Review
"Mr. Buffington is not a professional author. He is a
professional pilot and he has a personal story to tell. Whether you are a
pilot or dream of becoming one, this book should be part of your library of
books about flying. It is one insider's look at starting out in the world
of a professional aviation career. It is a heartfelt and sometimes
emotional story of personal and career growth that takes you from small
town student pilot to the right seat of a regional passenger airliner.
Along the way, it describes the joys, the obstacles and the trade offs that must
be made to advance a career in aviation today. One of the reasons this book will connect with readers, both inside and
outside of aviation, is that Mr. Buffington tells an
interesting tale of being challenged by personal or ethical choices that we all
face in advancing our careers. There are those who will make the compromises, look the other way, remain
silent, or simply go along to get along or get ahead. You will be glad to read that he did not - and instead chose to do the right
thing for him and his
family. His example can
and will encourage others. This book should not discourage anyone
from thinking about or pursuing a career as a professional pilot. But it
tempers the pure joy of flying with the earth-bound realities that professional
airline pilots face today." -DRZakos
Product Description
Squawk 7700, an aviation autobiography by Peter M. Buffington, tells of his personal adventure into the world of aviation to achieve a professional airline pilot career. He provides riveting details of daily operations within the aviation industry, and the struggles flight crew members face to maintain their lifestyles.
Buckle your seatbelt and prepare for an eye-opening, turbulent ride into the world of aviation from the pilot's seat. From student pilot at age 15, to flight instructor, to nighttime cargo pilot, and finally to first officer aboard the ATR 42 and ATR 72 turboprop airliners, island hopping across the Caribbean, Buffington relates his personal experiences. He explains why recent accidents, like Colgan Air Flight 3407, in Buffalo, NY, and Comair Flight 5191, in Lexington, KY, can occur.
My personal experiences as an airline pilot and as acting first officer aboard US Airways Flight 1549 that ditched into the Hudson River, I recommend Squawk 7700 for anyone interested in an aviation career, and mandatory reading for those who fly on our national airline system.
- Jeff Skiles, First Officer US Airways Flight 1549
A few more reviews...
An honest, inside look at the aviation industry from someone who lived it.
- A.S., Former regional airline captain
I finished your book a few weeks ago...I could not put it down. It was like I was living it all right beside you. I ached in agony while reading about some of your experiences, and then thinking about how you are probably the most naturally blessed pilot with great flying abilities that I ever flew with.
- K.S., American Airlines First Officer
I have just finished reading your book. I read it cover to cover in two days! Thanks for an exciting and informative story! I am impressed by the openness with which you describe your personal story....anyway, thanks again for "the book that was missing" and the best of luck to you. I will spread the word of your book among my aviation friends."
-Tom P., Commercial Pilot, Danderyd, Sweden
The industry has changed much since I flew in the hay day of the airline boom. 1963 -> 1993 - retired TWA, 30 years. This young lad has written a solid tale about how things have changed in today's airline career. Outstanding book about an often overlooked niche of the aviation industry - The 1st 10 years. Sacrifices abound and soul searching within, I look back at my own sacrifice, for each of us was created to die, and within, Peter is a lad of integrity, nicely done.
- TARPA
Although two decades separate his trials and tribulations from mine to obtain federal licensing permitting us to fly commercially in an effort to build the experience necessary become employed by a major airline, the insufferable challenges remain unchanged. Peter’s descriptions of the existence of dangerously poor maintenance and unscrupulous pressure to ignore Federal Aviation Regulations at entry level air freight and air taxi charter operations were chillingly reminiscent of my experiences in the 1970s. The actions, or perhaps more accurately reactions, taken by Congress to supplant the “invisible hand” with a “visible hammer” only validate the voracity of Peter’s accounts of his experiences while attempting to pursue a career as a professional pilot. Television shows such as the PBS series Flying Cheap very adroitly lift Peter’s words from the pages of his book, and provide audio visual validation to his experiences. Squawk 7700 provides the reader with an excellent insight as to the coming shortage of qualified pilots this country will experience during the second decade of the 21st century. This book should be mandatory reading at the first year level for any student at any professional pilot training institution.
- Capt W. Mann, US Airways, Boeing 737, 30 years
Buckle your seatbelt and prepare for an eye-opening, turbulent ride into the world of aviation from the pilot's seat. From student pilot at age 15, to flight instructor, to nighttime cargo pilot, and finally to first officer aboard the ATR 42 and ATR 72 turboprop airliners, island hopping across the Caribbean, Buffington relates his personal experiences. He explains why recent accidents, like Colgan Air Flight 3407, in Buffalo, NY, and Comair Flight 5191, in Lexington, KY, can occur.
My personal experiences as an airline pilot and as acting first officer aboard US Airways Flight 1549 that ditched into the Hudson River, I recommend Squawk 7700 for anyone interested in an aviation career, and mandatory reading for those who fly on our national airline system.
- Jeff Skiles, First Officer US Airways Flight 1549
A few more reviews...
An honest, inside look at the aviation industry from someone who lived it.
- A.S., Former regional airline captain
I finished your book a few weeks ago...I could not put it down. It was like I was living it all right beside you. I ached in agony while reading about some of your experiences, and then thinking about how you are probably the most naturally blessed pilot with great flying abilities that I ever flew with.
- K.S., American Airlines First Officer
I have just finished reading your book. I read it cover to cover in two days! Thanks for an exciting and informative story! I am impressed by the openness with which you describe your personal story....anyway, thanks again for "the book that was missing" and the best of luck to you. I will spread the word of your book among my aviation friends."
-Tom P., Commercial Pilot, Danderyd, Sweden
The industry has changed much since I flew in the hay day of the airline boom. 1963 -> 1993 - retired TWA, 30 years. This young lad has written a solid tale about how things have changed in today's airline career. Outstanding book about an often overlooked niche of the aviation industry - The 1st 10 years. Sacrifices abound and soul searching within, I look back at my own sacrifice, for each of us was created to die, and within, Peter is a lad of integrity, nicely done.
- TARPA
Although two decades separate his trials and tribulations from mine to obtain federal licensing permitting us to fly commercially in an effort to build the experience necessary become employed by a major airline, the insufferable challenges remain unchanged. Peter’s descriptions of the existence of dangerously poor maintenance and unscrupulous pressure to ignore Federal Aviation Regulations at entry level air freight and air taxi charter operations were chillingly reminiscent of my experiences in the 1970s. The actions, or perhaps more accurately reactions, taken by Congress to supplant the “invisible hand” with a “visible hammer” only validate the voracity of Peter’s accounts of his experiences while attempting to pursue a career as a professional pilot. Television shows such as the PBS series Flying Cheap very adroitly lift Peter’s words from the pages of his book, and provide audio visual validation to his experiences. Squawk 7700 provides the reader with an excellent insight as to the coming shortage of qualified pilots this country will experience during the second decade of the 21st century. This book should be mandatory reading at the first year level for any student at any professional pilot training institution.
- Capt W. Mann, US Airways, Boeing 737, 30 years
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