Skyfaring

By: Mark Vanhoenacker

Narrated by: John Moraitis

In Skyfaring, airline pilot and flight romantic Mark Vanhoenacker shares his irrepressible love of flying on a journey from day to night, from new ways of mapmaking and the poetry of physics to the names of winds and the nature of clouds. Here, anew, is the simple wonder and transcendent joy of motion and the remarkable new perspectives that height and distance bestow on everything we love.

©2015 Mark Vanhoenacker (P)2015 W F Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"Read it, and you’ll find yourself requesting a window seat every time you fly." ( Bookseller)

What Mark did here is spectacular!

What did you like best about this story?

I liked all the things that this book was at the same time. This book was a story of Mark's life, career and day-to-day on the job. This book was for aviation enthusiasts as it gave detailed information about the processes and mechanics of flight. This book was both of those things at the same time which made it most intriguing. I also like, as a person who travels a lot myself, having my opinions and thoughts on travel and all that goes into it reaffirmed by Mark. Mark feels and experiences things much like I do when travelling and I assume this aspect of the book will make it resonate with a wider audience than just 747 fans.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

There are so many interesting aviation facts in this book - some quite technical - but Mark drops them into the midst of his life story so well that they do not turn the book into a textbook - they enhance the story.

Great book, production issues

I had previously read this book in print, and as an aviation fan was very happy with the book. Unfortunately, the audio book contains many mispronunciations which make it frustrating to listen to.

A Pilot and Poet explains all aspects of flight

Where does Skyfaring rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

near the top

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The author's love of his topic and his ability to convey that to the listener

Which character – as performed by John Moraitis – was your favorite?

n/a

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Why we Fly

Any additional comments?

This is a very unusual book which anyone who flies should find compelling

Great read for aviation enthusiasts.

Vanhoenacker beautifully conveys his love of flying, while providing much fascinating information about piloting a 747.

good story, bad narrator

I have the book so I know that this story is good, but the narrator is like a robot.

This book is awesome

I have always loved aviation. My mind felt like it was soaring at 30,000 feet the whole time I listened to this book. My recommendation: Go for a fly with "Skyfaring". I don't think you will regret it. If you're like me, you will wish you could walk (or fly) a few miles in the author's shoes.

Both poetic snd technical

Well written story of a pilot's love of flight. You will learn much about airplanes, airports, celestial navigation and more.

Great View from Pilot's Seat -

What did you love best about Skyfaring?

All the details of long distance, commercial flying.

What other book might you compare Skyfaring to and why?

None

Would you be willing to try another one of John Moraitis’s performances?

No. John Moraitis's performance was stilted and irritating. He over-pronounces words and it lacked the warmth of the conversational tone of the author. I almost quit listening. However, because I was highly motivated by the subject I stuck with it.

Unusual, interesting book; strange reader

If you could sum up Skyfaring in three words, what would they be?

Unique perspective on flight.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Skyfaring?

I've been listening intermittently. Interesting to hear about flying from a pilot's perspective, especially one with both a poetic temperament and a solid grasp of the technology. Fascinating to hear about the airline pilot subculture behind the scenes.

What aspect of John Moraitis’s performance would you have changed?

The reader has an odd relationship with the English language. There are many strange mispronunciations of common words, something that was rather distracting. His insistence on pronouncing "airplane" as "aeroplane" is especially annoying and, of course, frequent.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. It's easy enough to dip in and out since it's not a plot-driven narrative. Each chapter could be a stand-alone article.

An Aviator's Dream

Perfect for the aviation geek young and old. This encapsulates all that is wondrous about flight and puts into words why we pilots are infatuated with the miracle that it is.