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This informative account recaptures the thrill of the pioneering days of aviation, back before flying was taken for granted. Among the significant and colorful figures covered are the Wright Brothers, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Henry Farman, Glenn H. Curtiss, and other aviators from around the world. 84 black-and-white illustrations.
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
Thomas Williams
reviewed Contact!: The Story of the Early Aviators on December 31, 2012
Contact!
I like reading James Fallows.
The 'Atlantic' columnist has a clear, conversational style that educates without feeling scholarly. In his articles and blog posts about current events, he combines a deep knowledge of American politics with a kind of grown-up patriotism all too uncommon in the field.
He's also a private pilot, an aviation buff, and the author of several fascinating blog posts about the 737-MAX mishaps that shook the global flying public in 2018 and 2019. It was these last that inspired me to add 'Free Flight' to my birthday list this year. I'm glad my wife chose it.
[NOTE: My wife and I are both bibliophiles. We keep running lists of books that we'd enjoy receiving on any occasion. It's a great way to ensure getting and receiving the perfect while maintaining the surprise factor of never knowing which title lies underneath the wrapper.]
Fallows spends the majority of the 2001 book telling the story of Cirrus Aircraft, a scrappy upstart in the world of general aviation (GA) manufacturing at the time of publication. Now, nearly 18 years later, Cirrus is an established brand with a trusted project. It was fun to read about the struggles of this company when its future was still in doubt. He then spends some time with Eclipse Aviation, another company set on manufacturing GA aircraft. Eclipse failed in 2008, but that doesn't make its contributions to the field (particularly in the design and production of light turbofan engines) any less notable. In the book's final chapter, Fallows describes a transcontinental flight he took with his family in a Cirrus Aircraft; he puts the reader right there in the cockpit.
As a professional pilot (first with the Navy, now with a major U.S. airline), I found this book to be absolutely fascinating. Though I've had limited exposure to GA flying, 'Free Flight' makes me want to drive down to my local airport and see whether they have any Cirrus planes for rent. Nicely done, Mr. Fallows. I hope you publish an update.
Recommended for: pilots and aviation enthusiasts
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Add Contact!: The Story of the Early Aviators, This informative account recaptures the thrill of the pioneering days of aviation, back before flying was taken for granted. Among the significant and colorful figures covered are the Wright Brothers, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Henry Farman, Glenn H. Curtiss,, Contact!: The Story of the Early Aviators to the inventory that you are selling on WonderClubX
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Add Contact!: The Story of the Early Aviators, This informative account recaptures the thrill of the pioneering days of aviation, back before flying was taken for granted. Among the significant and colorful figures covered are the Wright Brothers, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Henry Farman, Glenn H. Curtiss,, Contact!: The Story of the Early Aviators to your collection on WonderClub |