Transportation Books

A few years ago I bought the 5th Edition in hopes of finding a book that would easily help me review for student lessons and just clear up some of the CFI lounge arguments. The book has helped not only me but my students and fellow c.f.i. friends explain many of the harder questions.

I also used the books 121 section to study and review for my First regional airline interview. I was the only one out of an interview group of 12 that received an invitation to work for the airline. Every so often I bring the book along with me on trips to keep current with everything, every pilot who borrows it eager to see what I'm reading always says "huh i didn't know that... this is great where did you get this book!"

Now that I have my first Mainline Interview coming up soon, I bought the 6th Edition along with several other well known interview books to study with. I cant recommend this book enough to every level of pilot out there who wants an extremely easy to read book with all the important stuff you need!

I was recently studying for a CFI checkride with the feds. I was, as most people are extremely nervous, and trying to think of ways to simplify the complex things so a student pilot could understand. As I was trying to find clarity in a mud pubble, and CFII friend of mine let me borrow the book for a day, and I was hooked. I ordered it the next day, and it really helped. I have a lot of books that explain certain things, but this one covered it all, and it was easy to follow. This is a must have for anyone who wants to make piloting a career. It explaines something complex for every rating there is. If you are tired of struggling with the FARs, or something just isn't 'clicking' in your head, if it is in this book, it makes it easy.

Ok, I was very skeptical. I've bought several "professional" pilot resources, most have been disappointing. I kept considering this book, it is pricey, but finally ordered it.
It is absolutely the best single source regulatory/AIM professional pilot oriented review in existence. If you disagree with an interpretation of a regulation, Mr. Lengel has thoroughly documented his sources so you can easily check the source yourself. Plus (and this is a plus) there are indeed a lot of cheesy graphics to keep the text entertaining, plus a few wry comments on some of the questionable regs our wonderful FAA has imposed upon us.
I can't recommend this one highly enough. I am an ATP with 9000+ hours, currently flying for a night cargo airline, spent 18 years flying heavy transports in the ANG as well, plus some time as a Part 121 airline driver. Mr. Lengel has done a great service for all professional pilots, choke up the money if you are serious!

This book is totally amazing. In a CFI class of 8, one person bought it the first day. We all were skeptical, it was a little bit more money than your average pilot handbook. By the end of the week, 6 of the 8 had it. By the end of the second week everyone had it. It is so incredibly easy to read and understand. As it states on the cover, "Plain English" that couldn't be more accurate. I own a long shelf of pilot books but this one is the only one that seems to sum everything up. The part I love about this book the most is its quick reference qualities. That day you're sitting around wondering about something or your student asks a question and you draw a blank, all you need to do is crack this book and the answer is right there in bold letters (literally).
This book probably wouldn't be of much use for someone who isn't already familiar with the material however.

My son and I love Bill Peet books. The author seems to have a terrific mix of humor, creativity and good artwork. This book is wonderful. The rhyming text is enjoyable to read. My son talks about things he sees in the artwork which he doesn't do with most picture books. Am really glad I picked up this book.

The Author Bill Peet has the gift to spark the imagination of all children. His stories are amazing. There are over 30 kids books by him and I recommend them all!Smokey (Sandpiper Books)

It's a delight to read and to share this story with young ones. It's now a favorite of ours from the Bill Peet cannon. Though a child in the sixties, I was completely unaware of Bill Peet's work and 'Smokey' was the happy introduction to this author and artist.

This is a fun read - I enjoy reading verse, and this flows nicely and doesn't feel forced. But there are sections that would now be considered politically incorrect. Combine it with "The Caboose is Loose" for a young train lover.

I never grew tired of reading this book to my children. Am sending copies to my nephews but I can't part with the original because it is my favorite.

Be careful when looking for Thomas books. There are many different formats. Picturebacks(Read to Me series) and there is a Pictureback READER which are quite different. (See Cranky Day review) There is also The Big Blue Treasury which is different still. It has more words than the reader, but just as big of pictures and no where near the text of the Read to Me series. Amazon doesn't always have them listed as Read to Me, so check for the triangle at the top of the book cover.

It is interesting that different people have different takes on the same stories. Unlike the previous reviewer (below) I really liked this book. (And of course, my son loves it.)

James and the Red Balloon
Thomas is excited about this new method of transportation, but he begins to be worried about being replaced when James expresses his concern.

James inadvertently ends up saving the balloon when it runs out of air; and the balloon ends up bringing more business for the Steamies.

--I used this as a learning time by pointing out that if is best to wait and get facts about a situation before going off half-cocked.

Harvey to the Rescue
--I simply love this story. First it is hard not to love this lantern-jawed strong man (eh...engine). I also like that Thomas is so kind and considerate in this story (unlike some others in which I'd like to put him into time-out.LOL)

Harvey is new and strange and the Steamies are not all that nice. Harvey is saddened by their lack of friendliness; but Thomas wisely points out that sometimes it takes time to make new friends.

And sure enough, the crew comes around after Harvey does his stuff and saves Percy. They find out that different is good.

Thomas and the Jet Engine
--I don't know if there is some message here that can be used for teaching. In my opinion, this story is just about silliness. If Lucy (from "I Love Lucy" TV show) had been a train, this would no doubt have been an episode.

Perhaps it was written simply to give little Thomas his wish of, for once, being the fastest train on Sodor. Sort of an empowerment statement for young kids.

Five Stars. Two good learning opportunities (imho), plus some classic Sodor silliness.

This is fantastic book for those of us who weren't around to experience the cafe racers of the 60's and 70's. It's like a time capsle sending you back to the lifestyle and genre of the ton-up boys and what it meant to earn that label.

Book was just as described from seller, perfect and unused condition.

I too, was under the impression that I could build at least one boat from this book. I was surprised to find out that I would have to purchase "plans" in order to build any of the craft in the book. Had I been aware of that, I would not have wasted my money.
(I already know how to build this type of construction.)
HINT: Read the reviews completely before ordering any of these books.

I've owned this book for several years and find it to be a very usable guide to building light and durable boats fairly quickly. Having just spent six years of occasional weekend work building a larger plywood boat, I think that Hill's approach is one of the best. He tells you all you need to know about this construction method and you don't need special skills or tools to make one. It is not at all, as one reviewer said, just an ad for Hill's plans. He does offer some that you can purchase at the back, but the majority of the book is about how to build a boat in this method -- setting up the molds, cutting and attaching the planks, etc. Overall, a very good book.

This was the first book I purchased on the topic of building clinker ply boats, and I wasn't terribly impressed. If I was building one of the two boats he describes, it would probably be more useful, but it doesn't cover anything about round bilged dinghies. It goes over a flat bottomed skiff and a round bilged but very lightly built canoe.

The author only covers one way of doing everything, and his methods usually struck me as tedious. For example, to spile a plank he clamps an entire 2'x16' sheet of plywood to his building jig and then the shape out from underneath.

I found John Brook's "Building Ellen" article in woodenboat magazine issues number #156, 157, 158 to be more helpful than this entire book. While I don't have John's book, if it's anything like the article it is probably much more useful.

I'd recommend buying Iain Oughtred's book "Clinker Plywood Boatbuilding Manual" instead. It covers a whole variety of techniques, including Tom Hill's, and also covers a much wider variety of hull types (prams, dories, round bilges, etc).

I am very happy with the books you have but one of the books on the order came from some one else, I waited 3 extra weeks although I got the confirmation a couple of days apart and then recieved the wrong book. Of course it was the book I wanted the most. I am in the process of returning it now and ordered it from wooden boat publications rather than trying you again. I had my confirmation in under 45 min. and the book will be sent within 24 hrs. That will be today so I will see how long it takes.
John Paterson

This is one of two books I recommend as essential reading for anyone attempting to bulid a glued plywood lapstrake boat for the first time. The other book is "The Plywood Clinker Boatbuilding Manual" by Iain Oughtred. There are several approaches to building a plywood glued lapstrake boat, and in my opinion the technique presented in this book gives the greatest chance of producing a high quality, fair hull. This book is not a set of instructions for building a particular boat design, but rather a set of procedures for building ANY lapstrake plywood hull. It is an easy read and has lots of detailed information on tasks that are not generally covered elsewhere, such as cutting a rolling bevel. The technique of using stringers on the mold makes getting the plank shapes right a snap. If you are thinking of building a lapstrake boat, read this book first. It gives a comprehensive overview of the process and may give you the confidence you need to go ahead with the project.

My 19 month old absolutely loves cars, so this book is perfect for him. It holds his attention and he keeps going back to it over and over. He especially likes the huge picture at the back of all the cars. This book has gotten a lot more use than I expected, as many different questions can be asked. Where is the duck? Where's the school bus? Point to your favorite car.

If you have a toddler that loves cars or things with wheels, this book will fascinate him. Highly recommended.

this is a board book version of the series that uses segments of the same picture, along with a rhyme on what to search for. It's small, about 6x6" so a good size and the cars and trucks captivate my almost 3yo boy. The pictures are very nice though, it's pretty to look at.

My two year old went through the book pretty fast and I thought that was it, but he wants to see it and read it over and over again. To change it up a bit, I ask him for different things in the pictures. Items not too obvious. How many blue cars are there? Where is the cow? Anything to keep his mind working! These are great books!

This is a good book for 3-4 year olds. The items are simple to find and not very challenging for older children.

I gave this book to my grandson who just turned two. He loves it and will even look at it by himself sometimes. The colors are bright and there are many different kinds of cars and trucks. He does love anything with wheels and plays with his trucks every day so a book with lots of them is perfect for him.

I have never met such a book. It is a plain pleasure to take it, sit down with a cup of tea and spend some hours (!literally!) on observing the life of those people or looking for all the hidden jokes made with the perspective, composition, citations, self references... So in fact anyone in my family is happy because of this Journey: my 3 years old son as well as my wife and me.

BTW we are Polish, so, as you can guess, there is no language barrier. Anyone on the world could take this book and just start to read and appreciate it.

Wonderful book. I take it on trips if I need a gift for a wide range of children. With no words, the reading level is not a factor. Full of visual jokes, historical buildings, modern characters hidden in the crowds, famous art and buildings, childrens games, similarities from one page to another ...

The parents love it even more than the kids. It takes days to spot all the interesting things hidden in this book and it's a painless way to talk about history and art with a child. PERFECT for babysitters to use.

As in other Anno works, an anonymous Everyman is seen in each two-page textless illustration. In this book, the traveler begins his trek alone, buys a horse and rides through progressively more populated scenes -- magnificent scenes, filled with literary and artistic allusions, mini-stories, children playing, panorama and touching detail -- all at the same time! Scenes are viewed as if you were just outside the picture and about 40 feet high. The reader/viewer cannot see the details of people's faces, but much human experience and emotion is contained in small details -- children despairing after a lost balloon, flirting lovers, a mother touching her child, etc.

Your child will appreciate this work through many 'reading' levels, and you will constantly make new discoveries yourself.

Mitsumasa Anno's books are not to be missed, and Anno's Journey is a beautiful example of the author/illustrator's work.

I am so glad I discovered this book. My children enjoy telling a different story every time we open it. The fact that there are no words in it makes the children invent a new story each time, and I believe it develops their imagination better in a way, than with a storybook with pictures. I also like the art involved in this book, the minute details that the author/artist had included are adorable! I enjoy reading it myself! Each page reveals several goings-on in a small town, it is so easy to imagine yourself walking among the characters.

A testament to the peace and charm of simple drawings executed with grace. A wordless book that, while made for children, is still able to captivate even the most jaded of us hipsters with its simplicity.