As this is my first novel, I have drawn heavily on others’ experience in order to produce a readable end product. To thank everyone would take far too long, but I would like to single out a few individuals without whom I would have been lost:
Mark and George, the intrepid Lucas brothers, who have spent many hours helping me put the whole thing together. Suzie and Sue, for struggling through the first draft and offering their criticism – always constructive! Finally, Neil, for his constant help and advice. Thank you all.
Even in peacetime, the Royal Air Force expects to lose £100 million worth of equipment and ten lives each year through training accidents.
In the five years between January 1991 and May 1996, eighty-three military aircraft were lost in crashes during training, resulting in the loss of over seventy lives. This excludes Gulf War losses. Eighteen of the aircraft were Tornados.
Twenty-eight of the accidents were attributed to ‘aircrew error’. Another nineteen are still under investigation.
These are the facts; what follows is fiction…
John Nichol, June 1996