It's fine for what it is. The chapter on what you actually do each day was eye-opening, especially the pre-flight checklist stuff. But I felt like some sections were a bit dry and I wanted more personal stories from actual crew members. I got a good baseline understanding, but I still have questions about lifestyle sacrifices that weren't fully addressed. Not a bad starting point, just not as deep as I hoped.

Honestly, this is the first resource that didn't try to sell me on the dream. Chapter 1 alone was worth it — I had no idea how much time is spent on weight and balance calculations and coordinating with ground crew. It got me thinking realistically about my own personality and whether I could handle the irregular schedule. The salary chapter was a wake-up call too. If you're even remotely considering this career, read this before spending money on training.

I picked this up because I'm looking at a career change and thought the pace of the work might be a good fit. The guide has some solid factual grounding — the pay tables and the breakdown of the different paths are helpful. But I found the tone a little too businesslike at times. I also wish the day-in-the-life chapter was longer; it felt like a summary rather than a real narrative. Still, it gave me enough to start asking better questions.

This book answered questions I didn't even know I had. As a high school senior trying to decide between a four-year degree and pursuing this path, I really appreciated the concrete numbers on cost and timelines. The self-assessment checklist in chapter 2 was brutally honest, and it made me realize I need to work on my stress management before I apply. Chapter 5 on breaking in gave me a step-by-step plan I'm already using. Highly recommend to anyone serious about this.