This wonderful 438 page book was written by 44 pilots who are
keynote and aviation speakers with The Aviation Speakers Bureau.
These funny, dramatic, and inspiring stories are some of aviation's finest tales told
by our aviation speakers. You would expect nothing less from aviation's
celebrities, experts, speakers and specialists. Our flight plan sees us
barnstorming in the U.S., flying aerial combat missions in World War II and
Vietnam, test piloting new aircraft, performing air rescue, winging to exotic
places, and flying to historically important aviation places from Kitty Hawk to
the moon. You will go along as history is being made and hear the pilot's
perspective on some of these aviation firsts. You will find ACES and true heroes
within these pages.
Speaking of Flying is your ticket to adventure. Step
aboard, and be prepared to laugh, cry, and feel the excitement.
One of aviation's greatest traditions is
speaking about flying, a tradition that continues in Speaking of Flying.
Represented in this collection of recollections are some of aviation's
most notable participants: Scott Crossfield, Julie Clark, Brig. Gen.
Robin Olds, Al Haynes, Cliff Robertson, Barry Schiff, Bill Cox, Bob
Gilliland, Burt Rutan, John Nance, Col. Bob Morgan, Shanda Lear and Bill
Lishman, to name a few.
Imagine inviting 44 of aviation's celebrity
speakers and experts to the ultimate hangar flying session. Then record (in
print) all of the unique stories, lace them with more than 200 pictures
providing windows into aviation's past.
Brig. Gen. Stephen Ritchie
tells a compelling story as he writes of watching a fellow pilot being shot
down over Vietnam. Many reconnaissance flights to the area produced no sign
of a surviving pilot until Day 22, when Ritchie describes the emotion of
hearing his downed comrade say, "Any U.S. aircraft, this is
Oyster-Zero-Bravo, Over," and the remarkable rescue operation set in motion
by that radio call.
Bill Rheams recounts how General Jimmy Doolittle
then retired) took the co-pilot's seat of his C-54 and humorously handled a
gruff, overzealous Air Force instructor in another plane. Dick Rutan, who
made aviation history flying nonstop around the world, tells us how he used
the F-100's sonic boom capability to get a little attention a little too
much attention, that is.
In Speaking of Flying, our keynote speakers
tell exciting true stories, tales of wartime heroism, selfless sacrifice and
recollections of some of flying's funnier incidents. Each of the 44 authors
is also a professional speaker and keynote speaker. Their stories have been
gathered over a period of more than seven years by Diane Titterington, who
heads The Aviation Speakers Bureau, publisher of Speaking of Flying.
Forty-Four Past and Current Authors and Professional Speakers:
Pete Agur
Doc Blakely
Gordon Bowman-Jones
Major Dee Brasseur (ret.)
Pete Campbell
Michael Maya Charles
Julie Clark
Dr. Jerry Cockrell
Jerry Coffee
Danny Cox
Bill Cox
Scott Crossfield
Ken Dravis
Dean
Engelhardt
Cathe Fish
Wally Funk
Betty
Geiger-Darst
Bob Gilliland
Mark
Grady
Col. Rich Graham (ret.)
Dave
Gwinn
Chas Harral
Al Haynes
Ralph Hood
Kent Jackson
James
Johnson
Karen Kahn
Shanda Lear
Rod Lewin
Bill Lishman
Rod
Machado
Col. Bob Morgan (ret.)
Danny Mortensen
John Nance
Patrick
O'Dooley
Brig. General Robin Olds (ret.)
Bill Rheams
Brig. Gen. Steve Ritchie (ret.)
Cliff Robertson
Burt Rutan
Dick
Rutan
Barry Schiff
Jim Slade
Rich Stowell.