Bill Austen had some scary experiences; it came with the job of being a pilot. Having something go wrong at 90% of the speed of sound can really grab your attention. Flying big jets around the world for over forty years provided plenty of aviation stories, not just the scary ones but funny and sad ones as well. Adrenaline pumping days were matched by wondrous experiences - there were plenty of highs in the job and not too many lows. In CLOUD SURFING the stories unfold with the technical details described in everyday l jumping into pools wearing life jackets as well as a tip on how to avoid stray bullets. All this helps explain the excitement Jumbo pilots feel every time they go to work; pilots essentially strap a 400 ton aircraft to their backs then hurtle off around the world, going as fast and as high as they possibly can.