Synopses & Reviews
a gripping, in-depth look at how America's $200 billion aviation industry took flight
"To understand the industry, this is necessary reading." —The Miami Herald
"With the precision of a scientist, a good reporter's marshaling of disparate facts, and the vigor of a natural storyteller, Heppenheimer offers an absorbing narrative." —Richard Snow, Editor American Heritage.
"Tom Heppenheimer tells a fascinating story." — R. T. Jones Inventor of the swept wing.
"An important addition to the history of technology as well as business." — Publishers Weekly.
"An airworthy briefing firmly grounded in the applied science and allied realities that permit air transport of passengers and cargo over long distances and high speeds." — Kirkus Reviews.
Synopsis
Here is a gripping, in-depth look at how America's $200 billion aviation industry took flight -- from rickety, post-World War I biplanes that navigated by following railroad tracks to today's supersonic airliners that carry half a billion passengers a year. The story of one of the most exciting industries of our time, this book profiles the successes of such industry leaders as Boeing, American, United, and Delta as well as the demises of Pan Am, TWA, and Eastern. Heppenheimer also brings to life colorful, outspoken aviation leaders such as Juan Trippe, Howard Hughes, Donald Douglas, and Frank Lorenzo.
Synopsis
a gripping, in-depth look at how America's $200 billion aviation industry took flight
"To understand the industry, this is necessary reading." --The Miami Herald
"With the precision of a scientist, a good reporter's marshaling of disparate facts, and the vigor of a natural storyteller, Heppenheimer offers an absorbing narrative." --Richard Snow, Editor American Heritage.
"Tom Heppenheimer tells a fascinating story." -- R. T. Jones Inventor of the swept wing.
"An important addition to the history of technology as well as business." -- Publishers Weekly.
"An airworthy briefing firmly grounded in the applied science and allied realities that permit air transport of passengers and cargo over long distances and high speeds." -- Kirkus Reviews.
About the Author
T. A. HEPPENHEIMER, Ph.D., an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, has written extensively on aerospace, business, and the history of technology. He is a frequent contributor to magazines such as Discover, Forbes, Nature, Omni, and American Heritage, and has authored six previous books, including Countdown: A History of Space Flight (Wiley), Colonies in Space, and Toward Distant Suns.
Table of Contents
First Stirrings.
In Lindbergh's Path.
The Watershed.
This New Fire.
Like the Red Queen.
A Rising of Eagles.
A Time of Unreadiness.
Toward New Horizons.
Passage Through Gethsemane.
Search for Safety.
European Renaissance.
Shake-Up and Shakeout.
Afterword: A Look Ahead.
Notes.
Bibliography.
Index.