Good aviation books...
- Thread starter BCTAv8r
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Thair81
Well-Known Member
I've read a few books written by airline pilots and I found them to be quite readable. Not any great literary works by any stretch of the imagination, but nonetheless interesting.
They were: 'Confessions of an Airline Pilot' by Stephen Keshner- this was fun to read but horribly produced with typos galore. Is the account of a Tower Air pilot.
'Leaving on a Jet Plane' by William Ippolitto- an interesting account of the aviation career of a Delta pilot going from the 1960s up to the 1990s.
Like I said, these aren't great but they are quite readable.
Also, not directly an aviation book but does have some interesting aviation parts in it is 'Catch Me If You Can'- this is the actual account of Frank Abagnale's crime career and it contains some interesting bits about the airlines and pilots during the time of his scams in the 60s and 70s.
They were: 'Confessions of an Airline Pilot' by Stephen Keshner- this was fun to read but horribly produced with typos galore. Is the account of a Tower Air pilot.
'Leaving on a Jet Plane' by William Ippolitto- an interesting account of the aviation career of a Delta pilot going from the 1960s up to the 1990s.
Like I said, these aren't great but they are quite readable.
Also, not directly an aviation book but does have some interesting aviation parts in it is 'Catch Me If You Can'- this is the actual account of Frank Abagnale's crime career and it contains some interesting bits about the airlines and pilots during the time of his scams in the 60s and 70s.
IndianaPilot
Well-Known Member
My favorite is the series "Captain" and "Captain 2"......basically this guy tells his story....from the very first day as a student pilot flying cessnas, all the way up to the point where he is an airline captain. its AWESOME !! written by Earl Rogers. the other good one is called "flying carpet" by greg brown, which is another really cool story.
FlyingNole
New Member
Airframe by Michael Crichton (sp?)
really good read, even though I'm not big into books...Thats why I go to FSU
really good read, even though I'm not big into books...Thats why I go to FSU
NTXPilot
New Member
Stick and Rudder is an absolute must. Great book. I thought Captain II was just so-so.
Career books:
Becoming an Airline Pilot Jeff Griffen
Flying the Big Jets Stanley Stewart
Both really good. Griffen offers really good interview and resume advice. Stewart's book pretty much sums up everything you would want to know about flying the 747. Thought it was pretty cool.
101 things to do with your Private License had some good info. Mostly stuff that you probably learned in order to get your license, but it is certainly a good resource.
Novels:
Anything by John J. Nance. Favorite though is The Last Hostage.
Flight of the Intruder by Stephen Coonts is good too.
Haven't read any of those you listed, might have to check them out.
Career books:
Becoming an Airline Pilot Jeff Griffen
Flying the Big Jets Stanley Stewart
Both really good. Griffen offers really good interview and resume advice. Stewart's book pretty much sums up everything you would want to know about flying the 747. Thought it was pretty cool.
101 things to do with your Private License had some good info. Mostly stuff that you probably learned in order to get your license, but it is certainly a good resource.
Novels:
Anything by John J. Nance. Favorite though is The Last Hostage.
Flight of the Intruder by Stephen Coonts is good too.
Haven't read any of those you listed, might have to check them out.
[ quote]Has anyone read Stick and Rudder? I hear it's a must read.
I read it a long time ago but i still remember how much it help me understand the use of flight controls and the role power plays in flying the airplane.
The concept of controling altitude with power and airspeed with pitch where reinforced in my mind by this book and have save the day for me in more than one ocassion .
Definitively read it.
[Attitude +Power= Performance ] OK
]
[
I read it a long time ago but i still remember how much it help me understand the use of flight controls and the role power plays in flying the airplane.
The concept of controling altitude with power and airspeed with pitch where reinforced in my mind by this book and have save the day for me in more than one ocassion .
Definitively read it.
[Attitude +Power= Performance ] OK
[
B767Driver
New Member
Every airline pilot must read "Fate is the Hunter", Ernest Gann. Gann was a classical writer who was also an AA pilot ascending the ranks in the early 1940's.
I've got lots of favorites, and a massive aviation library. Most of which are packed away in preparation for our move.......
"The Long Way Home" -Ed Dover
"North Star Over My Shoulder" -Bob Buck
Both tremendous stories of airline pilots.
Required reading for every airline pilot & airline pilot-to-be:
"Flying the Line"
"Flying the Line II"
Wish my books were out, there's many more I've greatly enjoyed over the years.
Particularly Skygods, I actually cried at the end when it told the story of the last PanAm flight returning to MIA at the very end of PanAm's existance. I thought to myself "if it can happen to them, it can happen to anyone. Am I still going to be working for AA in 20, 30 years? Will AA as I know it exist in 30 more years?" This was July of 2001. As you know, my life is much different now than it was in July of 2001!
"The Long Way Home" -Ed Dover
"North Star Over My Shoulder" -Bob Buck
Both tremendous stories of airline pilots.
Required reading for every airline pilot & airline pilot-to-be:
"Flying the Line"
"Flying the Line II"
Wish my books were out, there's many more I've greatly enjoyed over the years.
Particularly Skygods, I actually cried at the end when it told the story of the last PanAm flight returning to MIA at the very end of PanAm's existance. I thought to myself "if it can happen to them, it can happen to anyone. Am I still going to be working for AA in 20, 30 years? Will AA as I know it exist in 30 more years?" This was July of 2001. As you know, my life is much different now than it was in July of 2001!
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
I intend to read Fate is the Hunter and North Star Over My Shoulder. Right now, my nose is buried in the oh so interesting FAR/AIM and Aviation Instructor's Handbook. Other aviation books I've read:
Plane Insanity (great if you like pax stories)
Bomber Pilot (good book written by a B-24 pilot)
Man Who Flew the Memphis Belle (autobiography of Col Robert Morgan)
Airframe (not the most realistic, but a good read)
Catch Me If You Can (MUCH better than the movie, and I finished it in a day)
Wild Blue (Stephen Ambrose, you can't go wrong)
I've also read the bios of Ameliea Earhardt, Charles Lindbergh and Howard Hughes. Depending on which one you pick up, those are pretty good.
Plane Insanity (great if you like pax stories)
Bomber Pilot (good book written by a B-24 pilot)
Man Who Flew the Memphis Belle (autobiography of Col Robert Morgan)
Airframe (not the most realistic, but a good read)
Catch Me If You Can (MUCH better than the movie, and I finished it in a day)
Wild Blue (Stephen Ambrose, you can't go wrong)
I've also read the bios of Ameliea Earhardt, Charles Lindbergh and Howard Hughes. Depending on which one you pick up, those are pretty good.
Currently finishing up: Fate Is The Hunter, by Earnest K. Gann. Very, Very good book. You get the feeling you are in the cockpit as the book goes from Chapter to Chapter. Next up is Captain I & II, per recommendation of the webmaster. And maybe a little classic, Commercial Pilot, by Irvin N. Gleim.
MrLeisure757
New Member
As mentioned Fate Is The Hunter is a must read for an aspiring airline pilot.
Also, The Pilot's Burden by Bob Buck.
Also, The Pilot's Burden by Bob Buck.
ERfly
Well-Known Member
I will second the recommendation for anything by Nance. He's a 737 captain for Alaska and he's very, very accurate. I'm reading Fire Flight. It's not about airlines, but the fire bombers out west. It's really good.
I also recommend Nelson Demille. Read Plum Island, first. It gives you a feel for the character and then read Lion's Game and Night Fall. They're both centered around aviation. Especially Night Fall. It's a conspiricy theory about TWA 800. Demille consulted with a USAir 767 for all of the aviation stuff.
I also recommend Nelson Demille. Read Plum Island, first. It gives you a feel for the character and then read Lion's Game and Night Fall. They're both centered around aviation. Especially Night Fall. It's a conspiricy theory about TWA 800. Demille consulted with a USAir 767 for all of the aviation stuff.
shinysideup
New Member
"A Pirate Looks At Fifty" - Jimmy Buffet, A somewhat story of his life as a musician, sailor, and pilot.
"Where is Joe Merchant" - Jimmy Buffet novel based loosly on Jimmy Buffets ultimate dreams.
And I agree "Fate is the Hunter" MUST READ
Sled Driver - Brian Shul
Tough to get ahold of ($475 a copy) but if you can find one... get it.
"Where is Joe Merchant" - Jimmy Buffet novel based loosly on Jimmy Buffets ultimate dreams.
And I agree "Fate is the Hunter" MUST READ
Sled Driver - Brian Shul
Tough to get ahold of ($475 a copy) but if you can find one... get it.
Mustang17c
Well-Known Member
North Star Over My Shoulder was excellent. What an amazing life Bob Buck had.
Isn't Sled Driver more a collection of photographs (although highly amazing ones) than a non-fiction work/biography?
Fate of the Hunter and Stick & Rudder are necessary reading.
There was a book I read last year "Captain X" or something along those lines. It basically ragged on the aviation industry and system as a whole. It was extremely cheesy and actually kinda funny because of that.
Captain was good, also.
Isn't Sled Driver more a collection of photographs (although highly amazing ones) than a non-fiction work/biography?
Fate of the Hunter and Stick & Rudder are necessary reading.
There was a book I read last year "Captain X" or something along those lines. It basically ragged on the aviation industry and system as a whole. It was extremely cheesy and actually kinda funny because of that.
Captain was good, also.