Here's an excellent series of pilot ops articles I've recently discovered by John Deakin. There are 84 in all. I've been working my way though the archive and am very impressed with the torough, common sense approach Mr. Deakin takes explaining systems, theory, etc. He dispels many common OWT's as well. LOP, Turbos, Props, Fuel Management, 747 Gear Up Landing?, there's some great stuff here.
http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/list.html

John Deakin is a 38,000-hour pilot who worked his way up the aviation food chain via charter, corporate, and cargo flying; spent five years in Southeast Asia with Air America; 33 years with Japan Airlines, mostly as a 747 captain; and is now flying Gulfstream IVs full time as a charter pilot. He also flies his own V35 Bonanza and is very active in the warbird and vintage aircraft scene, flying the C-46, C-131, DC-3, F8F Bearcat, Constellation, B-29, and others.

He's also one of the founding members of Advanced Pilot Seminars. I hope you enjoy the reading as much as I have. Great reading for new and experienced pilots.

You will probably learn more from Deakin than you will ever learn again from any body else. I have often recommended for aviators to read his articles.

I think what you will find is that Deakins beliefs are so contrary to what many pilots have ingrained into there brains, that you will experience a lot of resistance. Even though he uses facts, science, years of experience, and engine test stand data to back up his explanations, people just cant be drug away from all the years of beliefs in old wives tales.

If nothing else, his writings will give you hours of entertainment, and a much better understanding of combustion timing, pressures and temperatures!

Enjoy