Australia's aviation history is a saga of daring feats, can-do attitude, pig-headed visionaries, iron-fisted politicians and warring pilots; of humble beginnings and mega deals. The story begins in World War One with the bold young airmen who would later establish Australia's first airlines, in difficult conditions, marred by accidents and fatalities, but highlighted by ground-breaking flights. Behind the scenes, however, battles were fought in boardrooms and with backers and bureaucrats to keep the airlines aloft. Then businessmen replaced aviators at the helm of the companies, and take-overs rather than take-offs became front-page news.