By: Meghann Witthoft
In an office chock-full of publishers, it comes as no surprise that many of us at JETPUBS enjoy reading off the clock as well. While the strangely fascinating genre of aviation manuals is prime reading material in our day-to-day queue, our staff also look for ways to learn more about aviation from varying perspectives. Recently, Cockpit Confidential: Everything You Need to Know about Air Travel by Patrick Smith found its way to the top of our reading list.
Written in 2013, this volume has aged gracefully. From technology to customer service, Smith speaks to the industry from the perspective of a pilot whose passion is to educate and entertain. Needing another reason to check your local library for a copy or speed to your online shopping cart? Here are three reasons we suggest adding “Read Cockpit Confidential” to your weekend to do list:
Perfectly packaged perspective for all.
Smith emphasizes throughout the entire book that his main goal is to utilize his passion and knowledge to inform the general public. However, he also structures the novel in a way that lends itself to entertain those involved in the industry. Whether you are gathering information on an industry unlike any other or a seasoned veteran looking to see your career in another light, this book is for you.
The ideal combination of emotions and information.
There are certainly no shortage of books that seem to purely offer information in a vacuum with little personal insight. This is not one of those books. Smith shares bits of his personal journey as a pilot while at the same time providing impactful material. From his illustrated description of making ramen in a hotel coffee maker to logging flight information of planes leaving his local airport as a young sprout, you feel connected to his past and this establishes his undeniable drive to provide the most applicable aviation knowledge.
Wit, wisdom, and wisecracks.
Have you ever been that person waiting for a flight at the gate, reading to pass the time, when something you read makes you laugh out loud to be met with confused looks? If you have, here we go again. If you haven’t, be prepared to be that person. While truly informative, Cockpit Confidential tickles your funny bone on more than one occasion through Smith’s witty storytelling. One of the favorites that lead to a laughter-induced side ache involves an airplane lavatory and an unsuspecting turbofan.
So, grab a cup of your favorite warm drink and prepare to read the entire volume in one sitting. If that leaves you hankering for more of Smith’s helpful answers or sarcastic anecdotes, visit Smith’s website “Ask the Pilot.” Our collection of aviation nerds and avid readers here at JETPUBS have stamped Cockpit Confidential and its unique take on the industry “weekend reading list approved.”
Have you read Cockpit Confidential or are you looking for more reasons to check it out? Let us know in the comments below.