Fog,
A nice thread that you've started here that seems to have introduced quite a few to a really fantastic story! (And I agree that it does remind one of 'Stranger to the Ground'... how many of us have also had those lonely "Oh hell, we wish we weren't up here any more" moments, but none like these stories!!)
A year or two ago I was passing over the East Anglia/Lincolnshire area on a beautiful CAVOK day on the way back from the Continent. I told my colleague about 'The Shepherd', but held myself back from saying too much because the only way to do it justice was for him to read it himself. I went home and pulled out my very old copy, that I had first read as a young air force pilot. I had to sit down there and then and re-read it and, even knowing the ending, it still left that 'chill'!! Forsyth has written some excellent short stories, but that one has to be one of the best ever... especially for aviators.