aircraft engineering and flight operations.
I have included my family life as it was a most rewarding contribution to my approach and understanding of human nature. Being raised in the bush with very limited wealth and resources was humbling and made me appreciate what we had.
On reflection, the opportunities presented to the family were remarkable, given we did not bring any special qualifications, except Dad’s pilot’s licence as a graduate officer from the Ludowika Military Academy in Budapest. Mum’s graduation diploma from the Pápa Reformed Church Technical High School (she was the only girl in the school) had topped the year and came first in a class of 42 to start a new life with. Australia was truly a land of opportunity and hope that put us all in good stead.
The defining moment of my life was the introduction into service of the Boeing 747 series aircraft in 1969, with Pan American World Airways Inc. This was the start of a 51-year experience with this magnificent aircraft, which continues today, and gave my life a special meaning and, I daresay, a privilege to be part of its history. How time flies. Tempus fugit.
