THE LIST
I’ll keep adding new resources as I find them.
Be curious! Dig around the interwebs. Tell me if you find something new.
Blue skies and tailwinds!
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.
AIRPLANE FLYING HANDBOOK
An official publication of the FAA, the AIRPLANE FLYING HANDBOOK will be one of your essential textbooks during your primary flight training.
It is well written, full of helpful graphics and photos, and will give you a good understanding of the elements of a development path from your first flights to your transition to more powerful, more complex aircraft and flight environments.
While it is available as a free download from the FAA website, you may choose to order a printed copy from your bookseller of choice.