One wonders why such an exceptional individual (who must be the UK's greatest ever aviator) has not been honoured with a Knighthood or Order of Merit after such a distinguished career?
I don't know about the Order of Merit, but with respect to the Knighthood, as its handed out to 'luvvies' and 'still wet behind the ears' sportsmen, not to mention being a carrot dangled to career civil servants to ensure they toe the line, would you, as a member of a profession which had suffered a 1 in 4 fatality rate, want to be associated with that lot?