Just finished reading "Endurance" by Scott Kelly. The story of Kelly's year aboard the International Space Station, as well as his life and career. Easy to read, and entertaining, and I've never been that interested in space stuff. He had "help" writing it, but it is well written. Gina just finished it, and she enjoyed it as well.

MTV

Free to BCP lending library:
"The Last of the Mountain Men" by Harold Peterson. Story about Sylvan Hart, who lived way off-grid for 35 years at Five Mile Bar on the River of No Return.

No flying, but nice tale and pictures. (some of him hand rifling his own barrels, and of his knives and guns.
See pictures on ebay: https://m.ebay.com/itm/1969-Last-of-the ... SwVqlZ6eFf

Free, pass it on.
I do not recall how long I have had, about it over 45 years.

A distant neighbor (3 miles, but our newspaper box is on the same pole, one I put up 42 years ago) fabricated a nice looking steel box with a weather proof door, and did a nice printing job of :BOOK EXCHANGE, and installed it on a pipe. It's gotten pretty popular, and it's interesting seeing the different books that end up there, everything from religious reading to....not so religious reading material. Your offer to pass it on the Peterson book is pretty cool. I think the US Mail still has a "book rate", as in cheaper then normal, or did that go by the wayside? I've read it already myself, and actually met him and know a lot of others who also did, he was a fixture of the area for a lot of years for sure.

They call book rate "media mail" now. It is very reasonable.

I just finished "Follow the North Star" by Tay Thomas.
It's about a trip she & her husband Lowell Thomas Jr made from New Jersey to and around Alaska in 1958/59.
They went on to move there, he was later a Lt Governor under Jay Hammond plus operated an air service.
This book is kind of a follow-on to her earlier book "Our Fight To Adventure",
about the 1954 trip they took in their brand new Cessna 180 all around Africa & the Middle East.
I enjoyed reading the earlier book more, but this one's still a good read.

Backcountry Pilot- Flying Adventures with Ike Russell.
Edited by Thomas Bowen, published 2002, ISBN 0-8165-2179-4

Ike Russell was a Tuscon pilot who flew a C180 back in the 1960's & 1970's.
He became the go-to guy for a lot of scientific and academic types from the nearby university when they needed to go down into Mexico-
mainly trips to the Gulf of California region on both the Sonora & Baja shorelines.
This was back in the day before drug cartel beheadings & before the Feds got so uptight about off-airport landings etc.
Very good read, a number of chapters all written by some of the folks who flew down there with Ike.

(I posted this on a stand-alone thread a while back but wanted to add it to the "a few good books" thread)

Just finished a good book, "Tall Timber Pilots", written by Dale White and Larry Florek in 1953.
All about the early days of commercial back-country and smoke-jumper ops in Montana and Idaho by Johnson Flying Service.
Good read!

"Fly Girls" by Keith O'Brien. Story of five of the early female aviators and their struggles to be recognized as "real" pilots.

Also, "Rocket Men" by Robert Kurson. The story of Apollo 8, the first manned mission to the moon. I missed a lot of that year, being "out of communication" much of it, so it was fascinating to learn more about that mission. Book is well written and tells why Apollo 8 was probably the most risky of the Apollo missions.

MTV

Buckskin Billy he was an idaho icon. Met him a few times as a kid.

Pinecone wrote:Lady on a pedestal by Gordon Bartsch. Tells the story of the DC3 that now lives as a weathervane at the Whitehorse, Yukon airport. Also a biography of Gordon and his aviatrix wife Dawn and their relationship with that particular airplane, CF-CPY. Easy and captivating.

Follow up: After seeing this post I found Mr. Bartsch's website and emailed him asking about a book purchase. He responded and told me to mail a check to his home along with my address and he would ship the book. I mailed a check .... after three weeks I realized that he hadn't cashed my check so I followed up with another email to confirm that he had received it. He responded that he had received it but due to inclement weather he hadn't been out to mail the book. No problem. I understand.

A few more weeks have gone by and today I received the book along with a very nice handwritten note by Mr. Bartsch's son, Russell. Russell apologized for the delay and explained that his parents are advanced in age and have become forgetful. Russell was visiting them when he found my check and a copy of the book, ready to ship but still sitting there. He promptly mailed the book. Thank you Russell.

So.. if you want a copy of this book you might want to get it soon before it is no longer available. Unfortunately I don't have contact information for Russell.

At $35 I was a little hesitant to order it but it is a very nice hard cover book wrapped in protective plastic. I'm looking forward to reading it and am glad I got a copy.

Amy Hoover and Dick Williams new book on Mountain and Canyon flying is now available on ASA’s web site: https://www.asa2fly.com/Mountain-Canyon ... P4071.aspx

I’ve read it as a reviewer and in my opinion, this will be the new standard on this topic. It should be on everyone’s bookshelf who frequents this site.

It’s available in print and e version.

MTV

Understanding the Sky, by Dennis Pagan

Written mostly from the perspective of a hang glider pilot but it is very relevant to any airplane pilot flying where the air interacts with the terrain. Good discussions of wind in canyons, mountains, thermals etc.

Just Looked on amazon - $44 in paperback - ouch.

c170pete wrote:Understanding the Sky, by Dennis Pagan

Written mostly from the perspective of a hang glider pilot but it is very relevant to any airplane pilot flying where the air interacts with the terrain. Good discussions of wind in canyons, mountains, thermals etc.

Just Looked on amazon - $44 in paperback - ouch.

Great book, worth it in my opinion.

Kurt

Seaplanes Along the Inside Passage
by Gerry Bruder

I enjoyed this book as much as any I've read in a long time. He illustrates very well both the allure and the sacrifices of choosing a career of flying floatplanes.

kg wrote:Seaplanes Along the Inside Passage
by Gerry Bruder

I enjoyed this book as much as any I've read in a long time. He illustrates very well both the allure and the sacrifices of choosing a career of flying floatplanes.

One Amazon commenter reported that this is a reissue of Bruder's "Northern Flights" under a new name, FWIW.

kg wrote:Seaplanes Along the Inside Passage
by Gerry Bruder

I enjoyed this book as much as any I've read in a long time. He illustrates very well both the allure and the sacrifices of choosing a career of flying floatplanes.

It’s funny, I’ve worked with Gerry for almost 20 years now and he’s quite stoic in person. He really comes alive on the page tho, a contrast to his daily persona.

mtv wrote:Eric,

The author is Gerry Bruder. He's a current pilot for Kenmore Air, and a good author.

MTV

I was going back through this thread and just realized that Gerry Bruder was mentioned wayyyyyy back on page one in 2006! I guess I was late to the party!

I am specifically looking for recommendations for books for a beginning seaplane pilot. My better half took her first seaplane lesson yesterday and has asked for book recommendations. Any suggestions? (experienced jet pilot but not current in General Aviation aircraft)

kg wrote:

mtv wrote:Eric,

The author is Gerry Bruder. He's a current pilot for Kenmore Air, and a good author.

MTV

I was going back through this thread and just realized that Gerry Bruder was mentioned wayyyyyy back on page one in 2006! I guess I was late to the party!

I am specifically looking for recommendations for books for a beginning seaplane pilot. My better half took her first seaplane lesson yesterday and has asked for book recommendations. Any suggestions? (experienced jet pilot but not current in General Aviation aircraft)

Frankly it’s hard to beat JJ Frey’s book “How to Fly Floats”. It’s very concise, but covers the basics well.

There are a number of other books out there on seaplane flying, most of which get into some more specialized procedures, but JJ’s book is a good basic reference.

MTV

mtv wrote:
Frankly it’s hard to beat JJ Frey’s book “How to Fly Floats”. It’s very concise, but covers the basics well.

There are a number of other books out there on seaplane flying, most of which get into some more specialized procedures, but JJ’s book is a good basic reference.

MTV

Thanks for reminding me about this book. Just ordered a copy off ebay for $30.

mtv wrote:
Frankly it’s hard to beat JJ Frey’s book “How to Fly Floats”. It’s very concise, but covers the basics well.

There are a number of other books out there on seaplane flying, most of which get into some more specialized procedures, but JJ’s book is a good basic reference.

MTV

Exactly what I needed! Thanks MTV!!

Z... and others... it's available through the Seaplane Pilot's Association for $12 (member price, $18 to non members) plus shipping.