Spirituality, Culturism, and the Phantom

The Mystique of the Skies--As Heaven or Hell

The book's subtitle provides an inkling of the wondrous and sometimes brutal activities of mankind in the sky. Since the first powered flight by the Wright brothers in 1903, the air above the Earth has enveloped countless instances of lifesaving aerial exertions and, on the other hand, vicious warmongering. The skies can be used for the benefit of, and also, the unwarranted deprivation and destruction of people.

From personal experiences, and documented events in the history of aviation, the author's memoirs describe events illustrating the unpredictable nature of mankind. Interwoven are recitations of airborne bliss, tension, and unexplained aerial phenomena. Centuries-old cultural or racial customs often affect aviation endeavors and evoked personal conflicts which had to be resolved within the author's own perception of Spirituality.

Occasionally, aviation-related dilemmas can catch a crewmember totally unprepared. Such occurrences can cause apprehension, a feeling of helplessness, or even terror. It is a heartwarming experience when such quandaries are resolved by the intervention of unseen forces, undefined by science or not fully articulated by religion.

The writer regards flying as a combined physical, mental, and spiritual immersion in the medium of air, whether piloting a gigantic airliner or a fragile hang glider. A pilot, by virtue of being "up front" and particularly when transporting passengers, assumes the role of a committed, principled leader. This exemplifies the type of selfless leadership that is sorely needed in our world of human frailty.