Brian Lecomber

[neaton]

No idea where to put this, so mods: please feel free to move it.

Years ago I read (and thoroughly enjoyed) a book by Brian called "Talkdown". Then in the Great Move of '91 (or similar) it got disposed of. And now, I have a yen to re-read it (hey, now I know what a QFE is! And I own a Norton Commando...).

Problem is, it's out of print and Abebooks has (for once) let me down. Does anyone have a copy I could borrow? I'm more than happy to pay for recorded delivery in both directions. Of course, if any one has one for sale, I'd be delighted to hear about it.

[leiafee]

Amazon have second hand copies, that's where I got mine.

[Foie Gras]

Talkdown was ok-ish, but I preferred Dead Weight - I thought it was a much better book.


FG

[neaton]

Amazon have second hand copies, that's where I got mine.

So they do! Thanks. Hmm... Private sellers. My experience of them has not been a universally happy one. Still. I've just ordered Turn KIller, Dead Weight and Talk Down from various sellers.

I wonder if they'll arrive?..

[leiafee]

Last lot of private sellers I bought off on Amazon had the books to me quicker than Amazon itself . Maybe I've just been lucky.

[Jim Jones]

I read Talkdown many years ago and again after my PPL. Very credible on first read and confirmed on the second.
Mind you that was before the new ATSOCAS changes and the massive airspace grabs.
Nice little reminder of the importance of some basic PPL stuff too. I was screaming it quietly to myself..........

[chevvron]

The subject matter is actually quite an old concept, with many authors repeating it prior to Lofty writing his novel. I first read it in about 1960 in an 'Express' Annual with Express being a boys comic competing with 'Eagle'; an RAF airman scrounges a ride in a Vampire trainer and the pilot passes out and well you know the rest. Where Lofty didn't research fully was saying Bedford Radar was operating at a weekend!! No way.
As we all know of course, it's actually happened in the UK once or twice, with the Cardiff incident being re-created using Fairoaks and Farnborough. When it was shown on TV, the Director RAE was not impressed as no-one had told him about it. I was on duty when it was filmed and ATC didn't know what it was for either! It was done at Fairoaks/Farnborough because (apparently) Cardiff Airport Management wanted too much money to do it there (that's what I was told anyway)

[Gordon Field]

Just checked Amazon and blimey that's a bit expensive
Dead Weight (Coronet Books) (Paperback)
by Brian Lecomber (Author)
1 used from £52.95

[kineticchris]

Is this the same Brian that used to service Motorbikes in Apsley in the 1970's?

Just curious

[Echo Delta]

I passed the comments here onto Brian Lecomber, who broadly agrees with all that's been said. "I thought Dead Weight was my best book, too. Remarks about Bedford and Cardiff puzzle me, since they weren't in any of my books at all, that I recall. And those Amazon prices sound ridiculous - I wouldn't pay £50 for one of my books. Talk Down was of course not a new concept. I never said it was. I just tried to write a realistic fiction story."