The remarkable life, career, and faith journey of Gavin MacLeod, the beloved star of The Love Boat and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. For 16 years, millions of Americans welcomed Gavin MacLeod into their living rooms every Saturday night. This veteran of stage and screen transformed himself from a seasoned character actor into the leading, lovable father-figure of Captain Merrill Stubing in The Love Boat at the height of TV’s boom years. From his humble theatrical beginnings in upstate New York to Radio City Music Hall and on to Hollywood, Gavin MacLeod was on the fast track to success. However, a few hard life lessons—like dealing with a divorce—taught him that the key to happiness can only be found through a deep faith in God, and he feels his work for Christ is more important than any award. The consummate storyteller, Gavin shares his fondest memories of meeting and working with countless stars, such as Cary Grant, Steve McQueen, Gregory Peck, Bette Davis, Frank Sinatra, Ethel Merman, Ella Fitzgerald, Ronald Reagan, Milton Berle, and Fred Astaire. In This Is Your Captain Speaking, Gavin shares: Behind-the-scenes accounts from the early days of New York theatre, TV shows, and Hollywood Personal stories never shared before on the death of his father, struggles with depression, and his painful divorce How he found an enduring faith in the hostile world of entertainment, calling on God and never giving up A nostalgic look back at the golden era of American television, This is Your Captain Speaking will take readers on an uplifting and inspiring journey into the life of one of TV’s most beloved actors. Praise for This Is Your Captain Speaking: “Gavin epitomizes the old-fashioned concept of a gentleman. He is a loving, generous, and authentic seeker of God’s truth. His life story speaks for itself.”—Kathie Lee Gifford

A commercial pilot discusses various aspects of flying, including what happens during take off and landing and what goes on in the control tower and cockpit.

A PILOT, A JOURNALIST, AND A SEMEN TRAFFICKER WALK ONTO A PLANE . . . When flight AW2921 crashes into the Hudson River and all 162 passengers survive, it’s a Monday morning miracle. What the rapturous public doesn’t know: the whole thing was staged as a last-ditch attempt at resurrecting the Air Wanderlust stock price. Captain Hank Swagger piloted the miracle plane into the river. Disgraced TV news anchor Lucy Springer was “luckily” the only reporter on board, and the first to capture the story. Con man Normal Fulk recently faked his own death to escape the consequences of his barely legal career as a celebrity semen trafficker. Toting his last big score—the “John Lennon”—Normal has to leave it behind on the sinking plane or risk being identified and arrested. In the aftermath of the crash and the chaotic week that follows, Lucy, Normal, and Captain Swagger are all about to discover what it means to be at the center of a miracle that is anything but.

While admittedly somewhat limited (about the width and height of an aircraft windscreen) and woefully short of the "big picture", the pilot's perspective offers some unique insights into the vagaries of life. Those insights are presented in This Is Your Captain Speaking as a series of tales that, while amusing and lighthearted, give reason to pause and think. Put your seatbacks into the full-upright and locked position, stow and lock your tray tables, and sit back and enjoy the ride.

As a young girl, Courtney thought her life in Atlanta was completely normal. Raised by both parents, she didn't notice thecomplexities that filled her life with pain and dysfunction until she began high school. Her violent childhood and decision to drop out of high school eventually led to an unexpected teen pregnancy. In an effort to put the pieces of her life back together, she married an abuser who introduced her to the adult entertainment industry.Life spiraled out of control after several near-death experiences. A change in career, a divorce, and a new family still left herwanting more until she stumbled across a coupon in an entertainment discount book that would lead to facing her fearshead-on and would change the trajectory of her life. In This Is Your Captain Speaking, Courtney shares the difficultand intimate details of her life to encourage and inspire you to own your story and not let it own you.BioCourtney Schoch is a mother, commercial pilot, flight instructor, public speaker, nonprofit founder, runner, leadership consultant, and author. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Utah Valley University in 2010 and a Master of Aeronautical Science with specializations in Space Operations and Aerospace Safety Systems from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2014. She lives in Cleveland, Ohio. She enjoys nature, science and trail running. Courtney has run marathons on four continents with a goal of completing a marathon on all every continent and a 100-mile endurance race.Learn more about her at courtneyschoch.com

IS YOUR PILOT MAINTAINING MENTAL ALTITUDE? The pilot of your airliner is perfectly trained, undergoes recurrent training twice or more every year, and works in a world-wide regulated industry with an admirable safety record. But is your pilot struggling with their mental health? Might there be some chronic stress, anxiety, relationship issues, insomnia, alcohol use and abuse, depression, or suicidal thoughts? In This Is Your Captain Speaking, aviation strategist and wellbeing expert Captain Reyné O'Shaughnessy examines mental health in aviation, including: The negative stigma surrounding pilots who seek treatment Pilot psychological health screening methods The impact of pilot wellbeing on aviation and public safety Policies or programs that protect airline professionals' mental health Let's make sure your pilot is cleared for takeoff before your next flight!

The legendary New York Times bestselling tale of top-down change for anyone trying to navigate today's uncertain business seas. When Captain Abrashoff took over as commander of USS Benfold, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of the productivity. Knowing that responsibility for improving performance rested with him, he realized he had to improve his own leadership skills before he could improve his ship. Within months, he created a crew of confident and inspired problem-solvers eager to take the initiative and responsibility for their actions. The slogan on board became "It's your ship," and Benfold was soon recognized far and wide as a model of naval efficiency. How did Abrashoff do it? Against the backdrop of today's United States Navy, Abrashoff shares his secrets of successful management including: See the ship through the eyes of the crew: By soliciting a sailor's suggestions, Abrashoff drastically reduced tedious chores that provided little additional value. Communicate, communicate, communicate: The more Abrashoff communicated the plan, the better the crew's performance. His crew eventually started calling him "Megaphone Mike," since they heard from him so often. Create discipline by focusing on purpose: Discipline skyrocketed when Abrashoff's crew believed that what they were doing was important. Listen aggressively: After learning that many sailors wanted to use the GI Bill, Abrashoff brought a test official aboard the ship-and held the SATs forty miles off the Iraqi coast. From achieving amazing cost savings to winning the highest gunnery score in the Pacific Fleet, Captain Abrashoff's extraordinary campaign sent shock waves through the U.S. Navy. It can help you change the course of your ship, no matter where your business battles are fought.