Memories of an Emerald World: An Aviation Adventure in South America

by Michael Bleriot, D.M. Sears

Young pilots. A war on drugs. What could possibly go wrong? From the author of FLYING NAKED comes another thrilling aviation adventure in the southern skies.A group of young pilots arrives in Panama at the height of the drug wars, tasked with flying into the biggest jungle on earth in search of drug runners. Assigned to a plane they know nothing about and paired with equally inexperienced and oddball colleagues, they learn what it takes to fly into the vast, uncontrolled airspace of the Amazon Basin.Based on Bleriot's own experience as a counter-drug pilot in South America, Memories of an Emerald World tells the story of the C-27A Spartan and the crews who flew it during the Colombia War on Drugs. From the runways of Panama to the dirt strips and open fields of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru, pilots, loadmasters, mechanics, and locals work both with and against each other to get the mission done...or not."Good flying and tight pucker power over the jungle..." - J.R. Hafer, aviation writer & publisher"Terrific story, well-written and entertaining! - Jerry Anderson, aviation artist and owner of Jerry Anderson Art"The best flying stories since Ernie Gann's epics..." - Dave Schlener, ATPPart memoir, part aviation history, Memories of an Emerald World is a tribute to the U.S. military crews and mechanics who operated out of Panama in the 1990s.If you like the flying realism of Dale Brown and Vince Flynn, you'll love Michael Bleriot's Emerald World series of aviation adventures!Order today with one click for Kindle or print!

483 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 27, 2011

About the author

librarian's note: this author also writes as D.M. Sears

Michael Bleriot is a pilot who flew for several years in Central and South America supporting the counter-drug effort. He flew out of the former Panama Canal Zone, where many of his stories are based. He went on to fly strat airlift and helicopters later in his career and now flies for a major airline.

Reviews

[D.M. Sears · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating memoir of a pilot flying counterdrug missions in the Amazon jungle. Not a shoot-'em-up type of book at all, it's more about the characters and places and the flying required to keep the counterdrug war going. Even if you're not into flying, the stories make you want to see the jungles of Central and South America for yourself. This book is the first chronologically in a series of aviation memoirs and the stories only get better as you read them all.

[Jaime I. · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is not worth it even for free.

I am from Panama. I disagree with the “author” of this book about how we are in Panama. Yes there is lazy people in my country as there is lazy people everywhere and we hace very hard working people in Panama, as well. Regarding his “flying experience” I find it very weak. Regarding his “flying hours”, well 4,000 is not that impressive. I have at least 600 hours more.
I do not recommend this book to anyone.
Jaime Fabrega

[Chuck Norton · Rating 3 out of 5]

great flying stories, lame womanizing jokes

I love the adventure stories, and descriptions of the planes and base hierarchies. But the image painted for ‘panas’ is a bit dour, and the occasional joke about woman sucking at various activities - all said with a sort of wink to the reader that it’s just boys talk - disappointed me.

[Brent L Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another whacky South American adventure

This second book by Bleriot is as nutty as his first. Warning: you may not recognize this Panamanian version of the United States Air Force. Sit back and be prepared to laugh a lot and seriously wonder how they survived. PS:The C-27 is an amazing aircraft.

[Ian Macgregor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it. It's about flying, not about planes in general or a particular plane, but about flying. I like books and stories that show a certain introspection about what people do and for me the aviation field is tailored for that. This book is really a collection of stories about a guy who flew planes in and around Panama in the 1990s. He's military so there's some talk about the military as a context for the flying, but mostly it's about how one guy approaches aviation and the thrill of being in the air. Bleriot has written another book with a similar theme, The Jungle Express, and if anything it's even better. I'm not finished with it yet, though, so will save my comments on it until later.