Rating:

Imagine my surprise to find the ninth edition rife with errors! Examples:

- erroneous definition of Class A airspace;

- erroneous decoding of wind speed and direction in a sample TAF weather report;

- erroneous Sigmet description;

- Weather Depiction Chart doesn’t match explanations in the text.

These are some of the errors that I found and I’m not yet a pilot. The skills required for actually flying an airplane haven’t changed much since I purchased my much-thumbed 5th edition 20 yrs ago but airspace regulations and weather reporting have changed considerably- probably not a coincidence that the errors I found are in the newer material. A quick calculation of Kershner’s age at the time of the 9th edition publication makes me wonder if he was even involved in creating the updated sections.

All the content of this book is available for free via a few different downloads off the FAA website. Thus the major reason for buying this book is to cut to the chase on the body of knowledge required to earn a private pilot license because the FAA downloads though well written, cover everything from powered parachutes to jumbo jets. At least the first two of the above errors would cause wrong responses on the private pilot written test causing me to question the value of the $40 I spent on this book though I did just notice that Amazon recently cut the price by a third.

Rating:

It’s an easy read, and you can almost imagine hearing the words come from the author’s mouth in some small-airport coffee shop or sitting in a hangar under the wing of a small plane. Don’t be deceived by the informal delivery, though — Buck is talking about serious topics that affect your safety and proficiency.

If you want to learn from a veteran pilot and avoid mistakes that others have made, pick up a copy of The Art of Flying. Read it through. Then keep it around and, every now and then, pick it up again and read a chapter. The chapters are nicely “bite-sized,” so you can do this using odd moments. You’ll find yourself nodding your head and thinking, “Oh, yes, I want to remember that!”

This book is well worth the money — and the time — you’ll invest in it.

Rating:

- Comprehensive, covers practically topics having to do with piloting various types of airplanes

- Clearly and succintly written

- Outstanding color illustrations for most maneuvers

What the book does not cover is talking to air traffic controllers, navigation by VOR, GPS, etc topics beyond the actual control of the aircraft.