From humble beginnings in Goulburn, New South Wales, Leigh ‘Laddie/Lad’ Hindley went on to an extraordinary career as a RAAF pilot in the Pacific during World War II and South Vietnam, before working commercially across Papua New Guinea and Australia post-war as a commercial aviator.
For one that never had ambitions to be a pilot, Laddie has lived a fascinating life in the world of fixed-wing and rotary wing aircraft, honing his skills in the unique and challenging terrain of Papua New Guinea and surrounding areas. He has flown in some of the most demanding conditions a pilot can experience, from flying Kittyhawks as part of No 80 Squadron, RAAF during the assault on Japanese forces at Tadji in 1944, to operating commercial helicopters in perilous terrain at the Ok Tedi mine in Papua New Guinea from the late 1960s through to 1980.
The Joys and Dangers of an Aviation Pilot is a personal story of a respected veteran and aviator and the experiences and joys that have shaped his life, told with humour and, of course, with a degree of danger.
