Tales from the Cockpit

Rating:
Summary: Mildly amusing anecdotes from the Cockpit
Review: I have consumed a great deal of pilot memoirs and aviation action books. The publisher's description of this book is not really accurate. The best flying stories ever told? Hardly. Most of the 'yarns' are 1.5 to 4 pages long and are hackneyed anecdotes that most, if not all pilots, have heard during hangar flying sessions. The potential readership would be better served by calling it: tales ABOUT the cockpit, with the target audience being non-pilots.

For example. One 'yarn' is that John Travolta owned an Ercoupe when he started flying, and the author thinks it's really novel that people ribbed John about bird strikes coming from the rear. As an aircraft mechanic and pilot, I've heard that jibe used on every thing from Cubs to Citations.

The author also tries to dazzle us with stories of sports celebrities who talk about their aircraft in interviews with the media. Wow.

If you're looking for a read that can hold it's own against flying authors like: Gann, Lindgergh, Coonts, St Ex or Rinker Buck, don't buy it, you will be disappointed. I had to force myself to get halfway thru, then decided my time would be better spent alerting other buyers of the folly of their purchase.

I'll close with this: the book opens with a lengthy diatribe about pilots being master storytellers, and is grandfather was the story teller of all time. He goes on to belabor the point saying that his Grandad would tell the "great story" that he was the one who told Orville and Wilbur to take off into the wind. If that has you wanting more, this book is for you. If you are anticipating stick and rudder, upside down-hair-on fire-nine G turns, buy another book.

Rating:
Summary: Tales from the Cockpit
Review: This is a treasure box for aviators. Filled with little gems you can enjoy one at a time or all at once. Some new stories you've never heard before, and some old ones worth retelling. Good stuff, recommended.