The Flying Book: Everything You've Ever Wondered About Flying On Airplanes - Hardcover

Blatner, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0802713785 ISBN 13: 9780802713780

Publisher: Walker Books, 2004

Synopsis

Whether you fear, thrill at, or, like many, have never bothered to stop and think about the wonder of commercial flight, The Flying Book will inform, surprise, reassure, and entertain. David Blatner takes readers from the cockpit to the runway, the control tower, the baggage and security systems, the airplane manufacturing plant, and beyond, explaining the many factors that make airline travel possible. There are stops along the way to examine airplane maintenance, pilot training, the effects of weather, safety statistics, tips for staying healthy, oddball aviation inventions such as the air car, and what aerodynamicists have learned from birds and bugs.

With a brief history of aviation just to put it all in perspective, as well as minibiographies of some of history's great aviators, The Flying Book is a treasure trove of fascinating aviation facts. A delight for travelers-business, pleasure, or armchair-or any readers who like to indulge their sense of curiosity, The Flying Book captures the spirit, illuminates the science, and reveals the magic of flight.

About this title

About the Author

David Blatner is the author of The Joy of pi. He and his family live in Seattle, Washington.

Review

“If you're a nervous flier, or a mystified flier who doesn't quite understand how heavier-than-air craft can stay aloft, this book is worth checking out.” ―San Francisco Chronicle

“Full of fascinating details, statistics and sidebars.” ―Chicago Tribune

“Fun facts for airline airplane geeks who, if possible, would ride in planes like dogs in pickups, with their heads out the window.” ―Washington Post

“David Blatner's compact, generously illustrated volume explains, among other things, how planes take off and land--and, perhaps most important, how they stay up there in between.” ―The Associated Press

“The Flying Book delivers, ranging from the deeply wonky, a revisionist discussion of the Bernoulli effect involving wing lift, to the nitty-gritty, such as why vacuum toilets are better than flush types. A good gift for a long flight.” ―San Antonio Express-News

“This is one book that lives up to the seemingly hyperbolic claims of its subtitle. Blatner offers a compendium of fascinating facts. A wonderful treat for aviation aficionados.” ―Booklist

About this edition

• Publisher: Walker Books
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0802713785
• ISBN 13: 9780802713780
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256