Flying African Skies: Bushpilots Tales by Karl Finatzer

Flying African Skies: Bushpilots Tales by Karl Finatzer is an engaging collection of true aviation stories drawn from the distinctive world of bush flying in Africa. Published in 2002, this first edition captures the adventure, challenges and occasional humour encountered by pilots operating light aircraft across the vast and often unforgiving landscapes of Southern Africa.

Finatzer writes from practical flying experience, recounting episodes involving remote airstrips, unusual destinations, unpredictable conditions and the characters encountered along the way. Rather than presenting a technical aviation manual, Flying African Skies: Bushpilots Tales offers accessible, entertaining accounts of what it was actually like to fly beyond the conventional airline routes and established airports. The stories combine aviation, travel and African adventure, giving readers a glimpse into a style of flying where judgement, resourcefulness and an intimate understanding of aircraft and terrain are essential.

Flying African Skies: Bushpilots Tales is illustrated with colour photographs, portraits and maps, adding considerable visual interest to the author’s recollections. Its distinctly Southern African subject matter makes it particularly appealing to collectors of South African aviation books, pilots, aircraft enthusiasts and readers interested in African travel and adventure.

Published in relatively specialist circumstances and now over two decades old, Flying African Skies: Bushpilots Tales is an appealing addition to an aviation collection, particularly for readers interested in bush pilots, recreational flying and first-hand accounts of aviation in Africa.

Condition – Good

Well preserved with light signs of handling. There is a substantial inked-out inscription/name on the title page.