The Black Box: All-New Cockpit Voice Recorder Accounts of In-Flight Accidents (Revised)

It's simply amazing to read what happens in the cockpit when things go wrong. If you like to watch "Wings" on Discovery, you'll enjoy this book. In fact, many of the accidents in the book have been the subject of such series as "Crisis in the Sky" (the Sioux City incident, most notably). To read the unabridged transcripts is an educational (and emotional) treat.It's almost cliche to say so, but the reactions of the pilots encompass the range of human emotion--from panicked to noble to unbelievably calm. The accidents themselves run the gamut from abrupt and unexpected to shockingly inevitable. While all are disturbing to some degree, the transcript from the Soviet shootdown of Korean Airlines flight 007 is particularly wrenching, and never fails to elicit a tear. "The Black Box" is, in a word, fascinating.

When this book arrived, I read the story of the first incident to get a flavor for the book, then ended up reading the entire thing. The book was chilling, but there were some relatively happy endings and a lot of courageous acts by pilots and flight crews. The thing I'll remember most, though, is the automated message that repeats in the cabin as a plane is going down "This is an emergency descent. Please put on your oxygen mask. Please put out your cigarettes"

I have always been facinated with flight and air disasters, and I have had an idea of how heroic pilots and crew can be. Hence, I must say that this book, even though there are some accounts of disasters where pilots are clearly at fault, does a fine job of depicting pilots in a positive and sometimes heroic light. A stimulating read!

The Black Box: All-New Cockpit Voice Recorder Accounts of In-Flight Accidents was an incredible book that dealt with human tragedy, heroism in the face of death, the frailty of human life and the sad reminder of human fallability. I read this book sometimes with a heavy heart, sometimes with a sense of relief and always with the knowledge that anyone can experience an aviation disaster; not just "someone else". The stories related in this book were explicit, and I think that is the only way they should be represented since this lends to a feel of 'being there' in the cockpit with the crew. On an emotional level, this book literally made me cry. I thought of all the people who lost their life in these disasters, and I wondered what they were thinking when they knew the plane was in trouble or going down. It was a sadness for them; for what could have been. For plans and hopes and dreams that literally and metaphorically went up in flames. I finished this book with a heavy heart and an undefineable sadness that still haunts me even now. Read this book, but be prepared to be emotionally drained and to spend some time contemplating your own mortality.

I saw the original edition of this book in the 80's, didn't buy it and have kicked myself ever since. Don't pass it up now. What a fascinating study of people under pressure. I lost a friend on UAL 232 in Souix City. For years I have wondered what her last half hour was like (and how mine would be). I will never really know, but today I have a better guess. Read this book.