Tricky maneuvers, curious passengers, and other kinds of turbulence The star DJ who spontaneously invites the entire flight crew to his concert in Rome, the businessman who has his forgotten cigars flown in by private jet, and the oil millionaire who has the stewardesses crawl through the cabin on all fours to the sound of Pavarotti arias—there's nothing that Pilot Patrick has not experienced in his job. Germany's most famous airline captain takes us on a joyride to the most beautiful places in the world, telling us how he made his dream of flying come true, what really helps against the fear of flying, and what you should consider if you want to become a pilot yourself. From wild party nights on the Côte d?Azur to sex above the clouds, Pilot Patrick gives us an exclusive look behind the normally closed doors of the international jet set—and reveals a secret that, until now, has always flown below the radar.

Though we routinely take to the air, for many of us flying remains a mystery. Few of us understand the how and why of jetting from New York to London in six hours. How does a plane stay in the air? Can turbulence bring it down? What is windshear? How good are the security checks? Patrick Smith, an airline pilot and author of Salon.com's popular column, "Ask the Pilot," unravels the secrets and tells you all there is to know about the strange and fascinating world of commercial flight. He offers: A nuts and bolts explanation of how planes fly Insights into safety and security Straight talk about turbulence, air traffic control, windshear, and crashes The history, color, and controversy of the world's airlines The awe and oddity of being a pilot The poetry and drama of airplanes, airports, and traveling abroad In a series of frank, often funny explanations and essays, Smith speaks eloquently to our fears and curiosities, incorporating anecdotes, memoir, and a life's passion for flight. He tackles our toughest concerns, debunks conspiracy theories and myths, and in a rarely heard voice dares to return a dash of romance and glamour to air travel.

Tricky maneuvers, curious passengers, and other kinds of turbulence The star DJ who spontaneously invites the entire flight crew to his concert in Rome, the businessman who has his forgotten cigars flown in by private jet, and the oil millionaire who has the stewardesses crawl through the cabin on all fours to the sound of Pavarotti arias—there's nothing that Pilot Patrick has not experienced in his job. Germany's most famous airline captain takes us on a joyride to the most beautiful places in the world, telling us how he made his dream of flying come true, what really helps against the fear of flying, and what you should consider if you want to become a pilot yourself. From wild party nights on the Côte d?Azur to sex above the clouds, Pilot Patrick gives us an exclusive look behind the normally closed doors of the international jet set—and reveals a secret that, until now, has always flown below the radar.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A fascinating fear of flying book from a commercial airline pilot and author of the popular website askthepilot.com. For millions of people, travel by air is a confounding, uncomfortable, and even frightening experience. When you go behind the scenes, however, you can see that the grand theater of air travel is actually fascinating. From the intricate design of airport architecture to the logistics of inflight service, here is everything you need to know about flying. Commercial airlines like to hide the truth from customers and do nothing to comfort nervous fliers. And what's scarier than the unknown? In this aviation book, pilot Patrick Smith breaks down that barrier and tells you everything you need to know about flying, including: How planes fly, and a revealing look at the men and women who fly them Straight talk on turbulence, pilot training, and safety The real story on delays, congestion, and the dysfunction of the modern airport The myths and misconceptions of cabin air and cockpit automation Terrorism in perspective, and a provocative look at security Airfare, seating woes, and the pitfalls of airline customer service The true colors and cultures of the airlines we love to hate Cockpit Confidential is a thoughtful, funny, and at times deeply personal look into the strange and misunderstood world of commercial flying. If you liked other books about airplanes for adults, including Soar by Tom Bunn or Skyfaring, you'll find reassurance, humor, and guidance in Cockpit Confidential. "Anyone remotely afraid of flying should read this book, as should anyone who appreciates good writing and great information." —The New York Times, on ASK THE PILOT "Patrick Smith is extraordinarily knowledgeable about modern aviation...the ideal seatmate, a companion, writer and explorer." —Boston Globe

An account of the 1980 murder of Rolf Neslund by his wife, Ruth Neslund, on Lopez Island, Washington.

In 1912, Tony Jannus, a handsome 22 year-old pilot attempts to set a record for the longest flight over water, following the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Even though he suffers from an acute appendicitis, he doggedly continues the record-breaking flight. Along the way to New Orleans, he meets attractive young women who fall in love with him and further complicate his life. Later, he becomes chief pilot of the first scheduled airline, operating between Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida. The airline only operates during the tourist season and is highly successful. When the airline closes, Tony and his brother spend the summer flying exhibitions and passengers at Cedar Point on Lake Erie to raise money for an airplane manufacturing plant they intend to open in Baltimore. They build a quality airplane, but their business venture fails because they cannot compete with major airplane manufacturers such as the Wright Brothers and Glenn Curtiss. When they close the plant, Tony goes to work for Glenn Curtiss who sends him to Sevastopol, Russia to train the Czar's naval pilots how to fly seaplanes before the United States enters World War I. While training pilots for the Russian Navy, he is drawn into combat against German submarines, which are sinking Russian warships in the Black Sea. War tests his courage and changes his happy-go-lucky outlook on life. He returns to the United States and finds the woman he wants to marry, but the romance is stormy and they break off the relationship. He goes back to Russia to train pilots in a more advanced airplane. He is despondent in Russia until his former sweetheart writes him and says she loves him. They set a date to marry. Important aviation milestones in this historical novel actually happened. The author has embellished personal relationships and events.

While many children grow up with the dream of becoming an astronaut, Patrick Mullane grew up the child of one. In The Father, Son, and Holy Shuttle: Growing Up an Astronaut's Kid in the Glorious 80s, Mullane shares his unique and outrageous coming-of-age tale. It is a tale about his father's unusual astronaut profession, a secret long-held by his mother, and his often-hilarious efforts to be a person of consequence. In 1978, when Mullane was ten years old, his father, Mike Mullane, was chosen in the very first group of space shuttle astronauts - a group that included Sally Ride and four members of the Challenger crew who were lost when it tore apart in 1986. In The Father, Son, and Holy Shuttle, he tells of how his father's profession defined him, first as a young boy hopping from military base to military base with his parents and two sisters, and then as a pimple-faced, unknown nerd in a large Houston high school where he often felt like one of the pathetic underdog characters in a John Hughes film of the day. The Father, Son, and Holy Shuttle is about Mullane trying to be a hero in his own world as he believed his father and his pop culture idols - Indiana Jones, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker - were in theirs. While unequivocally a memoir, Mullane weaves into his story a non-technical history of the early space shuttle program as seen through the eyes of somebody who witnessed that history in an intimate way. From the opening scene describing his dad's first launch attempt when a failure led Mullane to believe he had witnessed his father's death three miles distant, to the description of the day Challenger exploded and three of his high school classmates lost a parent, to stories of Sally Ride having a beer after work in his backyard, Mullane shares with readers a perspective that has yet to be explored in any book and does so with an infusion of 80s pop culture and colorful real-life characters that will leave readers nostalgic for a decade that shaped the millions. But more than anything, The Father, Son, and Holy Shuttle is a story of the love between a father and son - a love shaped by a mutual wonder at the magnificence of the world, the majesty of the universe, and the beauty of flight.