The History of Aviation in Trinidad & Tobago, 1913-1962 [first edition]

History of Aviation in Trinidad and Tobago. During my 32 years with the Department of Civil Aviation and afterwards, I had always hoped that someone would attempt to record in print the Aviation History of our Republic. I was therefore delighted to learn that the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago under the Chairmanship of Mr. Selwyn Richardson - had decided to compile this historical document as a tribute to the men and women of our nation who have fostered and advanced the development of aviation for the past seventy-three years. As producer of this book the Airports Authority must be complimented for setting itself such a challenging task. It is common knowledge that the records of our aviation history have been in the possession of diverse sources such as Government departments, newspaper files and private individuals. All held pieces of the History of Aviation in Trinidad and Tobago and the Authority defied all odds to find and put the pieces together. To collect, collate and edit all of what is herein written must have been a very difficult assignment for Mr. Gaylord Kelshall and the Authority's writers and researchers since most of the information had to be gleaned from a number of disparate persons, who were at one time or another involved in Aviation. To the best of my knowledge this book is as accurate as any of its kind and perhaps more so since the information was gathered from people who shaped our aviation history and are still alive today, and from the descendants of others who had the foresight to share knowledge and documents with their families. As the book reveals, Trinidad and Tobago's aviation heroes were among the best and bravest of their time. During a Trinidad and Tobago Television inter- view on Civil Aviation some years ago, I said it appeared to me that people of our Republic had a great affinity for flying.