New Book Offers 91 Lessons From Experimental Aircraft Pilots

"91 Lessons From The Sky: Experimental Aircraft" is the newest entry in Fletcher McKenzie's Lessons From The Sky series, built around 91 true stories from experimental and amateur-built pilots. McKenzie says each account is first-hand and focuses on what nearly ended a flight—then what the pilot learned afterward. The book draws from National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident reports and pilot recollections, covering scenarios such as bounced landings, ground loops, tailwheel handling, carburetor icing, weather, fuel exhaustion from faulty gauges, disconnected elevator cables during climb, weld failures on takeoff, engine failures at 100 feet, and the compounding effect of small decisions. Key themes include checklist discipline and preflight inspection standards, plus an honest look at vulnerabilities of builder-pilots.