Cockpit Confidential, Patrick Smith
Cockpit Confidential, Patrick Smith
List: $17.99 | Sale: $12.59
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Cockpit Confidential
Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel: Questions, Answers, and Reflections

Author: Patrick Smith

Narrator: Charlie Thurston

Unabridged: 11 hr 15 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 02/23/2016


Synopsis

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.

About Patrick Smith

Patrick Smith is an airline pilot and the creator of the popular Web site www.askthepilot.com. His Ask the Pilot column ran regularly on Salon.com from 2002 until 2012. He has appeared frequently on television and radio, including on PBS, the Discovery Channel, CNN, the BBC, and National Public Radio. Patrick lives near Boston.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Alec on August 01, 2013

On a recent Airtran flight back from Richmond, I decided to splurge and spend the extra $25 to upgrade to the exit row. Because I'm worth it. As I stretched my legs luxuriously (yet remained poised and ready to fling open the door in case of a water landing), I noticed the man seated next to me was......more

Goodreads review by Eric_W on December 31, 2014

I have been reading Patrick Smith's blog on Salon for several years. He's a professional airline pilot and always brings sense and rational thinking to the often hyperbolic world that is so prevalent in a society that prefers the fearful over understanding. I was hooked from the start, especially by......more

Goodreads review by Kristie on June 11, 2013

I'm in the top percentile of Nervous Flyers. I have little superstitions like touching the outside of the plane with my right hand when I step through the jetway. I say a constant stream of Hail Marys during take-offs & landings (thanks Mary!) and I'll white knuckle absolutely the smallest amounts o......more