RGS-IBG Book Series
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Aerial Life: Spaces, Mobilities, Affects
Peter Adey
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Clive Barnett, Paul Cloke, Nick Clarke & Alice Malpass
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This edition first published 2010
© 2010 Peter Adey
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Adey, Peter.
Aerial life : spaces, mobilities, affects / Peter Adey.
p. cm. – (RGS-IBG book series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4051-8262-1 (hardcover : alk. paper) – ISBN 978-1-4051-8261-4 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Aeronautics–Social aspects. 2. Air travel–Social aspects. 3. Human geography. 4. Social mobility. I. Title.
TL553.A34 2010
306.4′819–dc22
2009052085
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Set in 10/12pt Plantin by SPi Publisher Services, Pondicherry, India
For us
Contents
Figures and Tables
FIGURES
TABLES
Series Editors’ Preface
The RGS-IBG Book Series only publishes work of the highest international standing. Its emphasis is on distinctive new developments in human and physical geography, although it is also open to contributions from cognate disciplines whose interests overlap with those of geographers. The Series places strong emphasis on theoretically informed and empirically strong texts. Reflecting the vibrant and diverse theoretical and empirical agendas that characterize the contemporary discipline, contributions are expected to inform, challenge and stimulate the reader. Overall, the RGS-IBG Book Series seeks to promote scholarly publications that leave an intellectual mark and change the way readers think about particular issues, methods or theories.
For details on how to submit a proposal please visit:
Kevin Ward
University of Manchester, UK
Joanna Bullard
Loughborough University, UK
RGS-IBG Book Series Editors
Acknowledgements
This book has been in the making for almost 10 years. Since a 2nd year geography fieldtrip to New York in 2000 left me contemplating Heathrow’s strange terminal landscape, I’ve been hooked on all things aerial. This was followed through in postgraduate work and a post-doctoral fellowship under the supervision and mentorship of Tim Cresswell, Deborah Dixon and Martin Jones, all of whom failed to suffer my writing in silence!
Thanks really must go to Kevin Ward and Jacqueline Scott as the book has sailed through the publishing process. I also appreciate the academic and creative freedom that the RGS-IBG series at Wiley-Blackwell encourages.
Conversations and collaboration with colleagues at Keele such as Luis Lobo Guerrero altered my focus and helped broaden my reading and thinking. Zoe Robinson and Peter Knight gave a different perspective on an initial proposal draft, and Barry Godfrey gave a lot of support and helped work through some of the ideas and material on bombing and the Blitz. Other planeurs have also been a constant source of criticism, inspiration and support; these include, particularly: Ben Anderson, Jon Anderson, David Bissell, Lucy Budd, Rachel Colls, Dave Cox, Gillian Fuller, Steve Graham, John Horton, Ole B. Jensen, Pete Kraftl, Lisa Lau, Deirdre McKay, Craig Martin, Pete Merriman, Steve Quilley, Mark B. Salter, John Urry and Chris Zebrowski. James Sidaway also kindly sent me his startling image of the networks of extraordinary rendition.
Along the way, various aspects of the book were presented and discussed at many conferences and especially departmental seminars, where discussion added so much to its tone and focus. University venues here included Durham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Manchester and, lastly, UCL, who permitted me a semester of office space and support thanks to James Kneale. Source material came from consultation of numerous archival collections, including Birmingham, Cardiff and Wolverhampton City Archives; the Modern Records Centre, Warwick; the Hagley Museum and Library; the National Archives; the Imperial War Museum; the British Library; the RAF Museum; the Air League Archives; and the Scout Association Library, whose archivist, Pat Styles, was particularly helpful. I also acknowledge thanks to the ICAO and the Royal Society of the Arts for kind permission to reproduce several figures, and especially the Friends of Liverpool Airport to use the photos from the Alan Thelwell Collection. The book would never have been born let alone reached completion without the generous support from an ESRC PhD studentship, ESRC post-doctoral fellowship and finally an AHRC research leave award scheme funding which gave me a year’s worth of writing time.
Aerial Life has been a group effort. Conversations with Grandad and Nanna Searles about the RAF and the war added colour to my documentary efforts. But it was also written sometimes in difficult health and circumstances. Thanks to my wife and our family for their love in helping us see this project through.
Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The publisher apologizes for any errors or omissions in the above list and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book.