Cockpit Confidential
Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel: Questions, Answers, and Reflections
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $15.47
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Charlie Thurston
-
By:
-
Patrick Smith
About this listen
For millions of people, travel by air is a confounding, uncomfortable, and even fearful experience. Patrick Smith, airline pilot and author of the web's popular "Ask the Pilot" feature, separates fact from fallacy and tells you everything you need to know:
- 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 congestion, delays, 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
- Airfares, seating woes, and the pitfalls of airline customer service
Cockpit Confidential covers not only the nuts and bolts of flying but also the grand theater of air travel, from airport architecture to inflight service to the excitement of travel abroad. It's a thoughtful, funny, at times deeply personal look into the strange and misunderstood world of commercial flying.
©2013 Patrick Smith (P)2016 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
-
Soar
- The Breakthrough Treatment for Fear of Flying
- By: Tom Bunn
- Narrated by: Thomas C. Bunn
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Captain Bunn founded SOAR to develop effective methods for dealing with flight anxiety. Therapists who have found this phobia difficult to treat will find everything they need to give their clients success. Anxious flyers who have “tried everything” to no avail can look forward to joining the nearly 10,000 graduates of the SOAR program who now have the whole world open to them as they fly anxiety free wherever they want.
-
-
I absolutely loved every second of it!
- By Alejandra on 03-08-21
By: Tom Bunn
-
Stick and Rudder
- An Explanation of the Art of Flying
- By: Wolfgang Langewiesche
- Narrated by: Jason Leikam
- Length: 14 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Stick and Rudder is the first exact analysis of the art of flying ever attempted. It has been continuously in print for 33 years. It shows precisely what the pilot does when he flies, just how he does it, and why. Because the basics are largely unchanging, the book therefore is applicable to large airplanes and small, old airplanes and new, and is of interest not only to the learner but also to the accomplished pilot and to the instructor himself.
-
-
It is a must for pilots
- By Gyorgy Gulyas on 11-20-21
-
The Pretty Damn Concise Guide to...Fear of Flying
- Quickly and Easily End Fear of Flying Forever!
- By: Lisa Jennings
- Narrated by: Tiana Hanson
- Length: 1 hr and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At one point I would rather (and actually did) travel for five days over land rather than taking a plane. That is how petrifying I found flying! Finally I found the solutions and now have no problems taking a flight anytime. Cut through the nonsense with the 2020 updated version of the best-selling solution to quickly and easily ending the fear of flying forever! This book introduces readers to unique advice, gathered from research around the world, laid out in a simple and concise way.
-
-
Great book
- By Daniel on 12-09-17
By: Lisa Jennings
-
Airplane Flying Handbook: FAA-H-8083-3B
- Federal Aviation Administration
- By: Federal Aviation Administration
- Narrated by: Airman Audio
- Length: 18 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Airplane Flying Handbook provides basic knowledge that is essential for pilots. This handbook introduces basic pilot skills and knowledge that are essential for piloting airplanes. It provides information on transition to other airplanes and the operation of various airplane systems. It is developed by the Flight Standards Service, Airman Testing Standards Branch, in cooperation with various aviation educators and industry. This handbook is developed to assist student pilots learning to fly airplanes.
-
-
Good information
- By MIKE on 09-09-21
-
Dangerous Lessons and Guardian Angels
- An Airline Pilot's Story
- By: P. J. Spivack
- Narrated by: Tom Lennon
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is an action-packed, true adventure book that spans 35 years of airline flying. There are stories about transporting guns to Biafra in order to help the Independent Nigerians, flying cargo up and down the Berlin Air Corridor during the Cold War, as well as missions deep into Russia. Many of the stories in this book will put you on the edge of your seat; for example, when the author is forced to make a death-defying landing of a four-engine jetliner in total fog.
-
-
Excellent book - great aviation experiences...
- By Mark A. Wilson on 06-08-17
By: P. J. Spivack
-
Fear of Flying Workbook
- Overcome Your Anticipatory Anxiety and Develop Skills for Flying with Confidence
- By: David Carbonell PhD
- Narrated by: Stephen Paul Aulridge Jr.
- Length: 4 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You've tried to face your fear of flying, but the harder you try to control it, the worse it gets. This audiobook teaches how to work constructively with your brain so you can address your anxiety in different ways-ways that truly help you let go of the fear. Packed with practical exercises, this audiobook helps you better understand both the anticipatory anxiety prior to a flight as well as the fear experienced on board - and provides the tools needed to successfully become a passenger.
-
-
I Can't Believe It! It Worked! Finally I Can Fly!
- By Nevan on 10-22-19
-
Soar
- The Breakthrough Treatment for Fear of Flying
- By: Tom Bunn
- Narrated by: Thomas C. Bunn
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Captain Bunn founded SOAR to develop effective methods for dealing with flight anxiety. Therapists who have found this phobia difficult to treat will find everything they need to give their clients success. Anxious flyers who have “tried everything” to no avail can look forward to joining the nearly 10,000 graduates of the SOAR program who now have the whole world open to them as they fly anxiety free wherever they want.
-
-
I absolutely loved every second of it!
- By Alejandra on 03-08-21
By: Tom Bunn
-
Stick and Rudder
- An Explanation of the Art of Flying
- By: Wolfgang Langewiesche
- Narrated by: Jason Leikam
- Length: 14 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Stick and Rudder is the first exact analysis of the art of flying ever attempted. It has been continuously in print for 33 years. It shows precisely what the pilot does when he flies, just how he does it, and why. Because the basics are largely unchanging, the book therefore is applicable to large airplanes and small, old airplanes and new, and is of interest not only to the learner but also to the accomplished pilot and to the instructor himself.
-
-
It is a must for pilots
- By Gyorgy Gulyas on 11-20-21
-
The Pretty Damn Concise Guide to...Fear of Flying
- Quickly and Easily End Fear of Flying Forever!
- By: Lisa Jennings
- Narrated by: Tiana Hanson
- Length: 1 hr and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At one point I would rather (and actually did) travel for five days over land rather than taking a plane. That is how petrifying I found flying! Finally I found the solutions and now have no problems taking a flight anytime. Cut through the nonsense with the 2020 updated version of the best-selling solution to quickly and easily ending the fear of flying forever! This book introduces readers to unique advice, gathered from research around the world, laid out in a simple and concise way.
-
-
Great book
- By Daniel on 12-09-17
By: Lisa Jennings
-
Airplane Flying Handbook: FAA-H-8083-3B
- Federal Aviation Administration
- By: Federal Aviation Administration
- Narrated by: Airman Audio
- Length: 18 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Airplane Flying Handbook provides basic knowledge that is essential for pilots. This handbook introduces basic pilot skills and knowledge that are essential for piloting airplanes. It provides information on transition to other airplanes and the operation of various airplane systems. It is developed by the Flight Standards Service, Airman Testing Standards Branch, in cooperation with various aviation educators and industry. This handbook is developed to assist student pilots learning to fly airplanes.
-
-
Good information
- By MIKE on 09-09-21
-
Dangerous Lessons and Guardian Angels
- An Airline Pilot's Story
- By: P. J. Spivack
- Narrated by: Tom Lennon
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is an action-packed, true adventure book that spans 35 years of airline flying. There are stories about transporting guns to Biafra in order to help the Independent Nigerians, flying cargo up and down the Berlin Air Corridor during the Cold War, as well as missions deep into Russia. Many of the stories in this book will put you on the edge of your seat; for example, when the author is forced to make a death-defying landing of a four-engine jetliner in total fog.
-
-
Excellent book - great aviation experiences...
- By Mark A. Wilson on 06-08-17
By: P. J. Spivack
-
Fear of Flying Workbook
- Overcome Your Anticipatory Anxiety and Develop Skills for Flying with Confidence
- By: David Carbonell PhD
- Narrated by: Stephen Paul Aulridge Jr.
- Length: 4 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You've tried to face your fear of flying, but the harder you try to control it, the worse it gets. This audiobook teaches how to work constructively with your brain so you can address your anxiety in different ways-ways that truly help you let go of the fear. Packed with practical exercises, this audiobook helps you better understand both the anticipatory anxiety prior to a flight as well as the fear experienced on board - and provides the tools needed to successfully become a passenger.
-
-
I Can't Believe It! It Worked! Finally I Can Fly!
- By Nevan on 10-22-19
-
The Aviators
- Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, Charles Lindbergh, and the Epic Age of Flight
- By: Winston Groom
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 17 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gifted storyteller Winston Groom, the best-selling author of Forrest Gump, has written the fascinating story of three extraordinary heroes who defined aviation during the great age of flight: Charles Lindbergh, Eddie Rickenbacker, and Jimmy Doolittle. These cleverly interwoven tales of their heart-stopping adventures take us from the feats of World War I through the heroism of World War II and beyond, including daring military raids and survival at sea, and will appeal to fans of Unbroken, The Greatest Generation, and Flyboys.
-
-
Too much a hagiography
- By Joseph Valenzi on 09-08-15
By: Winston Groom
-
Mike Busch on Engines
- What every aircraft owner needs to know about the design, operation, condition monitoring, maintenance and troubleshooting of piston piston aircraft engines
- By: Mike Busch
- Narrated by: Justin Smallbridge, Michael Busch
- Length: 13 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mike Busch on Engines expands the iconoclastic philosophy of his groundbreaking first book Manifesto to the design, operation, condition monitoring, maintenance, and troubleshooting of piston aircraft engines.
-
-
Very Very Informative
- By Guy on 09-23-24
By: Mike Busch
-
Highest Duty
- My Search for What Really Mattered
- By: Chesley B. Sullenberger, Jeffrey Zaslow
- Narrated by: Michael McConnohie, Chesley B. Sullenberger
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this inspirational autobiography, Captain "Sully" Sullenberger, the airline pilot whose emergency landing on the Hudson River earned the world's admiration, tells his life story and talks about the essential qualities that he believes have been so vital to his success.
-
-
A life time of preperation
- By Robert on 11-21-09
By: Chesley B. Sullenberger, and others
-
Skunk Works
- A Personal Memoir of My Years of Lockheed
- By: Ben R. Rich, Leo Janos
- Narrated by: Pete Larkin
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the development of the U-2 to the Stealth fighter, the never-before-told story behind America's high-stakes quest to dominate the skies. Skunk Works is the true story of America's most secret and successful aerospace operation. As recounted by Ben Rich, the operation's brilliant boss for nearly two decades, the chronicle of Lockheed's legendary Skunk Works is a drama of Cold War confrontations and Gulf War air combat, of extraordinary feats of engineering and human achievement against fantastic odds.
-
-
Ben Rich's life story...but not in that order
- By Allstar on 11-05-16
By: Ben R. Rich, and others
-
Weather Flying
- By: Robert N. Buck, Robert O. Buck
- Narrated by: TJ Johnson
- Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How do you improve on the best guide for pilots to learn how to fly in all kinds of weather? The answer is the fifth edition of Weather Flying. Regarded as the bible of weather flying, this aviation classic not only continues to make complex weather concepts understandable for even the least experienced of flyers, but has now been updated to cover new advances in technology. At the same time, this respected text still retains many of its original insights from over four decades of publication, provided by renowned weather flying veteran Robert N. Buck.
-
-
No accompanying PDF
- By Corbin on 08-24-21
By: Robert N. Buck, and others
-
Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara
- By: Captain Terry Reece
- Narrated by: Joshua Bennington
- Length: 9 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How can one pilot cram so much into a single lifetime? Climb into Captain Terry Reece's cockpit, fasten your seatbelt, and hold on for an exciting journey into the world of aviation. Born to a family of transplanted North Carolinians who moved to Washington State, a young Reece explored the hills of the Pacific Northwest. Hiking in the mountains and being a fire lookout gave him a taste of adventure, but he craved more-and he got it.
-
-
Bad Narrator
- By Terry M. on 03-05-22
-
The Killing Zone, 2nd Edition
- How and Why Pilots Die
- By: Paul A. Craig
- Narrated by: David Marantz
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This survival guide for new pilots identifies the pitfalls waiting inside the killing zone, the period from 50 to 350 flight hours when they leave their instructors behind and fly as pilot in command for the first time. Although they're privately certified, many of these unseasoned aviators are unaware of the potential accidents that lie ahead while trying to build decision-making skills on their own - many times falling victim to inexperience.
-
-
Dry
- By Wade on 08-13-19
By: Paul A. Craig
-
Flying Blind
- The 737 MAX Tragedy and the Fall of Boeing
- By: Peter Robison
- Narrated by: Feodor Chin
- Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Boeing is a century-old titan of industry. It played a major role in the early days of commercial flight, World War II bombing missions, and moon landings. The plane maker remains a cornerstone of the U.S. economy, as well as a linchpin in the awesome routine of modern air travel. But in 2018 and 2019, two crashes of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 killed 346 people. The crashes exposed a shocking pattern of malfeasance, leading to the biggest crisis in the company’s history—and one of the costliest corporate scandals ever.
-
-
(Revised). Missing some, but informative.
- By Amazon Customer on 12-04-21
By: Peter Robison
-
Boyd
- The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War
- By: Robert Coram
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 19 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
John Boyd may be the most remarkable unsung hero in all of American military history. Some remember him as the greatest US fighter pilot ever - the man who, in simulated air-to-air combat, defeated every challenger in less than 40 seconds. Some recall him as the father of our country's most legendary fighter aircraft - the F-15 and F-16. Still, others think of Boyd as the most influential military theorist since Sun Tzu. They know only half the story.
-
-
Stick With It if You Want a Rare Gem
- By Michael Richards on 08-30-16
By: Robert Coram
-
Skygods
- The Fall of Pan Am
- By: Robert Gandt
- Narrated by: Thomas Block
- Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Originally published by Wm. Morrow, in 1995, Skygods is the saga of America's most glamorous airline - from its meteoric ascent to its plunge to extinction. Pan Am blazed the way across the world's oceans with its magnificent Clipper ships, launched the first international jet service, was the first to fly the behemoth 747, was the lead customer for America's SST and the Concorde, and was even taking reservations for the first commercial flights to the moon.
-
-
An Absorbing Slice of Social History
- By S. Perry on 06-01-14
By: Robert Gandt
-
Hauling Checks
- A Satirical Aviation Comedy
- By: Alex Stone
- Narrated by: Ray Lesniewski
- Length: 5 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I’m a cargo pilot. In the industry, I’m known as a “Freight Dog.” I fly canceled checks and other types of high-value cargo around the country, mostly at night, in airplanes that are older than I am. Flying freight - or “work” as we call it - in small, twin-engine aircraft is a lesser known side of the aviation world. Our day starts when banker’s hours end. Thousands of flights move millions of pounds of work from city to city every night while the rest of the country is asleep.
-
-
12 year old write this?
- By Banditt on 06-20-19
By: Alex Stone
-
The Crash Detectives
- Investigating the World's Most Mysterious Air Disasters
- By: Christine Negroni
- Narrated by: Christine Negroni
- Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Crash Detectives, veteran aviation journalist and air safety investigator Christine Negroni takes us inside crash investigations from the early days of the jet age to the present, including the search for answers about what happened to the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. As Negroni dissects what happened and why, she explores their common themes and, most important, what has been learned from them to make planes safer.
-
-
MISSLEADING TITLE.
- By Daniel Schneider on 11-02-16
Critic reviews
Related to this topic
-
Fly by Wire
- The Geese, the Glide, the Miracle on the Hudson
- By: William Langewiesche
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 6 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On January 15, 2009, a US Airways Airbus A320 had just taken off from LaGuardia Airport in New York when a flock of Canada Geese collided with it, destroying both of its engines. The plane's pilot, Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, managed to glide it to a safe landing in the Hudson River. It was an instant media sensation---the "Miracle on the Hudson"---and Captain Sully was the hero. But how much of the success of this dramatic landing can actually be credited to the genius of the pilot?
-
-
Great Abridgement
- By Roy on 04-27-10
-
The Crash Detectives
- Investigating the World's Most Mysterious Air Disasters
- By: Christine Negroni
- Narrated by: Christine Negroni
- Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Crash Detectives, veteran aviation journalist and air safety investigator Christine Negroni takes us inside crash investigations from the early days of the jet age to the present, including the search for answers about what happened to the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. As Negroni dissects what happened and why, she explores their common themes and, most important, what has been learned from them to make planes safer.
-
-
MISSLEADING TITLE.
- By Daniel Schneider on 11-02-16
-
Last Days of the Concorde
- The Crash of Flight 4590 and the End of Supersonic Passenger Travel
- By: Samme Chittum
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On July 25, 2000, a Concorde, the world's fastest passenger plane, was taking off from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris when it suddenly burst into flames. An airliner capable of flying at more than twice the speed of sound, the Concorde had completed 25 years of successful flights, whisking wealthy passengers - from diplomats to rock stars to corporate titans - between continents on brief and glamorous flights. Yet on this fateful day, the chartered Concorde jet, en route to America, crashed and killed all 109 passengers and crew onboard and four people on the ground.
-
-
A Solid Introduction
- By Reggie on 03-03-19
By: Samme Chittum
-
SR-71, the Blackbird, Q&A
- By: Terry Pappas
- Narrated by: Chris Abell
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Higher, farther, faster - what every real aviator aspires to. The SR-71 was the epitome of this dream for three decades. The only way to beat the SR-71 was to rocket into space, and every astronaut in the office with me in the 1960s would have loved to have flown the Blackbird. In many ways it placed greater demand on piloting proficiency than any spacecraft.
-
-
Great in sight on life and times of Blackbird crew
- By J Bo on 11-11-15
By: Terry Pappas
-
Skygods
- The Fall of Pan Am
- By: Robert Gandt
- Narrated by: Thomas Block
- Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Originally published by Wm. Morrow, in 1995, Skygods is the saga of America's most glamorous airline - from its meteoric ascent to its plunge to extinction. Pan Am blazed the way across the world's oceans with its magnificent Clipper ships, launched the first international jet service, was the first to fly the behemoth 747, was the lead customer for America's SST and the Concorde, and was even taking reservations for the first commercial flights to the moon.
-
-
An Absorbing Slice of Social History
- By S. Perry on 06-01-14
By: Robert Gandt
-
35 Miles from Shore
- The Ditching and Rescue of ALM Flight 980
- By: Emilio Corsetti III
- Narrated by: Fred Filbrich
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On May 2, 1970, a DC-9 jet with 57 passengers and a crew of six departed from New York's JFK International Airport en route to the tropical island of St. Maarten, but four hours and 34 minutes later, the flight ended in the shark-infested waters of the Caribbean. It was, and remains, the only open-water ditching of a commercial jet. The subsequent rescue of survivors took nearly three hours and involved the coast guard, navy, and marines.
-
-
a new perspective on air travel
- By Midwestbonsai on 03-30-17
-
Fly by Wire
- The Geese, the Glide, the Miracle on the Hudson
- By: William Langewiesche
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 6 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On January 15, 2009, a US Airways Airbus A320 had just taken off from LaGuardia Airport in New York when a flock of Canada Geese collided with it, destroying both of its engines. The plane's pilot, Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, managed to glide it to a safe landing in the Hudson River. It was an instant media sensation---the "Miracle on the Hudson"---and Captain Sully was the hero. But how much of the success of this dramatic landing can actually be credited to the genius of the pilot?
-
-
Great Abridgement
- By Roy on 04-27-10
-
The Crash Detectives
- Investigating the World's Most Mysterious Air Disasters
- By: Christine Negroni
- Narrated by: Christine Negroni
- Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Crash Detectives, veteran aviation journalist and air safety investigator Christine Negroni takes us inside crash investigations from the early days of the jet age to the present, including the search for answers about what happened to the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. As Negroni dissects what happened and why, she explores their common themes and, most important, what has been learned from them to make planes safer.
-
-
MISSLEADING TITLE.
- By Daniel Schneider on 11-02-16
-
Last Days of the Concorde
- The Crash of Flight 4590 and the End of Supersonic Passenger Travel
- By: Samme Chittum
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On July 25, 2000, a Concorde, the world's fastest passenger plane, was taking off from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris when it suddenly burst into flames. An airliner capable of flying at more than twice the speed of sound, the Concorde had completed 25 years of successful flights, whisking wealthy passengers - from diplomats to rock stars to corporate titans - between continents on brief and glamorous flights. Yet on this fateful day, the chartered Concorde jet, en route to America, crashed and killed all 109 passengers and crew onboard and four people on the ground.
-
-
A Solid Introduction
- By Reggie on 03-03-19
By: Samme Chittum
-
SR-71, the Blackbird, Q&A
- By: Terry Pappas
- Narrated by: Chris Abell
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Higher, farther, faster - what every real aviator aspires to. The SR-71 was the epitome of this dream for three decades. The only way to beat the SR-71 was to rocket into space, and every astronaut in the office with me in the 1960s would have loved to have flown the Blackbird. In many ways it placed greater demand on piloting proficiency than any spacecraft.
-
-
Great in sight on life and times of Blackbird crew
- By J Bo on 11-11-15
By: Terry Pappas
-
Skygods
- The Fall of Pan Am
- By: Robert Gandt
- Narrated by: Thomas Block
- Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Originally published by Wm. Morrow, in 1995, Skygods is the saga of America's most glamorous airline - from its meteoric ascent to its plunge to extinction. Pan Am blazed the way across the world's oceans with its magnificent Clipper ships, launched the first international jet service, was the first to fly the behemoth 747, was the lead customer for America's SST and the Concorde, and was even taking reservations for the first commercial flights to the moon.
-
-
An Absorbing Slice of Social History
- By S. Perry on 06-01-14
By: Robert Gandt
-
35 Miles from Shore
- The Ditching and Rescue of ALM Flight 980
- By: Emilio Corsetti III
- Narrated by: Fred Filbrich
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On May 2, 1970, a DC-9 jet with 57 passengers and a crew of six departed from New York's JFK International Airport en route to the tropical island of St. Maarten, but four hours and 34 minutes later, the flight ended in the shark-infested waters of the Caribbean. It was, and remains, the only open-water ditching of a commercial jet. The subsequent rescue of survivors took nearly three hours and involved the coast guard, navy, and marines.
-
-
a new perspective on air travel
- By Midwestbonsai on 03-30-17
-
Before Topgun Days
- The Making of a Jet Fighter Instructor
- By: Dave Bio Baranek
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Before becoming an instructor in the Navy's Topgun program, Dave "Bio" Baranek was just another kid with a dream. Upon graduating from college, he joined the Navy with the goal of becoming a fighter pilot. But, his eyesight waning, he knew that he would never be able to reach that goal. Undaunted, he plowed ahead and found his niche as a radar intercept operator in the backseat of the sleek, new Grumman F-14 Tomcat.
-
-
SHB
- By Kindle Customer on 06-10-23
By: Dave Bio Baranek
-
Into the Black
- The Extraordinary Untold Story of the First Flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the Astronauts Who Flew Her
- By: Rowland White, Richard Truly
- Narrated by: Eric Meyers
- Length: 15 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Using interviews, NASA oral histories, and recently declassified material, Into the Black pieces together the dramatic untold story of the Columbia mission and the brave people who dedicated themselves to help the United States succeed in the age of space exploration. On April 12, 1981, NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia blasted off from Cape Canaveral. It was the most advanced, state-of-the-art flying machine ever built, challenging the minds and imagination of America's top engineers and pilots.
-
-
Great Story About a Flawed Spacecraft
- By John on 12-04-16
By: Rowland White, and others
-
Skunk Works
- A Personal Memoir of My Years of Lockheed
- By: Ben R. Rich, Leo Janos
- Narrated by: Pete Larkin
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the development of the U-2 to the Stealth fighter, the never-before-told story behind America's high-stakes quest to dominate the skies. Skunk Works is the true story of America's most secret and successful aerospace operation. As recounted by Ben Rich, the operation's brilliant boss for nearly two decades, the chronicle of Lockheed's legendary Skunk Works is a drama of Cold War confrontations and Gulf War air combat, of extraordinary feats of engineering and human achievement against fantastic odds.
-
-
Ben Rich's life story...but not in that order
- By Allstar on 11-05-16
By: Ben R. Rich, and others
-
Rescue Pilot
- Cheating the Sea
- By: Jerry Grayson
- Narrated by: David Thorpe
- Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jerry Grayson is an ordinary man who chose an extraordinary career. At age 17 he became the youngest helicopter pilot ever to serve in the Royal Navy. By age 25 he was the most decorated peacetime naval pilot in history.
-
-
Great tales of adventure with fascinating facts about helicopters
- By david y muramatsu on 07-17-23
By: Jerry Grayson
-
The Dream Machine
- The Untold History of the Notorious V-22 Osprey
- By: Richard Whittle
- Narrated by: Kevin Foley
- Length: 18 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When the Marines decided to buy a helicopter-airplane hybrid "tiltrotor" called the V-22 Osprey, they saw it as their dream machine. The tiltrotor was the aviation equivalent of finding the Northwest Passage: an aircraft able to take off, land, and hover with the agility of a helicopter yet fly as fast and as far as an airplane. Many predicted it would reshape civilian aviation. The Marines saw it as key to their very survival. Opponents called it one of the worst boondoggles in Pentagon history.
-
-
Innovation runs into government
- By Cx30 on 09-25-10
By: Richard Whittle
-
Why Planes Crash Case Files: 2001-2003
- By: Sylvia Wrigley
- Narrated by: Charlie Boswell
- Length: 13 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why Planes Crash offers an exciting and compelling look at the critical moments which define an aviation accident, explaining both the how and the why of catastrophic accidents in modern times. From disintegrating airliners to in-flight suicide to maintenance shortcuts, the author looks critically into each factor that might have lead to the crash. Her investigations and deep insight aim to make the listener into a witness to the investigation, and, yet, it is comprehensive enough for anyone with no aviation knowledge to understand.
-
-
Exactly what I was looking for...
- By Narada on 01-08-19
By: Sylvia Wrigley
-
First Man
- The Life of Neil A. Armstrong
- By: James R. Hansen
- Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
- Length: 16 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Apollo 11 touched down on the Moon’s surface in 1969, the first man on the Moon became a legend. In First Man, author James R. Hansen explores the life of Neil Armstrong. Based on over 50 hours of interviews with the intensely private Armstrong, who also gave Hansen exclusive access to private documents and family sources, this "magnificent panorama of the second half of the American twentieth century" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) is an unparalleled biography of an American icon.
-
-
Not really 'unabridged'
- By A Reader on 06-06-18
By: James R. Hansen
-
The Flight 981 Disaster
- Tragedy, Treachery, and the Pursuit of Truth
- By: Samme Chittum
- Narrated by: Keith Sellon-Wright
- Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On June 12, 1972, a powerful explosion rocked American Airlines Flight 96 a mere five minutes after its takeoff from Detroit. The explosion ripped a gaping hole in the bottom of the aircraft and jammed the hydraulic controls. Miraculously, despite the damage and ensuing chaos, the pilots were able to land the plane safely. Less than two years later, on March 3, 1974, a sudden, forceful blowout tore through Turk Hava Yollari (THY) Flight 981 from Paris to London. THY Flight 981 was not as lucky as Flight 96: it crashed in a forest in France.
-
-
Fill fill fill...
- By Rodney on 02-15-22
By: Samme Chittum
-
Sully
- My Search for What Really Matters
- By: Chesley B. Sullenberger, Jeffrey Zaslow
- Narrated by: Michael McConnohie, Chesley B. Sullenberger
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On January 15, 2009, the world witnessed a remarkable emergency landing when Captain "Sully" Sullenberger skillfully glided US Airways flight 1549 onto the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 passengers and crew. His cool actions not only averted tragedy but made him a hero and an inspiration worldwide. His story is now a major motion picture from director/producer Clint Eastwood and starring Tom Hanks, Laura Linney, and Aaron Eckhart.
-
-
Really Dull.
- By Nick on 09-14-16
By: Chesley B. Sullenberger, and others
-
Vulcan Boys
- From the Cold War to the Falklands: True Tales of the Iconic Delta V Bomber
- By: Tony Blackman
- Narrated by: Roger Davis
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Vulcan, the second of the three V bombers built to guard the UK during the Cold War, has become an aviation icon like the Spitfire, its delta shape instantly recognizable, as is the howling noise it makes when the engines are opened for takeoff. Vulcan Boys is the first Vulcan book recounted completely firsthand by the operators themselves.
-
-
a compelling work but slow to start
- By Josh Boyle on 08-06-16
By: Tony Blackman
-
Flying from the Black Hole
- The B-52 Navigator-Bombardiers of Vietnam
- By: Robert O. Harder
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Air Force navigators and bombardiers have long labored under the shadow of pilots - their contributions undervalued, misunderstood, or unknown to the general public. This was especially the case with the non-pilot officer aircrew in the Vietnam and Cold War-era B-52 Stratofortress. Of the six people who operated the bomber, three wore navigator wings - two of those men were also bombardiers, the other an electronic warfare officer. Without the navigator-bombardiers in particular, executing the nuclear war strike plan or flying Southeast Asian bombing sorties would have been impossible.
-
-
Today I learned something new.
- By Rob Wilson on 02-20-21
By: Robert O. Harder
-
Why Planes Crash
- An Accident Investigator's Fight for Safe Skies
- By: David Soucie, Ozzie Cheek
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Boarding an airplane strikes at least a small sense of fear into most people. Even though we all have heard that the odds of being struck by lightning are greater than the odds of perishing in a plane crash, it still doesn't feel that way. Airplane crashes might be rare, but they do happen, and they’re usually fatal. David Soucie insists that most of these deaths could be prevented. He’s worked as a pilot, a mechanic, an FAA inspector, and an aviation executive. He’s seen death up close and personal - deaths of colleagues and friends that might have been prevented if he had approved certain safety measures in the aircrafts they were handling.
-
-
Me, Me, Me
- By WakeNCAgent on 09-13-19
By: David Soucie, and others
What listeners say about Cockpit Confidential
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Andrew R Clay
- 04-09-16
A good premise
Like rubbing a cheese grater across a sunburn, in which you gradually extract a few flakes of gold. And resembling more a collection of notes for a book, than an actual polished final product.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- RTG201
- 09-01-17
Must Read
Great read for folks interested In commercial aviation. Great Job Patrick. Looking forward to edition #2.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- J Moore
- 06-09-16
Just go read the blog
There is not much in this book that is not already available in his blog or the recent Freakonomics Podcast interview. I am sure that the interview will send people here. Not much new.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Basem Aggad
- 11-07-21
aviation for non aviation people
brilliant balance between interesting, technical and entertaining content in the form of easy to follow question and answers as it would've been asked (and probably have been) to the author over his career as an airline pilot.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mike Gabriel
- 08-08-21
great listen very informative
after flying back and forth from Iraq several times I became quite educated on long distance flying. this gave me some good background information on flying.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- K.Alvarez
- 02-05-24
My new favorite book
This book was really impressive. As an aviation professional, student and fan I can say this book occupies my no.1 favorite aviation book. This book goes into explaining every detail from a need to know basis for a regular person who is probably not as familiar with aviation. If you know nothing of aviation this book will end having feel smarter about the subject. It’s interesting how the author takes the time to explain briefly aviation history and mention accidents have long been forgotten by the general public. The book ends with a vocabulary to get familiar with common words heard at the airport/plane. I will definitely be coming back to listen to it. I have not heard an aviation book as chronologically complete as this one.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- alex w
- 08-27-19
Great book
Very informative. Learned a lot about flying and airplanes. As a frequent flyer i really appreciate the book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- 40 yr trucker
- 12-30-19
Very informative, negative perspective.
Objective Information in this book is great. The opinions of the author come from a very negative point of view. Very much a glass half empty perspective.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mark Hampson
- 06-05-18
For the skeptical flyer!
I fly enough to appreciate that air travel is not always predictable or convenient. I also work for a large tier 1 supplier in the industry and know first hand that there is no industry that takes safety more seriously.
This book gives the listener an insiders view of airplane and airline operations in a very accessible style. The performance is quite engaging and clearly spoken.
For a skeptical non-flyer, I would highly recommend this audio book the for the next 8 hour drive...that you could have flown.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- VC
- 10-08-18
The Entire Picture of Airline Travel
Interesting insight into just about everything dealing with air travel. If you want to increase your knowledge of the 5W's regarding flying and maybe learn to be a better passenger and less of an inconsiderate dick, this is a good read for you.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!