Flight of Passage: A Memoir

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Having come from an 'airplane family' where my dad and his 6 brothers grew up with a landing strip and barn full of planes out back in the 60s, I especially appreciated hearing the stories in this book. There's not much I can add to the other great reviews, this is simply one I couldn't put down.

Great coming of age story. Just read it for second time and enjoyed it even more this time. I'm a pilot so I'm a little biased. However, story never gets draggy and moves along nicely. Don't have to know anything about aviation to enjoy it. Can't go wrong with this book.

Very well written. As a pilot of light aircraft for fifty years, I got to relive many of my own cross country experiences. As a marriage and family therapist, I was impressed with the father-son-brother personality dynamics which were expressed so well.

The two brothers embark on an adventure which the majority of us would only dream of. I enjoyed the account of the plane's rebuilding, as well as the flight. Several place were mentioned where I have lived or worked over the years, which made the flight ever more interesting.

The book was well written with many personal thoughts from the authors. As a pilot who also started in a Piper Cub I could relate to the entire story except the story itself. I've never flown cross country as they did.

First, everyone in our family, teens and adults loved this book. Then I began lending it out to friends, who lent it to friends, on and on, because they loved it so much! It's a miracle I got it back.

It's a true story of family, adventure, and what "following a dream" actually looks like. The subplot about the "water bag" captures beautifully that funny tension between knowing your parent really doesn't fully get what your life is about and the knowing that even so they love you.

I'm interested in aviation and was entranced by the whole story. I was especially interested in the historical conditions surrounding the adventure, which really was not intended to be an adventure, but an enterprise. Gratifying was the relationships within the aviation community.

A true classic. As an airline pilot, I enjoy the simple joys of flying from a time gone by. Two brothers chasing a dream that I wish more people had the opportunity to experience. Sometimes a bit heavy on the family issues side, but as a flying book, this is truly a classic as is the airplane itself.

A book that transports you both geographically and back in time to a different time where you get to meet interesting characters who make up an interesting cross section of 1960s america. A terrific read where you learn about youth and family relationships through the eyes of a 15 year old embossed with the wisdom of adulthood. Flight of Passage reads like a novel with rich characters and vivid landscapes but is 100% non-fiction. A true gem.

Loved This Book

Two brothers , 15 and 17, take the adventure of their life. While the story is based on a very interesting cross country flight, it also is about the brothers growing up,learning more about each other, and their relationship with their dad who is quite the character.They exhibit great matruity and their journey is a wonderful experience .
I just read The Oregon TraIL before reading this book and five pages in I realized that the two brothers are the sons of the author of Oregon trail. In both books the authors reflect a lot on their relationship with their father. Both books are great to read, well written, and informative.

This is an interesting and moving tale about the transcontinental trip in a Piper Cub by two brothers aged 17 and 15. These kids had a childhood which can best be described as "interesting" and the author spends much of the book detailing how he struggled to cope with a father who was an unusual person. All of this I found OK. I do not object to the description of the flight over (or through) the pass in the Guadeloupe mountains (Texas) as another reviewer has. There is a recent report from a Cessna 150 pilot who encountered the same warm air with problems in gaining sufficient altitude to cross the pass. I do object, however, to the description of the Texan Advanced Trainer his father piloted as a "fighter plane" in a couple of places in the book. Though it has been armed by users in mostly third world situations, it only appears as a "fighter" in Hollywood movies where it is sometimes used as a Japanese Zero look-a-like.

Loved This Book

Two brothers , 15 and 17, take the adventure of their life. While the story is based on a very interesting cross country flight, it also is about the brothers growing up,learning more about each other, and their relationship with their dad who is quite the character.They exhibit great matruity and their journey is a wonderful experience .
I just read The Oregon TraIL before reading this book and five pages in I realized that the two brothers are the sons of the author of Oregon trail. In both books the authors reflect a lot on their relationship with their father. Both books are great to read, well written, and informative.

This is an interesting and moving tale about the transcontinental trip in a Piper Cub by two brothers aged 17 and 15. These kids had a childhood which can best be described as "interesting" and the author spends much of the book detailing how he struggled to cope with a father who was an unusual person. All of this I found OK. I do not object to the description of the flight over (or through) the pass in the Guadeloupe mountains (Texas) as another reviewer has. There is a recent report from a Cessna 150 pilot who encountered the same warm air with problems in gaining sufficient altitude to cross the pass. I do object, however, to the description of the Texan Advanced Trainer his father piloted as a "fighter plane" in a couple of places in the book. Though it has been armed by users in mostly third world situations, it only appears as a "fighter" in Hollywood movies where it is sometimes used as a Japanese Zero look-a-like.

An excellent read, especially for those who have flown Cubs or Champs. He puts you back in the cockpit. The real story, however, is the maturing of a young teen and his relationships with his brother and father. Very well written.