Good AVIATION BOOKS for the home library

[flight-crew]

I'd say the best overall book in my aviation library is "The Turbine Pilot's Flight Manual." It was extremely invaluable for both turbo-prop and jet training that I did. Some others are "Flying Jets" and "Advanced Aircraft Systems." The new Jeppesen Instrument/Commercial manual is pretty good for reviewing instrument procedures. Then there's the good old AIM/FAR'S. I've got the FAR 121 Flight Crew regs too by ASA. I've also found some really good articles in the ALPC monthly magazine put out by Air Inc.

What type of other books do you guys recommend as keepers for the home library?

I'm looking for both technical books and interview books too.

 

[BoDEAN]

Stick and Rudder is a great (but dry in spots) book with a lot of useful information in it.

 

[bobbysamd]

Books

I'll second The Turbine Pilot's Flight Manual and Stick and Rudder. The Manual really does put it together in one place. Wolfgang isn't that dry, though.

Flight instructors should have every FAA pub available that pertains to their areas of instructing. A good little adjunct to the instrument pilot's and instrument instructor's library is IFR Principles and Practices by Avram Goldstein and Newton Miller, 2nd ed. ISBN: 0934754047. This book really discusses instrument flying and ATC step by step. Another well-written and comprehensive instrument book is the PIC instrument manual.

I would recommend both volumes of Flying the Line and Hard Landing: The Epic Contest for Power and Profits That Plunged the Airlines into Chaos by Thomas Petzinger, Jr. for airline pilots. Also, Airline Pilot Interviews by Irv Jasinski. All should be available on www.amazon.com. Finally, Takeoff by Bonnie Tiburzi for an excellent book about a new airline pilot. Bonnie wrote the book seventeen years ago, but it will sound very much like today for most people.

 

[BoDEAN]

Re: Books

Flight instructors should have every FAA pub available that pertains to their areas of instructing. [/B]

With respects to a CFI (Not a CFII) what books do you recommend? What other FAA pub's should one have in their library

 

[JetPilot500]

A good reference book is:

Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators

I'm not saying you should read it cover to cover...it could actually bore you to death! But I have found a lot of very useful information in that book when I needed it.

JetPilot500

 

[Timebuilder]

Good choices.

There are several books called Instrument Flying on the market. One is also known as volume 3 of The Pilot's Manual, by Trevor Thom. I contains almost everything you want to know, and it's a large softcover about the size of a phone book.

Less formal, and sometimes funny, is the same title by Richard Taylor. It contains the famous "cat and duck method" of attitude control. If you have no sense of humor, you won't like this one.

 

[Tri-holer]

How about Airport by Aurther Hailey. Not too technical but it sure got my interest up about flying so many years ago.

There is a series of books that I just saw in Borders book store. The title escapes me - something like Aviation Disasters. So far it is up to 4 volumes, softbound. I have the first two volumes (in storage or I'd look at them for the title). The author examines in depth, a bunch of airline accidents. Each takes about 8-10 pages. Real learning material.

 

[Ty Webb]

I would highly recommend a book by Tony Kern called, "Redefining Airmanship".

The book is written by a US Airforce Major and is very well-written and readable. It really sums up what is required to be a profesional pilot . . . . a combination of knowlege, training, disicipline, experience and currency.

I know I am not doing it justice here, but it really helped me to begin flying as a jet PIC.

 

[Andy Neill]

For recreational reading, I recommend Wings by Robert Serline (Rod Serling's brother). I promised myself I would read it the week before an airline interview to get me fired up. Central character is a man who wants to fly but follows the management chain instead.

 

[jsoceanlord]

Robert Buck's WEATHER

Richard Taylor's (?) INSTRUMENT FLYING (published about 1972)

 

[350DRIVER]

Anything & everything by Barry Schiff.

3 5 0

 

[Illini Pilot]

Flying The Wing is a good book too

 

[Timebuilder]

I know that I always emphasized the books you listed-for teaching.

I think the poster wanted books for the home library, though. For that, the non-FAA pubs are just right.

Maybe we should start a thread on the way that "lift" is taught in the FAA publications, or the difference between what the FAA wants you to know to pass a test, versus what is left to be taught by "experience" to the pilot once the test is passed. That's MY pet peeve.

 

[ShawnC]

I think one to have is Rod's PPL Handbook, not so much for yourself (unless you need to review), but say someone that would be intrested in flying *cough kids cough* (of all ages 12-75) its a good book for them to look at. Heck a few might even figure out it ain't to hard, and not to expensive after talking to you, they might want to learn to fly for themselves.

 

[flight-crew]

The books that I was asking about in my original post are books that are more directed towards pilots flying turbine equipment at airlines and corporate.

With regards to the gov't books and publications- They can be very dry with no pictures.

I'm looking for books that would assist in technical knowledge of jet equipment and systems.... and major airline interview preparation.

 

[BoDEAN]

Forgot to mention:
This book arrived on my doorstep today

The Flight Instructor's Manual by William K. Kershner.


Not sure on how good it is (Maybe others on here have it or have looked through it) but from looking through it quickly, looks like a keeper!

 

[Timebuilder]

flight-crew

For interview, Cheryl Cage and Kit Darby have a whole selection of books.

For turbine knowlege, Brown&Holt's Turbine Pilot's Flight Manual, mentioned above, is good.

For more in-depth knowlege, Jeppesen publishes an A&P Powerplant textbook (JS312694A) that will bring you up to speed.

I have a background that includes an electronics knowlege that began at age 11. There are many books that guide you through projects in DC, AC, solid state, microprocessors, and digital logic. I have found this understanding VERY valuable when it comes to systems study.

For hydraulics, manufacturer Parker-Hannefin makes a good basic text. I found mine in a Grainger catalog.

I guess you have enough to get started.

 

[Dignan]

Two that might be helpful for airline interview prep are:

Checklist For Success by Cheryl Cage--this basically tells you how to not look like a goober during your interview, but it's still good.

Airline Pilot Technical Interviews: A Study Guide by Ronald D. McElroy--this goes over the most common tech questions at regional & major interviews (FAR, Wx, etc).

Both are by Cage Publishing and should be available on the internet somewhere. Someone might have already recommended these, as I didn't do a very in-depth scan of this thread so far, but they should help.

And for non-aviation reading, anything by Tom Robbins (with the possible exception of Another Roadside Attraction.)

Take it easy,
D

 

[Aviator]

If you are looking for major airline interview prep, I would highly recommend Bruce Croft’s (TIS) book “The Only Aviation Interview Book You’ll Ever Need”. When I talked to him about a year and half ago he mentioned that he was also working on a turbine transition manual. Here is his most recent post along with his email address.

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6600

 

[bart]

Illusions by Richard Bach

'Nuff Said

 

[HappyFlying]

Bart,
Amen to that.

I read Jonathan Livingston Seagull when I was very young. From then on I always kept my eyes and heart skyward. "More than anything else, Jonathan Livingston Seagull loved to fly...."
Fly Happy

 

[Chunk]

Turbine Pilot's Handbook

I learned a lot from the Turbine Pilot's Handbook, but I have a beef with one of their assertions. They state that any dimple or depression in the radome will collect water and produce a false return.

Bull!

Totally impossible. RADAR does have a minimum range. It's the same formula as range resolution (discriminating between two targets on the same bearing):

Pulse Width (PW) X 164 yards/microsecond = min range in yards

Besides that little point, GREAT BOOK!

Chunk

 

[enigma]

Another vote for "Stick and Rudder", and "Aero for Naval Aviators"

Anything by Ernie Gann.

Anything by Robert Buck, especially "The Pilots Burden".

"Design for Flying" and "Design for Safety" by David Thurston.

Captain Carlsons, "airPLANE TALK".

"Aircraft Basic Science", by Bent/McKinley. ( a junior-college text)

 

[Huck]

"Flight of Passage," by Rinker Buck. A 17 year old and his kid brother fly a cub all the way across the country. A true story.

As for Ernie Gann- "Fate is the Hunter" is incredible, but "The High and the Mighty" is even better. A DC-6 loses a prop and starts leaking fuel at the "Equal Time Point" between HNL and SFO. This book should be a must read before every CRM course - the grizzled f/o (John Wayne in the movie) has to basically take over for the young captain, who becomes "overcome by events." I read it about once a year.

Throw in Gann's "In the Company of Eagles" as well. WWI flying....

 

[TwinTails]

I very highly recommend, The Don Sheldon Story: Wager With The Wind, by James Greiner. Don Sheldon is unbelievable, the things that guy can do with an airplane, wow. Pick it up you won't be dissapointed.

 

[310]

The First and the Last by Adolf Galland- Galland was head of german air force - fighter wing during part of WW2. Wrote in late 40s or early 50s- very good

also

The Big Show by P. Closterman - also WW2 - Closterman was french pilot for RAF.

 

[FlyDeltasJets]

I agree with Huck that "The High and the Mighty" was fantastic. I remember when I was a little boy my parents let me stay up late to eat popcorn and watch it with my father. I loved it and pretty much knew from that day onward that I would be a pilot.

The problem is, Wayne's estate has had some problems with warner bros and isn't allowing them to release THATM to video. I have wanted to watch it again for years but can't seem to find it. Does anyone have a copy or know where I could get one? It would probably make for another pretty good father and son night.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pilotadjuster]

Books

My $.02--

Read these when I was a kid:

Baa Baa Black Sheep - Greg Boyington
God is My Co Pilot
The First and the Last - Gen Adolph Galland


Currently reading Fate is the Hunter - Ernie Gann - cannot recommend enough. Also--is Mr. Gann still with us? the copy I have is from 1991 and it lists his birthdate as 1910.

Chickenhawk - Robert C. Mason

Still trying to get through Kirshner's Advanced Pilot Manual. If you enjoy math and technical descriptions are your thing, you will love his style. Myself...well I guess I tend more towards Rod Machado - have both the PP Manual and Instrument Pilot Survival Guide.

 

[Chunk]

Machado Instrument manual

Machado's Inst. manual doesn't do much for me....I like ASA's "Pilot Manual vol. 3 Instrument" a lot...

 

[ILS JNKY]

books

Lets see first THE KILLING ZONE WHY LOW TIME PILOTS DIE byaul A. Craig, then The InstrumentFlight Manual by:William K. Kershiner,Then Emergency Maneuver Training by:Rich Stoll, and lest not forget Aviation Weather by Jepp.

o also stick and rudder.