I’m always looking for books and videos about aviation and flying. they’re a good way to spend ‘down time’ when I’m not in the mood to actually study a manual or take an online course. When I find something that I think you might like, I’ll pass it along in the Review section of my site.

I signed up as a volunteer with the EAA to test products and write reviews for their Sport Aviation magazine. So far I have received a DVD from them to review. The agreement with EAA restricts me from publishing any information on the product that they send me until their review appears in Sport Aviation.  Other than that agreement, all the reviews that I publish are of  items that I have purchased for my personal use.

The full title of this book is Zero 3 Bravo, Solo Across America in a Small Plane, written by Mariana Gosnell.

This book, first published in 1993, is the story of the author taking a 3-month leave of absence from her job and flying her 1950 Luscombe 8F around the United States. Her starting (and ending) point is her home airport in Spring Valley, New York, about 35 miles north of New York City.

She traveled down the east coast, across the southern states to Santa Paula, CA, up the west coast to the San Francisco Bay area and then east along the route taken by Interstate 80. Her flight then continued to the Black Hills and then turned southeast to Kansas City and St Louis. She took side trips along the way to visit friends and see places that she had heard about or which had been recommended by the people she met during her fuel and overnight stops.

Her writing style is easy to read and draws vivid pictures in your mind’s eye as she describes the sights (and smells) that she encounters on her flights.

For a pilot, this is a very easy book to read – but beware, you will find yourself dreaming of and planning a similar adventure before you are finished.

I have no recollection where I found the book, but I’m glad I took the effort to buy it. I have the hardback version, but the paperback printing is available through the Amazon affiliate link I have included above.