Fly by Wire
The Geese, the Glide, the Miracle on the Hudson
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Narrated by:
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David Drummond
About this listen
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. Over the next three minutes, 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? To what extent is the "miracle" on the Hudson the result of extraordinary---but not widely known, and in some cases quite controversial---advances in aviation and computer technology over the past 20 years?
In Fly by Wire, journalist William Langewiesche takes us on a strange and unexpected journey into the fascinating world of advanced aviation. From the testing laboratories where engineers struggle to build a jet engine that can systematically resist bird attacks, through the creation of the A320 in France, to the political and social forces that have sought to minimize the impact of the revolutionary fly-by-wire technology, William Langewiesche assembles the untold stories necessary to truly understand the "miracle" on the Hudson, and makes us question our assumptions about human beings in modern aviation.
©2009 William Langewiesche (P)2009 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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Editorial reviews
In 2009, a minute and a half after takeoff, a US Airways Airbus collided with a flock of geese, leaving its engines destroyed. In less than three minutes, Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger managed to glide the plane to safety in the Hudson River. William Langewiesche explores how much of the "Miracle on the Hudson" was due to advances in technology rather than Sullenberger's ability, using this event as a starting point for his insightful analysis of the changing world of commercial aviation.
Award-winning narrator David Drummond's unrushed performance is casually informative, making technical descriptions easy for listeners to grasp. Drummond also picks up on Langewiesche's sly humor, especially in the chapter on goose behavior.
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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.
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Great tales of adventure with fascinating facts about helicopters
- By david y muramatsu on 07-17-23
By: Jerry Grayson
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Wings on My Sleeve
- By: Eric 'Winkle' Brown
- Narrated by: Cameron Stewart
- Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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The autobiography of one of the greatest pilots in history. In 1939 Eric Brown was on a University of Edinburgh exchange course in Germany, and the first he knew of the war was when the Gestapo came to arrest him. They released him, not realising he was a pilot in the RAF volunteer reserve - and the rest is history. Eric Brown joined the Fleet Air Arm and went on to be the greatest test pilot in history, flying more different aircraft types than anyone else.
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Fascinating memoir
- By Jean on 07-05-16
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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
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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.
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Great Story About a Flawed Spacecraft
- By John on 12-04-16
By: Rowland White, and others
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Harrier Boys, Volume 1
- From the Cold War Through the Falklands, 1969-1990
- By: Robert Marston
- Narrated by: Roger Davis
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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In Harrier Boys, Volume One: Cold War Through the Falklands, 1969-1990, Robert Marston, who flew Harriers for many years, draws together accounts from others who worked with this unique jet through its history. The excitement, camaraderie, and pride of Harrier operators shine through in the personal stories of those whose lives were changed by their experience of this iconic aircraft, both on land and at sea.
By: Robert Marston
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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
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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.
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SHB
- By Kindle Customer on 06-10-23
By: Dave Bio Baranek
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SR-71, the Blackbird, Q&A
- By: Terry Pappas
- Narrated by: Chris Abell
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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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.
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Great in sight on life and times of Blackbird crew
- By J Bo on 11-11-15
By: Terry Pappas
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First Man
- The Life of Neil A. Armstrong
- By: James R. Hansen
- Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
- Length: 16 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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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.
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Not really 'unabridged'
- By A Reader on 06-06-18
By: James R. Hansen
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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
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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.
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a compelling work but slow to start
- By Josh Boyle on 08-06-16
By: Tony Blackman
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Harnessing the Sky
- Frederick "Trap" Trapnell, the U.S. Navy's Aviation Pioneer, 1923-1952
- By: Frederick M. Trapnell Jr., Dana Trapnell Tibbitts
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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A pilot of calculated courage, "Trap" entered the Navy when test pilots were more like stuntmen than engineers. Airplanes had not yet come into their own as weapons of war, and they had an undeveloped role in the fleet. His vision and leadership shaped the evolution of naval aviation through its formative years and beyond. When the threat of war in 1940 raised an alarm over the Navy's deficiency in aircraft - especially fighters - Trap was appointed to lead the Flight Test Section to direct the development of all-new Navy airplanes.
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Superb Book
- By Peter H. Christensen on 09-27-19
By: Frederick M. Trapnell Jr., and others
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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
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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.
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Really Dull.
- By Nick on 09-14-16
By: Chesley B. Sullenberger, and others
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Kelly
- More Than My Share of It All
- By: Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson, Maggie Smith, Brig. Gen. Leo P. Geary USAF - ret. - foreword
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson led the design of such crucial aircraft as the P-38 and Constellation, but he will be more remembered for the U-2 and SR-71 spy planes. His extraordinary leadership of the Lockheed "Skunk Works" cemented his reputation as a legendary figure in American aerospace management.
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Memoir of a Legend
- By Jean on 08-26-19
By: Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson, and others
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Moon Shot
- The Inside Story of Man's Greatest Adventure
- By: Dan Parry
- Narrated by: John Chancer
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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‘It didn’t matter that they were now three miles beyond their target site, that communications were dropping out and that they were running low on fuel. All that mattered to Neil as he searched for a safe spot to land was that boulders littered the surface below. “Thirty seconds,” called mission control. In truth, the flight controllers were now no more than spectators, just like everybody else. No more needed to be said. It was down to Armstrong
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Wow.
- By Shellbin on 02-04-12
By: Dan Parry
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Chasing the Demon
- A Secret History of the Quest for the Sound Barrier, and the Band of American Aces Who Conquered It
- By: Dan Hampton
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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In the aftermath of World War II, the United States accelerated the development of technologies that would give it an advantage over the Soviet Union. Airpower, combined with nuclear weapons, offered a formidable check on Soviet aggression. In 1947, the United States Air Force was established. Meanwhile, scientists and engineers were pioneering a revolutionary new type of aircraft which could do what no other machine had ever done: reach mach 1 - a speed faster than the movement of sound - which pilots called "the demon."
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Not at all what it purports to be
- By John A Stevenson on 11-20-18
By: Dan Hampton
What listeners say about Fly by Wire
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Amadeo
- 05-25-12
Absolutely fantastic
Any additional comments?
It is literally a second-by-second examination of the event. Great attention to detail (you'll learn quite a bit about the A320 avionics - and you will enjoy it), superbly written. An incredible book. Langewiesche at his best.
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- Joshua Kim
- 06-10-12
Soaring
Every time I read one of Langewiesche's "pilot books" I feel much calmer about flying. Going on a commercial airline flight is about the safest thing we can ever do. Particularly if we are flying on a big modern jet. The story of how the career of an airline pilot has morphed from a high-status / high-pay profession to one barely paying professional wages is particularly dispiriting. Apparently, nobody likes working for the "legacy" carriers - one of the reasons why nobody likes flying them either. If you think you know the whole story about that famous landing in the Hudson (I did), than you are in for a treat. Langewiesche uses this freak event to tell a much bigger, and much more important, story about how airplanes and the airline business has changed.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Teravaxis
- 05-07-12
Great Blend of Technology, Human Interest & Drama
Do not think that this is just another adoring story of Capt. Sullenberger's amazing landing on the Hudson. Langewiesche does a superb job of storytelling and provides an exceptionally researched background narrative concerning the development of the first totally fly-by-wire commercial aircraft. As the story of flight 1549 unfolds you will hear about what really happens during a bird strike and how jet engine manufacturers test for such events (somewhat bizarre), some amazing (as well as some very tragic) tales of stalled-engine landings, and the pioneering efforts of aviation visionaries such as Airbus executive Bernard Ziegler to develop the fly-by-wire concept in the face of dogged opposition. A great story made even better by a superb performance. I was sorry to see it end.
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Overall
- Roy
- 04-27-10
Great Abridgement
This is Langewiesche's "take" on the miracle pilots Sullenberger and Skiles and their Hudson River landing. I got more than I expected out of the deal. After you finish with this wonderful book you have been introduced to Kitty Hawk, aircraft engineering and design, the life of pilots, airline economics and all manner of things airline related.
This book is well written, will keep your attention, informs the listener throughout, and Drummond's reading is great. Even if you have absolutely no interest in airliners or "The Miracle on the Hudson" pick this one up. You'll be a better informed traveler.
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10 people found this helpful
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- Larry G.
- 08-06-12
Truth stranger than fiction
Would you listen to Fly by Wire again? Why?
No, because I already heard it.
What did you like best about this story?
What went through the pilots mind in the 2 minutes that he lost power before he ditched it in the Hudson.
What about David Drummond’s performance did you like?
Pleasant to listen to.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
No.
Any additional comments?
I love to learn how things unfold behind the scenes. I am not a pilot, but I learned a lot about what it is like being a pilot and how they respond to emergencies. I also learned a lot about the "fly by wire" planes that we all fly as passengers. I truly enjoyed the book.
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1 person found this helpful
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- T
- 08-14-24
Great Story
Everything was good. I wish that more technical details were available. The ending could have used more analysis
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- Laura W.
- 05-12-20
Fan Boying Author
I tried listening to this twice, but couldn't make it past the first hour. The author goes on long, unnecessary tangents - an entire minute was spent reading out the "about us" section of the co-pilots side hustle- a home restoration business. Another minute was spent listing all the events that were happening in the 70s when one of the flight attendants started flying with the airline. As someone who works in aviation and was generally curious how the author would go through the technical advances and deficiencies, after hearing how biased and scatter-brained the writing was, I decided not to waste my time. Do not recommend if you want concise, focused narrative on aviation technology.
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Overall
- Mary
- 12-11-10
Very technical
This book is not a good listen for someone who knows little about aircraft engineering. A bulk of the story addressed the technical aspects of aeronautics and other accidents. I appreciate the importance of aeronautics and the pilots' vast knowledge for making a successful landing that day, however It is not a great listen for someone who wants to know the story of the day and the circumstances of this particular accident. The title implies technical content which I did not realize.
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