A Gift of Wings

Haven’t read yet, just sad it’s missing pages

"A Gift of Wings" and Bach's "Stranger to the Ground," led to my earning a Private Pilot's License, the second most influential event in my life. After reading Bach, I had little choice: I had to fly solo, above the clouds and earth, and experience the trancendental moments he described, or my life would be incomplete, perhaps even wasted.This is my flying "Bible." Whenever I need inspiration, whether related to life or flying, a few chapters will renew my spirits and leave me yearning to fly, my cynicism, anger or depression evaporated by his lovely words. Some of his deeply heartfelt sentiments are so beautiful, it brings tears to my eyes, even after the 20th reading.Bach will convince you that the invention of the airplane was mankind's singular greatest accomplishment, not for it's technical achievement, but for it's affect on the human spirit. I own a hardbound copy which I hope to have Bach autograph. I bought 20 paperback copies: one for my car, several at my airport office, one at my bedside, and the some given away to private and airline pilots, who having lived some of Bach's magic moments in the air, can appreciate his insights. The rest are reserved for unsuspecting, non-flying "groundpounders" I will meet, who are about to have a life changing experience, when I bestow upon them - "A Gift of Wings."

For pilots and lovers of flight, this is a 'must have' book. It's a collection of 48 magazine articles Richard Bach wrote from the the late 1960's/early 1070's (with a couple of even earlier ones). They originally appeared in Flying, Air Progress, Private Pilot, Argosy, Sport Flying, and Air Facts. The topics range from classic Bach railing against the FAA by cheering for the Outlaws, to barnstorming, to Egyptians flying, to applying at United Airlines. There is an awesome article describing his favourite books, his relationship with pilots that write, complete with a reading list. There is even a little one-page article from 1959, 'There's something the matter with seagulls.' He was thinking about seagull acrobatics for a while . . . It's all flying and thoughts about flying. Unlocking the magic box of flight with wonderful words.

This is one one of the few but great books on my bedside table. Ever since a sentimental favorite book of mine. Eversince taking up and graduating Aeronuatical Engineering in college and a flying course after, this book together with the Bible was always on my flightbag thereafter. Now I even have a copy in my office. It supplied me with inspiration and motivation. It describes the joy in fying, the drama and excitement of flight and the philosophy of the air. A wonderful book and true adventure in a paperback book to aviators and non-aviators of all ages!

Bach describes flight like no one else. This book is the closest one can describe the feelings of adventure in the air with words.

I bought this book soon after I started taking flying lessons in 1975. I have given copies of it to friends with the inscription: "If you want to know the heart of a pilot...read on." The short stories about various aspects of the flying experience in this book are about a lot more than flying...and you will enjoy them whether or not you have ever landed a taildragger on a grass strip or felt the joy of your first solo flight. Give yourself a present and read this wonderful collection.