What a Ride!

In his memoir, Fenton tells of how, since the first time he saw an airplane fly over his remote island home in Australia, there was never any doubt what his life’s calling would be.

Fenton has put together a brief but comprehensive biography of his fascinating life since being born in 1941 on Lord Howe Island, about 400 miles northeast of Sydney, where he still lives. Depictions of his carefree childhood on the wild, beautiful island can be enthralling: surfing off white-sand beaches, gathering exotic foods from the island and the vast ocean surrounding it, the bliss-filled days of youth. With no telephone service, contact with Australia consisted of supply vessels and infrequent flights. Fenton’s father, who helped operate the island’s radio and Morse code station, taught his son the basics of the code, a skill that would come in handy later in his life. As a child, Fenton was mesmerized by the huge flying boats that brought tourists to the island. Early on, he decided that one way or another, airplanes and flying would be a major part of his life. At the age of 15, he was accepted into the Royal Australian Air Force Apprentice program; it wasn’t flight school, but he was on his way. The vivid portrayals of his military training are interspersed with in-depth commentaries on what he saw and experienced while there. Fenton began service as a teenage apprentice in 1957 and, after 29 years, ended as a wing commander in 1986. During that time, he learned to fly bombers and fighters, became a commissioned officer and fought in Vietnam. The author is adept at condensing considerable time spans into short, salient descriptions of events, providing a fast-moving, captivating narrative. In fact, some areas fly by a bit too quickly, leaving questions unanswered, though it won’t be a deal breaker for interested readers.

A stimulating glimpse into the life and career of an Australian pilot.