Flying book for teenager

Morgan3820

Morgan3820

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My 14 yr. old daughter will start flight instruction this spring in my Warrior. I am looking for suggestions for suitable book as a Christmas present to get her started. I was thinking of Stick and Rudder, based on the positive reviews but I myself have never read it. Would this be a good intro or does something else come to mind?
 
My first book was (PHAK) Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. I still refer to it very often.
 
Go with stick and rudder, makes for a basic understanding of flying.
 
get her the airplane flying handbook from the faa. which of course can be found online but also in book form
 
Pffff, screw books, get her X-Plane or Flight Simulator X on the PC.
 
Is she really techie oriented, as in, engineer material? Girls can learn differently than boys, and put things together in their minds differently when learning about physics and spatial concepts. It will come as no surprise that girls are more word oriented! :lol:

To round out the more technical books, these might be helpful.

On Extended Wings by Diane Ackerman

Zero Three Bravo by Mariana Gosnell

Those books deal more with the heart, soul, and simple pleasures of flying, but in a way that can be educational as well, for those tuned to the nuances of language.

My copy of Flight of Passage is all bent where I gripped it so hard during their flight across the Rockies. Holy mackerel. Good, but I barely survived it.:hairraise:

Langewiesche the Younger wrote a book of essays on flying called Inside the Sky, which are thought-provoking, but he pushes a lot of envelopes in his flying that probably would have curdled his dad's blood.
 
Start her now in a glider, they can solo at 14. Check SAA.org "Where to Fly" to find the closest club or soaring site.
 
Morgan3820 said:
My 14 yr. old daughter will start flight instruction this spring in my Warrior. I am looking for suggestions for suitable book as a Christmas present to get her started. I was thinking of Stick and Rudder, based on the positive reviews but I myself have never read it. Would this be a good intro or does something else come to mind?
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Stick and Rudder has a lot of good information but a 14-year-old might find the writing style a little... quaint. Or she might love it. You know her better than anyone here.
 
BillTIZ said:
Start her now in a glider, they can solo at 14. Check SAA.org "Where to Fly" to find the closest club or soaring site.
Click to expand...

This. Four years ago my father handed me The Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. I didn't actually read it until I began my PPL training last year. She'll be much happier actually flying and then reading during her training. It will also make for an easier transition later, and be a good motivator. :yesnod:
 
The PHAK is too technical to start off with. I second the AFH.
 
Kershner's Student Pilot's Flight Manual worked out pretty well for my daughter.
 
Stick and Rudder was the first flying book I read, albeit in my early 20's.

To date me a bit, I had been pointed towards it by its mention in The Whole Earth Catalog - which I still have some 40 years later.

Anyway, that would be my choice.
 
The Airplane Flying Handbook would be a real good one for an aspiring pilot.

But I'm partial to Rod Machado's books. That guy can explain anything. The private pilot book costs quite a lot more than the AFM.

Stick and Rudder is a fabulous book, but it is indeed a bit quaint in style. I think she'll get more out of it after a couple of flights, though.
 
Anything by Richard Bach
"Women Aviators" by Karen Gibson
Rod Machado's PPL book
"Amelia Earhart's Daughters" by Haynsworth
"The Little Prince" by Saint Exupery

The goal is to interest her and teach her without the tedium of the reference books that are written by people who forget what it was like to be a teenager, what it was like to learn to fly.

Get Stick & Rudder for yourself, read it then give it to her.
 
Machado's book is humorous. But you know your daughter better than anyone....
 
Hello, new poster here, but as a 19 year old girl working on my private license I thought I'd chime in.

My biggest difficulty so far has been engine systems since I have no prior experience with anything mechanical. Otto cycle? Carburetor? Spark plugs? And where the hell are those cheeky little pistons? (Best video I have found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVqf7ArLBXs&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLCE7B71E76BE03C8A His other videos are also good)

I tried reading several books and even if the material made sense while reading I couldn't retain much of it. By far the most helpful book for me has been Rod Machado's "Private Pilot Handbook." His explanations are simple and written in plain English. Some of his jokes are corny but they really do help me pay attention when I'm reading. I highly recommend it when she starts studying for the written.

Personally I always thought airplanes were quite boring. They're just cars in the sky, nothing special. I actually got interested in flying when I read Elizabeth Wein's "Code Name Verity" about two young women in World War II. One is a pilot, and there's some flying involved. I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction but it was excellent, and when I saw the author was a pilot I wanted to learn more. If you're looking for a book for your daughter, I would recommend it. It starts a bit slow but it is really worth it.

I read it in June, went for an intro flight in September, started lessons in October and right now I'm having a blast getting ready to solo. Wish I had started sooner!
 
MAKG1 said:
The private pilot book costs quite a lot more than the AFM.
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Good place to mention that virtually all of the FAA publications are available online for free as pdf's.

Don't know how that fits into a gifting scenario, but a very comprehensive aviation library would actually fit on a thumb drive or SD card, ready to be installed on the recipient's reader of choice.

Here's what's on my "Flight Training" shelf in iBooks:

11188456304_115d3c92c0.jpg
 
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BillTIZ said:
Start her now in a glider, they can solo at 14. Check SAA.org "Where to Fly" to find the closest club or soaring site.
Click to expand...

She wants to fly and you tell her to go excavate artifacts? :confused:

Google tells me you meant SSA.org

:wink2:
 
Definitely the Machado books will be amusing for her compared to the cut and dry aviation stuff. My wife picked up a lot of her interest in flying from attending Machado's lectures.
 
I'd recommend:

THE COMPLETE PRIVATE PILOT by Bob Gardner. (who's here on the board.)

It's written in an easy-to-understand style, and it's chock full of the ideas and practical knowledge that will help her assimilate it all when she gets in the cockpit.

It was my first real aviation book, and I still refer to it.
 
FlyGirlKHWO said:
I'd recommend:

THE COMPLETE PRIVATE PILOT by Bob Gardner. (who's here on the board.)

It's written in an easy-to-understand style, and it's chock full of the ideas and practical knowledge that will help her assimilate it all when she gets in the cockpit.

It was my first real aviation book, and I still refer to it.
Click to expand...

:yeahthat:
 
NovemberZulu said:
Hello, new poster here, but as a 19 year old girl working on my private license I thought I'd chime in.

My biggest difficulty so far has been engine systems since I have no prior experience with anything mechanical. Otto cycle? Carburetor? Spark plugs? And where the hell are those cheeky little pistons? (Best video I have found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVqf7ArLBXs&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLCE7B71E76BE03C8A His other videos are also good)

I tried reading several books and even if the material made sense while reading I couldn't retain much of it. By far the most helpful book for me has been Rod Machado's "Private Pilot Handbook." His explanations are simple and written in plain English. Some of his jokes are corny but they really do help me pay attention when I'm reading. I highly recommend it when she starts studying for the written.

Personally I always thought airplanes were quite boring. They're just cars in the sky, nothing special. I actually got interested in flying when I read Elizabeth Wein's "Code Name Verity" about two young women in World War II. One is a pilot, and there's some flying involved. I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction but it was excellent, and when I saw the author was a pilot I wanted to learn more. If you're looking for a book for your daughter, I would recommend it. It starts a bit slow but it is really worth it.

I read it in June, went for an intro flight in September, started lessons in October and right now I'm having a blast getting ready to solo. Wish I had started sooner!
Click to expand...

Howdy Zulu and welcome to one of the most fun addictions! 'Bout the same expense as controlled substances, too. Still get high. Can still get harassed by the cops. Always looking for your next fix. But you never have to hide it from friends and family!
 
Yes, welcome November Zulu. I liked the YouTube link. Thank you
 
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