Ctrav11 From United States of America, joined Oct 2007, 8 posts, RR: 0 Posted (4 years 7 months 9 hours ago) and read 3329 times:
I have been on the hunt for a good, well-researched non-fiction book about the history of the commercial aviation industry for some time now. But I thought it might be fun to ask everyone to weigh in with the name of their favorite aviation related books. Novels, non-fiction, nothing is off limits -- as long as it was printed with two covers and pages in between.
Who knows? When we're done, Airliners.net might have its first official "reading list".
AV8orWALK From United States of America, joined Nov 2006, 174 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (4 years 7 months 9 hours ago) and read 3305 times:
Hands down. "Nuts...Southwest Airlines Crazy Recipe for Success". I used it to get hired at Southwest some 10 years ago. I'm not at Southwest anymore, but now I require my new hire guest relations specialists to read it during orientation week at the resort I manage in Orlando.
Cheers!
Drew MCO
The safest place to be in an airplane crash is on the ground.
Readytotaxi From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2006, 2596 posts, RR: 3 Reply 2, posted (4 years 7 months 8 hours ago) and read 3284 times:
I did enjoy "From worst to first" Gordon Bethune on Continental Airlines.
On the accident side of things without doubt the best researched books are the ones written by Macarthur Job, "Air Disaster", I think he has 4 separate volumes out. The detail of how and why the accident happened is brilliant.A must read.
you don't get a second chance to make a first impression!
Daviation From United States of America, joined Sep 2008, 432 posts, RR: 1 Reply 4, posted (4 years 6 months 4 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 3211 times:
The very recent "Touching History," by Lynn Spencer is real page-turner. It's about the behind the scenes of civil and military aviation on September 11.
Tango29 From Ireland, joined May 2006, 312 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (4 years 6 months 4 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 3186 times:
RuinAir, an entertaining and funny look at low cost air travel in europe, it also highlights the
bad experiences of Ryanair passengers/victims, it also gives the reader a lighthearted yet
eye opening account of how Ryanair operates, a great entertaining book i could'nt put down!
Fanofjets From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 1895 posts, RR: 3 Reply 8, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 3080 times:
For the history of commercial aviation, when the airlines carried the mail and (occasionally) a few passengers for the ride, the books of Antoine de Saint-Exupery are among the all time greats:
Night Flight (Vol de Nuit) Southern Mail Wind, Sand, and Stars Flight to Arras (Pilote du Guerre) - Not commercial, but still great
His descriptions of the majesty of flight and brilliant insights into the meaning of life are unforgettable. They belong on every aviation buff's reading list.
Here the my Amazon.com reading list of books by and on Saint-Ex (one of my heroes) I composed:
57AZ From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 2550 posts, RR: 2 Reply 9, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 3062 times:
"Freefall"-I don't remember the author's name. It is a factual narrative of the incident of the Gimli Glider from the perspective of the crew and passengers of that flight.
"When a man runs on railroads over half of his lifetime he is fit for nothing else-and at times he don't know that."
UltimateDelta From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 1993 posts, RR: 6 Reply 11, posted (4 years 6 months 3 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 3035 times:
TRACON by Paul McElroy, although fiction, is a great book about the world of ATC and involves a collision between two planes and the controller's struggle to clear his name. Definitely worth a look.
PGNCS From United States of America, joined Apr 2007, 2516 posts, RR: 45 Reply 13, posted (4 years 6 months 2 weeks 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 2905 times:
TravellerPlus From New Zealand, joined Nov 2008, 347 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (4 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 2771 times:
"Beyond the Blue Horizon" by Alexander Frater. In the early 1980's he flew along the orginal 1930's Imperial/Qantas route between London and Brisbane as best he could. I love it because at the time it combined the historic notes with comtemporary travel, such as flying on 707's. Now the contemporary travel is historic. Reading it now sends a chill up the spine as flew on the same TWA 727 before it was hijacked to Beiruit in 1985, he heard whipsers of Saddam Hussein's poison gas developments and encountered Indonesian soldiers on the way to brutalise East Timor. It's not all doom and gloom as there is a wonderful description of Delhi-Belly, a busty Swedish lass doing vodka shooters and ping-pong in Patpong too! A true gem on many levels.
What goes around comes around....unless your luggage is not on the carousel...
NWADC9 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 4857 posts, RR: 10 Reply 16, posted (4 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 2752 times:
On a Wing and a Prayer edited by Malcolm MacPherson
You'll never look at a plane crash the same again. MacPherson was the guy who also edited The Black Box, which is a bunch of well-known plane crashes and the transcript from the cockpit. On a Wing and a Prayer goes beyond that and has interviews of the actual survivors of the crashes and the ordeal from a survivor's perspective. Freaky stuff in there, I tell ya! GET IT!!!
Flying an aeroplane with only a single propeller to keep you in the air. Can you imagine that? -Capt. Picard
Isitsafenow From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4984 posts, RR: 26 Reply 17, posted (4 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 2751 times:
1. SPLASH OF COLORS...John Nances book on Braniff International Airways and its demise.
2.HIGH AND THE MIGHTY...a fictional story and a movie
3.RUNWAY ZERO 8...another fictional story.....the movie "Airplane" was loosly based on this.
4.PROBABLE CAUSE...airline crash stories and causes by the best ..... Mr. Robert Serling
5.THE ELECTRA STORY.....the trouble with the Lockheed L188....another Serling book.
safe
If two people agree on EVERYTHING, then one isn't necessary.
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Oct 2007, 8 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2006, 2596 posts, 
From Italy, joined Jul 2008, 194 posts, 
From Ireland, joined May 2006, 312 posts, 
From Brazil, joined May 2005, 11201 posts, 
From New Zealand, joined Nov 2008, 347 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
