Author: Eric Auxier
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781480279889
Category : Bush flying
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
TOP 100 FINALIST-AMAZON BREAKTHROUGH NOVEL AWARDS!"You won't want to put down THE LAST BUSH PILOTS while the midnight sun still shines."-Airways MagazineKINDLE EDITION: http://goo.gl/fRv9t--------"MAYDAY, MADAY! I'M GOING DOWN, I'M GOING D-"So begins the literary thrill ride that is "The Last Bush Pilots."Author, airline Captain and popular blogger Eric Auxier brings his former bush flying to life in his second novel, "The Last Bush Pilots."Two young pilots, Daniel "DC" Alva and Allen David Foley, take on the world's most dangerous flying: the Alaska bush. But Mother Nature-and a sexy Native Alaskan-stand in their way.Southeast Alaska Seaplanes, Juneau. Retired airline Captain Dusty Tucker pilots a renegade band of flying misfits. Meet legendary bush pilot Jake "Crash" Whitakker, equally adept at landing planes and ladies-and "crashin' 'em" as well; prankster pilot Ralph Olaphsen, who once set an extinct volcano ablaze on April Fool's Day; and no-nonsense Check Airman Holly Innes, trying to cut a respectable niche in the notoriously macho bush pilot world-while escaping a dangerous past.Amid Alaska's volatile skies, DC and Allen face escalating challenges in and out of the cockpit. As the two "cheechackos," or greenhorns, learn the ropes, they are also roped into Crash and Ralph's hare-brained scheme, "Operation Dirty Harry." Under the suspicious nose of Draconian FAA Inspector Frederick Bruner, the pilots hatch a plot to hijack and rescue a planeload of orphaned bear cubs. Moreover, mischievous Tlingit Indian Tonya Hunter, as wild and unpredictable as the land in which she lives, plays the two lovestruck cheechackos against each other.But the true villain of the story is Mother Nature herself. Alaska's notoriously fickle weather and rugged terrain take on a life of its own. Can the two cheechackos survive Her relentless onslaught and launch their fledgeling airline careers? "Eric Auxier is the next Tom Clancy of Aviation." -Tawni Waters, Author, "Beauty of the Broken," "Siren Song," Grand Prize Recipient - "Best Travel Writers of 2010.""With over 12,000 hours of Alaskan bush flying, reading 'The Last Bush Pilots' was like looking in a mirror. Nice work, Eric." -CloudDancer, Author, "CloudDancer's Alaskan Chronicles" "Eric paints a picture of flying with words that are every bit as beautiful and moving as anything ever drawn or photographed. " -Aviationguy.com"I flew through The Last Bush Pilots in one sitting, keeping my seatbelt securely fastened. A fast-paced tale, thoroughly enjoyed."-John Wegg, Editor Airways Magazine Visit www.lastbushpilots.com to view the 30-second trailer!
The Last Bush Pilots
Author: Eric Auxier
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781480279889
Category : Bush flying
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
TOP 100 FINALIST-AMAZON BREAKTHROUGH NOVEL AWARDS!"You won't want to put down THE LAST BUSH PILOTS while the midnight sun still shines."-Airways MagazineKINDLE EDITION: http://goo.gl/fRv9t--------"MAYDAY, MADAY! I'M GOING DOWN, I'M GOING D-"So begins the literary thrill ride that is "The Last Bush Pilots."Author, airline Captain and popular blogger Eric Auxier brings his former bush flying to life in his second novel, "The Last Bush Pilots."Two young pilots, Daniel "DC" Alva and Allen David Foley, take on the world's most dangerous flying: the Alaska bush. But Mother Nature-and a sexy Native Alaskan-stand in their way.Southeast Alaska Seaplanes, Juneau. Retired airline Captain Dusty Tucker pilots a renegade band of flying misfits. Meet legendary bush pilot Jake "Crash" Whitakker, equally adept at landing planes and ladies-and "crashin' 'em" as well; prankster pilot Ralph Olaphsen, who once set an extinct volcano ablaze on April Fool's Day; and no-nonsense Check Airman Holly Innes, trying to cut a respectable niche in the notoriously macho bush pilot world-while escaping a dangerous past.Amid Alaska's volatile skies, DC and Allen face escalating challenges in and out of the cockpit. As the two "cheechackos," or greenhorns, learn the ropes, they are also roped into Crash and Ralph's hare-brained scheme, "Operation Dirty Harry." Under the suspicious nose of Draconian FAA Inspector Frederick Bruner, the pilots hatch a plot to hijack and rescue a planeload of orphaned bear cubs. Moreover, mischievous Tlingit Indian Tonya Hunter, as wild and unpredictable as the land in which she lives, plays the two lovestruck cheechackos against each other.But the true villain of the story is Mother Nature herself. Alaska's notoriously fickle weather and rugged terrain take on a life of its own. Can the two cheechackos survive Her relentless onslaught and launch their fledgeling airline careers? "Eric Auxier is the next Tom Clancy of Aviation." -Tawni Waters, Author, "Beauty of the Broken," "Siren Song," Grand Prize Recipient - "Best Travel Writers of 2010.""With over 12,000 hours of Alaskan bush flying, reading 'The Last Bush Pilots' was like looking in a mirror. Nice work, Eric." -CloudDancer, Author, "CloudDancer's Alaskan Chronicles" "Eric paints a picture of flying with words that are every bit as beautiful and moving as anything ever drawn or photographed. " -Aviationguy.com"I flew through The Last Bush Pilots in one sitting, keeping my seatbelt securely fastened. A fast-paced tale, thoroughly enjoyed."-John Wegg, Editor Airways Magazine Visit www.lastbushpilots.com to view the 30-second trailer!
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781480279889
Category : Bush flying
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
TOP 100 FINALIST-AMAZON BREAKTHROUGH NOVEL AWARDS!"You won't want to put down THE LAST BUSH PILOTS while the midnight sun still shines."-Airways MagazineKINDLE EDITION: http://goo.gl/fRv9t--------"MAYDAY, MADAY! I'M GOING DOWN, I'M GOING D-"So begins the literary thrill ride that is "The Last Bush Pilots."Author, airline Captain and popular blogger Eric Auxier brings his former bush flying to life in his second novel, "The Last Bush Pilots."Two young pilots, Daniel "DC" Alva and Allen David Foley, take on the world's most dangerous flying: the Alaska bush. But Mother Nature-and a sexy Native Alaskan-stand in their way.Southeast Alaska Seaplanes, Juneau. Retired airline Captain Dusty Tucker pilots a renegade band of flying misfits. Meet legendary bush pilot Jake "Crash" Whitakker, equally adept at landing planes and ladies-and "crashin' 'em" as well; prankster pilot Ralph Olaphsen, who once set an extinct volcano ablaze on April Fool's Day; and no-nonsense Check Airman Holly Innes, trying to cut a respectable niche in the notoriously macho bush pilot world-while escaping a dangerous past.Amid Alaska's volatile skies, DC and Allen face escalating challenges in and out of the cockpit. As the two "cheechackos," or greenhorns, learn the ropes, they are also roped into Crash and Ralph's hare-brained scheme, "Operation Dirty Harry." Under the suspicious nose of Draconian FAA Inspector Frederick Bruner, the pilots hatch a plot to hijack and rescue a planeload of orphaned bear cubs. Moreover, mischievous Tlingit Indian Tonya Hunter, as wild and unpredictable as the land in which she lives, plays the two lovestruck cheechackos against each other.But the true villain of the story is Mother Nature herself. Alaska's notoriously fickle weather and rugged terrain take on a life of its own. Can the two cheechackos survive Her relentless onslaught and launch their fledgeling airline careers? "Eric Auxier is the next Tom Clancy of Aviation." -Tawni Waters, Author, "Beauty of the Broken," "Siren Song," Grand Prize Recipient - "Best Travel Writers of 2010.""With over 12,000 hours of Alaskan bush flying, reading 'The Last Bush Pilots' was like looking in a mirror. Nice work, Eric." -CloudDancer, Author, "CloudDancer's Alaskan Chronicles" "Eric paints a picture of flying with words that are every bit as beautiful and moving as anything ever drawn or photographed. " -Aviationguy.com"I flew through The Last Bush Pilots in one sitting, keeping my seatbelt securely fastened. A fast-paced tale, thoroughly enjoyed."-John Wegg, Editor Airways Magazine Visit www.lastbushpilots.com to view the 30-second trailer!
Bush Pilots of Alaska
Author: Kim Heacox
Publisher: Graphic Arts Books
ISBN: 9781558680128
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 144
Book Description
Take a deep breath, buckle your seat belt, and turn the pages of "Bush Pilots of Alaska". Each page is a vicarious thrill, each photo a window into the way Alaskans get around to live, work, and play.
Publisher: Graphic Arts Books
ISBN: 9781558680128
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 144
Book Description
Take a deep breath, buckle your seat belt, and turn the pages of "Bush Pilots of Alaska". Each page is a vicarious thrill, each photo a window into the way Alaskans get around to live, work, and play.
Alaska's Bush Pilots
Author: Rob Stapleton with the Alaska Aviation Museum
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1467131830
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 128
Book Description
A thrilling ride alongside the daredevil aviators who first braved the unknown of Alaska's wilderness. Bush pilots are known as rough, tough, resourceful people who fly their aircraft into tight spots in the worst of weather. Alaska's bush pilots are all of that and more. Acting as pioneers in a land with 43,000 miles of coastline and North America's largest mountains, Alaska's bush pilots were and are visionaries of a lifestyle of freedom. Flying came late to Alaska but caught on quickly. The first flight was made over a three-day exhibition at Fairbanks, July 3-5, 1913. James Martin first flew that aircraft, owned by him and his wife, Lilly, and investors Arthur Williams and R.S. McDonald. Ever since, Alaskan bush pilots have found that they were calculators of their own fate, flying in fragile aircraft over vast stretches of tundra or through towering mountain passes. This book examines the pioneer aviators and the aircraft types such as the Stearman, Stinson, and Lockheed, many of which were tested and crashed in the far north regions of Alaska.
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1467131830
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 128
Book Description
A thrilling ride alongside the daredevil aviators who first braved the unknown of Alaska's wilderness. Bush pilots are known as rough, tough, resourceful people who fly their aircraft into tight spots in the worst of weather. Alaska's bush pilots are all of that and more. Acting as pioneers in a land with 43,000 miles of coastline and North America's largest mountains, Alaska's bush pilots were and are visionaries of a lifestyle of freedom. Flying came late to Alaska but caught on quickly. The first flight was made over a three-day exhibition at Fairbanks, July 3-5, 1913. James Martin first flew that aircraft, owned by him and his wife, Lilly, and investors Arthur Williams and R.S. McDonald. Ever since, Alaskan bush pilots have found that they were calculators of their own fate, flying in fragile aircraft over vast stretches of tundra or through towering mountain passes. This book examines the pioneer aviators and the aircraft types such as the Stearman, Stinson, and Lockheed, many of which were tested and crashed in the far north regions of Alaska.
Flying the Alaska Wild
Author: Mort D. Mason
Publisher: Voyageur Press (MN)
ISBN: 9780896585898
Category : Alaska
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Imagine flying through wildly unpredictable weather conditions and over the unforgiving terrain of the Big Empty, with only yourself to rely on in life and death situations. This type of true grit adventure was a common occurrence for Alaska bush pilot Mort Mason, who encountered numerous white-knuckle situations while honing his skill--and his luck--in a profession that only a handful of pilots have had the stamina to endure. Flying the Alaska Wild is a heart-pounding, edge-of-the-chair collection of fascinating stories about the rough-and-tumble life of an Alaska bush pilot--straight from the pilot’s seat. Recounting thirty years of adventures, skilled storyteller Mason presents tales of his own experiences, and also tells the legendary stories of other old-time bush pilots.
Publisher: Voyageur Press (MN)
ISBN: 9780896585898
Category : Alaska
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Imagine flying through wildly unpredictable weather conditions and over the unforgiving terrain of the Big Empty, with only yourself to rely on in life and death situations. This type of true grit adventure was a common occurrence for Alaska bush pilot Mort Mason, who encountered numerous white-knuckle situations while honing his skill--and his luck--in a profession that only a handful of pilots have had the stamina to endure. Flying the Alaska Wild is a heart-pounding, edge-of-the-chair collection of fascinating stories about the rough-and-tumble life of an Alaska bush pilot--straight from the pilot’s seat. Recounting thirty years of adventures, skilled storyteller Mason presents tales of his own experiences, and also tells the legendary stories of other old-time bush pilots.
Arctic Bush Pilot
Author: James Anderson
Publisher: Epicenter Press
ISBN: 9780945397830
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
Backed by Wien Airlines, former Navy combat pilot "Andy" Anderson pioneered post-World War II bush service to Alaska's vast Koyokuk River region serving miners, Natives, sportsmen, geologists, adventurers, and assorted bush rats. He flew mining equipment, gold, live wolves and sled dogs, you name it -- anything needed for life in the bush. He sweated out dozens of dangerous medical-emergency flights, "always at night and in terrible storms." Illustrated with 50 historical photos and co-authored by one of Alaska's most popular writers, ARCTIC BUSH PILOT is an exciting and sometimes nostalgic account of a pioneer pilot and his special place in Alaska aviation history.
Publisher: Epicenter Press
ISBN: 9780945397830
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
Backed by Wien Airlines, former Navy combat pilot "Andy" Anderson pioneered post-World War II bush service to Alaska's vast Koyokuk River region serving miners, Natives, sportsmen, geologists, adventurers, and assorted bush rats. He flew mining equipment, gold, live wolves and sled dogs, you name it -- anything needed for life in the bush. He sweated out dozens of dangerous medical-emergency flights, "always at night and in terrible storms." Illustrated with 50 historical photos and co-authored by one of Alaska's most popular writers, ARCTIC BUSH PILOT is an exciting and sometimes nostalgic account of a pioneer pilot and his special place in Alaska aviation history.
Flying on Instinct
Author: L. D. Cross
Publisher: Heritage House Publishing Co
ISBN: 1927051843
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
They were nicknamed Snow Eagle, Flying Knight, Bush Angel, Punch, Doc and Wop. They worked in open cockpits and flew through cold, snow and fog without the benefit of radios, maps or weather reports. They flew over the Barrens, frozen lakes, boreal forests and mountain ranges by dead reckoning and line of sight. They landed on makeshift runways, glaciers, muskeg, tundra and glassy lakes. Comrades of the wilderness, they were Canada's early bush pilots. L.D. Cross brings us the incredible stories of the brave and enterprising pilots who rolled back the boundaries of western and northern Canada, delivering mail, medicine, miners and all the supplies needed by frontier settlements. Flying such planes as Curtiss, Bellanca, de Havilland, Fairchild, Junkers, Norseman, Stinson and Vickers, they were the off-roaders of aviation, venturing where no others dared to go. Climb into the cockpit with these pioneering pilots for an exciting trip into Canadian aviation history.
Publisher: Heritage House Publishing Co
ISBN: 1927051843
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
They were nicknamed Snow Eagle, Flying Knight, Bush Angel, Punch, Doc and Wop. They worked in open cockpits and flew through cold, snow and fog without the benefit of radios, maps or weather reports. They flew over the Barrens, frozen lakes, boreal forests and mountain ranges by dead reckoning and line of sight. They landed on makeshift runways, glaciers, muskeg, tundra and glassy lakes. Comrades of the wilderness, they were Canada's early bush pilots. L.D. Cross brings us the incredible stories of the brave and enterprising pilots who rolled back the boundaries of western and northern Canada, delivering mail, medicine, miners and all the supplies needed by frontier settlements. Flying such planes as Curtiss, Bellanca, de Havilland, Fairchild, Junkers, Norseman, Stinson and Vickers, they were the off-roaders of aviation, venturing where no others dared to go. Climb into the cockpit with these pioneering pilots for an exciting trip into Canadian aviation history.
How To Be A Bush Pilot
Author: Claudia Dey
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
ISBN: 1443404411
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 298
Book Description
How to Be a Bush Pilot is boot camp for the modern playboy and sexual adventurer, a master class in becoming the lover that every woman wants but doesn’t know how to ask for. It is funny. It is instructive. It winks and flirts. Its unwavering purpose: getting laid. Proficiently. Ranging from remedial education to moves that will educate even the savviest Wilt Chamberlain, Claudia Dey uses female insight to turn mere men into that elusive master of the bedroom: the Bush Pilot. How to Be a Bush Pilot is studded with pop culture references, swinging between high and low art but always focusing on the art of seduction. Think Led Zeppelin meets Ted Hughes meets wood panelling meets Henry Miller meets Def Leppard. In the bedroom. With a tone that reads like Tina Fey channelling Dr. Ruth, Dey ranges from the pre-game warm-ups of flirtation and fantasy, to charming the go-go, to graduating from the regulars to the remote. How to Be a Bush Pilot is fearless, playful, always commanding yet never intimidating—the essential guide for every man who wants to be a legend and wants to laugh while trying.
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada
ISBN: 1443404411
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 298
Book Description
How to Be a Bush Pilot is boot camp for the modern playboy and sexual adventurer, a master class in becoming the lover that every woman wants but doesn’t know how to ask for. It is funny. It is instructive. It winks and flirts. Its unwavering purpose: getting laid. Proficiently. Ranging from remedial education to moves that will educate even the savviest Wilt Chamberlain, Claudia Dey uses female insight to turn mere men into that elusive master of the bedroom: the Bush Pilot. How to Be a Bush Pilot is studded with pop culture references, swinging between high and low art but always focusing on the art of seduction. Think Led Zeppelin meets Ted Hughes meets wood panelling meets Henry Miller meets Def Leppard. In the bedroom. With a tone that reads like Tina Fey channelling Dr. Ruth, Dey ranges from the pre-game warm-ups of flirtation and fantasy, to charming the go-go, to graduating from the regulars to the remote. How to Be a Bush Pilot is fearless, playful, always commanding yet never intimidating—the essential guide for every man who wants to be a legend and wants to laugh while trying.
Bush Pilots
Author: Bob Cary
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781591930105
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 192
Book Description
For many years, much of northern Minnesota's wilderness was accessible only by small seaplane. The pilots who flew the area developed the instincts and ability to fly with few or no instruments in all types of situations and weather. Bush Pilots captures the fierce spirit of these remarkable pilots and their adventures, wrecks, humor and rescues. Read their compelling stories, and grab a cup of coffee and listen to the legendary pilots' story-swapping session on the included CD.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781591930105
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 192
Book Description
For many years, much of northern Minnesota's wilderness was accessible only by small seaplane. The pilots who flew the area developed the instincts and ability to fly with few or no instruments in all types of situations and weather. Bush Pilots captures the fierce spirit of these remarkable pilots and their adventures, wrecks, humor and rescues. Read their compelling stories, and grab a cup of coffee and listen to the legendary pilots' story-swapping session on the included CD.
The Alaska Bush Pilot Chronicles
Author: Mort Mason
Publisher: Voyageur Press
ISBN: 1616731419
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Book Description
Readers of Flying the Alaska Wild marveled at Mort Mason’s true tales of braving the elements at the extremes in a Piper Super Cub. But the bush pilot, adventurer, and raconteur was just beginning, and in this book he revisits his most memorable moments of flying by the seat of his pants through blizzards and white-outs, on assignments at times hazardous and sometimes simply whacky, always with a sense of humor and due respect for the limitless wilds of Alaska beneath his wings. The world of a bush pilot really is the final frontier, and for thirty years Mort Mason was there, clocking enough heart-stopping miles to make most life-stories utterly incredible. In The Alaska Bush Pilot Chronicles Mason recounts more of his unlikely adventures in the face of Alaska’s unforgiving weather and terrain. His stories gives readers the rare chance to experience the disappearing thrills and challenges of meeting the American frontier on its own unyielding terms.
Publisher: Voyageur Press
ISBN: 1616731419
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Book Description
Readers of Flying the Alaska Wild marveled at Mort Mason’s true tales of braving the elements at the extremes in a Piper Super Cub. But the bush pilot, adventurer, and raconteur was just beginning, and in this book he revisits his most memorable moments of flying by the seat of his pants through blizzards and white-outs, on assignments at times hazardous and sometimes simply whacky, always with a sense of humor and due respect for the limitless wilds of Alaska beneath his wings. The world of a bush pilot really is the final frontier, and for thirty years Mort Mason was there, clocking enough heart-stopping miles to make most life-stories utterly incredible. In The Alaska Bush Pilot Chronicles Mason recounts more of his unlikely adventures in the face of Alaska’s unforgiving weather and terrain. His stories gives readers the rare chance to experience the disappearing thrills and challenges of meeting the American frontier on its own unyielding terms.
Papa Kilo Part 1: A True Story from a Susi Air Pilot in Indonesia
Author: Dan Richworth
Publisher: Dan Richworth
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 240
Book Description
HOW DID I BECOME A PILOT FOR ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST INFAMOUS AIRLINES? "This book is the first of a three part trilogy based on my experience as a bush pilot flying for Susi Air in Indonesia. For 4 years I’ve flown Cessna Grand Caravans in one of the most challenging environments for aviation in the world. This book features the good stories, the bad stories, and the down right unbelievable stories. I must confess, I’ve spent a very long time deciding whether or not to publish this book. Here’s the thing…I’m now a Boeing 737 Captain for a major European airline, and unsurprisingly, I value my career very much. So publishing a book about these bush flying adventures (and occasional mishaps), isn’t necessarily going to impress my current employers...or future employers for that matter. You could perhaps describe publishing this book as “career suicide”. This somewhat undesirable situation of losing one’s career, might just explain why I’m the first Susi Air pilot to publish a book like this. Yes, the sensible thing to do would be to keep my mouth shut. Just stay under the radar and avoid any adverse consequences to the career that I have worked so hard to get. But how could I keep the greatest adventure of my life to myself? I needed to write this book. This isn’t just my story. This is the story of every pilot who was f*cking nuts enough to come fly for Susi Air. Needless to say, the real identities of both myself and my colleagues at Susi Air will remain anonymous in this book. I have no doubt that some Susi Air pilots, both past and present, will know exactly who I really am. However to any of those pilots reading this book, I do ask that you keep my real identity private, much in the same way that I have kept your real identities private in this book. All of the stories in this book are real. Only the names have been changed."
Publisher: Dan Richworth
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 240
Book Description
HOW DID I BECOME A PILOT FOR ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST INFAMOUS AIRLINES? "This book is the first of a three part trilogy based on my experience as a bush pilot flying for Susi Air in Indonesia. For 4 years I’ve flown Cessna Grand Caravans in one of the most challenging environments for aviation in the world. This book features the good stories, the bad stories, and the down right unbelievable stories. I must confess, I’ve spent a very long time deciding whether or not to publish this book. Here’s the thing…I’m now a Boeing 737 Captain for a major European airline, and unsurprisingly, I value my career very much. So publishing a book about these bush flying adventures (and occasional mishaps), isn’t necessarily going to impress my current employers...or future employers for that matter. You could perhaps describe publishing this book as “career suicide”. This somewhat undesirable situation of losing one’s career, might just explain why I’m the first Susi Air pilot to publish a book like this. Yes, the sensible thing to do would be to keep my mouth shut. Just stay under the radar and avoid any adverse consequences to the career that I have worked so hard to get. But how could I keep the greatest adventure of my life to myself? I needed to write this book. This isn’t just my story. This is the story of every pilot who was f*cking nuts enough to come fly for Susi Air. Needless to say, the real identities of both myself and my colleagues at Susi Air will remain anonymous in this book. I have no doubt that some Susi Air pilots, both past and present, will know exactly who I really am. However to any of those pilots reading this book, I do ask that you keep my real identity private, much in the same way that I have kept your real identities private in this book. All of the stories in this book are real. Only the names have been changed."