Rating: 
Summary: Just what was missing
Review: As a frequent traveller, there are many questions I've had about planes and air travel that I never knew who to ask. This book addresses that need perfectly. There are few books available about the human side of air travel and this book fills that gap. Smith explains all those things you wondered about - how is the cabin pressurized? why are some landings bumpier than others? can planes really glide? are there ever water landings?
As other reviewers have noted, Smith's writing style is intelligent yet accessible and eloquent. His passion for his trade seeps through and catches the reader. It is difficult to put this book down. Those who read his weekly column on Salon will recognize much of the material, but that's not a reason not to read this book, where everything is gathered together in one place and much new is added.
The book does lack - surely through no fault of the author - one element that could make it more appealing, and as others have written, that is illustrations. Smith explains how a jet engine works in clear, simple language for the masses, but even that's a bit difficult to understand without a diagram of what he's talking about. Some more stories would have been nice, too. Often Smith remarks about a 767 that lost all power or an RJ that crashed, without providing any details. Given that he's such a great writer, it would be nice to see him stretch out a few more yarns. (His recounting of accidentally freezing an onboard toilet is hilarious.)
Hopefully, future versions of the book will address those shortcomings, and he'll follow up this short edition with more of the same.
Rating:
Summary: Fun and informative
Review: Ask the Pilot is fun, interesting and informative. If you've ever wondered what happens when you flush an airplane toilet, or whether the plane will go down if it's hit by lightning, you need this book. Or if, like me, you find yourself in airports more than you'd like, you need to read this book. I bought it at the airport waiting for my delayed flight, thinking there was not one good thing to be said about air travel. I was skeptical about the author's passion for it, and his premise in the opening pages that airlines bridge continents and link the nations and peoples of the world. But then I started to get into the book, and it really did make me stop and think about how remarkable air travel really is, and how beautiful the view is from up there. And when finally I got to CDG (it explains what those weird airport codes mean too!) I took look at the people in the airport, and the destinations on the boards, and he was kind of right about linking the countries of the world. There were people from everywhere, speaking all kinds of langauges. And they were going all over. I'm not saying I won't complain about the genreral unpleasantness of the experience anymore (and he does admit that), but I do look at it a little differently now. I don't understand the other reviewer; this book did not seem repetitious or disjointed to me. I never read the Salon column, but I imagine most people who pick up the book haven't. Obviously if the book & the column have the same title, you figure they'd be similar. Ask the Pilot has a good table of contents so you can just go straight to the question you have, covered all kinds of topics, without being boring and excessively technical, and was fun and interesting to read.It's true that it would be nice if there were illustrations, but what do you expect for $14 (less here at Amazon)?
Rating:
Summary: If you're the curious sort, it's perfect
Review: First you should know this about me: when I'm in a new-for-me airport, my first stop is the gift shop, where I hunt down an airport postcard. Then, at the end of my trip, I turn the postcard over and write down each airport I visited, and the airplanes that took me there. So I guess you could say I'm sort of the target audience for this book.
ASK THE PILOT, as others have noted, is a bit disjointed and would benefit from illustrations. But that's picking nits, in my opinion. Even if you've read most of the material in Smith's Salon column, it's nice to have it collected in one place. And if you haven't already read it and you're fascinated by commercial flying -- which describes me pretty well -- then you'll devour this book within a day or two. My only regret is that I didn't see (and buy!) ASK THE PILOT just before my last trans-continental flight.
Rating:
Summary: All you ever wanted to know about air travel!
Review: From the mechanics of an airliner, to the operations of air traffic controllers, this book contains just about any information the average person would like to know about air travel.
I'm an "above-average" but not ultra-frequent flyer, travelling by air 8 - 10 times a year. This book was quite interesting and told me a lot of things I hadn't known before.
Especially if you're one who is somewhat uncomfortable flying, the author, an airline pilot himself, helps put you at ease with the safety of modern commercial aviation. Even factoring in the tragedy of September 11, flying is much, much saver than driving. (Many years, millions of travellers fly without a SINGLE fatality! Compare that to the thousands of deaths annually on our nations highways.) He explains everything from the minor (or major) turbulence encountered now and then to the myths regarding sudden cabin depressurization. The nervous flyer would do well to take this book along on his next flight!
Rating: 
Summary: a good read
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Smith's witty style and unique insights. You don't need to be an airplane buff to love this book. I would recommend 'Ask The Pilot' to anyone who loves to fly or hates to fly. Smith's passion for the subject matter makes fascinating an often misunderstood industry. 'Ask The Pilot' offers a rare view into the modern world.
I look forward to further books by this author.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining and informative, but scattered and recycled
Review: If you're a regular reader of Patrick Smith's aviation column of the same name at Salon.com, you'll find little new in "Ask the Pilot." It's an edited and slightly updated compendium of his writing for the venerable online magazine, printed in inexpensive softcover. If you're already a fan of Smith's, the book is still worth a read, but it might be more worthwhile for airplane enthusiasts who haven't come across his work before. Smith is engaging, a bit cynical, passionate about air travel, and well-spoken on topics ranging from airline paint jobs to the differences between flaps and elevators. The book, like his column, is all over the map (real and figurative), with little consistent flow or topical grouping -- a discussion of the busiest airports, for instance, is near the front of the book; a similar list of the busiest airlines is near the back. And I wish his potential audience was large enough to afford a higher-end press run: much of Smith's writing (especially the paint-job section, which at least had links to photos when published on the Web) would be much improved by accompanying illustrations, but the book includes not a single line drawing, or even a picture of the author. Smith has a few regular themes. Scheduled commercial airline travel is remarkably, even stupendously, safe. Air travel is worth knowing about not just for the technology, but for the way it brings together the diverse cultures of the world. The way we're setting up security probably won't thwart real terrorists, who will use surprise, not techniques they used before. Most airline pilots don't fit the stereotype of high-paid Pan Am captains, and while skilled, are overworked and underpaid. He really, really likes the band Husker Du. "Ask the Pilot" is a quick 250+ pages that any airplane or travel nut will enjoy. It's fun, but not amazing. And it will spur you to read Smith's Salon column for new material, if you don't already.
Rating:
Summary: Brainy, Funny, and Informative
Review: In this, one of my favorite books of the year, author Patrick Smith says of the late French aviator and writer, Antoine de Saint Exupery: "Another lousy pilot who got philosophical and paid the price." The two of them make an interesting pair of commiserators, and I suspect St. Ex would be only too appreciative of this young writer's wry humor and eloquent explanations. Topics run a fascinating gamut from reflections on airport architecture to discussions of the surprisingly good safety records of the world's most exotic airlines.
Rating:
Summary: From another airline pilot - accurate, witty, informative
Review: None of the previous reviews of this book appear to be by fellow airline pilots - this one is. I suppose that airline pilots really don't need to read books like this to know the answers to the questions that Mr. Smith answers.
I happened to stumble across this book at a local bricks and mortar bookstore on the way to a comfy chair loaded with coffee and some other titles. Seeing Ask a Pilot on the shelves, I grabbed it for a quick skim. What was meant as a quick skim turned into a relatively thorough read.
I am an airline pilot with almost 20 years of working for the airlines. Although I might quibble about some points here and there, the book was very accurate. Never once did I find myself uttering the cattle by- product expletive. I did find myself silently chuckling and nodding my head several times.
The book is written as a question and answer format, with the answer to each question being essentially a small essay. The questions vary from airline safety, pilot pay, interaction between flight attendants and pilots, and technical aspects.
If you are looking for a shocking expose on the airlines - look elseware. On the other hand, this is no airline puff-piece.
Mr. Smith is a good writer. The book is witty, accurate, and engaging. There are so many misconceptions about so many aspects of the airline industry, it is refreshing to see a book that deals with them with accuracy and style.
Rating:
Summary: What non-fiction writing is all about
Review: Patrick Smith's "Ask The Pilot" Salon column is a near perfect example of lucid and direct writing. For anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes dirt and details of commercial aviation and what really goes on in the cockpit this book is a must-have. But Smith is more than just a tell-all columnist. His work is a standard-bearer for anyone interested in how to present information in a compelling, entertaining manner. It's what you might call a quick, breezy read but it's very satisfying and informative and leaves you with the feeling you have just spent a transatlantic flight shooting the breeze with a really cool and intelligent neighbor in the next seat.
Rating:
Summary: What non-fiction writing is all about
Review: Patrick Smith's "Ask The Pilot" Salon column is a near perfect example of lucid and direct writing. For anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes dirt and details of commercial aviation and what really goes on in the cockpit this book is a must-have. But Smith is more than just a tell-all columnist. His work is a standard-bearer for anyone interested in how to present information in a compelling, entertaining manner. It's what you might call a quick, breezy read but it's very satisfying and informative and leaves you with the feeling you have just spent a transatlantic flight shooting the breeze with a really cool and intelligent neighbor in the next seat.
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