Rating: 
Summary: A modern classic aviation story combined with adventure!
Review: This classic airplane story takes place in the mid 1960s. Tom Buck, the father of eleven children, used to be in a flying circus. The hunger for experience starts to gnaw at Kern, his oldest child, as Tom decides to teach Kern how to fly. Wanting excitement, Kern whips up a plan to fly coast to coast with his younger brother, Rinker (who authors this 1997 true story). Old Tom, unable to resist Kern's eagerness, says, "Yes," to the idea. Although it was not known at that time, their flight, if they accomplished it, would be the first time two kids would fly from the East Coast, to California on the West Coast.Although they did not know it, they would be tracked, with the help of his father, by news reporters all over the country. The big question that stayed in the brothers' minds was, "How would we make over the Rockie Mountains?" I truly enjoyed this book, for it gives the feeling of actually being inside the heads of both brothers as they were flying in their Piper Cub.
Rating:
Summary: More than a coming of age book
Review: "Flight of Passage" goes deep within the human heart of brothers, sons and fathers. It is not often in this day and age that we are given this masculine insight of two brothers and their love for each other. Nor, are we given such a privleged look into the relationship of a father and his sons. The airplane (espcially the Piper Cub) is a metaphor. The boys learn how to cherish life, to be good men, to be good citizens in fact from their work on this small airplane as it cruises across the United States. And, do they cross the U.S.! Strangly we are given the rare opportunity to see our nation from the air, with the eyes of teenagers who believe in themselves, their dad and their Piper Cub. We meet the men and women of America as the Piper lands in strange little airports in the midwest, the south west and the California coast. Not only do they fly out, they fly back to New Jersey. What the brothers discover is the grandness of this country, qualities that bind this country together, and the things that make each region unique. This is not a travelogue. This is a coming of age story that touches the heart -- deeply.
Rating: 
Summary: Great potential but an inferior book.
Review: At the time I wrote this review I was the 65th one to do so on Amazon. 62 of the reviews given were 4 stars or better. I just don't see it. I don't see how this book has made an impression even with such a great premise. Two things really bothered me about the book: the writing, and the irresponsibility portrayed by the author and his brother.
The dialog in this book was extremely clumsy, and this book is all dialog. People just don't address the person they're talking to by name at the beginning of every sentence. This was made all the more annoying by the unusual names of the characters. And, does the profanity really add anything to the story?
It was impressive to read about two teenage boys that restored a Cub to perfect condition, and the achievement of flying a Cub across the country is admirable for someone of any age. The success of the flight was even more remarkable when you consider the level of irresponsibility of someone who would repeatedly buzz people and vehicles especially over unfamiliar territory. The incident of running a bus off the road and blaming it on the bus driver made me feel that these two boys were very fortunate to make it across the country. Further, throwing avocados from an aircraft while circling over a crowded airport is just idiotic. When my son goes up for his license I want him to be understand that people who fly like this tend to die sooner than later.
Reading the other reviews make this book look like it's destined to become a classic. In my opinion it's missing the power and readability of Gann, Langeweische, or Hillary, or any of the really great aviation literature. But hey, I'm just 1 out of 62 who feels that way.
Rating:
Summary: More than a coming of age book
Review: "Flight of Passage" goes deep within the human heart of brothers, sons and fathers. It is not often in this day and age that we are given this masculine insight of two brothers and their love for each other. Nor, are we given such a privleged look into the relationship of a father and his sons. The airplane (espcially the Piper Cub) is a metaphor. The boys learn how to cherish life, to be good men, to be good citizens in fact from their work on this small airplane as it cruises across the United States. And, do they cross the U.S.! Strangly we are given the rare opportunity to see our nation from the air, with the eyes of teenagers who believe in themselves, their dad and their Piper Cub. We meet the men and women of America as the Piper lands in strange little airports in the midwest, the south west and the California coast. Not only do they fly out, they fly back to New Jersey. What the brothers discover is the grandness of this country, qualities that bind this country together, and the things that make each region unique. This is not a travelogue. This is a coming of age story that touches the heart -- deeply.
Rating:
Summary: a book for all pilots & aviation enthusiasts
Review: Aviation enthusiasts will appreciate the skill and adventure of
Rinker and Kern Buck, the young navigator and pilot who made their way from the East to California. Pilots will love the in-depth details of the flight, the problems, and the thrills of their journey. The pilot (17-year old Kern) and the navigator (Rinker, the author) flew to California in a $300 Piper Cub with the exception of a radio--they couldn't afford one. Using light signals to land and experiencing more adventure than they had planned for, including flying over a rocky desert with a sputtering engine, this book is both wonderfully entertaining and thrilling, and informative. Humor makes it enjoyable and Rinker's first-hand writing is exceptional in adventure-writing.
Rating:
Summary: A Fantastic Voyage
Review: As I began to read this book, I immediately found myself lost in the story. Mr. Buck's style of writing allows you to become absorbed in the story and actually part of the story. He wisks you off to marvelous places where you discover colorful and intriguing people. I could not put this book down. The interaction between the two brothers and the brothers with the father paralleled the relationship that I have with my brother and father. I connected with this book on a deep level. If you are in aviation in any way I recommend this book highly. It tells a fantastic story of aviation and two young pioneering pilots. Read it and you will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: It should be a classic
Review: Imagine two young Huck Finns in the mid twentieth century, with an airplane instead of just a raft to carry them away on an adventure. That's about as close as I can come to describing the spirit of this book. Written some forty years after the great adventure, it still manages to capture the innocent spirit of the adventure; it reads as if the great trip took place only last year. A great read for both young dreamers and for those of us who wish we were still young adventurers.
Rating:
Summary: Flight of Passage
Review: Excellent! This is the type of adventure book I would spend hours with in my younger days. Being a pilot since my teens, I found it a wonderful escape to my youth. Well written and enjoyable reading.
Rating: 
Summary: FLIGHT OF PASSAGE
Review: I ENJOYED THE BOOK VERY MUCH. AS A PILOT I WOULD LOVE TO FLY SUCH A CROSS COUNTRY ADVENTURE. GREAT BOOK ,GREAT ADVENTURE.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating - Barnstorming Story with Depth
Review: Flight of Passage engaged me on multiple levels. Firstly it's a great flying story and the descriptions of the trip, the personalities and situations that the two kids met are vivid. My being the son of light-aircraft pilot just added to my fascination - but it's just as accessible to those without experience of flying. And then there's another dimension to the story. The writer had complex relationships both with his father and brother and the trip brought him understanding of himself and his relationships. A wonderful, thought-provoking and inspiring book!
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