Turbulent Skies

This is a gripping, in-depth look at how America's $200-billion aviation industry took flight, from rickety, post-World War I biplanes that navigated by following railroad tracks to today's supersonic airliners that carry half a billion passengers a year. It is the full history of one of the most exciting industries of our time.

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"He manages his cavalcade of facts and unforgettable personalities with a ringmaster's versatility and the sure discipline of a scholar." -Air & Space "To understand the industry, this is necessary reading." -Miami Herald Now in paper! Here is a gripping, in-depth look at how America's USD200-billion aviation industry took flight-from rickety, post-World War I biplanes that navigated by following railroad tracks to today's supersonic airliners that carry half a billion passengers a year. The story of one of the most exciting industries of our time profiles the successes of such industry leaders as Boeing, American, United, and Delta and the demises of Pan Am, TWA, and Eastern. Heppenheimer also brings to life colorful, outspoken aviation leaders such as Juan Trippe, Howard Hughes, Donald Douglas, and Frank Lorenzo. T.A. HEPPENHEIMER (Fountain Valley, California) has written extensively on aerospace, business, and the history of technology. He is the author of five books, including Countdown: A History of Space Flight (Wiley), The Man-Made Sun, The Real Future, and Toward Distant Suns.