Customer Reviews

Flying Carpet-03

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A large portion of my life is spent with my nose in a book. I know a good one when I see it, and this is a good one. The moment I opened Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane, I was hooked. Greg Brown's unique talent lies in showing us how airplanes are used in the enterprise of aviation adventure while allowing us to learn some important lessons about flying. As
you read, youšll find yourself buckled in with Greg and heading off to the shores of Lake Winnipeg to watch a solar eclipse or wrestling with ice on your wings or trying to outwit troublesome mountain waves. The adventures are plenty and education always present as you explore many wonderful places across the United States. Flying Carpet is a book for everyone. Pilots will be entertained and wiser for having read it. Those who donšt fly will learn what itšs like to share the wings of a skilled aviator.
Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane captures the joy, enlightenment and adventure of flying an airplane. Each chapter is a ticket to share some of the extraordinary flying adventures that are the lifeblood of master flight instructor Greg Brown.
Beginning with his early development as a pilot, Greg reveals the important lessons that helped mold his ability to make sound aviation decisions. Sandwiched between these valuable lessons are stories about people. Some are pilots. Others simply enjoy and respect those who operate flying machines. As the novice becomes the journeyman and eventually the master, Greg reveals how relationships with people and airplanes ultimately
lead to greater wisdom.
No book about flying would be complete if it didnšt reveal how the use of an airplane expands time and shrinks space, making the distant parts of our extraordinary country more accessible. Flying Carpet does this and much more. Itšs also the tale of a man who evolves to think with the mind of a pilot, question with the curiosity of a philosopher, and see with the eyes of a poet.
Buckle in with Greg Brown and head off to chase a solar eclipse or wrestle with ice on your wings or try to outwit troublesome mountain waves. Each chapter of Flying Carpet is a new ticket to extraordinary adventures that transform a pilot from novice to journeyman and eventually, skilled aviator.

I'm an avid reader, reading quite a variety of books, fiction and non-fiction alike. It's not often that I put a book down after finishing it and wishing it could just go on and on. "Flying Carpet" is a perfect example of that wish.

Whether Mr. Brown meant to or not, each chapter had some sort of lesson in it for me. Planning an 'out' for inclement weather, using the airplane as a travel medium or simply having the good judgement to say "Not today, it's not safe". It all sunk in to this newly minted private pilot.

In addition to my own signed copy (B&N in Chandler, early November), I purchased one for my CFI as a thank you gift. I gave it to him after landing at Scottsdale, when he met me on the ramp to congratulate me on passing my checkride.

After my pilot father-in-law read the first chapter while visiting for Thanksgiving, my wife found another signed copy at the same store for him the following Saturday (ironically while he and I were flying around northern Arizona!).

Upon finishing the book, I realized that this wasn't written exclusively for pilots. I thought my mother, who is somewhat reluctant about my newfound love, would benefit greatly from the book. So we found two MORE signed copies, one destined for my mother in Michigan and another for my father in Dallas as Christmas presents. The following February, my mother went up with me and loved it!

I suspect this won't be the last of my purchases. The book has become a symbol for me. Instead of explaining why I love to fly, what I can do with the freedom and the joy of it, I simply send them the book with a note:

"This is what it's all about. Call me when you'd like to go up sometime!"

I'm looking forward to Mr. Brown's future columns in Flight Training magazine as well as new books from his experiences. A very interesting, easy to read book that left me wanting more!

If you're a pilot or have ever dreamed of becoming one, you'll love this book! Greg Brown takes readers into the cockpit of his small plane and shares all the struggles, triumphs and the crazy adventures of a pilot from his novice days through today, with several decades of experience behind him. I found the book immensely readable. The language is simple and straightforward and the stories are broken down into short chapters, each a separate adventure, which is ideal if your reading time is limited. I also liked the variety of stories -- some were harrowing, some were downright hilarious and all of them made me wish I had been along for the ride. Finally, I found this book to be as much about relationships -- father-son, husband-wife, family and friends -- as it is about flying, which really balanced out the book for me. An enormously satisfying read!

I am a student pilot and have been reading just about everything I can get my hands on that has to do with flying for the past two years. I first learned of Greg Brown through his Flying Carpet column in AOPA's Flight Training magazine and enjoyed his articles and writing. I stumbled upon this book through a search on Amazon and am so glad I did!

The book is extremely well written and you can tell through each page how deep Greg's passion is for flying and for sharing it with those around him. I felt as if I were along for the ride to all of the wonderful destinations he has been to.

I highly recommend the book not only for those interested in flying but the non-fliers alike!

As a flight instructor, I know this book will be fun reading for every pilot and for those who dream about being pilots. Brown shares the thrills and chills of flying and, at the same time, makes us feel safe going along for the ride. Each chapter stands on its own: a combination of aerial adventure, self-discovery and pure joy. After you read this book, you'll want to invite Greg Brown over for a cup of coffee so he can regale you, in his easy-going, friendly manner, with more stories about the magic of flight.

Well written and entertaining - plus good photos and maps. Rises above travelogue by virtue of personal/autobiographical touches.

I loved this book because of its descriptive view of what it might be like for someone who has never been a pilot; however, my husband, Gary has been a pilot and understands this feeling. The book describes how warm and exciting it must be to be up in the skies doing what you love. Congratulations on captivating a non-pilot person and a pilot person since there is no such thing as an ex-pilot. Good Luck.

I bought this book about a month ago on a whim and because of the favorable reviews. I am very glad that I did. I am a general aviation pilot (SEL) and spent all of my flying life in the Northeastern part of the US. For the past thirteen years, my wife and I have lived over half of the year in Tucson, AZ and the places that Greg Brown describes around Arizona as he flys out of Scottsdale, are very familiar to me. I have even taken my flight simulator and retraced flights he describes in the book, just for the fun of doing so.

My plane, like the original Flying Carpet was a Cessna 172 and for my money there is no nicer plane for general aviation flying. There are faster planes and there are fancier ones, but a Skyhawk is a friend.

This book is a succession of stories about Brown's attraction to aviation, his learning to fly and the progress he makes from a newbie pilot, through an instrument rating, becoming a CFI (instructor pilot) and the involvement of his family in the endeavor. It is told with love and warmth and an attention to detail.

I am sure you could read this book in a day or two if that was your intention, but I took about a month to do so, enjoying the evolution of the author's career and adventures and taking it slowly and savoring it.

The choice is up to you. The only decision I urge on you is to buy it.

This book is magical! A great adventure for every kind of reader, young or old! If you are a thrill-seeker, you'll relate to the joy and freedom of flying... floating over iconic landscapes, tripping away to distant destinations. If you are an arm-chair adventurer who prefers the creature comforts of home, you will relish this eagle eye view delivered through Brown's amazing ability to "take you there". This is a wonderful book for teen boys, too, who dream of finding their place among the clouds.

This very well written book is filled with the real flying experiences of a general avaiation pilot. The fact that Greg Brown is a CFI comes through in almost every chapter in the form of good lessons learned. A joy to read for any pilot or aspiring pilot.