The Illustrated Directory of Commercial Aircraft

Unlike most airplane guides, the compact 8.5 x 6.5" format of this illustrated directory makes it handy for sliding in and out of a briefcase. Unfortunately, the book's materials and construction are not durable enough to withstand regular travel in this way. A very nice lineup of photos is followed by the specs of each of each aircraft, a knowledgeable survey of the plane and its development, and sections on 'variants' and 'service use'. Off-the-beaten-track followers will be pleasantly surpised to find the Tupolevs, Sukhois, Yaks, and Antonovs that are still common to the unreconstructed fleets of countries like Cuba and the former Soviet Union. I hasten to add that many carriers of these countries now have very young - mostly Airbus - fleets and very modern service standards. A fine book. A sturdier construction would earn all five stars from this reviewer.