The Smell of Kerosene (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A NASA Research Pilot's Memoir of Experimental Test Flight, Supersonic Aircraft, and Cold War Aerospace RiskBy National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Donald L. Mallick, Peter W. Merlin
Length11h 31m
About this audiobook
The Smell of Kerosene gathers a vivid body of aerospace recollection into a work that reads at once as memoir, technical history, and institutional testimony. Centered on the culture of experimental flight, it traces the hazards, exhilarations, and disciplined procedures behind aircraft testing in the jet and early space age. Its style ranges from crisp operational narrative to reflective autobiography, making standout episodes of high-speed research, cockpit emergency, and engineering improvisation part of a larger meditation on risk, skill, and national ambition. Issued under the auspices of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and shaped by Donald L. Mallick's firsthand experience with Peter W. Merlin's historical stewardship, the volume belongs to the documentary tradition of aviation and spaceflight history. It reflects the postwar test-pilot milieu that linked military aviation, NACA/NASA research, and the technological imagination of the Cold War. Together, these voices illuminate not only individual courage but also the collaborative systems of engineers, mechanics, researchers, and pilots. Readers interested in flight history, space exploration, or the literature of technological frontiers will find this volume especially rewarding. It offers a rare opportunity to encounter the sensory, intellectual, and ethical dimensions of experimental aviation within a single, accessible work.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreTechnology, Literary Classics
Length11 hrs 31 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 13, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Smell of Kerosene (Annotated)
11Chapter 7: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times
2Dedication
12Chapter 8: Flying the Heavies
3Prologue: Mach 3+
13Chapter 9: Triple-sonic Blackbird
4Acknowledge
14Chapter 10: A Time of Transition
5Chapter 1: Wings of Gold
15Chapter 11: Shifting Gears
Show all chaptersShow less
6Chapter 2: Naval Air Operations
16Epilogue
7Chapter 3: NACA and NASA – Langley, Virginia
17Appendix A: U.S. Navy Aircraft Flown (1950-1963)
8Chapter 4: Jet Research at Langley
18Appendix B: Flight Research Programs At Langley (1957-1963)
9Chapter 5: Super Crusader
19Appendix C: Aircraft Flown While At DFRC (1963-1987)
10Chapter 6: High Desert Flight Research - Edwards, California
20Memorable Quotes
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