Cockpit Confidential: Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel: Questions, Answers, and Reflections

Very interesting book with lots of information about air travel and airplanes that most people don't know. I skipped some parts which I wasn't interested in as I bought it mainly to help me with my fear of flying. Rationally, I think it has helped (or will because I haven't flown since I read it) but fear of flying is irrational so who knows. Glad I read it though.

I would class myself as having a good understanding of aviation so was somewhat cautious when I started this. Such concerns were alleviated almost immediately as I made my way through the book.It is laid out in a question and answer format. The questions are perfectly feasible and never inane. The answers are straightforward and always interesting. The author is not condescending and has a great way of answering a question in a clear, unbiased manner. Quite refreshing...The authors overall love for everything flight related is also clear to see. Again - a plus point.On the whole, I would recommend this book to anyone with even a fleeting interest in flight.

As an occasional long-haul passenger I found this informative and approachably-pitched; it makes an interesting foil to 'Skyfaring' which I read after it was serialised on BBC R4 during 2015. Amazon helpfully suggests there are any no. of other works out there that are variations on the same intriguing theme, but I think I'd stick to these two!

I really enjoyed this book. It descends into scrapbookery towards the end but is an interesting insight into a secret world that helped me - someone conquering flight anxiety - gain an insight that has helped me with this quest.

Flight enthusiasts will find this book very thorough and a joy to read. As a nervous flyer, I can't say I dispelled all my fears after reading this book but I certainly found some rational explanations for what was before a total mystery! Enjoyable read

A humorous and insightful view into the aviation world that includes funny and informative anecdotes, as well as broader aviation history notes that shall broaden how you think about “flying” and all that sandwiches it.A very entertainingly informative read.

I am very pleased I bought an extra book as a gift for my family, and the first chapter is going to be strongly advised reading for my grandkids. What a superb piece of work. Ideally edited and just about spot on in terms of detail and content. Humorous in a nice dry way, and it invokes a refreshing concept of travel, from someone who really knows the subject, and takes a balanced view of it.

Paperback - came in very good condition but brought as a gift. Looks an interesting read.

Well written, interesting, and funny at times. Q&A style, divided by question type category chapters. A perfect balance of good information without delving too too deep into the very dry and unnecessary stuff.Excellent read for aircraft enthusiasts, generalists, and those looking for answers to calm their fears or appease their curiosities. Written for adults however my tween also really appreciated the read. Highly recommend.

I am really impressed by Patrick Smith's extremely pleasant writing style and use of words. I love flying (as a passenger) and I always wondered what goes on behind the scenes in an airport and in the cockpit. I'm fascinated by everything involving airplanes and little did I know that this book can teach me so much things that I never knew or have never come across before. The question and answer portions are particularly fascinating. Also, the opinion portions are equally deserving of praise. This book is perfect if you just want to learn the basics of how planes fly, basic questions from passengers (their questions about safety, food, etc.), how an aircraft cabin works (i.e. pressurization, washrooms, and even the proper etiquette on the use of overhead bins), and some opinion on the airline logos.

This is a very informative and entertaining look into the world of passenger aviation. Mr. Smith demystifies many of the concerns of airline passengers and provides an interesting look into the lives of professional aviators. He explains the tasks that pilots carry out during a flight with clarity and humor. This is an enjoyable read.

Very enjoyable read about aviation and all its intricacies. I don't know what possessed me to buy this book as I have never taken an interest in aviation before, but this was a very enjoyable book and had a lot of interesting stories/facts about planes/airports/pilots etc. Some of it was quite technical which wasn't for me, but overall I would definitely recommend and you will learn a lot.

J'avais déjà acheté le livre précédent de Patrick Smith, mais celui-ci est une nouvelle version révisée avec bien plus de contenu. Il mérite largement 5 étoiles ! Ce qui est sympa, c'est que au-delà de toutes les questions qu'on peut se poser en tant que passager, il écrit également des petites rubriques plus personnelles qui permettent de mieux comprendre par exemple ce que ça implique de devenir pilote, psychologiquement, et comment on ressent les choses quand on est aux commandes ! Il parle également du côté "voyage" qui fait partie du métier, avec ses avantages et ses inconvénients. Parmi mes livres aéronautiques, celui-ci est dans mon top 2 ! "Cockpit confidentials" vous satisfera car vous comprendrez beaucoup de choses après l'avoir lu et vous profiterez de votre savoir acquis lors de votre prochain vol. Ce livre est également facile à lire !

This is the proverbial "everything you wanted to know about flying - but were afraid to ask" account of an American commercial pilot's experiences in and out of the flight deck, and answers many questions we all have about flying, from our start in the terminal through to the flight itself. Mr. Smith has documented this process well and recounts many of his experiences over the past couple of decades. Well worth the read.

Wer sich für die Verkehrsfliegerei interessiert und der englischen Sprache mächtig ist, findet hier ein gut zu lesendes Buch mit vielen Erklärungen, Tipps und Geschichten! Auch zum Nachschlagen von Technikfragen...

This book is aimed to the general aucience. It tries hard not to be so technic. It focus mostly about the most frequent asqued questions, and the reasons behind the procedures.The author is a veteran pilot and a plane lover since childhood, and he grasps a deep knowledge in the matter.Since I'm and engineer I was expecting a more in-depth technical book. It's not a con, more a matter of personal tastes.

The only thing missing to keep me from giving this book a 5-star rating is a couple of pictures/drawing of the wings and tail assembly detailing the various parts spoken about. It wouldn't have had to been an elaborate drawing either, just something we "uneducated" could relate to.

Very entertaining book that explains all of the airline jargon we have always wondered about. Although I will never fully understand all of the ins and outs of flying and airport logistics, I now feel I have a basic understanding of how things work. Highly recommend this book for anyone who is the least bit curious about what goes on behind the scenes!

This book was interesting for about 2/3 of it, until the author began to talk about aviation logos and stuff about marketing as in general. I wanted crunchy details about airplanes, not a critique of the logo of United. Still worth the price and fun to read, I learned a few things in there.

If you're a follower of Patrick Smith's blog you might think there's nothing for you here … you're going to be proven pleasantly wrong. I'm a jaded traveller, a former airport employee of the ramp and I love aircraft, so I bought the book and honestly fastened my seatbelt into some low expectations. That was before I slapped my forehead when Patrick explained why my former place of employment, the ramp, is called the ramp. I had absolutely no idea! In fact, if you are buying this book for the FAQ's, you're in for a really fine treat. There's plenty of insider, fascinating information for you … BUT …. what I didn't expect from this book (and from a pilot) are truly well written and entertaining, even sometimes sentimental stories delivered with the odd genuine LOL. There are well crafted essays here that are entertaining and provide clever journeys between chapters. It's definitely not a "fear of flying" solution or even a book about "planes" but it is a thoughtful, effortlessly engaging book about the bigger world of air travel and the human flying the passenger along for the ride. Recommended for the airline know-it-all (no you don't,) the average person who wants to know how much money a pilot makes (you know you do,) and a gift for the curious reader out there.

Per chi come me ama il volo e' un libro molto interessante, ricco di risposte e di curiosità'

lettura piacevole, scorrevole, scritto in maniera molto comprensibile. Forse l'autore avrebbe potuto essere un po' piu super partes trattando vari aspetti, ma nel complesso ok

Aunque no me agradó la manera en la que se expresa el autor, el libro es bueno y está lleno de información interesante. Me agradan las anécdotas y el formato de pregunta/respuesta.