It's January 1938. . . For two years, Pan American's magnificent Martin M-130 flying boats have been safely and routinely carrying passengers from San Francisco to Hong Kong. It's a trip considered by many to be a fairytale ride through the deserted Pacific islands equipped with luxury hotels and dining facilities. However, the corporate expansion continues. New Zealand will be the stepping stone to Australia and Singapore. The Martins can't be spared. The shorter-range Sikorsky aircraft will have to be used. As with Hong Kong, this route will be blazed by Pan American's Chief Pilot, Edwin C. Musick. This operation is so perilous that one fueling stop is made next to a tiny atoll, that, at high tide, was only one hundred yards in length. Flight crews will stay overnight there on an ocean-going freighter. On one of these flights, Musick has an engine problem and is faced with a choice. Does he dump fuel to comply with John Leslie's always accurate performance numbers, knowing that could lead to a catastrophic fire? Or does he, this time, one time in his life, break with procedure... PHOTOS ON BACK COVER COURTESY OF JON KRUPNICK FROM PAN AMERICAN'S PACIFIC PIONEERS: THE REST OF THE STORY.
