The true story of Canadian bush pilot Don "Smokey" Patry is a succession of brave take offs daring landings and high intensity turbulence every minute in between Whether performing an emergency landing in darkness in Canada s northern wilderness rebuilding his plane s engine with a rusty file or zigzagging a bomber plane across the Atlantic Ocean during World War II there was never a dull moment in Patry s career "Smoke in the Cockpit" is Canadian aviation history at its best Patry raised in Western Canada began flying professionally in 1937 over the uncharted mountainous territory of Alberta BC and the North West Territories Destiny uncannily placed him in the thick of the action and he went from one adventure to the next without fanfare pause or concern Introduced to Patry by his flying partner Jack Sullivan author H J Smith offers this riveting collection of Patry s high flying heroics for readers of all ages