My Book
Learning
from icarus
Learning from Icarus: Timeless Aviation Safety Lessons from the Past and guidance for the Future.
By Bruce Landsberg, Former NTSB Vice-Chairman & AOPA Air Safety Institute President
Learning from Icarus: Timeless Aviation Safety Lessons from the Past and guidance for the Future.
By Bruce Landsberg, Former NTSB Vice-Chairman & AOPA Air Safety Institute President
What do ancient mythology and modern aviation have in common? The answer lies in Learning from Icarus, a captivating and deeply informed exploration of flight safety from one of America’s most respected aviation safety leaders.
Bruce Landsberg, former Vice-Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board and longtime President of the AOPA Air Safety Institute, brings decades of flight experience and investigative research to this one-of-a-kind book. Drawing from historical crashes, real-world case studies, and personal experience, Landsberg guides readers through the lessons that continue to shape safe flight operations today.
From high-profile accidents to subtle human errors, each chapter dives into the core of what pilots, instructors, and aviation organizations must understand to prevent the next tragedy. With wisdom from legendary pilots, philosophers, and front-line investigations, this book is both a technical resource and a philosophical guide for anyone who takes to the skies.
Inside, you’ll find:
Dozens of real crash analyses; from light GA aircraft, to corporate and commercial jets and turboprops
Lessons on human factors, judgment, weather, technology, and emergency response
Cautionary tales of overconfidence, complacency, and the “it won’t happen to me” mindset
Practical guidance for both student pilots and seasoned pros
Timeless wisdom to improve flight safety; for individuals and organizations alike
Whether you’re a pilot, flight instructor, aviation student, or simply passionate about flying, Learning from Icarus will make you think differently about every flight; and help you to fly smarter, safer, and more prepared.
Fly with humility. Learn from history. Stay ahead of the next mistake.
It’s a comprehensive review of aviation safety crashes including airline, corporate, and general aviation: 431 pages, over 200 color illustrations, and more than 40 case studies. On several events, detailed cockpit voice recorder transcripts help the reader understand the accident pilots’ mindset.
In each chapter, the context for the case studies is developed – What works and what doesn’t. Some of it is obvious (but not to the crash pilot) and some of it is subtle, catching even experienced aviators. This provides new pilots with an increased awareness on how to avoid bad situations. For CFIs, it provides some useful talking points.
For the more seasoned pilot, the objective is to re-discover past learning that has often been overlooked by extremely experienced pilots.
Throughout, are quotes from various sources to drive home key points. For example, ” A few men learn by reading, a few more by observing, and the rest just have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” Will Rogers
Conventional thinking is periodically challenged, along with the distorting effects of the legal system. The perspective is taken from the viewpoint of a new and experienced instructor, one who has studied crashes for decades and flown a variety of aircraft in various parts of the country. Finally, serving as an NTSB board member provides yet another vantage point of how things can go wrong and how to prevent it.