Review of Mayfly

[Priya Murugesan]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Mayfly" by Mike James.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Mayfly by Mike James

The author of this book started his career in the army, then served as a deckhand, later worked in civil aviation for 25 years, and retired as a train driver. In this book, he shares his journey in aviation through various interesting anecdotes and provides insight into ground-level operations in the aviation industry. My avid interest in aircraft made me pick up this book. There are many shows, films, and books about aviation. They mostly deal with cockpit and cabin crew. But there is a whole world of groundlings underneath the flying airplane, of which most people are oblivious. This book exhibits their great adventures and valiant efforts. The following quote at the beginning of the book emphasizes their significance.

“For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating."

Let's dive into the journal. The author began his journey in aviation through an advertisement in a newspaper and joined Spanavia Airlines at Racebridge as a paper clerk. He explains the meaning of the term 'mayfly', which I was unaware of, and the incidents related to the mayflies were hilarious. He mentions the various countries' flight crew behavior, which was interesting to read. The whole anecdote about Danny "Boy" Stanton was exciting. He recounts many thrilling happenings, like glass shattering due to jet efflux and a beaten-up pickup van. It was greatly saddening to read about the tarmac transfer. The book deals with transport handling a lot, and the greyhound transport was very funny. The Friesian cow transport started on a comical note but ended as a long, weary trip. The calf transport left a scar in my heart and nearly brought tears to my eyes. The following sentence related to that incident resonated well with me.

'It was all inexcusable, and we were all guilty of a failing of basic humanity.'

The heat and fog chapters were a little boring to read. The Tango Echo incident was funny and left me laughing. The India Zulu chapter was exciting at first but heartbreaking at the end. The treachery chapter was interesting and exposed the struggles faced by the groundlings. The author discloses some terrible accidents, which were horrible to read. Numerous incidents reveal the commercial aspect and the complications of the aviation industry. The final chapter left me dumbfounded. 

'Aviation was a child that had foregone the pleasures of growing up, forced to premature maturity by war, commercial necessity, and the sheer speed of technological advance.'

I found the above statement intriguing and believe this rapid growth also applies to the communication industry. 

The author embedded a lot of humor in his writing, which was engaging to read. I loved that the author doesn't exaggerate about himself and showcases his shortcomings in places, which added a natural touch to the book. Some hard-to-understand foreign words were present. I had to search for meanings for aviation terms online, as they were new to me. It would be nice to have a glossary for such terms. As they are true stories, including photographs would elevate the book to a new level. I googled the Nurnberg flight accident and saw the photos of the DC6 flight mentioned in the book. Seeing those photos brought me closer to the book.

I noticed many errors. The layout of the book could have been better. Some chapters were hard to put down, while others were a bit boring. Professional editing and a better flow would do wonders for this book.

I enjoyed this book immensely. Due to the negative aspects mentioned above, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

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Mayfly
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Alissa Nesson]

Thanks for your review! I don’t know much about aviation myself, but it sounds like the personal stories and the humor might make that less important than I would have initially expected. I don’t think I could have handled the chapter about the cow transport. I can’t even imagine what horrible thing happened during that flight. The numerous errors would have driven me nuts. I get so frustrated with published books that haven’t been edited or proofread well.

[David Awunor]

Thank you for your detailed review. It has given me a better understanding of what to expect.

[Anu Anand]

Thank you for such an insightful review! It seems like a fascinating read, especially because it explores the lesser-known world of ground operations in aviation. Your review makes it clear that the author’s humor and honest storytelling add a special touch to the book. I also appreciate your suggestion about including a glossary and photos, that would definitely enhance the reading experience for someone like me who is new to aviation. Thanks again for the great review.

[Gerry Steen]

Your review puts an unusual book in the spotlight. It is true that we do not know or see much about the crew that works on the ground in the airline industry. Their work is crucial to the safety and smooth functioning of any airplane. I like reading about the important things that people do even though they receive no recognition for it. This book allows me to do this. Thank you for your well written and informative review.

[Priya Murugesan]

Thanks for your review! I don’t know much about aviation myself, but it sounds like the personal stories and the humor might make that less important than I would have initially expected. I don’t think I could have handled the chapter about the cow transport. I can’t even imagine what horrible thing happened during that flight. The numerous errors would have driven me nuts. I get so frustrated with published books that haven’t been edited or proofread well.

Thanks a lot for reading my review and sharing your views!

[Priya Murugesan]

Thank you for your detailed review. It has given me a better understanding of what to expect.

Thanks for reading my review!

[Priya Murugesan]

Thank you for such an insightful review! It seems like a fascinating read, especially because it explores the lesser-known world of ground operations in aviation. Your review makes it clear that the author’s humor and honest storytelling add a special touch to the book. I also appreciate your suggestion about including a glossary and photos, that would definitely enhance the reading experience for someone like me who is new to aviation. Thanks again for the great review.

Thanks, Anu!

[Priya Murugesan]

Your review puts an unusual book in the spotlight. It is true that we do not know or see much about the crew that works on the ground in the airline industry. Their work is crucial to the safety and smooth functioning of any airplane. I like reading about the important things that people do even though they receive no recognition for it. This book allows me to do this. Thank you for your well written and informative review.

Thanks, Gerry!

[Tomy Chandrafrost]

The premise of this book looks interesting, considering the themes it addresses about flight. Reading your review makes me even more eager to read this book. Thank you for writing this. What a great review.

[Priya Murugesan]

The premise of this book looks interesting, considering the themes it addresses about flight. Reading your review makes me even more eager to read this book. Thank you for writing this. What a great review.

Thanks for reading my review!

[_Rhea Jacob]

It looks like the book offers wonderful and at times humorous insights about the aviation industry. I can't wait to read the book. Thank you for your review.

[Charmaine Mahlangu]

Sounds interesting to read. Your correct a lot goes into aviation and most of the books speak about cabin crews mostly. Your interest in aviation I assume is the reason you finished this book . Well done on Your review its a good one.

[Priya Murugesan]

It looks like the book offers wonderful and at times humorous insights about the aviation industry. I can't wait to read the book. Thank you for your review.

Thank you for reading my review!

[Priya Murugesan]

Sounds interesting to read. Your correct a lot goes into aviation and most of the books speak about cabin crews mostly. Your interest in aviation I assume is the reason you finished this book . Well done on Your review its a good one.

You are right! I love to read and watch about aviation and airlines!