#good, but not great (2004-05-20) This is a good book, but I would not call it great. The content is relevant to any pilot - let s face it the dynamics and characteristics of flight for winged craft haven t changed since the original book was authored, nor are they likely too. The author made many very correct observations on flight and how it works at a time when so little was understood. It is clearly a classic text. Reading the book will give you a very thorough understanding of many of the nuances and characteristics of flight that any pilot should want to know. It s very ...

#You are Flying in Your Imagination (2004-01-22) My suggestion is to read this book first if you are thinking of taking flying lessons. If and when you start flying lessons you of course will pilot the plane and become familiar with the controls, but during the flying lessons in the air you will also be involved in dealing with what seems like an overwhelming amount of other information. The plane seems small and strange. It is cramped and a bit noisy. There are many instruments. Often you will be thrown about if there is some weather. And the instructor might be yelling command p...

#Every pilot must read this book! (2003-12-20) This is one of the most time-tested, authoritative texts in coupling the theory of flight to your actions in the cockpit. And it has not equations or complex concepts - written for you and me, this book will keep the engineers and the non-engineers hooked! The explanation for angle of attack is simply beautiful- the importance of the angle of attack can not be understanted. And the understanding you will gain from this book will help you fly every day. I highly recommend this book!

#Good for Flight Simulator too (2003-06-07) If you are (like me) a fan of Microsoft Flight Simulator. . . get this book so that you can understand what the heck is going on. You won t regret it. I have an autographed copy of this book (lucky me). . . I treasure it.

#Great for modelers too (2003-05-20) As an avid model airplane pilot I thought I was fairly competent in the basics of flight. After reading Stick and Rudder I realized that I only knew the basics. It really helped me understand what the airplane was doing in the air and why when I moved the controls. If you fly any kind of plane, model or ",full scale", I suggest you read this. It will open your eyes to a whole lot of stuff that is so obvious that almost nobody ",gets it",.

#Very Good Book! (2008-04-18) Great coffee table book with lots of fantastic pictures. Not text heavy, but has some interesting history and facts. Bought primarily for my two young boys who LOVE HotWheels, but found myself very interested in the book too. . . I m a kid a heart I guess. Recommended as a light reading, picture browsing book for all ages. Would give it 5 out of 5 if there was a bit more indepth history to it. Overall, very good book for the price!

#Not for the casual reader... (2005-10-12) I read the previous reviews before ordering this book, but as a non-engineer, I rushed in and bought it anyway. There are lots of interesting tidbits, however it is VERY technical and while it is the 3rd edition, it still seems dated. After skimming the book for a week, I loaned it to an engineer friend who does Ironman competitions. He returned it in short order, finding it too dry. Enough said. . .

#review of new (2004) edition (2004-06-22) (. . . ) Perhaps the only competitor of rock climbing for the canonical geek sport, cycling -- for utility or amusement -- asks for a good blend of engineering and physiological savvy. For many the hands-on tinkering of bicycle maintenance and cycling technique provides welcome relief from more abstract manipulations in the library or office. Whether you think of cycling as the ultimate open source engineering project, or as a handy metaphor for your computer-of-choice, its appeal to the mecha...

#Other reviews refer to previous editions (2004-05-04) Disclosure: I am an interested party (contributor), so you may take my star rating with a grain of salt. My main message is to make a point that I have also emailed to Amazon. As of May 1, 2004 the other customer reviews posted for this title are somewhat misleading, because they refer only to the much older (second) edition. The third edition, published April 2004, is dramatically enlarged and updated -- a completely new book based on a tremendous amount of recent work. Dave Wilson and I have attempted to address all the issue...

#A cornucopia of scientific information (2002-09-29) This is a great book mainly because it is the only one of its kind. It covers many aspects of the science of pedal power. I find that the data supporting some of the experiments, and the conclusions from that data, could use some more flesh. For example, I m still not entirely sure why a larger diameter wheel has less rolling resistance, but the data supports that conclusion. I agree with other readers that the book could use an update.

#Worth a look. (2002-05-01) I think this is a great book IF you re a scientist (like me!). Like the other reviews say, it is a little dated - but results are results. There is a wealth of info in this book, most of it is technical, and there is some fascinating things on human powered flight & HPVs. I can t remember the exact figure that was quoted for the weights of some of the older historical bikes, but I find it hard to believe that there were such lightweights a hundred years ago (like 6kg). Knowing what I know, I just don t think it would have been feasible. If you are intere...

#A must have for every Motor Racing enthusiast (2004-07-01) This book is truly worth it. It is a nice coffee table book that you would want to have if you are a real motor racing enthusiast (it s a bit heavy though). It features (or it tries to feature) all the cars that the teams used from 1950 to 2002. Really spectacular! A must buy book for any Formula One fan. The downside of this book is that there are only a few writeups per year of formula one. More pictures, nice to look at when you re sipping coffee or tea