Aviation Nonfiction

In February 1942, a reconnaissance party of US Army Air Force officers arrived in England. Firmly wedded to the doctrine of daylight precision bombing, they believed they could help turn the tide of the war in Europe. In the months that followed, they formed the Eighth Air Force—an organization that grew at an astonishing rate. To accommodate it, almost seventy airfields were built across the eastern counties of England. At the heart of the Eighth Air Force was its bombardment groups, each equipped with scores of heavily armed, four-engine bombers. This is the story of just one "Bomb Group".

In the Spring of 1915, a Parisian playboy took to the lethal skies of World War I, becoming the world’s first fighter pilot. Never before had a lone pilot hunted down other aviators. Roland Garros’ aerial exploits unleashed unlimited air combat and changed warfare forever. Before leaving French café society for the Western Front, the young pilot set aviation records, won air races, and introduced manned flight to thrilled crowds in the USA, Europe, and Latin America. Garros scouted for the US Army, strolled as a Boulevardier, sold sports cars, played classical piano, was a lawyer, a ...

“A lost world, man-eating tribesmen, lush andimpenetrable jungles, stranded American fliers (one of them a dame withgreat gams, for heaven's sake), a startling rescue mission. . . . This is atrue story made in heaven for a writer as talented as Mitchell Zuckoff. Whew—what an utterly...

When a pilots sends a "mayday" message, it means there is serious trouble. Discover the fascinating true tales of people who lived to tell about their own terrifying airplane disasters, and what they did to survive.

The incredible story of the first African American military pilot, who went on to become a Paris nightclub impresario, a spy in the French Resistance and an American civil rights pioneer Eugene Bullard lived one of the most fascinating lives of the twentieth century. The son of a former slave...

In the early days of aviation, a handful of fearless pilots defied deserts, mountains, and oceans to deliver letters across continents. This is their story. Wings Across the World takes readers on a breathtaking journey through the golden age of airmail, chronicling the daring exploits of France’s legendary Aéropostale pilots—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Jean Mermoz, Henri Guillaumet, and others—whose courage, skill, and ingenuity made history. From the scorching sands of the Sahara to the perilous heights of the Andes and the endless expanse of the South Atlantic, these men risked ...

Militaries need fast and powerful machines in the air. Fighter jets, cargo planes, and other amazing aircraft zoom over land and water to get the job done!

Follow along with “Captain Bob” Young as he crosses the USA from Santa Monica to Connecticut and back in his two seater airplane. He visits old and new friends while searching for himself and discovering the good in us all.

Dozens of astronauts travel to space every year, but what makes these amazing trips possible? Max Axiom has the answers. Join Max as he explores the science and engineering behind space travel.

Audiobook-exclusive bonus content includes a Q&A between Tammie Jo Shults and narrator Tavia Gilbert and a recorded speech detailing the events of Flight 1380. Nerves of Steel is the captivating true story of Tammie Jo Shults’s remarkable life—from growing up the daughter of a humble...

Listen to the story of how Wilbur and Orville Wright developed, tested, and successfully flew the first powered airplane.

When 1919 began, the city of Chicago seemed on the verge of transformation. Modernizers had an audacious, expensive plan to turn the city from a brawling, unglamorous place into “the Metropolis of the World.” But just as the dream seemed within reach, pandemonium broke loose and the city’s...

Air travel is one of the safest methods of transportation, but when a disaster happens, it captures the public's imagination. Learn about how airplanes are built, how researchers investigate a crash, how engineers are making planes safer, and more.

Float through the sky under a giant, colorful balloon! Listen for the facts on hot air balloons.

This book provides young listeners with exciting information on the most modern US military aircraft.

Explore the lives and achievements of the Wright Brothers.

This book is the product of The Earhart Project, a thirty-four-year investigation of the Earhart tragedy by The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery. TIGHAR investigators had no agenda. They were not out to advocate, excuse, honor, or impugn. They saw the Earhart disappearance as an aviation accident and reasoned the answer to its cause and outcome should be discoverable if they could find, assemble, and analyze the relevant data.

In this enthralling history, internationally bestselling author Max Hastings recounts the odds-defying Operation Biting, a 1942 parachute commando raid on Northern France to steal vital components of German intelligence—one of the most thrilling British commando raids of World War II, and one...

Get there in a flash with the speediest way to travel. Listen for the facts on jet planes.

Air Force One keeps the U.S. president safe while flying. Learn more about the features that protect this amazing plane. Also find out how team members protect the president as he travels on Air Force One.