Practical Flying: Complete Course of Flying Instruction — W. G. McMinnies — First Edition — 1918 — WWI RAF Aviation Manual

First edition of this important First World War aviation manual, published in London by Temple Press in 1918 during the formative year of the Royal Air Force. Written by Flight-Commander W. G. McMinnies, with an introduction by Major-General W. S. Brancker, illustrations by Flight-Lieutenant E. L. Ford, and a chapter on the medical aspects of aviation by H. Graem Anderson. Practical Flying was intended as a comprehensive course of contemporary flight instruction, covering the theory and practice of flight, engines, lessons in the air, solo flight, map reading, cross-country flying, advanced flying and aerobatics, night flying, instructional methods, and the medical aspects of aviation. It was published as the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service were being merged into the newly created Royal Air Force. The volume is extensively illustrated with period diagrams and instructional material and concludes with a substantial section of contemporary aviation-related advertisements. A folding map was issued with this edition; presence of that map has not been verified in this copy from the photographs shown. There is an early handwritten ownership/presentation inscription on the front endpaper dated 1918; I would not try to decipher the name/address beyond what is clearly readable. Condition: Good. Original cream cloth boards are substantially age-toned and soiled, with scattered spotting and staining, rubbing and wear to the extremities, and fraying/loss at the spine ends and corners. Endpapers show considerable age toning, foxing and staining. Early 1918 ownership inscription to front endpaper. Interior pages shown exhibit scattered foxing/age toning but remain legible. No dust jacket.…