UKAuthors - The Brian Lecomber interview.

Brian Lecomber is one of the most experienced aerobatic pilots in the world. In 21 years of professional display flying he has flown more than 1,800 public performances - an all-time world record for any single pilot.

Brian left school at 16 and began a career in journalism, firstly as a general reporter and then specialising in motoring. He was Technical Editor of Car Mechanics - at that time Britain's largest motoring magazine - when he started learning to fly in 1967 with one of the last flying clubs in Britain still operating Tiger Moth biplanes. From the moment of his first solo flight the journalistic career was doomed.

For a short time he was the wing-walker in a flying circus, and then became an instructor. In the early '70's he was Chief Instructor of the Antigua Aero Club, in the West Indies, and it was during this time that he started his first book, Turn Killer, based on his flying circus time coupled with first-hand experience of Mafia activity in the Caribbean.

Returning to England in late '74 he became a full-time author for the next four years, following Turn Killer with Dead Weight and the international best-seller, Talk Down. His books have been translated into 16 languages.

During this period Brian instructed on De Havilland Chipmunks at weekends "to keep myself sane". It was the Chipmunk which fostered his interest in aerobatics - "mainly because the thought of the aircraft being capable of more than I was irritated me".

In the late '70's Brian won most of the aerobatic competitions in the UK at various times, and also flew a replica 1917 Sopwith Camel with the Leisure Sport Warbirds display team, culminating in a seven-aircraft 'dogfight' routine at the Farnborough Air Show. He also bought and displayed his own aerobatic Stampe biplane.

In 1979 he joined the world-famous Rothmans Aerobatic Team - much to his publishers' disgust. He flew in the coveted Number Four position for two years - Number Four flying not only the formation manoeuvres but also the solo 'slot' in the display. The Team flew all over Britain and Europe, and also in the Middle East and Malaysia and Borneo

After leaving Rothmans Brian started his own company, Firebird Aerobatics Ltd, flying Pitts Specials and later the German-built Extra series of specialist aerobatic machines in both solo and formation displays. The aircraft operate in the colours of major sponsors, and at various times Brian has run solo aircraft for Dunlop, Toyota and Jaguar, and also the Daily Express Aerobatic Team and the Rover Aerobatic Team.

Brian has been British Freestyle Aerobatic Champion, and has accumulated a number of other awards and honours including, in 1999, the Guild of Air Pilots Sword of Honour for services to display flying. He has flown more than 6,000 hours (including more than 300 hours actually on live public display) and is an Examiner and Display Evaluator on behalf of the British Civil Aviation Authority.

Allen: Hello Brian. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. I guess that you will be aware that UKAuthors is a website for aspiring writers and we are all hungry for the sort of information and advice that can help us along the road to becoming a published author. When and how did you start to write seriously?

Brian: Before flying professionally I'd been a journalist for 5 or 6 years, on newspapers and then motoring magazines. I quit that and went to the Caribbean as a flying instructor, got fed up with instructing after a couple of years, and sat down to write a book. (Turn Killer. Dreadful book). I wrote it 'cos I needed the money.

Allen: I expect that you collected the usual thick file of rejection letters! Did you ever feel like just giving up?

Brian: I was lucky - I never had a rejection letter. The first publisher I took it to (Hodders) made an offer and I rejected them because I didn't think it was enough. They took this in a very gentlemanly manner, and directed me to a top class agent: this is vitally important because thereafter you never really think about publishers again. With hindsight I was very lucky - but at the time it never entered my head that it might be difficult getting a book published, probably because I was used to seeing my journalistic work in print. Perhaps that confidence made a difference when I was writing the book - I've no way of knowing.

Allen: One frequently asked question concerns Literary Agents. Do you use their services or would you recommend direct approaches to publishers?

Brian: For fiction, definitely an agent. Quite apart from anything else, man cannot live by British royalties alone, and no individual can flog his own book in 50 countries. (Text books etc might be different).

Allen: Do you always draft a novel before you start or do you just let the action happen? For instance, Dead Weight and Turn Killer are excellent plots and could have been equally exciting if set in other fields. Did the flying aspect govern the course of action?

Brian: I always aim to draft a book before starting to write - I've come a cropper by getting started and hoping it'll work itself out. Aviation has always been the backdrop of my books, so 'govern' isn't a term I'd use - it's a part of the whole.

Allen: Happily for me, your books centre on flying. Would you ever consider writing a book that does not involve aviation?

Brian: Probably not.

Allen: Have you ever just given up on a struggling plot and trashed the whole thing?

Brian: Yes - the result of not having thought the bloody thing through before getting started. If I ever write again I'll not pick up a pen until I know the end of the story. (More important than knowing the beginning, that)

Allen: When you are in the process of writing a book, would you set yourself a target of so many words per day or would you write as the mood takes you?

Brian: Must have a target or it never gets done. You might throw it away afterwards (I throw about 80% away anyway) but for me, I must have discipline or I piss off down the pub.

Allen: Most of our members take their work fairly seriously. How important would you consider that to be?

Brian: Different people, different drives. I took it seriously due to the tiresome need to continue eating, buying a house, etc. Others may do their best work light-heartedly.

Allen: Assuming that your schedule allows you time to read, what sort of books do you prefer and who are your favourite authors?

Brian: Books that pick me up and move me somewhere else. Gavin Lyall, Neville Shute, Ernest Gann (the best), Patrick O'Brien, John Mortimer.

Allen: We are, most of us, strongly influenced by works that we have read and enjoyed. Can you point to any author who has had a strong influence on your writing?

Brian: See above. However, for me, I can never read a favourite author during a period when I'm writing myself. If I do, his style will 'rub off' into my work.

Allen: There is a strong undercurrent of humour in your work. How important is it to entertain as well as tell the story?

Brian: I don't know - I go by gut feel.

Allen: Despite the concerns and pitfalls, e- publishing is becoming more widespread. Do you have any views on the subject?

Brian: Not really - I'm not that current.

Allen: Apart from the obvious elation, how did you feel when you were first accepted for publication?

Brian: I wanted to see my name in print - on the cheque...

Allen: Is the majority of your research carried out before starting a draft or do you fill in details as you see the requirement?

Brian: Generally I don't do research.

Allen: It would be of great interest to find out how your career as a writer developed, warts and all!

Brian: Writing was bloody boring and developed into a career as a display pilot.

Allen: You have achieved great success in both display flying and in writing. I know that your display work is continuing, but can we hope for any more books in the future?

Brian: Maybe, maybe not. We’ll just have to wait and see!

Allen: Thank you again for giving us the opportunity of talking to you. We wish you continued success.