Mullane's Guide to Learning to Fly: Deep Dives into Select Topics for Today's Student Pilot

by Patrick Mullane

“Patrick Mullane combines the pragmatism of a business leader, the rigor of an engineer, and the joy of an aviation enthusiast, making him the perfect guide through the confusing world of flight training. Entertaining, enlightening, and occasionally controversial, Mullane’s Guide to Learning to Fly shows what it really takes to achieve your dreams." —John Zimmerman Host of Sporty’s Pilot’s Discretion PodcastWhy does maneuvering speed decrease the lighter an airplane gets? Why is Class E airspace considered controlled airspace when you can fly in it without talking to air traffic control? What’s the difference between a forward slip and a side slip, and when do you use one or the other? Why is it a waste of time to learn how to use the E6B? And what in the world is the “Invisible Gorilla” and why is it important to you? In Mullane’s Guide to Learning to Fly, Patrick Mullane uses his own journey from discovery flight to checkride to answer these and scores of other questions every student pilot asks—or should ask—during their training.Read it from cover to cover or use it as a reference book to enhance your training by jumping to topics using the Kindle search function. Either way, you will find the content sometimes irreverent, often funny, and always educational. Mullane’s Guide to Learning to Fly is a one-of-a-kind insight into critical topics for those who wish to become a pilot.

392 pages, Paperback

Published December 12, 2023

Reviews

[Chris Mercon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely gets you in the right frame of mind to start your journey in aviation. Very smartly written with a lot of great little historical facts and tidbits thrown in. You get a lot of insider insights to the process of earning your PPL. Never have I been so entertained while learning as it reads through like novel vs an educational publication.
Definitely pick this book up as part of your stack of reading materials needed for your PPL journey. It should already be in the required reading list.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. A bit technical for one who is not committed to flying himself. Probably excellent for those who are.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: my husband has his PPL and I am planning to get mine someday (soon?!), and love to read and learn about flying.

I really enjoyed this book, even though parts of it left my brain feeling fried! Combining real-life situations with straightforward language and humor is a great way for me to understand and remember a concept—especially when I can compare it to what I’ve seen and heard in my passenger flying experience. Mullane’s snarky takes on things I’ve also wondered WhY iS iT sTiLl DoNe ThIs WaY added to the fun.

This is a fantastic tool and helped me immensely. I also enjoyed the historical tidbits and explanations, like why planes in the U.S. have an N on their tail number or even why a bikini is called a bikini.