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Good <i>FLYING</i> Reads: <i>Skyfaring—A Journey with a Pilot</i>

An airline pilot’s accounts of life aloft ring true with general aviation fliers.

[Photo: Jonathan Welsh]
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Key Takeaways:

  • Mark Vanhoenacker’s "Skyfaring" offers a detailed, immersive look into the life of a long-haul pilot, exploring the mechanics, routines, joys, and challenges of flying.
  • The book is crafted to appeal to both seasoned aviators and general readers by inviting them into the cockpit and daily experiences, vividly describing the unique sensations and conflicts inherent in flight.
  • Vanhoenacker shares personal anecdotes, from his initial flight lessons to profound moments aloft, such as an unplanned "flight to nowhere," highlighting both the practical and emotional aspects of aviation.
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One could debate whether Mark Vanhoenacker’s Skyfaring—A Journey with a Pilot, is more essay or memoir, but what matters more for other pilots and aviation enthusiasts is that this is a book about flying.

From the mechanics and formalities of the endeavor to its potential for joy and heartbreak, the book reveals flying in precise detail as the author invites readers into the cockpit on long-haul international routes. We also accompany him in the hotels, restaurants, and meeting rooms that punctuate his daily routine. There is even a night spent in a Boeing 747’s crew bunk that might induce claustrophobia.

Jonathan Welsh

Jonathan Welsh is Lead Editor of Aviation Consumer and a private pilot who worked as a reporter, editor and columnist with the Wall Street Journal for 21 years, mostly covering the auto industry. His passion for aviation began in childhood with balsa-wood gliders his aunt would buy for him at the corner store. Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonathanWelsh4

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