Timbo

After looking quickly at the "Confessions of a Flight Attendant" thread, I'm wondering if there is a similar book (or books) written by a major airline pilot, about the industry, since de-regulation and from out point of view?

I think I saw one a long time ago, by a 'Captain X' but can't find it now, and it's got to be about 20 years old anyway, before we all went bankrupt, so it's outdated in any case.

I've read lots of great books over the years, about flying and the early years of the industry, but most were written by non-pilots and most are aimed at military flying, World War 2 or Vietnam stuff, nothing airline related recently.

I've been thinking of writing such a book, about what's happened to the industry since de-regulation, how it got to be so f'd up (for Pilots), the B scales, all the bankruptcies, the industry shrikage since 9-11, the furloughs, the mergers and outsourcing of mainline flying to RJ's, stagnation, age 65, the cancer of code sharing, etc. but I was never very good in my English Lit. and Writing classes! I was always a math guy.

So...is anyone aware if such a book already exists? I'd rather buy it and read it than have to write it!

rev4life03

Sullenberger wrote a book called "Highest Duty" where I believe he talks a lot about the stuff noted above. I haven't read the book yet but that is what I heard.

Amazon.com: Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters (9780061924682): Chesley B. Sullenberger, Jeffrey Zaslow: Books

Timbo

Thanks, I have it, and read it. It is very good but it's more of an auto-biograhy and of course goes into detail about the landing on the Hudson. But it's not too much about all that's happened to the industry since 9-11.

I was looking for something along the lines of the first two "Flying the Line" books, which are a great history of the industry, but the second book was published in May of 2000, 18 mo. before 9-11. Still, for any new pilots considering getting into the airline industry they should both be 'required reading'.

Also, there is a very good book called "Hard Landing" which is about the industry post de-regulation. It has a lot of ink devoted to Frank Lorenzo, Eastern, Continental, etc, but it was published in 1995, so even though it is excellent and should also be required reading, it was pre-9-11.

I did Google George Hopkins hoping I would find he's working on a Flying the Line; part 3, (he wrote the first two) but I can't find anyting on his where abouts now.

Amazon.com: Flying the Line, Vol. 2: The Line Pilot in Crisis: ALPA Battles Airline Deregulation and Other Forces (9780960970834): George E. Hopkins: Books

HSLD

Check out "The Outer Whorl" by Neil Schier. It's a few year old, but a fun series of essays - available at Amazon:

Amazon.com: The Outer Whorl: Essays of an Airline Pilot (9781425774820): Neal A. Schier: Books

Also available for the Kindle for $1.99

Timbo

Thanks, that does look good, I'll have to get ahold of it.

Was he with AA or...? And is he still flying or retired?

Here's that one by "Captain X" who, if I recall, was with UAL.

http://www.amazon.com/Unfriendly-Ski...1&sr=1-1-fkmr2

74plb

Google "Confessions of a Flight Engineer". It documents a Flight Engineer beginning his career with a major.He started out on the panel of the DC-10 in the late 80's.
It's a humorous look at things from his perspective. Not exactly PC though....

silverfox

Try Skygods by Robert Gandt, a Pan Am pilot writes an interesting account of his airline.

Dougdrvr

"Flight Lines" by Richard Drury

Planespotta

^^^ Flight Lines is a good one
Pilots of the Line and Destination Tempest, both by Sky Masterson, are worth checking out as well

Mehta916

Flying Drunk

Amazon.com: FLYING DRUNK: The True Story of a Northwest Airlines Flight, Three Drunk Pilots, and One Man's Fight for Redemption eBook: Joseph Balzer: Kindle Store