Whether you’re a new pilot or have thousands of hours in your logbook, there’s always more to learn. and one of my favorite ways to learn is from books. So I’ve put together a list of my 10 favorite books for pilots and aviation enthusiasts.
These books range from instructional to biographical, so there is something for everyone. just grab one or two and put them in your flight bag or e-reader for when you’re stuck in an airport with a weather delay.
You are reading: Best books for pilots
If you’re just starting out with your flight training, be sure to check out these private pilot books.
1. stick & rudder: an explanation of the art of flight by wolfgang langewiesche.
The famous pilot who made his first solo flight in Chicago in 1934 shares the discrepancy in the world of aviation that he discovered early in his piloting career: words and reality do not agree.
In other words, what aviators said they were doing when flying planes and what they were actually doing when flying were two different things. langewische intended to provide more accurate and realistic descriptions of what pilots actually do when they fly.
His first attempt at these explanations was a collection of articles titled “Aerial Facts,” which evaluated the different techniques pilots used to fly airplanes. in 1944, the book of aviators ‘stick & Rudder: An Explanation of the Art of Flying’ was published.
Some of the key details discussed in this book include:
- an explanation of the angle of attack, including what it is and why it is not visible, as well as how lift is created and the role of pilots in creating it.
- the reasons why airplanes stall.
- the approach to landing, including how an aviator acts in judging the approach to landing and the visual cues veteran pilots unconsciously judge to land their airplane, including “the place that doesn’t move” and how novice pilots can learn and use these clues to their advantage.
- the glide paradox.
- “tail drag”, which highlights landing gear and explains why it can be difficult.
- why airplanes don’t feel the wind, and therefore why they normally fly slightly sideways.
2. fly girls: how five daring women defied all odds and made aviation history by keith o’brien.
This book captures five women who have made incredible contributions to the aviation industry and, aside from Amelia Earhart, are not well known.
In addition to Earhart, the four additional female aviators featured in this book are Ruth Elder, Ruth Nichols, Florence Klingensmith, and Louise Thaden.
The author recounts the trials, tribulations, successes and everlasting impact these women had on the aviation industry, an industry historically dominated by men, and how they paved the way for women pilots today.
3. Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice by Adam Makos.
This story tells the inspiring story of Lieutenant Tom Hudner and Ensign Jesse Brown, the most famous flying duo in US history. uu. navy. Hudner was a white man from a wealthy New England family who gave up Harvard to fly fighter planes in the Navy.
Brown was an African American from Mississippi, the son of a sharecropper, who became the Navy’s first African American transport pilot and served a country at a time when Jim Crow laws prevented him from being served in restaurants and bars.
The duo flew fighter jets together in the Korean War and defended Marines who were cornered at Chosin Reservoir. when one is knocked down, the other must decide how to save his friend from certain death.
4. Into the Abyss: An Extraordinary True Story by Carol Shaben.
this is the true story of a commuter plane that crashed in the remote canada wilderness in october 1984. 10 passengers were on board the plane; 6 perished and four survived: the pilot, a politician, a policeman and a criminal who was being escorted to face his charges.
The politician was Larry Shaben, the Prime Minister of Canada’s Muslim Cabinet and the father of the book’s author.
The story recounts the harrowing real-life experience the four survivors endured and the life-changing friendships they forged under desperate circumstances.
5. flying time, fifth edition by robert buck.
a resource guide that provides insightful and potentially life-saving tips pilots can use to fly their aircraft in all types of weather conditions.
‘weather flying’ is considered the ‘bible of weather flying’ as it explains the vast types of weather a pilot can face and the proper ways to deal with that weather. this is definitely a must read for every new pilot.
6. The Thinking Pilots Handbook of Flight: Or, How to Survive Flying Small Planes and Have Fun Doing It by Rick Durden.
See Also: David McCullough – Book Series In Order
This guide picks up where standard flight training manuals leave off. The author illustrates topics not taught in pilot school and encourages aviators to think about these topics in real-life applications.
Topics range from how to actually handle a preflight to how to handle hard landings. it also provides details on aerobatics, flying seaplanes, and exposes some of the most common aviation myths you’ll inevitably hear from other pilots.
7. Pilot’s Manual of Aeronautical Knowledge by Federal Aviation Administration/Aviation Supplies & academics.
an official faa manual that pilots have been required to read for more than three decades. offers basic flight fundamentals for all types of pilots and all types of aircraft.
the guide offers the necessary knowledge that pilots need to understand aerodynamic theory and obtain a certificate.
8. squawk 7700 by peter m buffington.
This book chronicles the journey author Peter Buffington undertook to achieve his childhood dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot. If you’re wondering what the squawk code 7700 means, check out our article.
9.next hour: the most important hours in your blog by richard l. collins by peter m buffington.
Author and aviator Collins shares his personal experience in the hope that pilots of all experience and skill levels can learn to navigate through the inherent risks associated with flying small aircraft. Topics include:
- the three-word emergency checklist every pilot should know
- why a pilot’s thought process is more important than their experience
- the unique trials, tribulations and rewards – of night flying.
- how to effectively manage technology in the cabin.
10. Unusual Attitudes: Obsessions and Confessions of a Lady Pilot by Martha Lunken.
A collection of author and aviator Martha Lunken’s favorite flight magazine columns. lunken compiled these columns into her book in an effort to reach a larger audience.
Stories highlight his aviation experience and the fellow aviators who shaped his career and had a lasting impact on his life.
what are some of your favorite aviation books? let us know in the comments below.
See Also: Hardcover Books – Paper Chase Press