The title chosen identifies the period when flying was an adventure; when the design and construction of aeroplanes and attempts to become airborne on them, whether successful or not, created the pleasure and satisfaction that is felt by the “do it yourself” enthusiast who, with little previous experience to guide him, ventures more or less into the unknown; when every failure and disappointment is a spur, a stimulus and a positive urge to try again and do a little better next time. This period began seriously not much more than sixty years ago.

In this age when people are being whisked to the ends of the earth at speeds approaching Mach one and when tremendous efforts are going forward to propel them there two or three times faster than that, it is almost incredible that the progress which we have seen take place could have been possible in such a comparatively brief period.