High Flyers with feet firmly on the ground
With feet firmly on the ground, aviation historians Maurice McGreal and Richard Waugh launched their new books at the
20th Royal Aeronautical Symposium in Wellington today (11 April 2003). Pictured with them is Associate Transport
Minister with responsibility for Civil Aviation, Harry Duynhoven.
Maurice McGreal's book, "A History of Civil Aviation in New Zealand" traces New Zealand's unique aviation story from
early efforts in home-built aircraft through the years of flying schools and aero clubs, the impact of two world wars,
and the development of machines with ever-greater range, capacity and performance. It also examines the relationship
between those who flew and those who regulated the pilots and airlines and how those relationships balanced national
interest and the need for safety with the building of a high stakes industry.
Richard Waugh's book, "Taking Off" is about the pioneering small airlines of New Zealand from 1945 - 1970. The colourful
characters of Fred Ladd and Popeye Lucas and their airlines are among the many portrayed in the book.
Maurice McGreal of Glenfield, Auckland has logged over 12,000 hours of flying and is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical
Society. He flew in the second world war, joined Tasman Empire Airways in 1946 and flew flying boats and earlier
landplanes. In 1962 he left TEAL to eventually become Civil Aviation's assistant director (flight operations).
Richard Waugh of Howick, Auckland, is a Wesleyan Methodist Minister and chaplain for the Guild of Air Pilots and Air
Navigators. "Taking Off" is his seventh book about aviation in New Zealand. His key interest is small airlines in the
period 1930 - 1970.