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5 out of 5 stars
By
Mathgod
on
04-26-15
Fascinatin evolution of a conscientious investigator
If you could sum up Why Planes Crash in three words, what would they be?
Interesting, informative, personal
What did you like best about this story?
This book is NOT really about plane crashes, per se, it is a story about one mans journey to make air travel safer. David Soucie is a flawed individual and does not tried to come off as anything else. Soucie is driven because of mistakes he personally have made and although he is the hero of the book (and does act heroically sometimes) he retains his humility throughout the book.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
His investigation of the Hawaiian plane crash.
Any additional comments?
READ IT!
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1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5 out of 5 stars
By
Michael
on
02-13-15
Current Aviation Safety Inspector
I've been an Airworthiness ASI since 2009 working for the FAA, and I can't tell you in words how much this book has inspired me. I like you Mr. Soucie, aspire to make aviation safer. Even though I may not have your broad experiences and forward vision, I do everything within my ability to uphold our mutual core safety responsibilities and safety first mentality with management levels of the FAA and with the Part 121 Operator. It was a pleasure to read from the man whose hard work and participation creating the use of automated tools (ATOS, PTRS, SAS, and others), has given me the ability to do my job better. I myself have thought outside the box, by creating some of my own data sheets to glean more target specific information from databases, Airline reports, and other sources of information. I recommend this book to be read by every ASI in the FAA, or any other person, or entity that plays a role in aviation safety.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful
2 out of 5 stars
By
Spungo
on
10-31-17
Personal minutia overshadowing interesting detail
The parts about air crashes are very well informed, and well written, and provide clear and interesting insights into what drives the FAA, NTSB and others, but far, far, far too much of this book is mired in unnecessary personal detail, which is almost unrelenting in its length. I think at least 2/3 of this book is simply an elaboration of personal details which I have absolutely no interest in whatsoever.
The information about how the institutions work, their flaws, and the flaws of profit-driven civil aviation are interesting, but I know far too much about David Soucie's personal life. He had a crappy car, he was trying to paint and decorate a bedroom for his wife, various ancillary details about friends and family, how it's like moving house, life in Hawaii, how he admired some other helicopter pilot that helped out with a hotel fire, and on and on it goes to an uncanny degree.
The book could have cut out 80% of the personal detail and briefly explained why he got into the FAA: "I worked in the aviation industry as a mechanic, then a manager, and had some ethical wrangles when a friend of mine died due to the lack of wire-strike kits on the front of the helicopter." After an extended foray into the minutia of someone's various jobs and relationships, the book becomes eminently more readable, more interesting and well paced.
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