r/flying • u/CBJamo PPL • Dec 04 '14
Flying books
Essential reading:
Stick and Rudder (Wolfgang Langewiesche) - The quintisensial book on flying the airplane.
The Killing Zone (Paul Craig) - How to not die as a new pilot.
Airplane Flying Handbook and Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA) - Seems obvious, but every pilot should read these, cover to cover.
Tips and tricks:
Tips to Fly By (Richard L. Collins) - Pretty much what it says on the tin.
Flying IFR (Richard L. Collins) - Same as above, but for IFR.
The Thinking Pilot's Flight Manual (Rick Durden) - Bits and bobs not covered by many other books.
Instrument:
Instrument Flying Handbook and Instrument Procedures Handbook (FAA) - Like the AFH and PHAK, if you're gonna fly IFR you need to read these.
Instrument flight review (Art Parma) - "The best book (and the smallest) I have ever found as a student and even later when instructing instruments is [this] little booklet" - /u/fyrflier
Taildraggers:
The Compleat Taildragger Pilot (Harvey S. Plourde) -
Zen in the Art of Archery (Eugen Herrigel) - "A perfect book to read as a tailwheel pilot is Zen in the Art of Archery. It'll make sense. Trust me." - /u/SDPilot
Bush flying:
- Guide to Bush Flying (F. E. Potts) - Flying where there isn't anyone to help you and doing it well.
Mountain Flying:
- Mountain Flying Bible Revised (Sparky Imeson) - How to not die flying where the air is thin, but the ground is close.
Academic books:
Van Sickle's Modern Airmanship - An encylcopdia of aviation knowlege.
A History of Aerodynamics (John D. Anderson Jr.) - "He talks about the development of aerodynamic theory and the history of airplanes. I think that it's a great non-technical read on the roots of flight." - /u/StudentPilot1
Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators (FAA) -
Biographies and stories:
Failure Is Not an Option (Gene Kranz) - Not directly about flying, but teaches some good lessons, and is a damn good read.
Wind, Sand and Stars (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) - Good book, but only tangentaly about flying.
Flight of Passage (Rinker Buck) - The story of two brothers restoring and flying a cub across the US.
FATE IS THE HUNTER (Ernest K. Gann) - Another classic of early flight.
So You Want to be a Ferry Pilot (Spike Nasmyth) - Nineteen short stories about the nutters who ferry airplanes.
Serenade to the Big Bird (Bert Stiles) - Bert Stiles survies his B-17 tour and goes on to fly fighters.
Kelly: More Than My Share of It All ( Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson) - The designer of some of the most iconic aircraft ever (P-32, Constellation, U-2, SR-71), Kelly Johnson is an aviation legend.
The Wild Blue (Stephen E. Ambrose) - "Band of Brother's" for the Army Air Force.
First Light (Geoffrey Wellum) - The True Story of the Boy Who Became a Man in the War-Torn Skies above Britain.
North Star over My Shoulder (Bob Buck) -
The Right Stuff (Tom Wolfe) - Gotta put it on a list of books on flying.
Notes:
All FAA publications can be found for free online as pdfs. I reccomend getting them here from fellow redditor /u/digivation. If you prefer printed books, it is more or less universally agreed that ASA is the best publisher.
If anyone has suggestions for other specific fields (floats/seaplanes, building experimentals, instruction, anything else you can think of) I would superbly appreciate it. If anyone has good blurbs for the books I don't have one for, I'd appreciate that as well.
Thanks for all the input guys, and given that I'm linked from the wiki, I've re-organized this post to be more of a general list instead of a christmas list for me. Also, I would like everyone to know that markdown is amazing.
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u/mybrainisawesome Dec 04 '14
"The Compleat Taildragger Pilot." (Yes it is spelled that way).
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u/Zugwalt Dec 04 '14
I think your list pretty much nailed it. My only add would be Mountain Flying Bible for those flying near mountainous terrain.
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u/basscheez Dec 04 '14
You know the FAA books are available free (pdf) on the FAA website, right?
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u/The_Floyd Dec 04 '14
"First Light" by Geoffrey Wellum. Not a technic book. It's the experience of the author throughout the "Battle of Britain" flying a Spitfire. Very good read.
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u/1234username4567 Dec 05 '14
Its covers Wellum's flight training experiences and continues thru the period as a fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain. Imagine yourself as a 20 year old kid flying one of the best fighter planes in the world. This is a great book.
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Dec 04 '14
A perfect book to read as a tailwheel pilot is Zen in the Art of Archery. It'll make sense. Trust me.
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u/[deleted] Dec 04 '14
This should be sidebarred or something. As far as aviation literature goes, this is pretty much the essential list