FlyPIJets From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 822 posts, RR: 2 Posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 2401 times:
The gift giving season is coming, I thought a thread on your favorite aviation book might generate some gift ideas for you or your spotter friends.
Here are my favorite aviation books:
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FICTION: Airframe by Michael Crichton, 1996, Alfred A. Knopf (pub).
This book is a great yarn for readers of these boards.
NON-FICTION: Stick and Rudder by Wolfgang Langewieshe, 1944, McGraw-Hill (pub).
Once you have finished your ground school, read this book. This book is a great read for pilots or anybody that wants to understand better how to fly an airplane.
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A Field Guide to Airplanes by M.R. Montgomery and Gerald Foster, 1984, 1992, Houghton Mifflin (pub).
This book needs to be updated, but, is still a great book for spotters. It works like a "bird field guide" in that it is designed to teach the reader how to identify one a/c type from another similar type. It is also small so it can be taken to the field!
_________
OK, bring it on, what are your favorite aviation books?
InnocuousFox From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 2805 posts, RR: 16 Reply 2, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 2380 times:
Well, I have a stack of hard-bound research manuals from McGraw Hill/Aviation Week on my shelf as research for our game. Those are my favorites at the moment.
Dave Mark - Intrinsic Algorithm - Reducing the world to mathematical equations!
Aviaction From Germany, joined Nov 2003, 256 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 2372 times:
My all-time favourite:
The Fly Girls
(also published as Girl on a Wing)
by Bernard Glemser
It's hilariously funny - and takes you back to the swinging 60s, when flying was still something special. It's of course fictitious, yet well researched.
(well, admitting that I've read this book at least a dozen times, will cost me all "creditability" and won't make me a resp. user on the net ... but believe you me, if you love flying, you will adore this book).
UPSfueler From United States of America, joined May 2003, 430 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 2363 times:
The Aviation Disaster series 1-4
The Black Box
On a wing and a prayer
Age of flight, A history of americas pioneering airline (united)
Markboston From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 74 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 2350 times:
Airline Identity, Design and Culture by Keith Lovegrove. Lots of great photos of cabin interiors and flight attendant uniforms.
Aviaction From Germany, joined Nov 2003, 256 posts, RR: 2 Reply 7, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 2280 times:
I am ever so surprised! When I first saw the new thread, I was so sure, that within minutes there would be dozens of posts.
Well, I was mistaken. Very obviously so.
Could it be that ... reading is no longer in fashion?
And here's another of my all-time favorites:
The Ghost of Flight 401 by John G. Fuller
(btw, on a wing and a prayer also graces my bookshelf - recommended reading for everyone!)
Tiger119 From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 1919 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 2206 times:
A book called Silverbird or Silverbirds is a book about AA, the history, corporation, the people and aircraft types. There is also about the Boeing 720 that is pretty good, it has all the original owners and the last known registrations and owners. I wish I could remember the publishers. There are so many good aviation related out there to buy.
Flying is the second greatest thrill known to mankind, landing is the first!
DeltaGuy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 2202 times:
The Black Box is pretty good too!
One of my favorites was I believe "The Story of Aviation", written by my grandfather's old flying buddy, Capt. Kimball J. Scribner, ex. Pan Am chief pilot and B747 Capt. He was a first in many areas, this autobiography is amazing.
Srbmod From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 16888 posts, RR: 51 Reply 10, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 2178 times:
My favorite aviation book:
I've been hearing good things about this book as well:
InnocuousFox From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 2805 posts, RR: 16 Reply 11, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 2172 times:
Nuts! is good. I have a review of that on Amazon.com.
Dave Mark - Intrinsic Algorithm - Reducing the world to mathematical equations!
Tiger119 From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 1919 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 2166 times:
Who publishes "Nuts?" If the name is a sign of nature of the book, it would be right down my alley!
Flying is the second greatest thrill known to mankind, landing is the first!
InnocuousFox From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 2805 posts, RR: 16 Reply 13, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 2146 times:
Look it up on Amazon!
Dave Mark - Intrinsic Algorithm - Reducing the world to mathematical equations!
Positive rate From Australia, joined Sep 2001, 2143 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 2129 times:
Air Disaster 1,2,3
Catch Me if you can
Lost Moon(story of Apollo 13)
Moonshot(story of the US space program)
Chronicle of Aviation
The Encyclopedia of world aircraft
Splash One(the story of jet combat)
NWA330Tony From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 119 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 2117 times:
Tiger119 From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 1919 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 2117 times:
I found "Nuts" at Half.com for about $3.00. Sounds like a great price.
Flying is the second greatest thrill known to mankind, landing is the first!
Socrates17 From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 54 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 2117 times:
Wings to the Orient: Pan Am Clipper Planes 1935 - 1945, A Pictorial History, Stan Cohen, Pictoral Histories Publishing Co., 1985, ISBN 0933126611.
Fanofjets From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 1894 posts, RR: 3 Reply 18, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 2102 times:
I, too, have reviewed many aviation books on Amazon.com.
Some of my favorites:
For a literary tour-de-force, I recommend West with the Night by Beryl Markham. If you want to brush up on your French, go with Antoine de Saint Expury's books.
My favorite book on a single aircraft type: Boeing 377 Stratocruiser by Nicholas A. Veronico. Mr. Veronico really outdid himself with this one! I have never encountered a book with such a rich assortment of flight-deck and cabin pictures - enough to show the variations for the original airlines. Besides, the text is a joy to read. Check out my review on Amazon.com for a more detailed description.
For the birth of aviation and the excitement of getting a heavier-than-air machine airborne, I recommend How We Invented the Airplane by Orville Wright. Parts are dry and technical, but the reader shares in the joy and determination of the Wright's dream - and an age-old dream of all mankind.
The aeroplane has unveiled for us the true face of the earth. -Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Theevidence From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 15 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 2094 times:
Md11lover From Switzerland, joined Oct 2003, 444 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 2091 times:
I heard "Trail of the Octopus", about the investigation of the Pan Am Lockerbie bombing is a great book. Although I believe it is banned in the US, you can still get it from certain websites.
AA777MIA From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 686 posts, RR: 3 Reply 21, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 2068 times:
Anything by John Nance... Also Cabin Pressure is a great one, although is kind of hard to find now...
Stratusdrv From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 22, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 2058 times:
OMG People I can't believe that ya'll didn't mention the book TRACON yea it may be about ATC but it still is a good book and can give people a good sense of what the other half of the aviation community experience. I forget who the author is my ex still has my copy of the book....darn it!!!! ya'll should check it out its one that will keep you glued to the pages, its the only book that I actually enjoyed being forced to read..... had to read it for my intro to ATC class. Happy reading all
AASilverbird From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 90 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 2050 times:
I've only read a few, but one I really enjoyed was 'Flying the Big Jets' by Stanley Stewart. The one I have was publised in 1992 by Airlife Publishing. Gives intricate detail on the 744, physics of flying, flight planning, navigation, etc, etc. Almost everyting you've wanted to know. In this book it follows a BA 744 from LHR-JFK. I think he has since written another edition detailing the 777.
Has anyone read anything written by John Nance? He's written several fiction books on aviation. I've never read anything he's written, but just picked up a book called 'Skyhook.' I've yet to start it, but has anyone read this.....what's your impression?
A book called Silverbird or Silverbirds is a book about AA
I have 'Silverbird' as well. I haven't read it cover to cover, but it's a great book. Very well put together and great photographs!
AASilverbird From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 90 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 2046 times:
Anything by John Nance
AA777MIA,
Guess I was still posting when you posted. Have you read 'Skyhook'? Of his other books, which one would you pick as a must read? Thanks!
25 737doctor: Fiction Airframe as mentioned before. Trophy for Eagles, Eagles at War and Air Force Eagles by Walter J. Boyne. Flight of the Intruder By Stephen Coon
26 Paddy: I'm surprised no one has mentioned any of the good A vs. B books out there. I guess thats more of the business end of things but I find it fascinating
27 InnocuousFox: Handbook of Airline Finance Handbook of Airline Strategy Handbook of Airline Marketing Handbook of Airline Operations Handbook of Airline Economics 20
28 Rjpieces: Do most of you have large aviation book collections? Between Amazon.com, the World Transport Press Store in Miami, and some other places I have gotten
29 Gib: Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation.... It's in storage, so I hope the title is correct.
30 Lax: "Air Disaster Volume 2" Chapter 7 particularly: "I Don't Believe It! All Four Have Failed!" [Edited 2003-12-09 07:49:00]
31 RayBolt: I just finished reading "Tracon." Thought it was great. Kept me very interested-finished in about two days-but i get like that when i find a book and
32 Lindy: I have to say that my all time favorite aviation book is: Hard Landing by Thomas Petzinger I haven't read better book yet. Rafal
33 Boeing764: The "From The Flightdeck" series by IAN Allan publishing are my favourite. Each book takes you on a flight alongside the crew from pre flight planning
34 InnocuousFox: "I just finished reading "Tracon." Wasn't that the book that was the basis for the movie "Pushing Tin?"
35 Sk945: "The right stuff" - not sure who wrote it. But it sure is better than the movie...
36 Lindy field: Re: John Nance, I'm reading "splash of Colors" about the collapse of Braniff International right now, as a matter of fact.
37 Elwood64151: Airframe by Michael Crichton, 1996, Alfred A. Knopf (pub). Absolutely. Excellent read, both for aviation enthusiasts, businessmen and women, and anyon
38 DC3CV3407AC727: Fate is the Hunter, The High and the Mighty, Blaze of Noon, Band of Brothers, all by Ernest K. Gann Airmans Odyssey by St.Ex, Pastoral,by Neville Shut
39 The777Man: JP Airline-Fleets International by Ulrich Klee! The original and most complete book info on Airlines and their fleets. The777Man
40 UPSfueler: Actiualy Pushing Tin was based on the book "Somethings got to give"
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