After several years in NATO's Second Tactical Air Force on the front line of the Cold War in Germany the author returned to his native New Zealand and joined TEAL, Tasman Empire Airways. During a thirty year career with the airline he was part of the enormous expansion into the present day Air New Zealand. He flew everything from the jet prop Electra to the 747-400, the Pacific, the Orient, America, and during the later part of his career all the way to Europe. It was not a simple process however, there was a lot of angst and heartache.