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Hauling Checks: A Satirical Aviation Comedy
Librarian's note: An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.
I'm a cargo pilot. In the industry, I'm known as a "Freight Dog." I fly canceled checks and other types of high-value cargo around the country, mostly at night, in airplanes that are older than I am. Flying freight-or "work" as we call it-in small, twin-engine aircraft is a lesser known side of the aviation world. Our day starts when banker's hours end. Thousands of flights move millions of pounds of work from city to city every night while the rest of the country is asleep. We're out there in the freezing rain getting de-iced when you're laying down for bed. We're sweeping the snow off our wings with a broom at three in the morning. That horrible thunderstorm you heard last night while you were sleeping, we were flying through it. The fog you woke up to in the early morning hours, we were landing in it.
Hauling Checks is a comedy about the darker side of aviation. A cast of degenerate pilots, who work for a shady night time air cargo operation, take you on a flight through the unfriendly skies. The pilots abuse every Reg in the book in their quest to make deadlines for their high value cargo. As the company falls on hard times, management resorts to questionable measures to save the failing airline.
I'm a cargo pilot. In the industry, I'm known as a "Freight Dog." I fly canceled checks and other types of high-value cargo around the country, mostly at night, in airplanes that are older than I am. Flying freight-or "work" as we call it-in small, twin-engine aircraft is a lesser known side of the aviation world. Our day starts when banker's hours end. Thousands of flights move millions of pounds of work from city to city every night while the rest of the country is asleep. We're out there in the freezing rain getting de-iced when you're laying down for bed. We're sweeping the snow off our wings with a broom at three in the morning. That horrible thunderstorm you heard last night while you were sleeping, we were flying through it. The fog you woke up to in the early morning hours, we were landing in it.
Hauling Checks is a comedy about the darker side of aviation. A cast of degenerate pilots, who work for a shady night time air cargo operation, take you on a flight through the unfriendly skies. The pilots abuse every Reg in the book in their quest to make deadlines for their high value cargo. As the company falls on hard times, management resorts to questionable measures to save the failing airline.
228 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
258 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Alex Stone
352 books19 followersAlex Stone grew up in Munster, Indiana. He's been flying since age fourteen and received a Bachelor's Degree in Aviation Science from Western Michigan University. He has worked as a flight instructor and was a "Freight Dog" in the air cargo industry for seven years. In 2009 he released his first novel "Hauling Checks" and in 2018 he released his second novel "CFI! The Book."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 19, 2018
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Alex Stone takes readers on a hilarious, dark and unexpected ride through the world of aviation and in particular “freight dogs” as they are known in his novel, “Hauling Checks”. Here is the synopsis.
The Synopsis
I'm a cargo pilot. In the industry, I'm known as a "Freight Dog." I fly canceled checks and other types of high-value cargo around the country, mostly at night, in airplanes that are older than I am. Flying freight-or "work" as we call it-in small, twin-engine aircraft is a lesser known side of the aviation world. Our day starts when banker's hours end. Thousands of flights move millions of pounds of work from city to city every night while the rest of the country is asleep. We're out there in the freezing rain getting de-iced when you're laying down for bed. We're sweeping the snow off our wings with a broom at three in the morning. That horrible thunderstorm you heard last night while you were sleeping, we were flying through it. The fog you woke up to in the early morning hours, we were landing in it.
Hauling Checks is a comedy about the darker side of aviation. A cast of degenerate pilots, who work for a shady night time air cargo operation, take you on a flight through the unfriendly skies. The pilots abuse every Reg in the book in their quest to make deadlines for their high value cargo. As the company falls on hard times, management resorts to questionable measures to save the failing airline.
The Review
This was one of the more unique, creative and funny books I’ve read in 2018. The author’s experience as a pilot blended well into the fictional story being told, bringing with it a sense of adventure and realness that other fictional stories don’t always have. The cast of characters are not only flawed, but some of them are downright despicable or clueless. Yet despite their flaws the humor shines through the entire book, because they represent the flawed and painful encounters so many people have throughout their lives. It was like a blend of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Seinfeld within a cargo flight setting.
The imagery throughout was incredibly vivid, bringing a sense of both familiarity and realness to these out of control situations the pilots and crew found themselves in. From drunken tales of debauchery from a useless co pilot to the fictional tales of a woman’s husband who may or may not be real, to the arial acrobatics some of the pilots take (literally) when faced with a crumbling company, this book had it all.
The Verdict
This is a must read novel for anyone who is a fan of fictional comedy novels, aviation and hilarious yet mind-numbing characters. The book was fantastic and well written, and the author brought a sense of experience to the novel that made it feel even more real. If you haven’t yet be sure to grab your copy of Alex Stone’s novel “Hauling Checks” today.
Author Alex Stone takes readers on a hilarious, dark and unexpected ride through the world of aviation and in particular “freight dogs” as they are known in his novel, “Hauling Checks”. Here is the synopsis.
The Synopsis
I'm a cargo pilot. In the industry, I'm known as a "Freight Dog." I fly canceled checks and other types of high-value cargo around the country, mostly at night, in airplanes that are older than I am. Flying freight-or "work" as we call it-in small, twin-engine aircraft is a lesser known side of the aviation world. Our day starts when banker's hours end. Thousands of flights move millions of pounds of work from city to city every night while the rest of the country is asleep. We're out there in the freezing rain getting de-iced when you're laying down for bed. We're sweeping the snow off our wings with a broom at three in the morning. That horrible thunderstorm you heard last night while you were sleeping, we were flying through it. The fog you woke up to in the early morning hours, we were landing in it.
Hauling Checks is a comedy about the darker side of aviation. A cast of degenerate pilots, who work for a shady night time air cargo operation, take you on a flight through the unfriendly skies. The pilots abuse every Reg in the book in their quest to make deadlines for their high value cargo. As the company falls on hard times, management resorts to questionable measures to save the failing airline.
The Review
This was one of the more unique, creative and funny books I’ve read in 2018. The author’s experience as a pilot blended well into the fictional story being told, bringing with it a sense of adventure and realness that other fictional stories don’t always have. The cast of characters are not only flawed, but some of them are downright despicable or clueless. Yet despite their flaws the humor shines through the entire book, because they represent the flawed and painful encounters so many people have throughout their lives. It was like a blend of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Seinfeld within a cargo flight setting.
The imagery throughout was incredibly vivid, bringing a sense of both familiarity and realness to these out of control situations the pilots and crew found themselves in. From drunken tales of debauchery from a useless co pilot to the fictional tales of a woman’s husband who may or may not be real, to the arial acrobatics some of the pilots take (literally) when faced with a crumbling company, this book had it all.
The Verdict
This is a must read novel for anyone who is a fan of fictional comedy novels, aviation and hilarious yet mind-numbing characters. The book was fantastic and well written, and the author brought a sense of experience to the novel that made it feel even more real. If you haven’t yet be sure to grab your copy of Alex Stone’s novel “Hauling Checks” today.
January 15, 2020
This is a biting hilarious satirical takedown of the air freight industry, where flight crews (freight dogs) struggle under conditions the typical commercial air passenger can’t imagine actually happen. It is a satire so one can’t expect literal replication of real life, but some googling indicates that Stone generally hits the bull’s eye. Even beyond air freight, though, a lot of the satire here is relevant and recognizable throughout the contemporary U.S. workplace; cost-cutting beyond rhyme or reason, breathtaking behind-the-scenes shoddiness, regulatory compliance as a mild suggestion rather than a way of life, anything it takes to get by in the face of “disruption” that dooms once vibrant, or at least viable, businesses. It’s especially strong as an Audible listen, where the narrative voices are spot on.
December 22, 2009
Fly the Unfriendly Skies,
“Hauling Checks” by Alex Stone is a humorous, yet very enlightening novel that brings to light a profession that so many people have probably never heard of, or would ever be brave enough to try. The occupation of Freight Dogs is unique and dangerous. Flying small airplanes in storms, fog, lightning, ice, and snow; Freight Dogs transport their cargo wherever and whenever, no matter what the conditions may be. This interesting and humorous novel kept my attention from the start.
In “Hauling Checks” the pilots of Checkflight Airlines persevere, risking life and limb every minute they are in the air, carrying canceled checks that have to be delivered to banks. Their boss (The Chief) does not care about the lives of his pilots, only the money he needs to keep his business afloat. The fact that the engine might be on fire, the wings might be so iced up that the plane may not make it off the ground, or the fog so dense that the pilots cannot see does not seem to faze him, nor does he care.
Resorting to unethical and shady business practices, The Chief is thoughtless, unfeeling, and mercenary. He cuts costs, salaries, pilots, and more in his final resort to save Checkflight when it becomes apparent that his airline might go under. In order to compensate for his lack of management skills, he decides to resort to some unsavory business practices such as having his pilots make drug runs, money laundering flights, and transporting people who he claims can sit on the floor of the plane without seatbelts or a seat, just a rope to tie around them to keep them from falling out of the plane. The situations will make you laugh, and keep you on the edge of your seat dying to see what happens next.
With a cast of characters so ill suited to their profession, the pilots create havoc wherever they go, and rarely make their destinations on schedule. This novel really keeps you laughing and yet it’s a little frightening to think that these things could really happen. The narrator flies with one co-pilot that is always plastered and another who is depressed over two failed marriages and is just a drop delusional, which makes flying with him quite an experience.
These underpaid, unappreciated pilots of Checkflight Airlines clock an insurmountable number of hours flying for a company that gives them no perks, no bonuses, and certainly no help when trouble arises in the air. On one run they leave a door open and the checks fall out of the plane. Before you know it reporters are televising pictures of these bank checks raining all over downtown Cleveland. It is like an Abbot and Costello movie but even funnier.
Also part of the mix are Checkflight’s two dispatchers, who are totally unfit for their positions, and have no clue as to what they are supposed to be doing. One of the dispatchers is senile, and barely remembers where she is, or her own name, and the other lives in her own imaginary world. You never know what is going to happen, and yet the situations that are described are so far out, you just have to laugh or stop and say: “You have to be kidding.”
The pilots fly planes that are poorly maintained and in terrible disrepair. Fixing and repairing planes is out of the question. Mechanical failures arise constantly and the people who own Checkflight airlines do not care. The safety of the pilots is not their concern, only the timely delivery of the cargo. I would not exactly call them Checkflight airlines, maybe No Budget Airlines or High Jinks Airlines. But, whatever you call them, this book is great.
For those men out there who are Freight Dogs, you deserve a lot of credit. This book, although humorous, shows the seedier side of flying. As a pilot who has experienced a lot of situations in the air, and as someone who was a Freight Dog, the author writes from experience making the novel more realistic to the reader. “Hauling Checks” is so funny that I could not put it down. The stories, the incidents, and the characters will keep the reader astounded until the very end.
I never give stars for a book. I give this book FIVE NEW PLANES IN PERFECT WORKING CONDITION, FIVE NEW DISPATCHERS THAT CAN REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE DOING, and ONE MECHANIC THAT CAN HANDLE THE REPAIRS.
“Hauling Checks” by Alex Stone is a humorous, yet very enlightening novel that brings to light a profession that so many people have probably never heard of, or would ever be brave enough to try. The occupation of Freight Dogs is unique and dangerous. Flying small airplanes in storms, fog, lightning, ice, and snow; Freight Dogs transport their cargo wherever and whenever, no matter what the conditions may be. This interesting and humorous novel kept my attention from the start.
In “Hauling Checks” the pilots of Checkflight Airlines persevere, risking life and limb every minute they are in the air, carrying canceled checks that have to be delivered to banks. Their boss (The Chief) does not care about the lives of his pilots, only the money he needs to keep his business afloat. The fact that the engine might be on fire, the wings might be so iced up that the plane may not make it off the ground, or the fog so dense that the pilots cannot see does not seem to faze him, nor does he care.
Resorting to unethical and shady business practices, The Chief is thoughtless, unfeeling, and mercenary. He cuts costs, salaries, pilots, and more in his final resort to save Checkflight when it becomes apparent that his airline might go under. In order to compensate for his lack of management skills, he decides to resort to some unsavory business practices such as having his pilots make drug runs, money laundering flights, and transporting people who he claims can sit on the floor of the plane without seatbelts or a seat, just a rope to tie around them to keep them from falling out of the plane. The situations will make you laugh, and keep you on the edge of your seat dying to see what happens next.
With a cast of characters so ill suited to their profession, the pilots create havoc wherever they go, and rarely make their destinations on schedule. This novel really keeps you laughing and yet it’s a little frightening to think that these things could really happen. The narrator flies with one co-pilot that is always plastered and another who is depressed over two failed marriages and is just a drop delusional, which makes flying with him quite an experience.
These underpaid, unappreciated pilots of Checkflight Airlines clock an insurmountable number of hours flying for a company that gives them no perks, no bonuses, and certainly no help when trouble arises in the air. On one run they leave a door open and the checks fall out of the plane. Before you know it reporters are televising pictures of these bank checks raining all over downtown Cleveland. It is like an Abbot and Costello movie but even funnier.
Also part of the mix are Checkflight’s two dispatchers, who are totally unfit for their positions, and have no clue as to what they are supposed to be doing. One of the dispatchers is senile, and barely remembers where she is, or her own name, and the other lives in her own imaginary world. You never know what is going to happen, and yet the situations that are described are so far out, you just have to laugh or stop and say: “You have to be kidding.”
The pilots fly planes that are poorly maintained and in terrible disrepair. Fixing and repairing planes is out of the question. Mechanical failures arise constantly and the people who own Checkflight airlines do not care. The safety of the pilots is not their concern, only the timely delivery of the cargo. I would not exactly call them Checkflight airlines, maybe No Budget Airlines or High Jinks Airlines. But, whatever you call them, this book is great.
For those men out there who are Freight Dogs, you deserve a lot of credit. This book, although humorous, shows the seedier side of flying. As a pilot who has experienced a lot of situations in the air, and as someone who was a Freight Dog, the author writes from experience making the novel more realistic to the reader. “Hauling Checks” is so funny that I could not put it down. The stories, the incidents, and the characters will keep the reader astounded until the very end.
I never give stars for a book. I give this book FIVE NEW PLANES IN PERFECT WORKING CONDITION, FIVE NEW DISPATCHERS THAT CAN REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE DOING, and ONE MECHANIC THAT CAN HANDLE THE REPAIRS.
March 29, 2019
this is by far one of the most well written and funniest series I've ever read. I recommend this book to everyone, even if you don't like planes or reading.
March 25, 2019
Hilarious!
As a former check hauler myself, I can vouch for everything Alex said. This book is 100% true and accurate.
As a former check hauler myself, I can vouch for everything Alex said. This book is 100% true and accurate.
January 28, 2010
This is not literature. It's a silly novel. But if you like airplanes and a good laugh, read it.
Told in the first-person by a pilot working for Checkflight, an air transport company hauling canceled checks around the country. Before the days of digital transmission, checks and other important banking documents had to be transported around the country by small planes, and they had to operate on a tight schedule, meeting couriers at each stop, in all kinds of conditions. These operations were often low-budget, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants companies.
I learned some great flying terminology from this book. "Breaking reports in effect" at the end of an airport's weather report means that pilots landing are required to report on the condition of the runway covered with snow and ice. They use a scale of good, fair, poor, and nil. "Nil means no traction at all. Nil is the report you give as the plane is sliding off the end of the runway." He has some great stories about flying in the snow. Buffalo, by the way, is called "Buffasnow" by pilots. The story of flying into Plattsburgh in the night in the middle of a snow storm with a co-pilot who would rather play on his Gameboy is both hilarious and air-raising.
After skidding off the runway, they dig themselves out and manage to get close to the building where they have to make a tight turn to get around. He asks Co (his nickname for the copilot) to get out and "marshal" him through the turn so they don't hit anything. During the turn, he thinks he is getting too close to the fence with his wingtip, so he points to the tip while looking at Co who gives him the thumbs up. A crunch is heard. "I thought yo gave me thumbs-up?" "I did," was the response, "thumbs-up, yes, you're going to hit it." That Co was bad enough, too lazy even to help chip ice off the wings, or call dispatch to notify them of arrival, but a former co-pilot had hated to fly.
The story of checks floating from the sky because the Co forgot to close the hatch door is priceless. The Chief, president of the company kept trying to cut costs and raise revenue, suggestng they fly farm animals (the pilots had to clean it up) and passengers. They don't need seats. Since the FAA required that each passenger have a seat belt, the idea was to give them a piece of rope to tie themselves in. Then the FAA got smart and required a seatbelt and seat. Hotels are layovers were eliminated and tents issued (to be returned if leaving the company.)
The author is a pilot and real "freight dog." Remember, it's a novel and none of it is true -- I hope.
Told in the first-person by a pilot working for Checkflight, an air transport company hauling canceled checks around the country. Before the days of digital transmission, checks and other important banking documents had to be transported around the country by small planes, and they had to operate on a tight schedule, meeting couriers at each stop, in all kinds of conditions. These operations were often low-budget, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants companies.
I learned some great flying terminology from this book. "Breaking reports in effect" at the end of an airport's weather report means that pilots landing are required to report on the condition of the runway covered with snow and ice. They use a scale of good, fair, poor, and nil. "Nil means no traction at all. Nil is the report you give as the plane is sliding off the end of the runway." He has some great stories about flying in the snow. Buffalo, by the way, is called "Buffasnow" by pilots. The story of flying into Plattsburgh in the night in the middle of a snow storm with a co-pilot who would rather play on his Gameboy is both hilarious and air-raising.
After skidding off the runway, they dig themselves out and manage to get close to the building where they have to make a tight turn to get around. He asks Co (his nickname for the copilot) to get out and "marshal" him through the turn so they don't hit anything. During the turn, he thinks he is getting too close to the fence with his wingtip, so he points to the tip while looking at Co who gives him the thumbs up. A crunch is heard. "I thought yo gave me thumbs-up?" "I did," was the response, "thumbs-up, yes, you're going to hit it." That Co was bad enough, too lazy even to help chip ice off the wings, or call dispatch to notify them of arrival, but a former co-pilot had hated to fly.
The story of checks floating from the sky because the Co forgot to close the hatch door is priceless. The Chief, president of the company kept trying to cut costs and raise revenue, suggestng they fly farm animals (the pilots had to clean it up) and passengers. They don't need seats. Since the FAA required that each passenger have a seat belt, the idea was to give them a piece of rope to tie themselves in. Then the FAA got smart and required a seatbelt and seat. Hotels are layovers were eliminated and tents issued (to be returned if leaving the company.)
The author is a pilot and real "freight dog." Remember, it's a novel and none of it is true -- I hope.
November 30, 2021
Hauling Checks: OfficeSpace, Waiting, Clerks for overnight
Hauling Checks was a pretty funny book, focused on watching the death spiral of a company run by a lunatic and propped up by desperation. Pilots who stayed too long to retain credibility, in an industry that is sinking, are forced to extreme measures to earn a payday. What will bounce first, their airplanes broken on the tarmac or the company paycheck for their illegally under-reported flight hours?
I state 'pretty funny' because I had to pick my jaw up a couple times and replace chuckles with straight 'wtf' statements a non-pilot could never understand. This by no means changes the audience, this book is highly approachable by any reader who is okay with some mixed black/construction site humor.
Alex Stone's satirical novel Hauling Checks opens with an Authors Note. "This is a work of fiction. The pilots and other employees of the air cargo industry are actually nothing like the characters in this novel". Stone however, is listed as being a 'Freight Dog' for over seven years.
What I was left to ponder is that the circus of events in this book are probably loosely based on real events and embellished 1:n until ludicrous. Like gutting a fish in an office, dudes closing a conveniences store to play hockey, or drugged out bus boys doing whippets in the walk in fridge, I can only assume that sections of this book wer based on fact. My guesses would be freight falling from the sky, flying under repaired planes that felt unsafe (but not to this degree), and the desperation felt in the industry as paper checks turned digital.
Hauling Checks was a pretty funny book, focused on watching the death spiral of a company run by a lunatic and propped up by desperation. Pilots who stayed too long to retain credibility, in an industry that is sinking, are forced to extreme measures to earn a payday. What will bounce first, their airplanes broken on the tarmac or the company paycheck for their illegally under-reported flight hours?
I state 'pretty funny' because I had to pick my jaw up a couple times and replace chuckles with straight 'wtf' statements a non-pilot could never understand. This by no means changes the audience, this book is highly approachable by any reader who is okay with some mixed black/construction site humor.
Alex Stone's satirical novel Hauling Checks opens with an Authors Note. "This is a work of fiction. The pilots and other employees of the air cargo industry are actually nothing like the characters in this novel". Stone however, is listed as being a 'Freight Dog' for over seven years.
What I was left to ponder is that the circus of events in this book are probably loosely based on real events and embellished 1:n until ludicrous. Like gutting a fish in an office, dudes closing a conveniences store to play hockey, or drugged out bus boys doing whippets in the walk in fridge, I can only assume that sections of this book wer based on fact. My guesses would be freight falling from the sky, flying under repaired planes that felt unsafe (but not to this degree), and the desperation felt in the industry as paper checks turned digital.
January 11, 2010
The best parts of this quick amusing read was the pilot's conversations with the chief, and his wit and ability handling planes under any conditions, often to include going co-pilot-less, despite a lukewarm body being seated (sometimes "nut strap" harnessed) in the co-pilot's seat. I couldn't help but to keep thinking that this man (the pilot) needs to fly for major commercial airlines, where his service would be appreciated. This made the ending most rewarding to hear what became of his career.
A misbehaving, enjoyable light read.
A misbehaving, enjoyable light read.
March 31, 2016
I admit it, I have absolutely no recollection of how or when I got this book! That said, it's written with sharp, dark humour, and I really hope its fiction.
March 16, 2019
Oh My God! Were do I even begin? This book is just a major eye-opener to the areas we rarely pay heed to. I mean who even bothered to take a moment to think about the hardships the cargo pilots go through apart from themselves and probably their friends and families? I mean, Oh My God! This book had me thinking hard and long. These poor people ! Really? Do people actually live like this? Dyamn son! (Pardon my lack of grace!) Of course, I am sure parts of this book would be exaggerated, but still. Really?
The whole story is written from the perspective of a cargo pilot who works in a seriously debilitated aircraft company. There is a lot of dark humor in this book that's more dark than humorous. The lead establishes himself pretty clearly by describing himself right at the beginning on the book and you know that the tone is set and know in which direction the book is going, or so you think.
This really ill managed company have severely ill maintained planes that the pilots are forced to fly or rather are convinced to believe that they are in a flyable condition and kudos to these pilots for taking it up in the sky , because I would never have the nerve to do that! There were so many things about this airline that was done right wrong, I mean lesser companies have standard operating procedures, subject knowledge and sensible staff, but this place was crammed with under-qualified (and unqualified ) staff, no organisation structure and horrible plane maintenance mechanic. I am all about living life on the edge, but a life like this is just violations of human rights. The crazy shifts and work timings and the effects it has one's personal life is truly bothersome. This horrible boss with no respect to anything but saving money even at the cost of the employees heath both physically and mentally. The random screw ups with the plane, the staff or even the packages will truly leave you open-mouthed. The relief I had when he quits the job and takes the final flight. But obviously the story has to end with a dramatic effect, and dramatic it was! The revelations were such major stuff that were all hiding in plane sight, but still came as a shocker when disclosed.
All thorough out the book, I realized that the lead never had an opportunity to have any kind of an enriching conversation. His weekends were lifeless and filled with troubles. He was truly going through some major life crisis and at several times he let himself be taken for granted, but then you think , hey , what could he have really done? It is not having a backbone , or rather a lack thereof, but it is about the situation you are stuck in and no external exposure to even explore other options because of is working schedule and circle of friends.
One the plus side, I learnt a lot of new pilot terminologies and felt better about my life, so thanks Alex for that ! I cannot imagine how anyone could live a life like this and yet, there are people living like this and I truly want to walk up to them and pat their backs.
Alex stone is a wonderful author who can find humor even in the darkest and the most depressing situations in life and this book shows you that. Even if you want to be depressed for the people in this book, you just end up laughing at their helplessness. The Hauling Checks was a truly engaging book and I'd like to see what is in store with the next book, although I can't imagine what could beat this one with it's major ups and downs.
The whole story is written from the perspective of a cargo pilot who works in a seriously debilitated aircraft company. There is a lot of dark humor in this book that's more dark than humorous. The lead establishes himself pretty clearly by describing himself right at the beginning on the book and you know that the tone is set and know in which direction the book is going, or so you think.
This really ill managed company have severely ill maintained planes that the pilots are forced to fly or rather are convinced to believe that they are in a flyable condition and kudos to these pilots for taking it up in the sky , because I would never have the nerve to do that! There were so many things about this airline that was done right wrong, I mean lesser companies have standard operating procedures, subject knowledge and sensible staff, but this place was crammed with under-qualified (and unqualified ) staff, no organisation structure and horrible plane maintenance mechanic. I am all about living life on the edge, but a life like this is just violations of human rights. The crazy shifts and work timings and the effects it has one's personal life is truly bothersome. This horrible boss with no respect to anything but saving money even at the cost of the employees heath both physically and mentally. The random screw ups with the plane, the staff or even the packages will truly leave you open-mouthed. The relief I had when he quits the job and takes the final flight. But obviously the story has to end with a dramatic effect, and dramatic it was! The revelations were such major stuff that were all hiding in plane sight, but still came as a shocker when disclosed.
All thorough out the book, I realized that the lead never had an opportunity to have any kind of an enriching conversation. His weekends were lifeless and filled with troubles. He was truly going through some major life crisis and at several times he let himself be taken for granted, but then you think , hey , what could he have really done? It is not having a backbone , or rather a lack thereof, but it is about the situation you are stuck in and no external exposure to even explore other options because of is working schedule and circle of friends.
One the plus side, I learnt a lot of new pilot terminologies and felt better about my life, so thanks Alex for that ! I cannot imagine how anyone could live a life like this and yet, there are people living like this and I truly want to walk up to them and pat their backs.
Alex stone is a wonderful author who can find humor even in the darkest and the most depressing situations in life and this book shows you that. Even if you want to be depressed for the people in this book, you just end up laughing at their helplessness. The Hauling Checks was a truly engaging book and I'd like to see what is in store with the next book, although I can't imagine what could beat this one with it's major ups and downs.
August 14, 2020
Meh, I liked the CFI book he wrote a lot more than this one and this one took me several stops and gos to read through. I read several parts twice to remember where I was and it took a year. Soooo... why the 3. Well every time I read it, almost every time, I found humor. Not enough to keep me on pins and needles about what would come next with these people but enough that I was enjoying it while I was reading. So I kind of liked it though parts were again, over the top. just like his CFI book.
Now here is why I think I did not enjoy it as much as the first I read. I think this was a very male centric pov. Really flying in general is male centric, I'm a woman pilot, the 6-7% and growing slower than any other field... almost. All the pilots were male and perhaps I'm being sexist myself, but they all had male attitudes, IMO. So where I was going, "get the fuck out NOW!" the main character is hanging in there for ... unemployment? Really, I would work somewhere else part time flipping burgers first. Anyway... I think this might be more enjoyed by men, or people with a very male attitude. I don't say mind because I am very map, visual spatial, and mathematically inclined, thrills and chances, I like safety. It was funny in points and stupid in other but entertaining in the end. I wouldn't ever take this job.
Now here is why I think I did not enjoy it as much as the first I read. I think this was a very male centric pov. Really flying in general is male centric, I'm a woman pilot, the 6-7% and growing slower than any other field... almost. All the pilots were male and perhaps I'm being sexist myself, but they all had male attitudes, IMO. So where I was going, "get the fuck out NOW!" the main character is hanging in there for ... unemployment? Really, I would work somewhere else part time flipping burgers first. Anyway... I think this might be more enjoyed by men, or people with a very male attitude. I don't say mind because I am very map, visual spatial, and mathematically inclined, thrills and chances, I like safety. It was funny in points and stupid in other but entertaining in the end. I wouldn't ever take this job.
December 4, 2018
Hauling Checks is a satirical comedy slapping down an alternative, budget-cutting aviation company that put pilots and co-pilots at risk by its cut-backs on mechanical safety. The pilot in this particular story flies with tires falling off the plane, causing it to vibrate violently and land in crash-risky ways throughout the book. That is not all. There are oil leaks, broken gauges, and broken heaters, lack of de-icing equipment, and engines that catch fire regularly. This imaginative, entertaining author sets up funny situations as he lives to tell the tales of his near-misses.
This is a fun subject to poke fun at so why not do it? But wait. The pilots’ working conditions are terrible. Not enough sleep, long on-call hours, uncomfortable layovers, jet lag, and massive hangovers. It is hard not to wonder if there is some underlying truth here. Could these conditions be present in commercial aviation? Often satire serves the purpose of revealing greater truths through humor. The reader is left to wonder about safety in the air. After all, this is a legitimate pilot telling his story, and everyone knows what happens when companies cut back on expenses.
Satire allows characters and situations to be exaggerated and slap-stick funny. In satire, characters do not always need to come fully alive, and ongoing conflict remains ever present within the humorous situations. But cliched characters should never be allowed: the elderly person with dementia who holds the most important job in the airlines, good-looking women who are “bird-dogged”, never having the chance to reveal a sliver of their humanity as men judge them by their physical attributes, and the co-pilot with a serious substance abuse problem putting the entire crew, as well as himself, at risk. As good as the writing is, the tone is rife with painful truths underlying the humor, because cliched characters cannot stamp out the ugliness of their limitations already etched in the readers’ minds. They need the author's help to soften the punch of their predicaments, allowing the book's fun to become genuine, with ridicule of no one.
This is a fun subject to poke fun at so why not do it? But wait. The pilots’ working conditions are terrible. Not enough sleep, long on-call hours, uncomfortable layovers, jet lag, and massive hangovers. It is hard not to wonder if there is some underlying truth here. Could these conditions be present in commercial aviation? Often satire serves the purpose of revealing greater truths through humor. The reader is left to wonder about safety in the air. After all, this is a legitimate pilot telling his story, and everyone knows what happens when companies cut back on expenses.
Satire allows characters and situations to be exaggerated and slap-stick funny. In satire, characters do not always need to come fully alive, and ongoing conflict remains ever present within the humorous situations. But cliched characters should never be allowed: the elderly person with dementia who holds the most important job in the airlines, good-looking women who are “bird-dogged”, never having the chance to reveal a sliver of their humanity as men judge them by their physical attributes, and the co-pilot with a serious substance abuse problem putting the entire crew, as well as himself, at risk. As good as the writing is, the tone is rife with painful truths underlying the humor, because cliched characters cannot stamp out the ugliness of their limitations already etched in the readers’ minds. They need the author's help to soften the punch of their predicaments, allowing the book's fun to become genuine, with ridicule of no one.
November 16, 2019
Fly by night, indeed
I wanted this to be like MASH--the book, not the movie--and it didn't quite make it. It's a fairly entertaining read, over the top to be sure, but not quite as fleshed out as I'd like to have seen. We never get to know much about the main character, and his motivation for continuing to work in the conditions is thin.
The book could use some editing--there are a fairly good amount of misused words that are stopping me from recommending this book directly to some other readers.
I wanted this to be like MASH--the book, not the movie--and it didn't quite make it. It's a fairly entertaining read, over the top to be sure, but not quite as fleshed out as I'd like to have seen. We never get to know much about the main character, and his motivation for continuing to work in the conditions is thin.
The book could use some editing--there are a fairly good amount of misused words that are stopping me from recommending this book directly to some other readers.
November 26, 2019
Depends on your taste in comedy.
I grabbed this one for a break from aviation history books. For me, it was a little.over the top. I prefer intelligent humor. This was Married With Children set at an airport. The situations are just a bit too ridiculous for my tastes. In the end,the !son character gets away with arson!
The writing was decent with a couple of typos. It went fast, that is why I'm giving it 4 stars...quick read that might make you smile.
I grabbed this one for a break from aviation history books. For me, it was a little.over the top. I prefer intelligent humor. This was Married With Children set at an airport. The situations are just a bit too ridiculous for my tastes. In the end,the !son character gets away with arson!
The writing was decent with a couple of typos. It went fast, that is why I'm giving it 4 stars...quick read that might make you smile.
February 15, 2019
Full review:
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.com/20...
The endless sarcasm and almost impossible sounding events of this aviation comedy will make you laugh until you cry. Remember to keep in mind this not what the industry is truly like and you enjoy the book even more.
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.com/20...
The endless sarcasm and almost impossible sounding events of this aviation comedy will make you laugh until you cry. Remember to keep in mind this not what the industry is truly like and you enjoy the book even more.
January 1, 2025
I enjoyed the book very much but I think the CFI book was the better of the two for me because the stories were more relatable. I was glad that this book was about hauling with a Navajo and not some 747 carrier because I work at a small airport so I deal with GA nonstop everyday. I actually read a bulk of the book while leaning on the wing of our a Navajo in our hangar.
July 4, 2025
This book is not what it seems: I would not call this a satire: it is appropriately absurd!!
A pilot is hired who doesn’t even have a license?? Come on!
Torching a plane to escape a ramp check? The pilot lacks even a modicum of self preservation: not at all remotely believable
There are better memoirs by pilots who actually write about their amazing experiences « hauling checks »!
A pilot is hired who doesn’t even have a license?? Come on!
Torching a plane to escape a ramp check? The pilot lacks even a modicum of self preservation: not at all remotely believable
There are better memoirs by pilots who actually write about their amazing experiences « hauling checks »!
July 25, 2019
Not my idea of good entertainment
I got about half way through it and quit. Flying is serious business. Drunk co-pilots and flagrant violations of FAA regulations meant to save lives just do not entertain me. This is not comedy.
I got about half way through it and quit. Flying is serious business. Drunk co-pilots and flagrant violations of FAA regulations meant to save lives just do not entertain me. This is not comedy.
January 17, 2020
Marginally Funny
Enjoyed the parts of the story that dealt with flights. The actions of most of the characters were too outlandish to be funny for me. I enjoyed the authors second book, CFI, much more.
Enjoyed the parts of the story that dealt with flights. The actions of most of the characters were too outlandish to be funny for me. I enjoyed the authors second book, CFI, much more.
February 18, 2021
I realize this is a satire about the small cargo aviation industry, but I found the book to be inane and overly ridiculous. Yes, there are some very humorous aspects to the book, but I also found it kind of sad and pathetic that anyone would subject themselves to that kind of environment.
March 13, 2021
There are legitimately funny parts of this book that I laughed way too loud at, but the cardboard writing and the sheer number of grammatical and spelling errors makes me wonder if it was ever proofread.
December 2, 2024
An enjoyable read, but nothing I would suggest to any friends or family- it only got exciting in the back half of the book, but by that point things are getting so wild you don't have much of a choice but to suspend disbelief
January 15, 2019
Fun read
I’ve been around general aviation in various ways for 25 years. I found this an amusing read, and have met some folks like the caricatures in these stories.
I’ve been around general aviation in various ways for 25 years. I found this an amusing read, and have met some folks like the caricatures in these stories.
August 25, 2019
OK but not great.
June 28, 2020
A fun book with a cast of really colorful characters!
August 19, 2020
Docmtl
Fun to read, it sounds almost real when you go through all the stories :-) I bet some of these chapters are real life stories - no joke lol . Enjoy the reading folks.
Fun to read, it sounds almost real when you go through all the stories :-) I bet some of these chapters are real life stories - no joke lol . Enjoy the reading folks.
September 12, 2022
Fun, with a satisfying conclusion.
September 17, 2022
Spent more time discussing the alcoholism of his copilot than about flying
July 28, 2023
I’m surprised I finished this book, it’s that bad. There are a few inaccuracies but the stinker is the improbable situations. Nice try, but it’s bad.
January 8, 2019
Reviews from Amazon:
Freight Doggin,
Hilarious book that opens your eyes to the fringes of aviation. Colorful characters and plenty of high jinx will keep you turning the pages quickly. If you have ever even though of being a pilot this is a must read! I can only hope that the author will come out with more novels. - Amazon.com reviewer
Oh, the memories!,
I saw the cover of this book and knew I had to read it. I used to fly checks back in the day and this book brings back some good memories! This book kept me laughing the whole time. For being the authors first book, this was fantastic. The characters in this book were classic "freight dogs". This book was a very easy read. - Amazon.com reviewer
Hilarious!!!,
I'm not a pilot but I found this book on the kindleboards and it looked interesting. The book was extreamely creative, especially for a new author. I loved the characters, The Co is my favorite. And The One Gallon Challenge was one of the funniest things I've ever read. - Amazon.com reviewer
Funniest flying book I ever read!,
Being a pilot myself I love any book dealing with flying. I can honestly say "Hauling Checks" is the funniest I've read. I couldn't put it down. The characters are so colorful and full of life and the classic "Freight Dog" mentality. I found myself, many times, laughing out loud at the many antics depicted. A truly wonderful book for a first time author. Hope to see more of this author's works in the future! I was very pleased to see this book come out for the Kindle. - Amazon.com reviewer
A Former Freight Dawg Remembers!,
Alex Stone knows his freight dawgs and bottom-feeder freight companies! This book, a quick read, tells some of the odd-ball stories floating around the freight world. A fun read if you're a former (or current) freight dawg...we KNOW or have heard of people like those who populate Alex's book. Great Christmas gift for the aviator in your family or for a fun weekend read. - Amazon.com reviewer
Aviation at its Finest,
A funny, exaggerated look into a freight airline company and all of their over looked problems. Lots of hilarious segments will have your attention right from the get go and the page turning will not stop. An awesome read whether you are an airline pilot, "freight dog", or even if you've never flown in your life. This book is awesome. - Amazon.com reviewer
Hillarious,
Extremely funny and entertaining book, I couldn't put it down and read it in 2 short days. It's one of those books where you wish there were more pages. - Amazon.com reviewer
Excellent read!,
This book had me laughing out loud from page one all the way to the end. The quick wit and hilarious characters made the book a very enjoyable read. I highly recommend this book for any pilot- and for anyone that has flown freight it is a must read. - Amazon.com reviewer
Aviation meets "The Hangover",
"Hauling Checks" is the story of a horribly disfunctional freight airline in it's twilight. Hilarity ensues as the moraly questionable employees of Checkflight make all the wrong descisions, finding themselves in one predicament after another. The characters are memorable and the laughs are non-stop. Highly recommended!!! - BN.com reviewer
Great book!,
Hilarious book! I could not put it down, every chapter kept me laughing! I would recommend it hands down! - Amazon.com reviewer
This book was funny!,
I don't think I've ever laughed this hard reading before. Go Freight Dogs! - BN.com reviewer
Raining Laughs!,
The beginning of Hauling Checks indeed is quite humorous. In the "Freight Dog" industry they live by the motto, "Any place, Any time, Any weather," ... religiously! The best parts of this quick amusing read was the pilot's conversations with the chief, and his wit and ability handling planes under any conditions, often to include going co-pilot-less, despite a lukewarm body being seated (sometimes "nut strap" harnessed) in the co-pilot's seat. I couldn't help but to keep thinking that this man (the pilot) needs to fly for major commercial airlines, where his service would be appreciated. This made the ending most rewarding to hear what became of his career. A misbehaving, enjoyable light read. - Amazon.com reviewer
Dogs Don't Fly, but some dudes fly checks,
This book was funny from start to finish. If any of it is true I will eat my headset. But seriously, you will enjoy the story. It is well written and you cannot put it down once you start reading. Buy this book and see the funny side of the crazy thing we do when we strap on a little airplane and sail off into the wild blue yonder. - Amazon.com reviewer
Freight Doggin,
Hilarious book that opens your eyes to the fringes of aviation. Colorful characters and plenty of high jinx will keep you turning the pages quickly. If you have ever even though of being a pilot this is a must read! I can only hope that the author will come out with more novels. - Amazon.com reviewer
Oh, the memories!,
I saw the cover of this book and knew I had to read it. I used to fly checks back in the day and this book brings back some good memories! This book kept me laughing the whole time. For being the authors first book, this was fantastic. The characters in this book were classic "freight dogs". This book was a very easy read. - Amazon.com reviewer
Hilarious!!!,
I'm not a pilot but I found this book on the kindleboards and it looked interesting. The book was extreamely creative, especially for a new author. I loved the characters, The Co is my favorite. And The One Gallon Challenge was one of the funniest things I've ever read. - Amazon.com reviewer
Funniest flying book I ever read!,
Being a pilot myself I love any book dealing with flying. I can honestly say "Hauling Checks" is the funniest I've read. I couldn't put it down. The characters are so colorful and full of life and the classic "Freight Dog" mentality. I found myself, many times, laughing out loud at the many antics depicted. A truly wonderful book for a first time author. Hope to see more of this author's works in the future! I was very pleased to see this book come out for the Kindle. - Amazon.com reviewer
A Former Freight Dawg Remembers!,
Alex Stone knows his freight dawgs and bottom-feeder freight companies! This book, a quick read, tells some of the odd-ball stories floating around the freight world. A fun read if you're a former (or current) freight dawg...we KNOW or have heard of people like those who populate Alex's book. Great Christmas gift for the aviator in your family or for a fun weekend read. - Amazon.com reviewer
Aviation at its Finest,
A funny, exaggerated look into a freight airline company and all of their over looked problems. Lots of hilarious segments will have your attention right from the get go and the page turning will not stop. An awesome read whether you are an airline pilot, "freight dog", or even if you've never flown in your life. This book is awesome. - Amazon.com reviewer
Hillarious,
Extremely funny and entertaining book, I couldn't put it down and read it in 2 short days. It's one of those books where you wish there were more pages. - Amazon.com reviewer
Excellent read!,
This book had me laughing out loud from page one all the way to the end. The quick wit and hilarious characters made the book a very enjoyable read. I highly recommend this book for any pilot- and for anyone that has flown freight it is a must read. - Amazon.com reviewer
Aviation meets "The Hangover",
"Hauling Checks" is the story of a horribly disfunctional freight airline in it's twilight. Hilarity ensues as the moraly questionable employees of Checkflight make all the wrong descisions, finding themselves in one predicament after another. The characters are memorable and the laughs are non-stop. Highly recommended!!! - BN.com reviewer
Great book!,
Hilarious book! I could not put it down, every chapter kept me laughing! I would recommend it hands down! - Amazon.com reviewer
This book was funny!,
I don't think I've ever laughed this hard reading before. Go Freight Dogs! - BN.com reviewer
Raining Laughs!,
The beginning of Hauling Checks indeed is quite humorous. In the "Freight Dog" industry they live by the motto, "Any place, Any time, Any weather," ... religiously! The best parts of this quick amusing read was the pilot's conversations with the chief, and his wit and ability handling planes under any conditions, often to include going co-pilot-less, despite a lukewarm body being seated (sometimes "nut strap" harnessed) in the co-pilot's seat. I couldn't help but to keep thinking that this man (the pilot) needs to fly for major commercial airlines, where his service would be appreciated. This made the ending most rewarding to hear what became of his career. A misbehaving, enjoyable light read. - Amazon.com reviewer
Dogs Don't Fly, but some dudes fly checks,
This book was funny from start to finish. If any of it is true I will eat my headset. But seriously, you will enjoy the story. It is well written and you cannot put it down once you start reading. Buy this book and see the funny side of the crazy thing we do when we strap on a little airplane and sail off into the wild blue yonder. - Amazon.com reviewer
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews