Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)In a single generation, civilian aviation went from a few adventure hardy men and women trying out the new transportation technology of airplanes, to a common place occurrence among a majority of the American population. What might not be obvious to the current generation whose experience with air flight transportation is one of crowded terminals, weather related delays and cancellations, missed connections and lost luggage, is that in its 'Golden Age', travel by airplane was one of elegance, luxury, and the thrill of a lifetime. "Flying Across America: The Airline Passenger Experience" by Daniel L. Rust (Assistant Director of the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Missouri--St. Louis), is a superbly illustrated and informatively written account of the evolution of commercial passenger service from its beginnings in the 1920s through its increasing accessibility in the 1960s, to the Post 9/11 problematic conditions that are the present day norm. Laced through this deftly written history are firsthand accounts from celebrities like Will Rogers (who ultimately lost his life in an air plane crash) to ordinary American passengers. Unique and inherently entertaining, "Flying Across America" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to community, and academic library Aviation Studies and American Aviation History reference collections and personal reading lists.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Flying Across America: The Airline Passenger Experience
A colorfully illustrated history of air travel emphasizing the personal experience of commercial flightAmericans who now endure the inconveniences of crowded airports, packed airplanes, and missed connections might not realize that flying was once an elegant, exhilarating adventure. In this colorful history, Daniel L. Rust traces the evolution of commercial air travel from the first transcontinental expeditions of the 1920s through the luxurious airline environments of the 1960s to the more hectic, fatiguing experiences of flying in the post-9/11 era.In the beginning, flying coast-to-coast was an exciting yet uncomfortable journey of nearly forty-eight hours that required numerous stops and overnight travel by train. With time and technical innovation, passengers became increasingly removed both physically and psychologically from the raw experience of flying. Faster planes, pressurized cabins, onboard amenities, and stronger safety precautions made flying more convenient and predictable--but less evocative and sensational.Prior to the 1980s, Americans dressed for air travel in their formal best and enjoyed such luxurious onboard amenities as delicious meals and ample cabin space. What made air travel glamorous, however, also made it more expensive. With deregulation in 1978, cost reductions reduced flying to a more tedious, and, after 9/11, more regimented experience.Rust's narrative brims with firsthand accounts from such celebrities as Will Rogers as well as from ordinary Americans. Enlivened by more than one hundred illustrations, including vintage brochures, posters, and photographs, Flying Across America reminds today's airline passengers of what they have gained--and what they have lost--in the transcontinental flying experience.
Get 36% OFF
Click here for more information about Flying Across America: The Airline Passenger Experience
0 comments:
Post a Comment