D. Patrick Caldwell on The Joys of Flight

I've been lucky in my life that I have a healthy curiosity for learning and figuring out how things work. I've spent a lot of time around a lot of pilots since I learned to fly and I've observed that there are two ways people learn (and indeed, learn to fly).

When people learn some new skill, most people learn just a series of actions; this kind of learning is easy to do and produces repeatable results under similar circumstances. Other people learn why things work the way they do and they can apply this knowledge to understanding why you take each step to achieve a result; this kind of learning is difficult and time consuming but when you learn on a conceptual level, you're better prepared to apply your knowledge and understanding to novel situations.

For me and my piloting, Stick and Rudder by Wolfgang Langewiesche is the first step to having a true understanding of the art of flying! As I understand, in the 1940's Wolfgang published a series of articles on the physics of flight and pilot behavior. These articles were compiled into Stick and Rudder.

This book explains the physics of flight in very simple terms. It's fun to read and easy to understand. More importantly, the concepts you learn in Stick and Rudder will teach you to understand the aerodynamics of the control inputs you make. You won't be just a pilot anymore; you'll be an artist and a craftsman.

Have fun. Be safe. Happy Piloting.