Vertigo

In this novel, Bob Shaw applied his practical but fertile imagination to an old sf trope, anti-gravity. What would society be like if everyone had a cheap, practical, personal anti-gravity harness? He builds this into a story about corporate intrigue set in Canada, a country where Bob lived and worked for a while. (Bob was adept at building personal experiences into his novels.)

The novel is a sequel to a short story he wrote which introduced the central character, his history and his psychological hang-ups. The story (variously known as 'Dark Icarus' or 'A little night flying') is not included in the Gollancz hardcover but is included in the Pan paperback.

A neat little story about personal flight suits and the implications on society. But mainly its the story of one man's secret fear and how he must overcome it. Full review here:
http://sfaddict.blogspot.com/2010/12/bob-shaw-goes-vertical.html

Nettes Räuber-und-Gendarm-Stück in einer Zukunft, in der jeder mit einem preiswerten Anzug fliegen kann.