Here is his 'checklist' for preparing to fly a helicopter for the first time:
Squadron Leader Martindale and I were off to Speke in Liverpool to collect two new Sikorsky R-4B helicopters. In charge was a huge American Technical master-sergeant. I said to him, 'Right. When are you going to teach us to fly these things?'
He said, 'Whaddya mean, bud? Here's your instructor,' and handed us a large orange-coloured booklet.
Alarmed, we went back to the mess and read the book.
We managed to get the first machine started and I got in to try and make the horribly unfamiliar thing fly. I fiddled with the controls and within a few seconds, I was charging all over the airfield.
I tried to make it hover but it was all I could do to set the thing down without damaging me or the other aircraft on the field.
Speechless, we both had a stiff drink, then tried again. Eventually, we thought we'd try to make Farnborough.
I don't know how we made it. We were now supposed to test the machines but this was obviously out of the question...until we had learnt how to fly them.
Taken from his book 'Wings on my Sleeve' which is full of similar incredible stories from a man at the leading edge of early flight testing. An incredible pilot.