Book Review: Pilots In Command Your Best Trip, Every Trip

After seeing an advertisement by Aviation Supplies & Academics (ASA) for the book Pilots In Command: Your Best Trip, Every Trip I preordered a copy weeks before the release. The description of the book was it offered “solid advice from real pilot to student and professional aviators alike about how to be true leaders.” Being a big fan of Dr. Tony Kern’s book Going Pro: The Deliberate Practice of Professionalism I anticipated Kristofer Pierson’s book would provide an additional perspective on professionalism in the cockpit.

Early on in the book, you get the keen sense that Captain Pierson is sharing real world advice he has picked up over his years of experience by providing  specific examples of how you may be able to improve your leadership and teamwork skills. This book includes information you will find nowhere else in a traditional training programs on how to be a good captain.

My overall impression of the book is that the core of the information contains lessons your mother should have taught you growing up; like when you greet someone you should smile, provide a firm handshake, look in their eyes, and say “Good Morning.” What if leadership and professionalism was just that simple? We have all flown with people, though, that lack many of these core traits. These traits are not part of traditional event‑based training and checking programs. With the depth of information in this book, there are at least a couple of techniques we can all pick up to base improvements on.