Jaffe A., Lane B. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Flying and Gliding

Alpha Books, Macmillan USA, Inc., Indianapolis, 2000, 344 p. — ISBN10: 0028638859, ISBN13: 9780028638850.In this guide, the authors trace the progress of aviation from the classic age to the fastest and largest of modern airliners presently operating. Opening the cockpit door they offer an insight into how pilots do their job.Taking to the Sky: The History of Flight
The Earliest Aviators
From the flying dreams of Leonardo da Vinci to the primitive gliders.
The Bishop's Boys: Wilbur and Orville Wright
The fathers of modern flight — and a pretender to the throne.
Barnstormers and Other Risk Takers
Those daring young men — and women — in their flying machines.
Great Flyers of the World Wars
A race car driver, a red baron, and a southern belle.
Lindbergh, Earhart, and the Rise of the Airlines
Two pilots whose exploits continue to thrill and inspire.
Cessna, Piper, and the Emergence of Sport Flying
The eccentric designers who brought flying to the common man.The Thrill of Flight
How Airplanes Fly, Part 1: The Parts of a Plane
The airplane — from nose to tail.
How Airplanes Fly, Part 2: The Aerodynamics of Flight
The magic that makes an airplane fly.
Soaring on Silent Wings: Gliding
Who says you need an engine to fly?
How Do Helicopters Fly?
A complicated machine that makes flying look easy.
Up, Up, and Away: HotAir Balloons
The sport that considers a bottle of champagne a piece of required equipment.
Hybrids, Oddities, and Curiosities
Planes that act like helicopters, helicopters that fly like planes, and balloons that can fly against the wind.In the Cockpit
Getting Off the Ground: Becoming an Airplane Pilot
How to earn your wings — from first flight to private pilot certificate.
Navigation: Getting from Here to There Without Street Signs
The art that turns flyers into travelers.
From Takeoff to Landing
A view from the cockpit of a typical small airplane flight.
Cloud Dancing: Air Shows and Aerobatics
The stunt pilots’ secrets revealed.Meeting the Challenges to the Perfect Flight
Talking About the Weather
Becoming fluent in the language of weather.
Overcoming the Body's Limitations
When the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
Emergencies in the Air
Inflight emergencies and how pilots respond to them.
John F. Kennedy Jr.'s Final Flight
A tragedy that might have been prevented?
The Future of Aviation
Two futures for aviation: simpler and more intimate, and faster and higher.Glossary of Radio Communications
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