Describes and illustrates over four hundred different airplanes likely to be seen in North America, grouped in the categories of biplanes, agricultural planes, low-wing singles, amphibians, low-wing twins, high-wing twins, twin-boom and canard twins, four-engine props, business jets, jet airliners, military aircraft, recently retired military aircraft, and helicopters.
The Grumman Mallard amphibious aircraft was developed just after World War II as a small passenger aircraft for airline use but quickly found its niche in the expanding world of business aviation. What better than an aircraft that could fly busy executives to business meetings but also drop down on a remote lake for some salmon fishing? Before jets came along it was a favorite of celebrities such as Christian Dior, Gar Wood and Lord Beaverbrook. In more recent years the Mallard has come to be regarded as one of the most beautiful seaplanes ever produced and it is popular with wealthy collectors, who restore them and use them to tour the world. This book, handsomely illustrated with photos of Mallards past and present, as well as unique fold-out cutaway drawings of the original and the turbine version, is the first book on this classic aircraft and a labor of love on the part of the author.
This work is a comprehensive, heavily illustrated history of the many flying boats and amphibious aircraft designed and built in the United States. It is divided into three chronological sections: the early era (1912-1928), the golden era (1928-1945), and the post-war era (1945-present), with historical overviews of each period. Within each section, individual aircraft types are listed in alphabetical order by manufacturer or builder, with historical background, technical specifications, drawings, and one or more photographs. Appendices cover lesser known flying boat and amphibian types as well as various design concepts that never achieved the flying stage.
SO YOU WANT TO BE A FERRY PILOT is made up of nineteen true short stories about ferrying airplanes from one part of the world to another. Each flight has something about it that wasn't planned. Unexpected heart stopping engine failures, weather that went from CAVU (Clear and Visibility Unlimited) to Oh MY God!!, interception by armed foreign fighters, arrest by third world police or anything that old Mister Murphy can throw your face. I had several pilot friends read the manuscript, here are some of their comments. "Ferry pilots are nuts, everybody knows that." Captain Cal Harman, 20 years with Continental. "These stories are unbelievable, I thought flying combat missions was dangerous." Captain Curt Briggs, shot down in Vietnam while flying an F-4 Phantom, rescued after spending more than 24 hours hiding from the North Vietnamese. "When we were cell mates in Hanoi I suspected that Spike was a little crazy, suspicions confirmed." Lieutenant Commander Larry Friese, USN Retired. POW in Vietnam 51/2 years.
THE AUTHOR SPENT 63 YEARS IN THE SEAPLANE BUSINESS WITH OPERATIONS IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA, FLORDIA, CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON, ALASKA AND HAWAII. HE HAS OPERATED FAA PART 91, PART 135, PART 141 AND HAS EVEN HELD A CANADIAN 9-4 UNSCHEDULED CHARTER CERTIFICATE. HE FLEW 40,800 ACCIDENT FREE HOURS INCLUDING A RECORD 33,000 HOURS ON FLOATS. HE HAS CONSTRUCATED MANY SEAPLANE DOCKS AND TWO STORY FLOATING CABINS - SOME WITH UP TO FOUR BEDROOMS.
At the opening night of the Phantom of the Opera in Atlanta, Dan Sylvester, a ruggedly handsome pilot for Continental, impulsively quits his job to help shapely Macky Bergamo, a caterer he met at an AOPA Convention and dated twice, leave her abusive husband Juan, senior pilot for Delta. In Miami, Buster Krabbe, a 70yr old hayseed pilot with a Grumman Mallard he calls "Bluebird", offers Dan a partnership in his trash hauling business. "You fly'em. I book 'em. Split fifty-fifty and I buy the gas." A dream come true, Dan accepts. What follows is an action packed adventure involving Turk Robinson, mega-rich casino owner, Johnny, his scheming lawyer nephew and a raft of beautiful women and evil-doers, too many for Dan to keep up with, at times. Including Juan, always lurking in the shadows, a brilliant but sadistic pilot. Flying the Bluebird, and later a Brasilia 120, Dan finds trouble everywhere, Bermuda, Jamaica, Aruba, Bolivia with the highest airport in the world. Even Uruguay, where a stunning Asian interpreter betrays everyone, but for what purpose? Intrigue stalks every page. Murder, mayhem, sex and sinners. This one has it all, as Dan tries to catch the killers before they catch him.
