Christopher Bartlett initially trained as a mining engineer, a field where ensuring compliance with safety standards is of prime importance. His passion, however, has been flying, and notably air safety. This was engendered as an air cadet during his youth and as a member of the British Interplanetary Society, as well as during sessions on fighter simulators at the Air Ministry. He completed his two years' military service in the British Royal Air Force. After taking a degree in Modern Chinese and Japanese at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University, he became, among other things, a professional translator of Japanese scientific and technical material. This included Japanese rocket tests. He also wrote for magazines in the Far East. His fluency and understanding of English, French, and Japanese enabled him to undertake research based on material published in its original format and note opinions and facts that were not widely publicized. In addition, his coincidental residence in countries when and where headline air crashes occurred has enabled him to add local color and extra details to several of these accounts, and notably the worst-ever single aircraft crash, JL123, in Japan.