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

This book will lift the lid on the airline industry and the world of aviation, highlighting the humorous and the sometimes downright alarming business of air travel. It avoids the question of fatal accidents and concentrates on stories, trivia, and salacious gossip that will make it an ideal read for the seasoned air traveler and an indispensable handbook for anyone working in the industry.

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.

The author of the New York Times bestseller The Travel Detective brings you insider travel secrets only pilots and flight attendants know. Pilots are notoriously frugal, and flight attendants are underpaid and on a budget. They may hit one city four to six times a month, but they are there for only twenty-four hours (or even less) each time, so they always know where to go to get the best value for their money. In The Travel Detective Flight Crew Confidential you’ll find: • great shopping (furniture in Atlanta, silk in Bangkok, leather in São Paolo) • great services (medical care in Paris and inexpensive manicures in Tokyo) • great food and drink (hidden ethnic restaurants in London, and the bars with the best attitude and cheapest drinks in Key West) • secrets to navigating the world’s airports during layovers • what to do and what never to do, what to seek and what to avoid You get tips in crew members’ own words—good, bad, or ugly—that you won’t find anywhere else. Opinionated, often controversial, but always helpful, The Travel Detective Flight Crew Confidential is a resource no one who flies can afford to be without.

Scuba Confidential is a unique book packed full of valuable tips and expert advice, giving you unprecedented access to the secrets of dive professionals and technical divers. With Scuba Confidential, you will learn how to master skills and techniques that will make you a more confident, capable and safe diver. It offers an informed, balanced view on some of scuba diving's most contentious issues like going solo, deep diving and rebreathers and includes a comprehensive analysis of how diving accidents happen and how to make sure you do not become a statistic. Scuba Confidential also gives you valuable insights on a vast range of topics such as what it is like to do a cave diving course, how to make sure you buy the right equipment, what to consider when choosing an instructor, things even the pros get wrong and where to find the best diving in the world. This is candid, no-nonsense practical advice from a professional who has been involved over the last three decades with virtually every aspect of the sport. Have you ever wondered? How to look as comfortable in the water as the professionals do? What it is like to dive inside shipwrecks? Which training courses are most worthwhile? If you would make a good technical diver? If you should be considering a rebreather? How you can improve your diving skills? How you can reduce your air consumption? Why diving accidents happen and how to prevent them? Whether you might sometimes actually be safer solo diving? How to dive deep safely? Or How muck diving can possibly be any fun? Scuba Confidential has the answers to these questions and many more.

Delivering an effective media interview today is more challenging than ever before. Today's media spokesperson must compete with shrinking audience attention spans, cope with social media overload, and confront sensationalized reporting. Given those challenges, how can you create positive messages that cut through the noise and motivate your audiences? How can you respond to difficult questions in a confident manner that increases your credibility? And how can you navigate your company through a media crisis so it becomes a mere blip instead of a reputation-destroying disaster? Brad Phillips, one of the world's top media trainers, will lead you through an engaging mix of 101 two-page lessons, three dozen real-life case studies, and several hands-on exercises. He will teach you how to become an effective media spokesperson, eliminate your fear, build your brand, and enhance your reputation. You will learn how to: -Master the ground rules for working with reporters -Create memorable media messages -Support your message with media-friendly stories, statistics, and sound bites -Deliver a winning interview -Answer tough questions -Adjust your approach for print, radio, television, and social media -Use positive body language that reinforces your message -Dress for television -Prepare for and manage a media crisis One of the most comprehensive and well-organized books ever published on the topic, The Media Training Bible will prepare you for today's media culture, in which a tweet can become newsworthy and a news interview can become tweet-worthy.

"For decades, Vinnie Tortorich has been Hollywood's go-to guy for celebrities and athletes looking to get fit fast. Now, in this hilarious, R-rated memoir, Hollywood's most outrageous personal trainer exposes the fitness world while getting you into shape." --P. [4] of cover.