Thanks for the responses. Few more questions
Thank you for taking the time to respond. Also to poster nr 3, I will try to get hold of the documentary.
The book is not about pilots or air travel. One of the characters happens to be a pilot and this has a small bearing on the plot.
Can I also ask if pilots have the flexibility to choose their co-pilots or is it hard to form friendships as the relationships are so fleeting.
Also, I presume that if a pilot wanted to fly a certain route for whatever reason, this might be accommodated? Even if its just once every 2 months or so.
Finally, by 'base' I am assuming an airport such as Heathrow or JFK?