The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

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What We Like: This manual offers additional insight into the practice of flying that goes beyond the basic maneuvers. Durden fills in the gaps, so this is the book one read after you have your pilot certificate or anytime you have aviation questions. This is a lovely book, just as the animated film made from it is lovely. It is the kind of premise I resist, maybe because it sounds too generalized or precious about The Things That Matter, but its execution is really beautiful, and I love it. Books are important. They contain the magic of other worlds and lives and the magic of our experiences living in other worlds and other lives.

Former FLYING editor-in-chief Richard Collins approaches the seriousness of flying with the right attitude in this book. Navigating any difficult situation in the air is the hallmark of becoming a good pilot, so Collins helps you to prepare yourself as best you can by reviewing the stories and practical advice that Collins shares from a lifetime of flying. The years pass and Morris grows older and now the books take care of him. Soon its time for him to leave and pass the care and keeping of his wondrous library to someone else.Not every project came off – far from it, as the book reveals. We all know of the successes – Thrust 2, Thrust SSC and the Bloodhound, now out of Richard’s hands but still showing potential to hit 1,000mph – but along the way were failures like the ARV Super 2 light aircraft, the Atlantic Sprinter – a long range powerboat and the Farnborough F1 turboprop. The latter was aimed at delivering an ‘air taxi service’ (Noble likens it to Uber) that, operating from small airfields, would beat the airlines in time taken to deliver passengers to their destinations. caption id="attachment_7495" align="alignnone" width="333" caption="A fascinating account of a fighter pilot's job during the Cold War."] [/caption] What First Light does for Spitfires and the Battle of Britain, Robert Prest does for the F-4 Phantom in RAF service in the Cold War. Bouncing Buccaneers at low level, the awesome power of a jet fighter at your fingertips, this book gives a day-to-day account of a fighter pilot on QRA defending the UK and NATO in the military stand-off in Europe. Superbly written. Night Flight – Antoine de Saint-Exupery A beautiful picture book, but one written for adults more than children. I didn’t have a child to test it on, so I’m just going from memories of my child tendencies, and past experiences of trying to interest small ones in picture books. The clue is in the title: Ron Lloyd came to fly the Spitfire only after a long operational career that started on the Gloucester Javelin, involved a fascinating stint flying the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger on a USAF exchange programme and by 1969 saw him instructing on the Folland Gnat. The producers of the Battle of Britain movie had acquired their ‘enemy’ aircraft from the Spanish, but it was the RAF that provided the bulk of the home contingent, in the form of gate guardian Spitfires restored to flying – or at least taxying – condition and the pilots to fly them. Among this happy number was Ron, who not only logged lots of hours flying for the director but took a large number of behind the scenes ‘stills’ that add greatly to the appeal and historical interest of Fast Jets to Spitfires.

caption id="attachment_7492" align="alignnone" width="165" caption="Biggles Pioneer Air Fighter draws heavily on the authors WW1 experience."] [/caption] Biggles might be regarded in some quarters now as hopelessly outdated - a children’s square-jawed flying ace from a different age. However, Biggles Pioneer Air Fighter contains a collection of vignettes that draw heavily on Johns’ own first-hand flying experiences as a pilot flying DH4s with 55 Sqn in WW1, including being shot down and taken prisoner. One wonders of the tales in this book, (including a carrier messenger pigeon going through the propeller) how many of these had happened to the author himself. Propellerhead – Anthony WoodwardThe book has been updated five times and includes the latest advances in flight weather services, including radar. This is a good read for both aspiring and professional flyers, with simple explanations on how to judge and negotiate weather conditions. Weather Flying won the Safety Foundation’s Publication Award and is recommended by the FAA. caption id="attachment_7494" align="alignnone" width="222" caption="Fiction it may be, but Bomber conveys the courage and tragedy of WW2 night air raids in an unforgettable way."] [/caption] A masterpiece of storytelling and research, Len Deighton’s novel Bomber focuses on a single night in RAF Bomber Command’s aerial campaign against Germany in WW2. As well as the Lancaster crews, it also includes the point of view from ground crews, civilians and the Luftwaffe nightfighters. A brutal and harrowing account of total aerial warfare. F-4 Phantom - A Pilot’s Story - Robert Prest

Keep yourself and passengers safe while remaining confident when you’re flying in any type of weather. This FAA-recommended book is beneficial for pilots at any stage of their journey. Aimless Morris Lessmore wanders through a grey world when he sees a beautiful young woman flying through the air being pulled by a bunch of flying books. Her favorite flies down and leads Morris to an ancient and magical library where he becomes the caretaker and friend to all its hundreds of inhabitants. He spends his days lost in their stories and sharing them with others. Every night he writes in his own book, filling it with his hopes and dreams and everything he wishes for. A pilot’s job can often take a toll on them both physically and mentally if you’re not prepared. This book offers solid advice for any commercial pilot. On the other hand, this was made into a very watchable Academy Award-winning short film that provides more visual interest and adds even more charming notes. You haven’t seen animated books until you saw the little egg-book above play a piano at 6:05. The above ‘surgery’ scene, which follows soon after, is a charming spoof of historical medical theater. It's only 17 minutes long and free on youtube when I wrote this review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad3CM... Learn everything about flight instruments, weather theory, aerodynamics, aircraft systems, airports, and navigation—you name it, this book has it.Among the stories are those of Florence Klingensmith, Ruth Elder, Amelia Earhart, Ruth Nichols, and Louise Thaden, who excelled at racing airplanes–and then translated this skill to other aviation pursuits.

Morris liked to share the books with others. Sometimes it was a favorite that everyone loved, and other times he found a lonely little volume whose tale was seldom told. 'Everyone's story matters,' said Morris. All the books agreed." caption id="attachment_7491" align="alignnone" width="166" caption="West with the Night reminds us that flying is not just a man's world."] [/caption] ‘Poetry in flight’ best describes this 1942 memoir from aviatrix Beryl Markham of bush flying in Africa and long-distance flight, which includes her solo flight across the Atlantic. Lyrical and expressive her descriptions of the adventure of flying continue to inspire others, including Boeing test pilot Captain Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann, who said Markham's book was 'closest to her heart' in a RAeS lecture. Biggles Pioneer Air Fighter W.E. Johns I definitely enjoyed the drawings, which remained me of the style of Chris Van Allsburg, one of my favorite picture book artists.

To have created such a gentle, supremely beautiful tribute to the glory and wonder of books, library's and reading is the crown jewel in William Joyce's already epic career. At least I think so. Tom Crouch, a curator emeritus of the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, helps you follow some of the greatest pilots and other people in aviation history. Aviation wouldn’t be where it is without their contributions. He tells the story of both amateurs and experts beautifully and leaves you with a great understanding of just how far we’ve truly come.