a gripping, in-depth look at how America's $200 billion aviation industry took flight To understand the industry, this is necessary reading. --The Miami Herald With the precision of a scientist, a good reporter's marshaling of disparate facts, and the vigor of a natural storyteller, Heppenheimer offers an absorbing narrative. --Richard Snow, Editor American Heritage. Tom Heppenheimer tells a fascinating story. -- R. T. Jones Inventor of the swept wing. An important addition to the history of technology as well as business. -- Publishers Weekly. An airworthy briefing firmly grounded in the applied science and allied realities that permit air transport of passengers and cargo over long distances and high speeds. -- Kirkus Reviews.