Readers discover how airplanes get ready for takeoff.

"Still reeling from a devastating personal tragedy, air marshal turned investigator Seth Walker embarks on his first case. All he has to do is accompany female pop star Max Magic to Los Angeles and deliver her to the FBI. But when their routine flight ends in a hail of gunfire at LAX, Walker has no choice but to take the frightened diva on the run"--Dust jacket flap.

All of aviation's dangerous, exciting, and most courageous moments are featured within this stunning compendium on flight. Packed with stories of heroic and innovative pioneers, fascinating profiles of remarkable planes from Spitfires to space shuttles, and how-to instructions for making everything from origami helicopters to bottle rockets—all accompanied by sensational photographs, illustrations, and diagrams—Cleared for Takeoff promises to astonish, entertain, and fire the imaginations of everyone with their head in the clouds.

A success-driven CEO goes on a year-long journey of self-discovery in Bali in this memoir about rediscovering what’s truly important. A hard-charging CEO of a large enterprise, Ben Feder discovers that he is losing the very things that sustained him over his years of business success. Unsettled by his insight, he becomes determined to rebuild family relationships and rejuvenate his sense of purpose. Risking his career, Feder left New York with his wife and children and set off on a self-prescribed sabbatical year. That experience transforms them all. As Feder navigates the thrills and pitfalls of his time away, he draws readers into remarkable examinations of modern values and modern life. Take Off Your Shoes is Feder’s candid and personable account of a journey across the world, and within himself.

In Clear Lake, Texas, a group of astronauts has begun training for the Challenger mission. Among them is a teacher named Christa McAuliffe, the woman chosen to be the first teacher in space. When Annie meets Christa, she is fascinated by her determination and courage. Following Christa's NASA journey through the news, Annie sees that Christa seems to be an ordinary person, like Annie herself, and yet Christa is reaching amazing heights-like flying on the space shuttle. Feeling so inspired, Annie is devastated when the shuttle launch turns to tragedy. But Annie must remember that Christa would have wanted her to keep reaching for her dreams, despite any obstacle.

Written for the 60 million Americans who take planes annually--both passengers who love and hate flying--this insider's guide is a must. In easy-to-understand, non-technical language, the authors answer questions about pilots' qualifications, the effects of turbulence, air traffic control, bad weather flying an much more.

Aviation photography is the perfect mix of sleek, beautiful machines, blended with nature’s beautiful skies and fields, along with a fascinating collection of fearless pilots and capable crew, all wrapped in a rich, significant, and crucial part of history. Few genres combine this many elements, and invoke this much passion from photographers. This one-of-a kind book from Moose Peterson, one of the world’s most recognized experts in aviation photography, not only teaches you exactly what you need to know to start making beautiful, intriguing photographs of aircraft, but inspires you and pushes you creatively and technically every step of the way. Moose takes you through all the basics for camera gear and settings, showing you what he travels with and the settings he uses to get those tack sharp images. He covers one of the most important aspects of aviation photography–light! And, he gives you a number of examples of how to take the best advantage of that light any time of the day. He shares the critical techniques you’ll need to master to create the illusion of flight, speed, and romance in a still image, including which types of prop blur you’re aiming for (and which types you want to avoid). You’ll learn how to make the most out of air shows and fly-ins–what to shoot while you’re there, and what you might want to skip or avoid altogether (and why). You’ll learn how to photograph aircraft on the ground, from ground-to-air, and ultimately air-to-air, and how to capture one of the most important elements in aviation photography today: the fascinating pilots and crew–the people! Moose shares many wonderful stories and adventures along the way, which illustrate how, as photographers, we’re also storytellers, and the importance of bringing out those stories in our aviation photos. Plus, you’ll gain free access to his acclaimed KelbyOne film, Warbirds and the Men Who Flew Them. With this book, your camera, and your passion, your success in aviation photography will quickly take flight!