Surrey aviator’s flying start and later diversions
Added: (Fri Aug 23 2019)
Pressbox (Press Release) -
Have you heard of Kenneth Nixon?
Well, Kenneth’s memoirs have already topped the charts and have just been revised for a second print run.
Having written his biography for family friends to enjoy, their approval of A Charmed Life as well as encouragement from his editors led the former navigator and vocational trainer to release his story for a wider readership.
Kenneth’s story is one that has taken him to great heights in the air, a Masters degree in psychology, and to the forefront of vocational education.
The son of a baker from a mining village in Yorkshire, Kenneth’s war years were relatively calm.
Even his National Service, spent mainly as a barman in a nearby hotel, was without too much excitement.
But once Kenneth, presented with the Scroll of Honour, got his navigator’s brevet, his story suddenly takes off.
He explained: “My flying career spanned a most active period in British aviation.
“I flew in Meteor night fighters at West Malling. Then enjoyed photographic reconnaissance at 200 feet in Canberras at Laarbruch at the start of the Cold War. With my pilot we each won a trophy in a competition against American Voodoos. When operations officer at the Empire Test Pilot’s School, Farnborough I crewed on a ‘high mach’ sortie with USAF Captain, Al Worden, who later was command module pilot in Apollo 15.”
“My final assessment from the Chief Test Flying Instructor was: ‘Exceptional, an extremely competent and versatile navigator and flight test observer.”
Kenneth came back down to earth at the age of just 35, enrolling at Leicester and then Dundee universities.
Armed with a Masters in Psychology, he designed and ran courses in customer service for British Airways staff.
A spell as a training advisor with the Manpower Services Commission followed which involved meetings and visits to vocational training centres around Europe.
Kenneth added: “This was, for me, the most varied, productive and interesting period of my life.
“Despite sporadic government concern and regret, vocational training in Britain has had a very poor deal against University study.
“Far too much attention is paid to high-fliers who can take care of themselves and far too little to the less talented who need support and proper facilities to play a satisfying and useful part in society.
“Making A levels more difficult and stressful has achieved little more than anxiety for many students.”
After retiring from the civil service at 60, Kenneth lectured in adult continuing education and reported on a programme of short courses for industry. He is now happily retired, next door to his family, in Hersham, Surrey.
A Charmed Life is a lively, confident biography with subtle touches of humour and optimism.
Kenneth’s story concludes with five reflective philosophical essays he has constructed in recent years.
The Memoir has reached number one in Amazon’s history charts.
For more details, visit Amazon and search for Kenneth Nixon, where the paperback and Kindle formats of A Charmed Life are both available.
Notes to the editor
PublishNation was formed in London in 2011 to provide high quality services to writers at affordable prices.
Since its launch, the company has assisted in the publication of around 1,500 books in a variety of genres for clients throughout the world.
For more details on PublishNation, visit their website at www.publishnation.co.uk