The Age of Flight: A History of America's Pioneering Airline [Hardcover]

William Garvey (Author), David Fisher (Author), Randy Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2001

This incredible book is wonderfully written and pulls from the United Airlines archives for nostalgic artwork, advertising, and actual photographs of the airline through time. Celebrate this groundbreaking airline from its humble beginnings in open bi-planes beginning the first airmail service in the country to one of the most respected modern trend-setting airlines in the world. Span the years for yourself and be truly impressed.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Pace Communications (November 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966706110
• ISBN-13: 978-0966706116
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #947,760 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A terrific book for those who love commercial aviation, December 30, 2001

By 

John B (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Age of Flight: A History of America's Pioneering Airline (Hardcover)

This is a terrific book. If you have any interest in the birth and development of one of the world's great airlines - United - this book is for you. It's beautifully laid out, and filled with images from United's vast archives. From its birth as a mail carrier to development of the Boeing 777 - this book traces United's growth and development. The book is an official corporate history of the airline, published by Pace Communications which happens to also publish United's inflight magazine. In many respects, the book looks like a polished and extended annual report, sans the numbers. But regardless, it is still a worthwhile read and the images and design make it a keepsake.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WONDER OF AIR TRAVELPAST, PRESENT, AND FUTUREIN UAL BOOK, February 28, 2002

By 

John H. Hill, Curator-in-Charge of Aviation, ... (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Age of Flight: A History of America's Pioneering Airline (Hardcover)

The Age of Flight: A History of America's Pioneering Airline documents the first 75 years of United Airlines in rich detail. Hundreds of illustrations-drawn primarily from the collections of the United Airlines Archives-accompany the authors' insightful text to carry the reader on a journey from the adventurous days of the start-up airmail carriers that formed UAL through the growth and management of the company that became one of the world's largest airlines. All of the better known pioneers and legends are here; Knight, Cuddeback, Lee, Varney, Gorst, Boeing, Vought, Lindbergh, Keys, Rentschler, Patterson, Stimpson, Church, Jeppeson, Hiscock, Kinkella, O'Connor, and Norwood. Due credit is also given to the legions of employees whose work created the dominant transcontinental Main Line and eventual global network based on safety and service. The fold-out of Raymond E. Smith's color illustrations of the fleet from the de Havilland DH-4 to the Boeing 777, a corporate genealogy, thorough indexing, and other features such as a chapter on the future of flight make this book a valuable resource for the student, scholar, and aviation history enthusiast.

John H. Hill
Curator-in-Charge of Aviation
San Francisco Airport Museums

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Those Magnificent Flying Machines, December 30, 2003

By 

Jack McGuire - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Age of Flight: A History of America's Pioneering Airline (Hardcover)

Current troubles aside, and they have been manifold, the romantic history of United Airlines, marking its 75th anniversary, makes for absorbing reading. Documenting many of the pioneering airline's groundbreaking contributions to commercial aviation, the co-authors of "The Age of Flight" (Pace Communications), William Garvey and David Fisher, take a long, loving look at the memorabilia and images of aviation's "Golden Age."

As interesting as the unfolding United story may be, equally engaging are the extensive collection of full-page and double-truck black-and-white and full-color photos and illustrations. Kudos to the carrier's veteran coordinator of archives, Barbara Hanson, whose Herculean efforts, long hours and exhaustive research, made a remarkable contribution to the book. Aviation aficionados in particular will find many of the 10 x 11-inch volume's outstanding selection of artwork, in infinite variety, suitable for framing.

In a 1920s photo of passengers seated in wicker chairs on a United Ford Trimotor, with windows that opened, there's the amusing admonition, "Cigarette smoking only permitted. Throw no matches, lighted cigarettes or refuse on cabin floor, or from plane window." By the way, the co-pilot served food.

From the same period, an ad for a "Business Men's Special." Los Angeles to Chicago, a 22 ¼ hour flight, $115, with 10 percent off on roundtrips. "Fare includes lunch. Smoking permitted. Two pilots on each plane. Move about if you wish."

Of more recent vintage in the 75th anniversary paean, some of the memorable advertising successes, themes and slogans on the air and in print extolling "The Friendly Skies" are documented. The book concludes on a note of cautious optimism-taking a look ahead at what the future might hold for the once-mighty monarch of the skies.

Reprinted with writer's permission (Jack McGuire) from 12/17/2003 book review in "Frequent Flyer" magazine.