Test Pilots: Riding the Dragon

by Martin Strasser Caidin

A recreation of the gut-wrenching experiences of the military's test pilots describes such experiences as hurtling toward the earth at 777 miles per hour in an F-100A. Original.

345 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 1992

Reviews

[KOMET · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book about the history of test piloting in U.S. aviation.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is some interesting information in here but the book as a whole is rambling and disjointed. The first part (almost half the book) is a brief history of aviation that seems more like a list of participants than anything else. In it, Caidin repeatedly makes the point that all early aviators were test pilots.

The second part is mostly memories from Caidin's friends. While this is interesting and there are some great stories here, this is far from a comprehensive history of test pilots. It mostly focuses on production, maintenance, and civilian test pilot experiences. I did appreciate this as the experimental military test pilots are the ones you hear about everywhere else. I just wish Caidin had tied it all together better.

[Chris Tschirhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit plodding to read. However there is a wealth of information about the Test Pilot profession and the progression of flight failures and triumphs from the 1800's to present day. There are many supersizing revelations that outline the discovering simple things that are required to make aircraft fly.