Flying Sideways

The Story of the World’s Most Famous Stunt Pilot

BY FRED AND PEGGY NORTH

In his gripping, surprising, and wildly entertaining new memoir, Fred North tells the incredible true story of how he became the most famous film stunt helicopter pilot in the world.

As a young, misunderstood boy, Fred North was never a fan of the rules. Then, on an unremarkable day in 1969, a helicopter touched down in his hometown of Saint-Louis, Senegal, and turned his world upside down. Fifty years later, he’s Hollywood’s go-to stunt pilot with a world altitude record and over two hundred film credits to his name, including Inception, James Bond: Spectre, and Fast X. But a lot of incredible things happened in between.

Flying Sideways tells the thrilling but heartfelt story of how a misfit boy with nothing but a dream breaks the rules, beats the odds, and learns to bet on himself. Against a vibrant global backdrop that touches down everywhere from New York City to Mongolia to Madagascar, we follow Fred as he deserts the French Army (in roller skates), talks his way into flight school, becomes chief pilot for the world’s greatest rally car and adventures races, gets mixed up with DEA in Miami, dodges death (many times), and―perhaps most improbably―falls in love.

Flying Sideways is a nonstop thrill ride, reminding us that the most dangerous thing we can do with life is give up on it.

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About the Author

FRED NORTH is a world-renowned helicopter stunt pilot with over two hundred movies in his portfolio. He has worked with the industry’s top directors and logged more than fifteen thousand hours shooting feature films and commercials. In 2002, he became the world record holder for altitude with a helicopter. He is licensed to fly across the world, and his Motion Picture Safety Manual has been approved by the FAA.

Originally from Paris, France, PEGGY NORTH grew up around the film industry. She is a trained pilot with years of experience as an aerial coordinator and stunt double. Her portfolio includes action films such as Fast Five, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and Battleship. She is also the founder of Fire and Crème, a luxury event production company. She and her husband, Fred, reside in Malibu and have three children.

Reviews and Endorsements

“Flying Sideways is a captivating memoir, one that covers its author’s personal and professional journey to the top of his game and the heights of our industry. In a voice that is as authentic and straightforward as Fred himself, this book hooks you in from its very first pages, sharing compelling details and nuance as it chronicles Fred’s unlikely and inspiring path to becoming one of the best there’s ever been.”

—Shawn Levy, Director and Producer – Night at the Museum, Stranger Things, Free Guy, The Adam Project

“I’ve worked with Fred for over 20 years on my films. Not only do I consider him the best helicopter pilot in the world, but I also regard him as a true artist with his machine. Fred can dance like no other, navigating that whirling bird to help the camera capture the most breathtaking images. Fred and I have developed an unspoken language; when he hears my voice on a ground-to-air radio, he knows it’s game on.”

—Michael Bay, Director and Producer – Armageddon, Transformers, Bad Boys

Flying Sideways is an exhilarating book, reminding us that sometimes all the wrong turns lead us to the right course. This book is a testament to a life lived in extreme circumstances, adrenaline-fueled chaos, revealing life-threatening danger with each turn of the page. The risks, the danger, the wins, the losses, the agony, and the ecstasy. Flying Sideways reminds us to always follow our destiny and live life at full throttle. While we wait to find our own true north, this book inspires us by journeying with Fred as he finds his North.”

—Gerard Butler, Actor and Producer – London Has Fallen, Greenland, Kandahar

Product Details

Publisher: Dexterity (September 30, 2023)
Length: 320 pages
Jacketed Hardcover ISBN: 9781947297876
eBook ISBN: 9781947297883

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Nonfiction > Bio/Memoir

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