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Flying Alone: A Memoir
At thirteen years old, Elizabeth Ruggiero’s heart was broken when her father died suddenly. But there was a bigger challenge ahead when doctors told her she probably had multiple sclerosis at 22 years old. Elizabeth vowed that this new challenge would not put restrictions on her life and embarked on a lifelong dream to fly for the airlines. Starting at the small local airport, the aviation world swallowed her whole, and the next five years of her life were as turbulent as an airplane in a thunderstorm, never knowing when, how or if she would emerge. An agonizing love affair with her flight instructor, dangerous risks in the sky and flying broken airplanes for shady companies all intertwined to define her road to the airlines. Elizabeth made it to her goal and was hired by Trans World Airlines in 1989. Flying Alone is told with soul-baring candor, taking readers on a suspenseful journey through the terror, romance and ultimate victory of those years.
- GenresNonfictionMemoir
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 2, 2019
10 people are currently reading
802 people want to read
About the author
Beth Ruggiero York
4 books19 followersBeth is a former airline pilot for Trans World Airlines. She entered the world of civil aviation in 1984 shortly after graduating from college and, for the next five years, climbed the ladder to her ultimate goal of flying for a major airline. Beth originally wrote Flying Alone in the early 1990s, shortly after her career as a pilot ended and the memories were fresh. She is now a Chinese translator and a professional photography instructor for Arizona Highways PhotoScapes. She has published a popular instructional book on night photography, Fun in the Dark: A Guide to Successful Night Photography, which has worldwide sales, and she has co-written a book entitled, Everglades National Park: A Photographic Destination. Beth and her husband live in Fountain Hills, AZ.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 17, 2019
Flying Alone was something I knew I had to read. I know several people who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis. Including my most best friend since I was seven years old.
She’s brave, and courageous, and pretty darn awesome. And most of the time – she “seems fine.” I think that’s the biggest misunderstanding of MS. It’s for the most part, fairly invisible to others. The pain and fatigue isn’t always obvious. The symptoms and flareups present differently for every person. It’s very unpredictable. Most of the time if she doesn’t tell me something is bothering her – I have no idea.
I went into this thinking, “This will help me understand what she’s been going through all this time. I’ll be able to relate more. I will learn from this book.”
This is what I learned:
I learned that the rigorous training and flight hours and steps one must go through to become a pilot is INSANE. And as someone who flies – I am very thankful for it!
That those fun “”Will you marry me?’ banners and advertisements that fly over the beach in the summer are SO very dangerous to tow and I have MAD respect for the pilots that do so.
That you NEVER EVER want to run out of gas while flying in an airplane.
And I learned that Beth Ruggiero York is a bad ass. She’s braved a lot of incredible things in her life. Including, but definitely not limited to: intense pilot training with some very scary emergencies, sexism, crappy boyfriends, difficult job situations, a car accident, and so much more. But it has shaped her, and molded her and she came out on the other side to tell her story.
You notice I didn’t mention MS. In fact – I didn’t learn anything about the disease. Because it didn’t shape OR mold her.
That DESPITE having an MS diagnosis, Beth thrived. She didn’t quit. That it doesn’t define her.
I learned that the best way to understand my friend and what she goes though – is to just be there for her. To understand her. That she’s an amazing friend and an animal lover and an incredible painter who just happens to have MS.
She can tell me “I’m not fine.” and I can understand that she just needs a friend.
She’s brave, and courageous, and pretty darn awesome. And most of the time – she “seems fine.” I think that’s the biggest misunderstanding of MS. It’s for the most part, fairly invisible to others. The pain and fatigue isn’t always obvious. The symptoms and flareups present differently for every person. It’s very unpredictable. Most of the time if she doesn’t tell me something is bothering her – I have no idea.
I went into this thinking, “This will help me understand what she’s been going through all this time. I’ll be able to relate more. I will learn from this book.”
This is what I learned:
I learned that the rigorous training and flight hours and steps one must go through to become a pilot is INSANE. And as someone who flies – I am very thankful for it!
That those fun “”Will you marry me?’ banners and advertisements that fly over the beach in the summer are SO very dangerous to tow and I have MAD respect for the pilots that do so.
That you NEVER EVER want to run out of gas while flying in an airplane.
And I learned that Beth Ruggiero York is a bad ass. She’s braved a lot of incredible things in her life. Including, but definitely not limited to: intense pilot training with some very scary emergencies, sexism, crappy boyfriends, difficult job situations, a car accident, and so much more. But it has shaped her, and molded her and she came out on the other side to tell her story.
You notice I didn’t mention MS. In fact – I didn’t learn anything about the disease. Because it didn’t shape OR mold her.
That DESPITE having an MS diagnosis, Beth thrived. She didn’t quit. That it doesn’t define her.
I learned that the best way to understand my friend and what she goes though – is to just be there for her. To understand her. That she’s an amazing friend and an animal lover and an incredible painter who just happens to have MS.
She can tell me “I’m not fine.” and I can understand that she just needs a friend.
October 6, 2019
I did like reading this book. Beth's story of how she did not let her multiple sclerosis keep her from achieving her dreams was inspiring. In addition, for someone that is interested in aviation, you will be familiar with the different terms. For others that are not familiar; the footnotes at the bottom of the various pages are very informative. I like when the footnotes are featured on the page versus at the back of the book.
While, I don't want to take anything away from Beth's story. I did find parts of this book to move really slowly and a bit monotone. Yet, I was still interest in reading this book , largely due to the aviation aspect. As someone who is into aviation; the terms and what Beth went through as a student learning and taking care of the planes is accurate. I did find this book to be a good read.
While, I don't want to take anything away from Beth's story. I did find parts of this book to move really slowly and a bit monotone. Yet, I was still interest in reading this book , largely due to the aviation aspect. As someone who is into aviation; the terms and what Beth went through as a student learning and taking care of the planes is accurate. I did find this book to be a good read.
November 5, 2019
Once flying got into Beth Ruggerio’s blood as a teen, she was totally hooked. At first she was sidelined with a brutal diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. But with medication she was able to make a plan to get into flying. It wasn’t to be through the Navy training she had initially planned but she decided to would take lessons and earn and licenses through the hours she put in flying and the tests she would have to take along the way. This is as much an adventure story as it is a memoir for Beth’s way was far from easy and fraught with numerous examples of dangerous events which became life or death challenges to overcome.
Beth finds a flying instructor who also becomes her boyfriend. However, as Beth puts it, Flying is number one for Steve and everything else comes after that. Steve is a great instructor but is not too beg on building up a person’s ego. He pushes her as hard as he does himself. But she learns to handle every difficulty, even to the point where it begins to impair her mental health. She flies in poor visibility, in storms, with mechanical plane problems and more. She also doesn’t work for the employers who place employees’ needs and well-being on a priority list. She even works for a company that is flying dangerous material and newspapers that top over the weight limit. While she is doing all this, some of the friends and acquaintances she has met die in brutal accidents that should never have happened.
Eventually Beth winds up in counseling and taking anti-depression medication and realizes she will die if this pattern continues. She therefore works her way into commercial pilot work and then returns to school to do Chinese translation work. Her story is riveting, harrowing and a whole message of wisdom and caution about the choices one makes for achieving one’s dreams. The costs may be larger than the dream. Interestingly, the challenges are also about personal victories that shape an individual with or without the assistance of others. There are also some scenes that point out the changes in the airline industry from male to female employees. All in all, this is a fascinating memoir full of unrelenting tension, insecurity and triumphs that will leave readers thinking and asking questions about choices and decisions.
Beth finds a flying instructor who also becomes her boyfriend. However, as Beth puts it, Flying is number one for Steve and everything else comes after that. Steve is a great instructor but is not too beg on building up a person’s ego. He pushes her as hard as he does himself. But she learns to handle every difficulty, even to the point where it begins to impair her mental health. She flies in poor visibility, in storms, with mechanical plane problems and more. She also doesn’t work for the employers who place employees’ needs and well-being on a priority list. She even works for a company that is flying dangerous material and newspapers that top over the weight limit. While she is doing all this, some of the friends and acquaintances she has met die in brutal accidents that should never have happened.
Eventually Beth winds up in counseling and taking anti-depression medication and realizes she will die if this pattern continues. She therefore works her way into commercial pilot work and then returns to school to do Chinese translation work. Her story is riveting, harrowing and a whole message of wisdom and caution about the choices one makes for achieving one’s dreams. The costs may be larger than the dream. Interestingly, the challenges are also about personal victories that shape an individual with or without the assistance of others. There are also some scenes that point out the changes in the airline industry from male to female employees. All in all, this is a fascinating memoir full of unrelenting tension, insecurity and triumphs that will leave readers thinking and asking questions about choices and decisions.
September 11, 2019
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR ALL READERS … An absolutely outstanding memoir that I wasn’t able to put down until I had read the last page. Climbing the experience ladder in civilian aviation to become an airline pilot involved flying for several fly-by-night companies which had little respect for FAA regulations and maintenance requirements. The author describes in detail a number of harrowing flying experiences and honestly bares her own mistakes in judgment and planning in a few instances. The descriptions of her flights and exciting moments in the air are intertwined with candid and open accounts of a turbulent personal life and a romantic relationship that was all wrong and clearly doomed from the beginning. She reached her career goal in the end, but her major airline employment was cut short by a serious disqualifying medical diagnosis. This didn’t stop this determined young woman from avidly pursuing another career with equal fervor. She says, “I have continued to live the life I wanted, albeit a struggle.” The book is well written and one I highly recommend for all readers. – David B. Crawley, M.D. – Author of “Steep Turn: A Physician's Journey from Clinic to Cockpit” and “A Mile of String: A Boy's Recollection of His Midwest Childhood.”
May 25, 2020
Beth Ruggiero York's account of her five years struggling to become an airline pilot is a highly focused and dramatic account. It's the kind of book you can't put down. The author briefly mentions her background, including the loss of her father when she was 13 and a diagnosis of "probable" multiple sclerosis when she was 22, but almost all of her book is given to detailed accounts of her flying experiences from initial training through years with "fly-by-night" freight lines and her final triumphant arrival at TWA as a Flight Engineer. Interwoven in her daring and scary night experiences in single and twin-engine planes that had been poorly maintained is a love story of her attraction to another pilot, an interlude that supports her aspirations yet brings her down emotionally. This book enters a world about which I've never thought--the lengths to which aspiring pilots will go to find a way into the sky!
September 3, 2019
Beth- This is a beautifully written memoir of your journey in searching for acceptance and belonging. Your vulnerability as you allow us to witness your attachment to an aviation instructor, your struggles to succeed, and your confusion. It’s a wonderful “feminist” story about pursuing a career in a male dominated culture, having to constantly be better than their male counterparts to be taken seriously and accepted.Now for another memoir including the important mother daughter relationship? Somehow I think you may have also been seeking approval from your mother?
Your personal growth and new found confidence during the aviation years may have helped in adapting to life circumstances and changes in careers moves.
Loved it and kept me in suspense with all the aviation drama of flying .....whew !!
Your personal growth and new found confidence during the aviation years may have helped in adapting to life circumstances and changes in careers moves.
Loved it and kept me in suspense with all the aviation drama of flying .....whew !!
Read
September 22, 2019Flying Alone is a captivating memoir by Beth Ruggiero York about her journey in finding acceptance. A beautifully well-written story of heartbreaking yet uplifting struggles the author faced in her longing to belong. Flying Alone shares the struggles that one woman faces when trying to pursuing a career in a male-dominated culture. York shares her personal growth and how she finds confidence during some of her weakest moments.
October 16, 2019
A very easy read with lots of in-air drama. Well written and descriptive and you can imagine yourself in the pilots seat!
November 5, 2019
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
When she was 14 years old, Elizabeth flew for the first time—as she says, it was the first time she'd been that excited since her father died the previous year—and she made a promise to herself that she'd learn to fly.
Her plan had been to join the Navy and become a pilot, which would put her on the fast track to being an airline pilot (her ultimate goal). This was derailed by a diagnosis of probable MS, the Navy would no sooner train a pilot who'd likely develop MS than they would one who had the disease. So, that door closed, she'd go the private sector route—it'd take longer, but it'd still get her where she wanted to go.
The book really takes off (ouch, sorry, didn't mean that pun, but I can't bring myself to edit that) as she's about to get her private license at a small flying school in Massachusetts. The book traces her development as a pilot in a culture not really receptive to female pilots (but not hostile to the idea, it didn't seem), through various stages in her progress—eventually through different employers. We see her navigating through both successes and setbacks, and how she'd move on from either up to the point of making it to her goal—flying for TWA.
A near-constant presence in the book is her primary flying instructor and eventual significant other, Steve. I never liked the guy, and I am not sure I can understand why anyone would. But, this is written years after Steve and the author had gone their separate ways, and she's writing with the full advantage of hindsight. So York displays all the warning signs she spent years ignoring while they were together because it seems like she can't understand all of what she was doing with him either.
If this were a novel, I'd be complaining about how little we get of Elizabeth's friend and student, Melanie. Melanie sees Steve for who he is and encourages Elizabeth to take some of the early steps she'll need to advance her career. She also encourages her to get away from Steve—advice that is rejected (but maybe takes root). I enjoyed her presence in the book and can imagine she'd have been fun to hang out with at the time.
For me, seeing the various kind of jobs that a pilot can hold—and what they entail—was the best part of this book. Yeah, it's disillusioning how many corners were cut (when not ignored) along the way (and I'm guessing the statute of limitations has passed for many of these)—but the various companies and duties were fascinating. It was also refreshing to see some of the pilots worrying about things like that, as well as displaying that there were people around her that had her best interests at heart (or at least would back her when needed).
It's been a while since I saw anyone do this, but remember back when movies would end by telling us what would happen to various characters in the future? York finishes this book with a quick summary of what befell many of the people/companies we'd met along the way. It's a nice touch here.
But before that, we get a very quick recap of her life in the last chapter and epilogue. Between the penultimate and the final chapter, she jumps a little over a year in time to get us to her interview (and hiring) by TWA. After taking things so methodically up to that point, it felt abrupt to make that jump, like we'd missed a lot. There's probably a good reason for York's choice there, but it felt like she was in a rush to meet a deadline so she skimmed over that year. And then didn't really give us a lot about the early days with TWA. I think that's my major criticism of the writing—she just sped past that last year and stopped. I think a little time talking about her initial experience flying for a major airline would've been nice—maybe she's saving that for the sequel? (It didn't seem like that was the intention, but it'd work)
You really feel like you're getting behind the scenes of small airports, freight and charter companies. People like Tom Wolfe can make maverick pilots sound exciting and romantic. York makes the idea sound dreadful and a real threat to safety in the air and on the ground below flight paths. Superman tried to reassure Lois when he said, "I hope this hasn't put you off of flying. Statistically speaking, it's still the safest way to travel." Frankly, after reading parts of this book, I could use someone telling me that.
The book feels honest—it doesn't seem like she glossed over her own faults or highlighted others' at her own gain (or the other way around). There's a sense of "here's some smart things I did," "here's a bad decision I/he/they made," "here's stuff that happened that could have gone either way and worked out okay." It'd have been pretty easy to make herself "the good guy", or everyone else "the bad guy". Instead, we got a bunch of humans being human.
This is a quick read, an insightful read, and an effective read—I wasn't sure what to expect out of Flying Alone, but I don't think I got it. What I got, however, was better—I'd recommend it. A story about a woman succeeding on her terms—while overcoming issues and problems beyond her control and as a direct result of her choices—not overly romantic, not overly sentimental, and not afraid to show her own deficiencies. This is the kind of memoir we need more of.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for this post and my honest opinion. Which is what she got. Honest, not timely—I do feel bad about not getting this up in late September, or anytime in October. I tried.
---
When she was 14 years old, Elizabeth flew for the first time—as she says, it was the first time she'd been that excited since her father died the previous year—and she made a promise to herself that she'd learn to fly.
Her plan had been to join the Navy and become a pilot, which would put her on the fast track to being an airline pilot (her ultimate goal). This was derailed by a diagnosis of probable MS, the Navy would no sooner train a pilot who'd likely develop MS than they would one who had the disease. So, that door closed, she'd go the private sector route—it'd take longer, but it'd still get her where she wanted to go.
The book really takes off (ouch, sorry, didn't mean that pun, but I can't bring myself to edit that) as she's about to get her private license at a small flying school in Massachusetts. The book traces her development as a pilot in a culture not really receptive to female pilots (but not hostile to the idea, it didn't seem), through various stages in her progress—eventually through different employers. We see her navigating through both successes and setbacks, and how she'd move on from either up to the point of making it to her goal—flying for TWA.
A near-constant presence in the book is her primary flying instructor and eventual significant other, Steve. I never liked the guy, and I am not sure I can understand why anyone would. But, this is written years after Steve and the author had gone their separate ways, and she's writing with the full advantage of hindsight. So York displays all the warning signs she spent years ignoring while they were together because it seems like she can't understand all of what she was doing with him either.
If this were a novel, I'd be complaining about how little we get of Elizabeth's friend and student, Melanie. Melanie sees Steve for who he is and encourages Elizabeth to take some of the early steps she'll need to advance her career. She also encourages her to get away from Steve—advice that is rejected (but maybe takes root). I enjoyed her presence in the book and can imagine she'd have been fun to hang out with at the time.
For me, seeing the various kind of jobs that a pilot can hold—and what they entail—was the best part of this book. Yeah, it's disillusioning how many corners were cut (when not ignored) along the way (and I'm guessing the statute of limitations has passed for many of these)—but the various companies and duties were fascinating. It was also refreshing to see some of the pilots worrying about things like that, as well as displaying that there were people around her that had her best interests at heart (or at least would back her when needed).
It's been a while since I saw anyone do this, but remember back when movies would end by telling us what would happen to various characters in the future? York finishes this book with a quick summary of what befell many of the people/companies we'd met along the way. It's a nice touch here.
But before that, we get a very quick recap of her life in the last chapter and epilogue. Between the penultimate and the final chapter, she jumps a little over a year in time to get us to her interview (and hiring) by TWA. After taking things so methodically up to that point, it felt abrupt to make that jump, like we'd missed a lot. There's probably a good reason for York's choice there, but it felt like she was in a rush to meet a deadline so she skimmed over that year. And then didn't really give us a lot about the early days with TWA. I think that's my major criticism of the writing—she just sped past that last year and stopped. I think a little time talking about her initial experience flying for a major airline would've been nice—maybe she's saving that for the sequel? (It didn't seem like that was the intention, but it'd work)
You really feel like you're getting behind the scenes of small airports, freight and charter companies. People like Tom Wolfe can make maverick pilots sound exciting and romantic. York makes the idea sound dreadful and a real threat to safety in the air and on the ground below flight paths. Superman tried to reassure Lois when he said, "I hope this hasn't put you off of flying. Statistically speaking, it's still the safest way to travel." Frankly, after reading parts of this book, I could use someone telling me that.
The book feels honest—it doesn't seem like she glossed over her own faults or highlighted others' at her own gain (or the other way around). There's a sense of "here's some smart things I did," "here's a bad decision I/he/they made," "here's stuff that happened that could have gone either way and worked out okay." It'd have been pretty easy to make herself "the good guy", or everyone else "the bad guy". Instead, we got a bunch of humans being human.
This is a quick read, an insightful read, and an effective read—I wasn't sure what to expect out of Flying Alone, but I don't think I got it. What I got, however, was better—I'd recommend it. A story about a woman succeeding on her terms—while overcoming issues and problems beyond her control and as a direct result of her choices—not overly romantic, not overly sentimental, and not afraid to show her own deficiencies. This is the kind of memoir we need more of.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for this post and my honest opinion. Which is what she got. Honest, not timely—I do feel bad about not getting this up in late September, or anytime in October. I tried.
July 9, 2021
This book was okay…I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if I was interested in the actual science behind flying, flight statistics, and airplanes. Like maybe if you are interested or have some iota of background knowledge for flight / airplane information, you’d enjoy it. Most of it seemed to focus mainly around flying with Beth’s personal life, poor relationship, and MS diagnosis running as a thread in the background. I honestly would’ve DNF’d if it wasn’t for my being nosy and feeling invested. Honestly, if you have little to no knowledge of flight information and don’t have any interest in learning about it, then this book isn’t for you.
Thank you to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 9, 2021
This book was okay…I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if I was interested in the actual science behind flying, flight statistics, and airplanes. I would have DNF’d it if it wasn’t for the personal thread of Beth’s life and my interested to see how her relationship played out. Honestly, if you have little to no knowledge of flight information and don’t have any interest in learning about it, then this book isn’t for you.
Thank you to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2021
Ruggiero shares with us her journey to become a commercial airline pilot. She faced many challenges. Her determination and courage is admirable. It's a fascinating story.
For readers who enjoy a clean read, there is profanity.
I won a copy. I've expressed my honest opinion.
For readers who enjoy a clean read, there is profanity.
I won a copy. I've expressed my honest opinion.
April 26, 2020
Exciting novel about learning to fly and what it takes to make it as a commercial pilot.
My Review
My Review
June 12, 2025
Loved the drama, but really struggled to stay interested in the flight mechanics and lango.
October 16, 2019
Read my full review here: http://mimi-cyberlibrarian.blogspot.c...
In her memoir, Flying Alone, Beth Ruggiero York tells the story of her young adulthood in the 1980s when she sought to learn to fly airplanes with the goal of becoming a pilot for a major airline. She says, “Those were my first impressions of the world of aviation—Rod, bottles of Canadian whiskey, working the line. . .and my flight instructor, Steve. I started as official lineperson at New England Flyers on April 27, 1985, my twenty-third birthday, four months into flying lessons. Aviation had already swallowed me whole.”
York flew for about 5 years, eventually working as a pilot for Trans World Airways, until her health no longer allowed her to work. (She has MS.) She wrote her memoir originally in the 1990s and this week, with some modifications, it has finally been published. She felt her story could be beneficial to other women who aspire to be pilots, or women who are fighting chronic illness. After she wrote her story, she put the manuscript away for nearly 30 years and has worked as a Chinese translator and a photographer.
In many ways, Flying Alone is a story that any young woman could write—a book about aspirations, love, and loss. She said that 30 years later, when she revisited her writing, she was so glad that she had written her story, and knew that with some polishing, it was a book that would resonate with other young women.
Just recently, several women my age were talking about careers—and about our career choices as well as our career options. We had grown up in the era of the Cherry Ames nursing books and the Vicki Barr stewardess books, and most of us had chosen careers in education and nursing—about the only choices we had available to us. It was exhilarating to read about a woman brave enough to plan a career as a pilot. York’s story can serve as an inspiration to other brave young women stepping out into careers not previously available to women. We are currently in a world that the women of my generation could not have imagined. Most women are no longer “flying alone.”
If you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, Flying Alone is free to download to your Kindle.
In her memoir, Flying Alone, Beth Ruggiero York tells the story of her young adulthood in the 1980s when she sought to learn to fly airplanes with the goal of becoming a pilot for a major airline. She says, “Those were my first impressions of the world of aviation—Rod, bottles of Canadian whiskey, working the line. . .and my flight instructor, Steve. I started as official lineperson at New England Flyers on April 27, 1985, my twenty-third birthday, four months into flying lessons. Aviation had already swallowed me whole.”
York flew for about 5 years, eventually working as a pilot for Trans World Airways, until her health no longer allowed her to work. (She has MS.) She wrote her memoir originally in the 1990s and this week, with some modifications, it has finally been published. She felt her story could be beneficial to other women who aspire to be pilots, or women who are fighting chronic illness. After she wrote her story, she put the manuscript away for nearly 30 years and has worked as a Chinese translator and a photographer.
In many ways, Flying Alone is a story that any young woman could write—a book about aspirations, love, and loss. She said that 30 years later, when she revisited her writing, she was so glad that she had written her story, and knew that with some polishing, it was a book that would resonate with other young women.
Just recently, several women my age were talking about careers—and about our career choices as well as our career options. We had grown up in the era of the Cherry Ames nursing books and the Vicki Barr stewardess books, and most of us had chosen careers in education and nursing—about the only choices we had available to us. It was exhilarating to read about a woman brave enough to plan a career as a pilot. York’s story can serve as an inspiration to other brave young women stepping out into careers not previously available to women. We are currently in a world that the women of my generation could not have imagined. Most women are no longer “flying alone.”
If you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, Flying Alone is free to download to your Kindle.
December 7, 2019
When you read memoirs such as Flying Alone, you recognize that people go to great lengths to fulfill their dreams.
Here, in this story, Beth Ruggiero York shows you the steps she took and you see the risks and miscalculations that were made along the way.
York begins by making us aware of how she began this journey and we learn some things we may not have known, like the standard altitude for airwork practice, what a lineman also called a line service technician, are responsible for, and that towing a billboard is more difficult than a banner.
I thought it was appropriate that York pointed out the regulations and dangers and importance of not exceeding your capability or that of your aircraft. She showed us this early on in the book when a pilot she knew was charged with manslaughter while another was arrested on a taxiway and she bailed him out of prison.
While this memoir moves back and forth a bit, you clearly see Beth's love of flying and the things that were significant to her at that time, like her father's passing, time spent with other pilots and aircraft and dealing with her own illness.
I received a copy of this book from Anna Sacca, Senior Publicity Manager at FSB Associates.
Here, in this story, Beth Ruggiero York shows you the steps she took and you see the risks and miscalculations that were made along the way.
York begins by making us aware of how she began this journey and we learn some things we may not have known, like the standard altitude for airwork practice, what a lineman also called a line service technician, are responsible for, and that towing a billboard is more difficult than a banner.
I thought it was appropriate that York pointed out the regulations and dangers and importance of not exceeding your capability or that of your aircraft. She showed us this early on in the book when a pilot she knew was charged with manslaughter while another was arrested on a taxiway and she bailed him out of prison.
While this memoir moves back and forth a bit, you clearly see Beth's love of flying and the things that were significant to her at that time, like her father's passing, time spent with other pilots and aircraft and dealing with her own illness.
I received a copy of this book from Anna Sacca, Senior Publicity Manager at FSB Associates.
October 10, 2019
I won a Kindle version of this book in a Goodreads giveaway, for which I'd like to thank the publisher and author.
I found this book interesting and enjoyed reading about Ms. York's beginnings in aviation. I also found some of her jobs a bit interesting too - although in a different way. While the writing was fine at times it felt a bit flat - some things went into great detail and others seemed quickly skimmed over. It was a fine book for those interested in aviation, but it wasn't always my cup of tea.
I found this book interesting and enjoyed reading about Ms. York's beginnings in aviation. I also found some of her jobs a bit interesting too - although in a different way. While the writing was fine at times it felt a bit flat - some things went into great detail and others seemed quickly skimmed over. It was a fine book for those interested in aviation, but it wasn't always my cup of tea.
October 14, 2019
I wish this book had been available when I was a teen. However, I am so glad to have read it even now. Beth's determination, courage, and focus are inspiring. She successfully navigated a man's world, the aviation industry, at a time when women were discouraged from entering any previously male-dominated line of work. The glimpse of what it takes to begin a career with the airlines was completely fascinating. It was a hard book to put down, but well written and easy to read.
November 20, 2019
I found that I enjoyed this book more than I thought. There’s a good balance of learning more about aviation and the trials and successes that come with that along with a story the kept my interest.
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