Aviation Thriller ‘The Shepherd’ Will Boost Any Pilot’s Holiday Runup

English author Frederick Forsyth’s The Shepherd hits especially close to home for private pilots.

Jonathan Welsh

Friday, December 01, 2023 at 10:04 AM ET

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A pilot flies a de Havilland Vampire through difficult conditions in Frederick Forsyth's 'The Shepherd.' [iStock]

Key Takeaways:

Frederick Forsyth's "The Shepherd" recounts a young RAF pilot's perilous Christmas Eve flight in 1957, where an electrical failure renders his instruments useless, leaving him lost over foggy skies.
The classic short story is praised for its gripping suspense and deep resonance with pilots, exploring the anxieties of fuel, weather, and equipment failure during flight.
"The Shepherd" maintains its enduring appeal, annually read on CBC Radio on Christmas Eve, and has recently been adapted into a new screen version now streaming on Disney+.

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It is Christmas Eve, 1957, and a young Royal Air Force officer stationed in Germany is granted leave at nearly the last minute, allowing him just enough time to fly home for the holiday.

The pilot straps into his de Havilland Vampire fighter, is cleared for takeoff and heads toward his home field, RAF Lakenheath. The night flight will take about an hour and he has plenty of fuel.