If youre a nervous flier, or a mystified flier who doesnt quite understand how heavier-than-air craft can stay aloft, this book is worth checking out. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Whether you thrill at, fear, or, like many, have never bothered to stop and think about the wonder of commercial flight, The Flying Book will surprise and entertain you with the range of its information while it reassures you about the safety of flight. David Blatner takes readers from the cockpit to the runway, the control tower, the baggage and security systems, the airplane manufacturing plant, and beyond, explaining the many factors that cause airplanes to fly and make airline travel possible. There are stops along the way to examine airplane maintenance, pilot training, the effects of weather, safety statistics, airplane food, tips for staying healthy while on board, oddball aviation inventions such as the air car, and what aerodynamicists have learned from birds and bugs.

Blatners breezy, readable narrative is peppered with little-known flying facts, entertaining sidebars, and a field guide to commercial aircraft. With a brief history of aviation to put flying in perspective, as well as mini-biographies of some of historys great aviators, The Flying Book is a treasure trove of fascinating aviation facts. A delight for travelersbusiness, pleasure, or armchairor any readers who like to indulge their sense of curiosity, The Flying Book captures the spirit, illuminates the science, and reveals the magic of flight.