As the proud son of one of the ‘Few’, Rick Peacock-Edwards was inspired to follow his father into the Royal Air Force and become a fighter pilot. In Rate of Climb, his highly entertaining autobiography, it is evident that Rick is an ex-RAF fighter pilot to his fingertips. He flew the Lightning, Phantom, Tornado F2/3 and other high-performance aircraft, and served in senior-ranking positions in the UK, Germany and the US. During a varied and distinguished career, he was closely associated with the Eurofighter Typhoon programme and was appointed as the Royal Air Force Inspector of Flight Safety. He ably demonstrated his uncommon skill and determined leadership during the Cold War era, first Gulf War and elsewhere.

This is an action-packed account of a foremost flyer’s life with endless good stories, and a colourful cast of characters to match. Rick’s compelling recollections in Rate of Climb reveal a life of considerable achievement, in a very personal book capturing the ties of airmanship that the author has been privileged to share. A must for all lovers of derring-do in the air.