Frederick Handley Page was, in every sense, a well-rounded man. His interests were wide—from ancient history to science fiction. They ranged through all branches of aeronautics into astronautics. And he was not afraid to show enthusiasm, tempered with a certain—proper—cynical optimism.

In the 25 years during which I knew him (from 1937 to his death, at the age of 77, in 1962) I found increasingly that one of the endearing characteristics of HP was that he maintained an exceptionally close and imaginative interest in the four main aspects of aviation in which he had been involved from his pioneering days:

• Aircraft manufacture

• Aircraft operation

• Aerodrome provisions, and

• Air education

All of these subjects are just as relevant today.