Morgan Cross / B次元官网网址 staff

Like a lot of retirees, Jack McNeill wanted to document his history. A 55-year Sidney resident with longtime ownership of many of the regionB次元官网网址檚 popular restaurants, including Boondocks, MaryB次元官网网址檚 Bleue Moon Cafe and TheoB次元官网网址檚 Place, McNeill was also a pilot in his younger years who spent much of his time navigating BC skies. Forty Years Throttle to Bottle, written by Eleanor Eastick and described as, B次元官网网址渁 light-hearted look at the latter half of twentieth century Canada with the Cold War DEW Line, the rise of PWA and the heyday of British Columbia Air Services and the Social Credit party,B次元官网网址� the book divulges some of all-around Canadian Jack McNeillB次元官网网址檚 most interesting adventures as a young man working in the Alberta oilfields in 1947, his subsequent career flying with Pacific Western Airlines, and the surprising highlights of his years in the air, including a flight with the Royals and time under politician Phil Gaglardi, better known to British Columbians as B次元官网网址淔lying Phil.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淔lying Phil was a big part of my interest in being with the government because he was such an interesting man to be around,B次元官网网址� McNeill said. During his flying years, McNeill was hired by the BC government to assist with pilot training and running operations. He was also impacted by his grandfather, who was a pilot himself in World War I. As a child, McNeill spent B次元官网网址渆very dayB次元官网网址� at the Edmonton airport.

B次元官网网址淚t was fun putting the book together. Eleanor did a fantastic job,B次元官网网址� McNeill said. The book will be released the week of July 24, where it will find its first home on the shelves of TannerB次元官网网址檚 Books. A signing at the British Columbia Aviation Museum takes place this month.

McNeill said, B次元官网网址淎ll in all, when I consider the book, itB次元官网网址檚 been a terrific life.B次元官网网址�

editor@peninsulanewsreview.com