THE BLACK BOX

''Dead Pilots Don't Talk''

by Captain Terrance W. MacDonald

Formats

Softcover

£15.95

Softcover

£15.95

Book Details

Language : English

Publication Date : 29/12/2012

Format : Softcover

Dimensions : 6x9

Page Count : 265

ISBN : 9781479753048

About the Book

This is an account by a long-time pilot who, after spending seven years learning and honing his skills in general aviation, fi rst fl ew as an airline copilot at age 23. On August 1st, 1999, he survived a jet crash that drastically changed how he thought about commercial aviation. THE BLACK BOX focuses on aviation safety and how Captain MacDonald believes the industry repeatedly falls short of being as safe as it could be and should be. A lot of excellent pilots -- and many innocent passengers -- are no longer alive because of one bad day in a very unforgiving profession. Living pilots don't talk because they fear reprisal, dead pilots can't talk. This book speaks for them. If they could speak, this is what they might tell you about aviation safety that you have the right to know.

About the Author

Terrance MacDonald is a commercial airline pilot from Sydney, Nova Scotia. His love for aviation started at the age of four. He has worked as a fl ight instructor, a copilot and a captain with a variety of airlines. Due to the shutdowns of several airline companies, a career of back and forth between the left and right seats has given him the opportunity to see life from a captain’s and a copilot’s viewpoint many times over; his 14,000 hours of flight experience has exposed him to most everything aviation presents in terms of safety problems and in-flight emergencies. His flying experiences range from a 380-pound ultra light aircraft to a Boeing 737 and many types of planes in between. His four decades in aviation and his fi rsthand experience qualify MacDonald as an industry expert.

Customer Reviews

"As the daughter of a pilot, I might suggest that I come with a slight advantage over the regular passenger. Many hours logged in a Cessna alongside an extremely conscientious pilot, one would not to be able to escape the safety associated with any aircraft be it an airbus or a Cessna pleasure craft.

Also as a passenger with several different carriers for both pleasure and business alike, the excitement of a well-earned vacation, or the one track mind of a speech that needs delivering, we board these birds with little or no regard for the hours logged by a crew member that day or if a part may need be in desperate repair in spite of the fact, that everything is good to go, ?enjoy you flight?.

Aircraft or transportation defaults? Who among us really stop and give this a second thought? A read of The Black Box ?Dead pilots don?t talk? should make you ?return your chair to an upright position? and demand what we as paying customers should receive.

Lower airfares? I think not!

Remember the adage of those that came before us- you get what you pay for. Cheaper is definitely not always better.

To have the opportunity to gain insight through the eyes of an experienced commercial pilot was soaring to say the least. I myself consider air travel to be a privilege.

To the author, Captain Terrance W. MacDonald my hat is off to you sir for exuding the courage to put pen to paper your writings of such a sensitive subject. If only more would rise to the occasion. Whiskey Echo Lima Lima Delta Oscar November Echo !!!

To quote John Gillespie Magee Jr. RCAF

I?ve topped the wind swept heights with grace

Where never lark or even eagle flew

And while with silent, lifting mind I?ve trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

"

Sharon Tonet
"As the daughter of a pilot, I might suggest that I come with a slight advantage over the regular passenger. Many hours logged in a Cessna alongside an extremely conscientious pilot, one would not to be able to escape the safety associated with any aircraft be it an airbus or a Cessna pleasure craft.

Also as a passenger with several different carriers for both pleasure and business alike, the excitement of a well-earned vacation, or the one track mind of a speech that needs delivering, we board these birds with little or no regard for the hours logged by a crew member that day or if a part may need be in desperate repair in spite of the fact, that everything is good to go, ?enjoy you flight?.

Aircraft or transportation defaults? Who among us really stop and give this a second thought? A read of The Black Box ?Dead pilots don?t talk? should make you ?return your chair to an upright position? and demand what we as paying customers should receive.

Lower airfares? I think not!

Remember the adage of those that came before us- you get what you pay for. Cheaper is definitely not always better.

To have the opportunity to gain insight through the eyes of an experienced commercial pilot was soaring to say the least. I myself consider air travel to be a privilege.

To the author, Captain Terrance W. MacDonald my hat is off to you sir for exuding the courage to put pen to paper your writings of such a sensitive subject. If only more would rise to the occasion. Whiskey Echo Lima Lima Delta Oscar November Echo !!!

To quote John Gillespie Magee Jr. RCAF

I?ve topped the wind swept heights with grace

Where never lark or even eagle flew

And while with silent, lifting mind I?ve trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

"

Sharon Tonet
"Here's a great read by my long time friend Terry MacDonald , congratulations on a super project , I can honestly say there is NOT one sentence I don't agree with. A must read if you are a pilot, flight attendant , aircraft maintenance , management , contemplating a career , or an occasional flyer who would like to further their general education on this very complex industry.... The Black Box , Dead Pilots Don't Talk is a no holds barred look into the aviation industry , an industry that can give you so much....and then take it all away in a split second..."

Captain Eddy Ivany of Air Canada Jazz Airlines
"I am a retired Airline Captain and I just finished reading your book, ""The Black Box"". As a seasoned veteran pilot with an airline background, your book fascinated me as it had so many points that I wish I had the courage to make during my career. I have most recently flown Regional Jets for a major regional airline in Canada, and during my younger days I can say I have lived most of the experiences you wrote about and know firsthand how true your observations are. Reading the analyses of accidents you wrote about was better than watching some shows like ""Mayday"", ""20/20"",""Fifth Estate"" and is a truthful account of the state of the airline industry and things that trigger accidents. I have a nephew who is graduating High School this year and wants to become a pilot and enroll at a Flight College, I want him to read this book first so that he gets a true perspective of the pilot career backed up by somebody other than his grumpy old uncle! This book should be required reading for Flight College students as it hits them with a dose of reality instead of the idealistic fantasy world many aspiring pilots are living in.

I thank you for writing this long overdue book that reflects reality of the aviation industry.

"

Scotty J Stirling.
"I have been involved in aviation since 1981. Starting as a glider pilot and attaining my private pilot?s license. My first aviation job was that of a ramp attendant, loading and unloading aircraft and grooming them. For most of the past 31 years I have been an aircraft dispatcher and an operations agent.

Capt MacDonald?s book provides an inside look at how airlines operate from the viewpoint of the flight crew. I can attest to many of the pressures put on pilots, and how the margin of safety has been reduced. His observations of the cargo pilots duty day not being taken into account as those of the passenger airlines is one example of reducing equivalent levels of safety. The entire issue of pilot duty day limits is one being driven by the carriers themselves as they pressure the regulatory authorities to help them with their bottom lines. Crews are being pushed into longer days across multiple time zones that directly affects passenger safety. No carrier WANTS an accident, but the sad reality is that ALL airlines have a contingency for mortality as a cost of doing business. The old adage of the drive to the airport is more dangerous than your flight is still mostly true; however the margin has been greatly reduced because of economic concerns, low cost carriers, and a singularly focused bottom line mentality.

Capt MacDonald raises the spectre from the position of being in the hot seat. This book should be read by all airline operational and management employees to see how many instances of ""that happened here"" they come across. As a professional Airline Dispatcher those number of instances was indeed disturbing. As a passenger you have a right to know how much flight crews are being pushed. This book lays it out for everyone to see.

"

"Tony Lamont, Professional Flight Dispatcher"
"I received it around 16:30!! I've been reading it ever since... 150 pages in three hours!!! I'm so glad you wrote this!!! Someone had to finally say it all!!! I'm loving it so far!!!

""I couldn't put it down!! It was factual and edgy and needed to be said!! Good for you!!""

"

Sweet Speed Reader......Air Canada Jazz Flight Attendant
"My review of Captain Terrance W. MacDonald?s book, is a story?the Aviation Industry ?does not? want us to read. I am sure, if they could pull it off the shelves they would. In reading his story, it makes one realize that the majority of us view the airline industry through rose colored glasses?.the glamour of it all. He is emphazing, that?s not what it really looks like. It?s a nasty business; the salaries aren?t what we think they are. The rooky pilots fly the junk planes. He told us most plane crashes are preventable. It was sad to learn the aviation business is pushing profits over safety.

Reading his story, it?s like learning about the boys club?they all know certain things are wrong with their universe, but are shamed into keeping quiet about it. I thought it was an easy read. I?m not a technical person? but It was knowledgeable, stating the high costs of investigations, the cover ups, the crucial first 4 minutes when a pilot realizes he is in danger?how he handles it, could be life or death. The black box is not a black box...it?s an orange box.

I was really impressed with the concept, of Captain MacDonald keeping a personal log of his flying career as a pilot ?over the years. . By doing so, makes his story creditable and it allowed him to be very successful in presenting us a shocking story of deception in the skies. This story was effortless to read. What was great about it, he lived to share it with us?whether we liked it or not! Kudos to Captain Terrance MacDonald for having the courage to tell it? like it is! Again, thanks for sharing?hopefully you will reach your goal of saving lives. In closing, we should have more empathy for our pilots who are putting their own lives at risk everyday?to make sacrifices for us...?

"

"Alice Roberts, Cape Breton Miners? Museum, Glace Bay, Nova Scoti"
"Really enjoyed reading this book, it made me understand more how much pilots really go through during a flight. The author did a great job. "

Geraldine Hanrahan - Passenger
"The Black Box: Informative, Thought Provoking, Unsettling,

A must read for the flying public. A call to arms for all pilots and anyone in the airline industry. Knowledge is power, and this book provides the information you need to make much more informed decisions on whom you fly with and when. When glaring wrongs are not immediately righted, it is unacceptable and clearly life threatening to all on board.

The majority of the flying public are completely unaware of the potential dangers lurking within the bowels of the collective airline industry, which threaten their safety. For many it is too late, but we need not be a statistic and must demand action."

"Leora Lawson, Former airport employee and member of the flying p"
"This book is a must read for anyone who's ever flown, plans to fly or anyone who has ever worked as a crew member with a large airline or small carrier etc.. Great job!! Love it!! :)"

Debbie Rumbolt- Flight Attendant

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