Harold Dougal got into flying when flying was young, and spent his life as a professional pilot, most of it in a part of the United States that "stands on end." In this book of true tales, in addition to sharing dos and don'ts of mountain flying, he tells about early aircraft and aviation, about life in remote parts of Idaho, about people he's met and places he's gone, and of adventures made more exciting by mechanical failure, bad weather, cattle or tractors on the runway, airfields that can only be successfully approached one way, customers who ask the impossible, odd characters met in small towns, student pilots who haven't yet learned to navigate, and more. Illustrated with black and white photos and line drawings.

"For more than a century, pilots have been intrigued by the challenges of flight in the highest mountains and the deepest canyons on every continent. Mountain, canyon, and backcountry flying allows pilots to get off the beaten path and enjoy the outdoors. It opens up a whole new world of recreation. Activities include airplane camping, hiking, fishing, and staying at guest lodges or bush camps in areas where there may not be roads or easy access either by land or water. Flying in these enticing environments often entail operations over relatively inaccessible terrain, and necessitates a mindset, discipline, and procedures necessary to operate efficiently and safely in a challenging and sometimes unforgiving environment. Operating over mountains, navigating through canyons, taking off and landing on unimproved, high altitude airstrips in confined areas, and maximizing airplane performance requires specialized skills. The authors and guest writers share information and tips gleaned from more than 150 years and 100,000 hours of collective experience as professional mountain and backcountry pilots and flight instructors. Recreational pilots to mountain flying instructors will find this book useful. Fundamental concepts include preparing for and conducting mountain and canyon flights, airport operations, situational awareness and emergency operations. Analysis of accident scenarios, accounts from the authors' own experiences, and contributions from seasoned backcountry pilots and instructors expand on material detailed in the text. Each chapter includes exercises to help the reader understand and apply the information to their own flying and beautiful illustrations to inspire pilots to seek out these awe-inspiring destinations."--Provided by publisher.

Since the dawn of aviation, Idahoans have employed aircraft to carry people, groceries, mail, freight, and livestock over inhospitable terrain. Idaho's airstrips are the stuff of dreams, offering pilots, anglers, hikers, and river-rafters access to deep wilderness less than an hour from the city. Aerial firefighting was born--and is based--in Idaho. Flight instructors in Idaho prepared thousands of pilots to fight in World War II. As the birthplace of United Airlines, with its famed "friendly skies," Idaho is one of the country's most aviation-friendly states. Government officials, private landowners, and volunteers have worked together to create and then preserve an infrastructure of big-city, small-town, and backcountry airstrips that are the envy of pilots worldwide.

"Navigates your whole family along 2,550 miles of varied and spectacular terrain, from towering fourteeners to gigantic sand dunes"--Page 4 of cover.

“For sheer adventure L’Amour is in top form.”—Kirkus Reviews Here is the kind of authentically detailed epic novel that has become Louis L’Amour’s hallmark. It is the compelling story of U.S. Air Force Major Joe Mack, a man born out of time. When his experimental aircraft is forced down in Russia and he escapes a Soviet prison camp, he must call upon the ancient skills of his Indian forebears to survive the vast Siberian wilderness. Only one route lies open to Mack: the path of his ancestors, overland to the Bering Strait and across the sea to America. But in pursuit is a legendary tracker, the Yakut native Alekhin, who knows every square foot of the icy frontier—and who knows that to trap his quarry he must think like a Sioux.

This is a spellbinding, firsthand account of what it was like to pilot a Marine Corps H-34 helicopter in combat during "The Helicopter War" in Vietnam. As a brand-new United States Naval Aviator with a mere 187.5 hours of helicopter flight experience, Second Lieutenant Bill Collier had many exciting adventures. Many were just a bit too exciting, some were horrific and a few were terrifying. This is the true story of his experiences during his 13 months in the war. Bill watched friends die violently and stood many times eye-to-eye and toe-to-toe with Death itself. Each time, Death flinched.