Aviation books
Aviation books to start from. Open one to see books like it, or tell BookSense what you loved for four picks made for you.
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New to the genre? These 5 are the books to read first.
Wind, Sand and Stars
Antoine de Saint-ExupéryA memoir of a pilot's work flying mail routes, including a forced landing in the Libyan desert. It is one of the best-known literary accounts of early flying.
Fate Is the Hunter
Ernest K. GannA memoir by an airline pilot about his career in commercial aviation, its risks and its routines, written from inside the cockpit.
The Right Stuff
Tom WolfeA narrative history of the early U.S. test pilots and the Mercury astronauts. It shaped popular ideas about the culture of test flying.
Lost Moon
Jim LovellThe account of the Apollo 13 mission by its commander, written with Jeffrey Kluger. It covers the flight and the decisions that brought the crew home.
Skunk Works
Ben R. RichA memoir by an engineer who led Lockheed's advanced development projects, describing how secret aircraft were designed and built.
Chosen and described with AI from our notes on the genre.
More aviation books
- The Wright Brothers
The Wright BrothersDavid McCullough - Alive!
Alive!Piers Paul Read - Flight in America
Flight in AmericaRoger E. Bilstein - Introduction to Flight
Introduction to FlightJohn Anderson - Fundamentals of Flight
Fundamentals of FlightRichard Shepherd Shevell - NASA/DoD aerospace knowledge diffusion research project
NASA/DoD aerospace knowledge diffusion research projectThomas E. Pinelli1990 - 100 years of Philippine aviation, 1909-2009100 years of Philippine aviation, 1909-2009Avelino L. Zapanta2005
- Aviation History
Aviation HistoryAnne Marie Millbrooke2006 - Jane's All the World's Aircraft
Jane's All the World's AircraftFred T. Jane1933 - The Billion Dollar Spy
The Billion Dollar SpyDavid E. Hoffman2016 - The Air Pilot's Manual
The Air Pilot's ManualTrevor Thom1987 - Flight theory and aerodynamics
Flight theory and aerodynamicsCharles E. Dole1981