STICK AND RUDDER

One of the first explorations of the theory and practice of flying airplanes, STICK AND RUDDER is still a great read and belongs on the bookshelf of any aspiring or experienced pilot. Author Wolfgang Langewiesche was not only skilled as an aviator but was an excellent writer, too, distilling big concepts into easy to grasp prose.

While there are indeed a few sections that feel quaint, most of this book is practical and relevant to modern pilots.

I remember where I was sitting when I read his explanation that we use opposite rudder to arrest an incipient spin in order to SPEED UP the FALLING WING. Boom. Mind blown.

Keep this book with you during your training and dig back in when grounded for weather or equipment breakdowns. You’ll learn and feel inspired to be part of a long decades-old tradition.