Rebels and Reformers of the Airways

Davies breaks new ground in commercial aviation history by profiling twenty-five mavericks who defied the establishment in their quest to develop airlines against the odds. The preeminent historian of commercial aviation, Davies writes of the colorful lives & contributions of these enterprising men from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, France, Latin America, Australia & Thailand. Davies presents new perspectives on the efforts of men such as Ralph O'Neill, Marcel Bouilloux-Lafont, Stan Weiss, Orvis Nelson, Howard Hughes & Sir Freddie Laker. But he also discusses, among others, the endeavors of James "Slim" Carmichael, who introduced turbine power to the U.S. commercial aviation industry; Alfred Eliasson, cofounder of Loftleidir in Iceland; Edmund Freeson, who developed air services throughout the Orkney & Shetland islands; Prince Varanand, who spent & lost $50 million to found Air Siam, an international airline owned by Thai nationals. There are also stories of Robert Six, whose innovative policies helped Continental Airlines to complete effectively, & Frank Lorenzo, the immigrant's son who gained control of Continental, as well as Texas Air, New York Air, Eastern Airlines & as this book was in preparation, People Express. These pioneers rebelled against entrenched systems of regulation, government bureaucracies, monopolies & powerful lobbies. Through their efforts to democratize air transport by cutting costs, lowering fares & creating new routes, they helped to change the course of an industry. Thirty-six photographs & seven maps & charts, drawn by Davies, complements the biographies & illustrate the growth of certain airlines.Davies, R. E. G. is the author of 'Rebels and Reformers of the Airways', published 1987 under ISBN 9780874743548 and ISBN 0874743540.