Best Books?

[Lebowski]

From a business and history standpoint, what are the best books out there about the airline industry? I think anything on the history of the airlines, deregulation, business models, unions/union busting, etc., would be good for anyone in this profession to read.

Along those lines, is there anything that you would consider "required reading"?

Personally, I'd like to know more about it all than I do now.

Lebowski

 

[DirkkDiggler]

"Hard Landings" I don't remember who the author is, but it is interesting and very informative.

 

[Ace McCoy]

Thomas J Petzinger wrote hard landings. It came out in 1996 but it is still a fantastic read. In fact I'm reading it right now for the third time.

 

[Flyingdutchman]

"Fate is the hunter" from Ernest K. Gann is a must have for every commercial pilot out there.

FD

 

[I_Love_Lamp]

Anything by Irving Gleim is pretty good.

 

[Cardinal]

Gleim, LOL

As Discussed:
Hard Landings by Petzinger is definitely worth the effort.
Fate is the Hunter should be part of 121 indoc. Anything else by Gann is great, The High and the Mighty, Band of Brothers, The Aviator (makes you not feel so bad when you comment on that hot chick with the UM paperwork), etc.

Flying the Line, George Hopkins
Flying the Line Volume II

Really good reading, if not life changing:
North Star over My Shoulder, Robert Buck.

If the death of an airline turns you on, these are two grisly reads:
Collision with Collusion, J.T. Bertrand (Lorenzo, Continental, Bk, Strike - Read Hard Landing first for the bigger picture, this book gets down to the agonizing details.)
Skygods, Robert Gandt. (Rise and fall of Pan American.)

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

What? Have you all forgotten about Captain X? (joke)

 

[CopilotDoug]

Bunkin & Dunkin The Twinkle Twins, puts me right to sleep (even before I can call V1)

 

[Denizen]

Moondogs Academy of the Air and other Disasters...

 

[Cardinal]

Moondogs Academy of the Air and other Disasters...

Funny as all hell.