Best Flying-Related Novels/Memoirs?

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TheOriginalJBones@reddit

“Into the Wind: The Story of Max Conrad.” Conrad was one of Piper’s go-to ferry pilots and an endurance/distance record breaker in small Pipers. If Bill Piper had wanted a Twin Comanche on the moon, Conrad would have gotten it there.

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TheOriginalJBones@reddit

If you liked “Going Solo,” try to find a copy of Dahl’s “Over to You.” It’s his first published collection of short stories, mostly fiction based on his RAF experience.

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WeekendOk6724@reddit

Boyd: the fighter pilot who changed …

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Fly4Vino@reddit

It's a must read. Nominated for best officer in the Air Force and Court Martial the same year. Revolutionized a number of concepts of fighter encounters and when exiled to the basement of the Pentagon

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DueRequirement1440@reddit

Fate is the Hunter by Ernest Gann. It's a really interesting memoir from the early days of commercial aviation.

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Fly4Vino@reddit

It is also a good movie , a little out of date. William Wellman who directed the movie flew with the Lafayette Escadrille A bit overly dramatic but that was for those times Also a great reminder of the rigors of Trans Pacific navigation in an era of sextants, and NDB

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Choconilla@reddit

I know not everyone likes it, but I really enjoyed this book. It’s amazing how much has changed, but also how much is still the same.

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DoctorWhiskey@reddit

I’m just a PPL and have zero interest in commercial aviation as a career. But, this is one of my all time favorite books. I love first hand perspectives on interesting careers and this scratched that itch. Just like Kitchen Confidential, but with a much older history perspective. Can’t recommend Fate is the Hunter enough!

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mtcwby@reddit

My immediate thought. That guy led an almost Forrest Gump level life.

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somecallmesal@reddit

Forever Flying by Bob Hoover

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card_shart@reddit

Fate is the Hunter - Ernest Gann Wind, Sand, and Stars - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Flight of Passage - Rinker Buck North Star Over my Shoulder - Robert Buck

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ThorCoolguy@reddit

Yeah, Wind, Sand, and Stars is the book. It's not just the best book about aviation ever written - it's one of the best books ever written, period. Absolutely beautiful. Big tough beardy guy here, made me cry. Read it.

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JimTheJerseyGuy@reddit

Second "Wind, Sand, and Stars". Beautifully written even if I'm only seeing it in the English translation.

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homeinthesky@reddit

This is the list. That’s all. It’s all you ever need to read. There are other greats, but if you’re only gonna read a short list, this is the exact list that should be created.

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Fly4Vino@reddit

Great list

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derkricket@reddit

My favorites include Listen! the Wind & North to the Orient (Anne Morrow Lindbergh). She chronicles the adventures she and husband had (also a pilot, apparently) conducting survey flights for Pan Am. A Gift of Wings by Richard Bach Cannibal Queen by Steven Coonts

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imjeffp@reddit

Another vote for The Cannibal Queen.

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Bluedevil1992@reddit

Was scrolling down for The Cannibal Queen, still an all time favorite

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xHangfirex@reddit

Admiral Richard E. Byrd’s diary

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CryOfTheWind@reddit

Fate is the Hunter - Civilian flying 1930-1950 Skunk Works - Story of creation of the U2/SR71/F117 Chickenhawk - Vietnam Huey pilot Low Level Hell - Vietnam Loach pilot

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a_tiger_of-Triumph@reddit

Chickenhawk was one of the best books I've ever read.

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hartzonfire@reddit

The Skunk Works book is awesome. Devoured that one in two days.

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CryOfTheWind@reddit

Same here, normally I space out my book reading for when I commute or am going to sleep. That one kept me going till it was done. Great recomendation from a coworker as I hadn't heard of it before.

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hartzonfire@reddit

Kelly Johnson seems like such an interesting dude. “That man could see air!”

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Fly4Vino@reddit

In other reddits there's a lot of talk about Boeing and management. Kelly was the absolute master of managing very difficult projects at the bleeding edge.

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DDX1837@reddit

Good list. I've read each of them. I really liked Chickenhawk.

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CryOfTheWind@reddit

"This is Minuteman Two-Three Go!" is another Huey pilot one if you liked Chickenhawk. I mentioned "Snake Pilot" but there is also "Gunship Pilot" for Cobra stuff. I can't remember but I think it was "Snake Pilot" who was actually top cover for the guy in "Low Level Hell" towards the end of both their tours. He said the "Low Level Hell" guy was the best and craziest Loach he ever worked with, I guess you learn a lot being shot down 16 times, 15 in the Loach.

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MTINC@reddit (OP)

All those sound very interesting by the titles alone, thanks!

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CryOfTheWind@reddit

They are all great in different ways too so won't be bored with one style. There are a few more Vietnam ones I liked too, "Snake Pilot" for one Cobra perspective. There are a couple other Huey and Cobra books but I listed my favorites. If you're bored now and want contemporary heli stories from a civilian perspective I have posted a bunch of my own here: https://www.reddit.com/u/CryOfTheWind/s/UT15j4FptU

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Lillian5280@reddit

Final Flight Final Fight by Erin Miller is really good, it's about how the author fought to allow WASP members to be buried at Arlington Cemetery. Highest Duty by Capt. Sully, his autobiography. Flight of Passage by Rinker Buck

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maximilliaen@reddit

To Fly and Fight by Bud Anderson Not a book but I thoroughly enjoyed this article: https://www.trulyadventure.us/ravens I look forward to checking out the other suggestions here.

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Helpful-Company-387@reddit

eric sloanes weather book

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Feathers_McGraw__@reddit

*Forever Flying* is Bob Hoover’s excellent autobiography. *Yeager* is also quite good.

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Sage_Blue210@reddit

Earnest Gann has the classics

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Sanandak@reddit

Stick and Rudder by Wolfgang Langewiesche

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SMELLYJELLY72@reddit

“Skygods: the fall of Pan Am” is a really good one

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vtjohnhurt@reddit

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson is not primarily about flying, but the storyline incorporates an exotic materials no-motor 'glider' to transit up/down between a space station and the surface of earth. The great writing makes it seem plausible . I was left with a 'I'd like to try that' impression. Very enjoyable read. Stephenson did some gliding in the PNW so he might have gone into Class A in mountain wave. And of course, Perlan II went to 90,000 msl.

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JimNtexas@reddit

The best militarybook on flying during Vietnam. War For the Hell of it https://www.amazon.com/dp/1523680725?ref_=cm_sw_r_mwn_dp_M01W27Z5FG0CTTSCNRVP&language=en-US

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Fly4Vino@reddit

Ed Rasmus also wrote , with Olds Family Fighter Pilot the memoirs of Robin Olds a great read

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Zesty_Texan@reddit

West with the Night by Beryl Markham Amazing read

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LetsGoCubbin@reddit

One of the best books I've ever read. Beryl had a way with words.

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Fly4Vino@reddit

German War Aces Speak ( two volumes) Immense insight into the airplanes, pilots and politics . Amazon audible version is great .

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instant_ace@reddit

I really enjoyed the two series by Kerry McCauley, Ferry Pilot and Dangerous Flights

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scrnwrterjd@reddit

I have not finished it yet, but James Parton’s “Air Force Spoken Here” is about the great General Ira Eaker during WW2 and how he accomplished a lot of successful bombing raids. Was recommended to me by one of my professors who helped develop the F-22 program.

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moartaterz@reddit

Fighter Pilot - Robin Olds

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sketchyoporder@reddit

Fly For Your Life, Fate Is the Hunter, Bury Me Upside Down

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jakeryan56@reddit

Ferry Pilot by Kerry McCauley (And his other book Dangerous Flights)

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wapkaplit@reddit

Wings on my Sleeve by Eric Brown was interesting if you're an aircraft geek. The author was a Royal Navy test pilot, he holds the world records for the most types flown (487, which is insane), the most carrier landings and many more. He comes across as this humble guy just giving a casual account of all this absolutely wild flying he's done.

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Danger4186@reddit

Fighter Pilot about Robin Olds is good. Palace Cobra and When Thunder Rolled by Ed Rasimus are great.

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antplanes@reddit

Concorde by Mike Bannister

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Ok-Cryptographer7080@reddit

5 minutes to impact. https://www.amazon.com/Five-Minutes-Impact-Flight-Comanche/dp/1620205874

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JPaq84@reddit

On Chinas Wings! Story of PAN Am China division from the thirties all the way to the fifties. Absolutely spellbinding flying stories, and a fantastic look into China culturally and historically. Slight content warning, includes accurate depictions of Japanese army in their most inhumanely savage theatre, and that's saying a lot considering. Highly highly reccomend!

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earthgreen10@reddit

[ Removed by Reddit ]

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These-Explanation-91@reddit

Memoir of an Aviator, by David Crag. the 2nd book his him getting a PPL, then all the other ratings and then going to the majors and other types of flying.

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sinerox@reddit

A Higher Call by Adam Makos - A Biography of a German WW2 Fighter pilot who spared the lives of a wounded B-17

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CandleTiger@reddit

> Wind, Sand, and Stars - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

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G_Lagaffe@reddit

Le Grand Cirque (English: The Big Show) - Pierre Clostermann Memoirs of a Free French RAF pilot during WWII

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AlexJamesFitz@reddit

More space than aviation, but The Right Stuff.

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pjlaniboys@reddit

Totally aviation. In 1979 I read this book and then joined the airforce to become an astronaut. Never made it but did fly for almost 40 years.

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MTINC@reddit (OP)

Maybe you need to write a book about that too 😂 Must have a lot of cool stories to talk about

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pjlaniboys@reddit

It's amazing what what can happen. I took my younger brother and his friend to see Topgun when it came out and this triggered this kid to join the navy. He became a P3 pilot and is today a technical pilot at American on the 73MAX.

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Muggi@reddit

Piece of Cake by Derek Robinson - Follows an RAF squadron (fictional) through the first year of WWII and the Battle of Britain. Got made into a decent miniseries in 1988.

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AbbaZabba85@reddit

Skyfaring: A Journey with a Pilot The Right Stuff Skunk Works

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OffRdX@reddit

Hard Landing The Killing Zone

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whiskeypapa72@reddit

Great list so far. To it I’ll add Jimmy Doolittle’s “I Could Never Be So Lucky Again”

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superhopp@reddit

When Beechcraft came out with the "Baby Beech" Sundowner/Sierra line they hired a few ladies to fly across America on a sales tour. One of the ladies wrote a memoir about it. If you're interested in GA flying in the 60's. "The Fabulous Flight of the Three Musketeers" It is a very charming read.

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SwatkatFlyer42@reddit

Map of my Dead Pilots: The Dangerous game of flying in Alaska

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GoNDSioux@reddit

Four Day Follies by Pilot X: the most relatable account of air line flying I’ve read My Secret War by Richard S. Deity: Vietnam USAF Skyraider pilot’s memoir A Lonely Kind of War by Marshall Harrison: Very similar to the previous book, but from an OV-10 FAC pilot

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andbosta@reddit

I enjoyed “Riding Rockets” by astronaut Mike Mullane.

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imjeffp@reddit

All by Richard Bach: *Stranger to the Ground, Illusions, Jonathan Livingston Seagull*

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JimNtexas@reddit

^^Mandatory^^

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willreadforbooks@reddit

Fly Girls by Keith O’Brien: all about the early days of aviation including the Bendix air races. The Women with Silver Wings by Katherine Sharp Landdeck: the creation of the Women Air Service Pilots.

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MTINC@reddit (OP)

Both sound very interesting especially regarding the Women Air Service, will read thanks!

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bigplaneboeing737@reddit

CFI! By Alex Stone is the most relatable aviation book I ever read.

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MTINC@reddit (OP)

I'm just starting my instructor rating training now so this might be the perfect read for me at the moment. Sounds really funny!

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bigplaneboeing737@reddit

10/10 recommend. Made my parents read it to get a glimpse into the instructor lifestyle. They loved it.

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MTINC@reddit (OP)

Hope they weren't too scared for you too 😂

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ch1nglish@reddit

Yeager Skunk Works Failure is Not An Option

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K2Nomad@reddit

"Yeager"

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KeyOfGSharp@reddit

Anyone read the Kings book that details their aviation career including their plane accident? It's sounds good but I haven't purchased it

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LearningDumbThings@reddit

The Long Way Home - Ed Dover True story of a Pan Am Clipper crew flying the Pacific west of Hawaii when Pearl Harbor was attacked, and their uncertain journey back to the US.

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Rampking@reddit

Viper Pilot author Dan Hampton

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Kentness1@reddit

Fly the Biggest Piece Back; Steve Smith Wind, Sand and Stars; Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

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100LLSniffer@reddit

Smuggler - Roger Reeves It’s his memoir of his days of being a cocaine smuggler pilot for Pablo Escobar. Lots of stories, like getting shot down in the jungle in a DC-3.

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Iaqton@reddit

Haven't seen "Hauling Checks" posted yet. Good for a chuckle.

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Fly4Vino@reddit

West With The NIght (should be a must read for female pilots) not a novel Night Flight Fate is the Hunter Flight of The Intruder Bridges at Toko ri

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