THE AIRLINES OF THE WORLD. by Brimson, Samuel - 1985

Sydney: Dreamweaver, 1985. 256 pp, 4to (11 3/4" H). Profusely illustrated with b&w and colour photographs. "This is the story of commercial aviation - of the individual airlines which grew out of humble beginnings into the corporate giants they are today. It is also the story of people. People such as Paterson, Six, Boeing, Fysh, Trippe, Hanshue, Plesman, Rickenbacker, Hughes, Frye and many other who pioneered commercial aviation and went on to found some of the greatest airlines in the world. The names of Boeing, Douglas, Lockhhed, Fokker, etc., are synonymous with flying today; but what of other pioneers, of companies which have ceased to exist or have gone out of aircraft building? Here the stories of deHavilland, Handley Page, Convair, Vickers, Stinson, Junkers, Airspeed, Avro, Bristol, Hawker Siddeley, as well as many smaller companies, are told in the context of the airlines that flew their products. With airline operations so confused and depressed today, this book looks back on their illustrious histories - at the efforts of people who made them grow, at the attempts to halt that growth, at the transition from air travel in splendid comfort only for the wealthy to today's 747s, DC10s and L1011s which pack in the low-fare-paying passengers like sardines. All in all, (this) is a fascinating chronicle of the world of commercial aviation from its very beginnings until the present." This is a heavy volume and may require extra postage, depending on destination. Light cigarette odour, small bump to top/bottom of spine and to top corners of both boards, minor edgewear. Dust jacket has moderate edge wrinkling - mainly at top edge, very light rubbing, three very small tears achivally taped, slight fading to spine colour. . Hard Cover. Good+/Good+.