An aviation buff has been inspired to take to the cockpit himself after compiling a history of the 100 greatest female pilots.

Sanjay Rampal, of Bath Road, Cranford, has always been fascinated by planes but had never considered taking the plunge (if that's the right word) before beginning his research.

The 40-year-old IT consultant grew up under the Heathrow flightpath and his father Kailash was a renowned fighter pilot with the Indian Air Force who went on to spend 30 years as a BA engineer.

Having teamed up with journalist Liz Moscrop to pen The 100 Greatest Women in Aviation - marking the 100th anniversary of the first flight by a woman - he admits initially doubting they would find enough stories to fill the tome.

"Everyone's heard of Amelia Earhart and Amy Johnson but we discovered many more amazing women who defied convention and surmounted social barriers," he said.

Sanjay's favourite character from the book is larger-than-life American Florence 'Pancho' Barnes, who won the first Women's Air Race in 1929.

Sanjay, who admits jogging round Heathrow's hangars to cure his writer's block, said he hoped stories like hers would inspire more women to take to the skies.

The 100 Greatest Women in Aviation, published by Aerocomm, costs s19.99. It will be available in bookshops, or online at http://www.aerocomm.aero from October.