"Blue Skies and Tailwinds"

That's how my friend and former flying partner, Dana van Loan (a farmer turned professional pilot) signs his emails. It's also the title of the book he wrote chronicling his adventures as a pilot. He carries a notebook with him and each night records the day's happenings. The result is Blue Skies and Tailwinds, with an introduction by Tom Brokaw. Yes, that Tom Brokaw. Mr. Brokaw was a frequent flier with the jet charter company that employed Dana and I. After a couple of flights with Dana Mr. Brokaw requested that Dana be on all the flights.

A reviewer at Amazon describes the book better than I can:

"Blue Skies And Tail Winds by Captain Dana L. Van Loan (Learjet Captain for JetDirect Aviation) is the life story of a professional pilot. Bringing the sight, sound, and feel of being aloft and controlling a massive vehicle as it hurtles through the air at immense speeds, Blue Skies And Tail Winds tells stories of near-tragedy, humor, sudden panic, and the quiet joy of just being in the sky. A candid and highly enjoyable glimpse of a pilot's life, especially recommended for aspiring pilots and anyone else curious about the greatness and the downfalls of dedicating one's professional life to the skies."

You can get it here.

Disclosure: I own a little Amazon.com stock so please buy this book.