What's your favorite aviation book?

[tjo]

I just finished "A Higher Call" and highly recommend it. I know earlier someone questioned some of the technological accuracy, but that isn't the point of the book. It is from a perspective of war that is very unique and comes full circle.

Tim

[RV9A Bill]

Craig Johnson's Walt Longmire series has a new addition, s Christmas story about an old pilot(Doolittle raider) and an old B25. Good story. Title " Spirit of Steamboat".

[BillL]

The one book about flight and aviation that stuck with me many years ago was "Operation Overflight" by Gary Powers. I was shocked and saddened by the manner of his death in the helio crash.

[bird]

I remember reading "the fledgling" when I was very young. I will try to find again to see if it still appeals to me. I wanted to fly for as long as I can remember.

The book I remember was not the one about a little girl and a goose, it was about a young boy who saw airplanes overhead and struggled to get an opportunity to get to fly, kinda my own story.


Bird

[KCBerner]

Originally Posted by Finley Atherton

The Last Explorer by Simon Nasht


This book details the life and almost unbelievable exploits of the Australian, Sir Hubert Wilkins and includes lots of amazing aviating.

In particular he was the first to conceive of, and use aircraft in the polar regions.
With Ben Eielson ( American Aviation Hall of Fame) as the pilot they were the first to fly an aircraft (Lockheed Vega) over the Arctic Ice Cap from Point Barrow to Norway. Wilkins was a superb navigator and managed to navigate directly to their destination through thunderstorms and blizzards using dead reckoning and sextant sightings and with the compass shifting through more than 300 degrees of magnetic variation. The American Geographical Society described this as a "feat in navigation which can be confidently declared unparalleled in the history of flying".

He had lots of other "Firsts" in aviation but aviation was only part of this incredible man's life. For instance he was held in high regard by the American Military. In 1959 the nuclear powered submarine Skate became the first submarine to surface at the Pole, where it held a memorial service and scattered the ashes of the Australian, Sir Hubert Wilkins.

See Amazon Books for a brief description and reader reviews.

Fin
9A

Just finished this on an AA flight today. Great read and highly recommended. As a pilot and a submarine vet, I was riveted with the entire story of this mans life.

[mike newall]

I started this as a quick reply - it developed..


Failure Is Not An Option - Eugene F Kranz.

A true, proper Gentleman - one of my personal heroes and I would love to meet him.

Next

Riding Rockets.

Mike Mullane - a 'grunt' Astronaut !

Very entertaining.

Neither about our area of aviation, but both show commitment, dedication, professionalism to their chosen path.

Glorious stories well told by good men.

p.s.

Fate Is The Hunter.

Read this aged 50 plus.........

Could not believe how much it still related to our tenuous existence as Airline Pilots in 2014......


As a lighter read.

Propellerhead

Antony Woodward

Barking mad tales of ultralight flying and zen like wisdom - alternative.


Then.....


JLS

It has to be the must read for every home grown, basic pilot.

http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes...ngston-seagull

It gets weird, but ..... I am a Brit.

Novels.

Brian Lecomber - V Good.

All Derring Do in the Caribbean.


Stephen Coonts

What a tale teller.....

From Vietnam to the lower 48 !

Search, read, enjoy.

My favourite - this

http://www.coonts.com/books/others/the-cannibal-queen

Finally - and this relates to us as RV pilots.

Eric Muller wrote a book with Annette Carson called Flight Unlimited.

Ref

http://www.transair.co.uk/sp+Aerobat...Unlimited+9643

Available in the US.

Now, Eric and Annette produced this book - something of such subtle beauty - such divine simplicity yet it enthused and allowed us mere mortals to enter into the world of higher aerobatics.

We, as RV pilots enjoy such a privilege, we build and fly aeroplanes that allow us to explore, enjoy and advance our skills beyond our wildest dreams.

Hence the RV Grin.........


So - here are my choices.

I may add to them, but as I sit here, on a cold, Wednesday evening after a 16 hour work day flying our passengers to and from Fueteventura in an A 321,


I need a beer..............

[colojo]

When I was growing up in the 1970's I checked out a big, hardcover book that was the history of Boeing, from its founding to about 1970 or so (it included the 747). It fascinated me and the photos of the factory and airplanes over the years were incredible. It had a major impact on my wanting to fly. It's long out of print but I surf eBay for it from time to time. Still no luck....

[sailvi767]

One summer, America 1927
Bill Bryson

It's a snapshot of one time frame in our country. Lots about Lindbergh and aviation. Touches on many other subjects relevant to the times. Reads like a novel you can't put down.

George

[wirejock]

+1 Cannibal Queen

[DaveWelch]

Our one-room country school had a library of 2 or 3 bookshelves. Thankfully, a small book titled "Eight Hours to Solo" was there. Got me hooked. I read it over, and over, and over.....when I finally took my first flight lesson my instructor said "You've done this before". Haven't found a copy since but I'll keep looking.