Epilogue Summary and Analysis

The Honolulu-California airline slowly fails. Instead of flying luxury aircraft full of vacationers, Gann begins to fly over-crowded budget flights of questionable legitimacy. He eventually quits in disgust and, shortly after, the airline folds entirely. Gann then secures a position with a tenuous airline run by a man named Nelson. The airline operates as a sort of tramp-airplane service in the South Pacific, taking cargo and passengers on unscheduled long-haul, cross-water trips. The airline's solvency is variable from day to day, and Gann frequently finds himself on furlough. In addition to the airline, Nelson operates a bewildering confabulation of business ventures, most completely unrelated. Gann's seniority number with the new airline ensures that he is often co-pilot to far less experienced pilots—a situation which makes everyone uncomfortable.

The Korean War briefly changes the fortunes of Nelson's airline as business...