Unusual Attitudes by Martha Lunken

[Ben]

Hi POA team.

A couple of months ago I read through Martha Lunken's book, "Unusual attitudes". Although this book is really just a combination of all Martha's columns (and those of us who read flying mag have read many of them already), I still thought that this book was particularly good (and cheap). I like when Martha talks about "the old days of flying".

Her passage, "the great flour bombing campaign of 1989" is very poignant.

https://www.flyingmag.com/martha-lunken/great-flour-bombing-campaign-1989

 

[Tantalum]

Martha is great, she's one of my favorites when reading Flying magazine. I really enjoy her bad ass style.

 

[SkyDog58]

Always enjoy her column. Thinking about buying the book.

 

[mscard88]

First thing I read is Martha. Love her stories and style. Bet she's a blast to hang out with.

Same in the past with Bax and Morgan.

 

[Hawker800]

^^^^^^^
Me too.

 

[somorris]

I like Martha. I think some of her columns may have contributed to the loss of her DPE designation. She has been pretty critical of her former employer.

 

[Shepherd]

Martha is the bomb! I love reading her stuff.
I wish she did speaking engagements. I would love to hear her tell some of her stories, live.

 

[Half Fast]

I had to take a trip to Cincinnati a few months ago, and needed something to read on the plane. Hmmmm. Air travel. Cincinnati. Gotta be Martha! So I downloaded the ebook.

Delightful stories. (I just wish so many stories didn't seem to end with a friend of hers dying in a plane crash.). My favorite is the one about her accidentally dumping her FAA handheld radio into the commode.

I've re-read the book several times already. It's entertaining every time. Martha is a master story teller and I'd love to have a cup of coffee with her sometime.

 

[kyleb]

I've thought about tracking her down for a BFR one of these days. I imagine a de-brief over a beer would be even better.

 

[tmyers]

She lost her FAA credentials after she hand propped her tail drager and tore up a few other airplanes IIRC. Someone will be along to correct me soon. I have net her, she is a hoot!!!

 

[kyleb]

She lost her FAA credentials after she hand propped her tail drager and tore up a few other airplanes IIRC. Someone will be along to correct me soon. I have net her, she is a hoot!!!

I thought her cub dinged the wingtip of a C-15X. She downplayed it, but the FAA apparently went after her pretty hard. I thought they only took part of her credentials (her DPE), but I'm not placing bets on remembering that correctly.

 

[mscard88]

She lost her FAA credentials after she hand propped her tail drager and tore up a few other airplanes IIRC. Someone will be along to correct me soon. I have net her, she is a hoot!!!

A few issues back in Flying she wrote about it. I forget all the details though. Maybe I can find the article. Sounds like another Bob Hoover deal. Apparently she had two deals and the second link below she wrote about losing her DPE.

Ah found it: https://www.flyingmag.com/unusual-attitudes-no-excuses-screw-up#page-4
https://www.flyingmag.com/unusual-attitudes-another-screw-up#page-3

 

[Ben]

Yeah. Pretty surprising that they immediately took her DPE from her- but I guess crashing on the ground is a serious infraction. I personally think she has felt a little aimless with her writing since that incident- but she is still a far better read than guys like Peter Garrison in Flying magazine (I can't relate to buying a private jet or sailing for months in the Caribbean).

 

[mscard88]

Peter Garrison in Flying magazine (I can't relate to buying a private jet or sailing for months in the Caribbean).

Peter is the technical guy, he's ok. You're thinking of the retired surgeon, never have understood how or why he has a column. Not crazy about Les Bend either myself. His articles always seem thrown together just before deadline.

 

[Ben]

Peter is the technical guy, he's ok. You're thinking of the retired surgeon, never have understood how or why he has a column. Not crazy about Les Bend either myself. His articles always seem thrown together just before deadline.

You're right Mark- my apologies. Yes- Les Abend. I always forget about his columns to be honest with you. They are such a waste of potential. I mean, here is a guy who is currently senior in the industry flying the line. So many great discussions about the industry he could talk about. Even just a "culture of the airlines" type of discussion. It seems like he is afraid to rock the boat or speak with any real candor/depth. Instead, he is like "my first Officer and I bonded when he forgot something on the checklist".

Dick Karl is who I was talking about. I agree with you- no idea who decided to give him a column. For a guy who has done alright in life, nothing seems to make him happy. I also like the article where some biz jet pilot called him out on glamorizing the life, and Dr. Karl's conclusion was pretty much "so what"?

 

[mscard88]

You're right Mark- my apologies. Yes- Les Abend. I always forget about his columns to be honest with you. They are such a waste of potential. I mean, here is a guy who is currently senior in the industry flying the line. So many great discussions about the industry he could talk about. Even just a "culture of the airlines" type of discussion. It seems like he is afraid to rock the boat or speak with any real candor/depth. Instead, he is like "my first Officer and I bonded when he forgot something on the checklist".

Dick Karl is who I was talking about. I agree with you- no idea who decided to give him a column. For a guy who has done alright in life, nothing seems to make him happy. I also like the article where some biz jet pilot called him out on glamorizing the life, and Dr. Karl's conclusion was pretty much "so what"?

There's another guy (Sam Weigel) who I like that has a column. He was a regional pilot for SkyWest I think and then got on with Delta. He has some good stories, not all related to flying like his sailboat stories, which he does tie in to flying. I believe he and his wife (also a pilot) own a Cub.