Finding a place to begin is the most difficult part.
So, in my mind’s eye, I see a tall boy, good-looking and lean, hearing an unfamiliar sound in the sky, shading his eyes against the glare of the Alberta sun as he glimpsed a flying machine for the first time. His heart must have accelerated as he watched the progress of what was most likely a biplane, across the bowl of endless sapphire sky.
And at that point, Don McVicar determined to find a way to master that aircraft, as his escape from the dull life of growing grain on the Canadian prairies.
Without that life-changing moment, I would not be here. For, as I look back in as much clarity as possible, my creation was tied up in my father’s aviation adventures. He would not have met my mother, had he not been a pilot in the Royal Air Force Ferry Command.
So you never know.
And then, suddenly, you do. And I’ve learned to respect such epiphanies, and to take energy from them, and direction. “Words on Wings” came to me in a flash— it’s a name which will allow me to explore many routes, but all with the underlying theme of aviation.
It’s not just about my father’s life, or the books he wrote about his long career in aviation — a career which took place in what has been called the Golden Age of Aviation. It was an age of innovation, heroism, and unique opportunities for a certain type of individual to shine.
My father’s story is interwoven, therefore, with stories both universal and personal, and so, I believe with all of my heart, it’s worth sharing. He took the time, and possessed the sheer will and determination, to write the books, so the hard part’s been done!
I also hope to inspire young people to fearlessly seek their dreams. When Don McVicar was in his teens, the Great Depression struck: not just the United States, but Canada and the rest of the world. Yet somehow, he persevered and got his pilot’s license and a lot of other certifications in the harshest economic period in modern history.
He looked to the skies and followed his heart, brought his dreams into being: and so can we all.
—Donna McVicar Kazo