Chinook Driver

Paul "Foo" Kennard began his RAF career dreaming of fast jets, but fate placed him in the cockpit of the Chinook – the workhorse helicopter that became his gateway to the front line.From the tense streets of Northern Ireland to the fractured landscapes of Bosnia and the embattled skies of Kosovo, Kennard and his crews flew missions that were as unpredictable as they were vital. The Chinook lifted troops into danger, hauled supplies across treacherous terrain, and carried the wounded to safety – often under fire, and always under pressure.Told with honesty and sharp wit, Chinook Driver captures the exhilaration and intensity of rotary flying in combat zones, as well as the quiet moments of humour, frustration, and camaraderie that defined squadron life. Beyond the action, Kennard reflects on the challenges of operating in politically complex conflicts where peace was fragile and the stakes high.This is more than a pilot’s tale of flying Britain’s most iconic helicopter. It is a revealing, human account of serving during an era when the RAF was repeatedly called upon to deliver under extraordinary circumstances.Fast-paced, candid, and often darkly funny, Chinook Driver takes readers inside the cockpit and behind the headlines, showing what it meant to serve – and to fly – in the uncertain conflicts of the late Twentieth Century.