For any pilot transitioning to jets, the takeoff and landing phases present the steepest learning curve. Davies dedicates significant coverage to:
| | Author | Why it's a good alternative | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Handling the Big Jets (3rd Ed) | D.P. Davies | The gold standard (the .pdf you want) | | Jet Transport Technique | John B. Taylor | More diagrams, less British wit | | Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators | US Navy | The deep dive into swept-wing flow | | The Killing Zone (for jets) | Paul Craig | Modern accident analysis using old principles | | Flying the Big Jets | Stanley Stewart | A gentler, more narrative introduction | Handling the Big Jets.pdf
at a specific rate (typically 2 to 3 degrees per second) to reach the target pitch attitude. For any pilot transitioning to jets, the takeoff
This is perhaps the most gripping section of the book. Drawing from his own experience, Davies writes authoritatively on flying through violent turbulence, the physiological effects on the pilot, the use of weather radar, and specific techniques for recovering from a "jet upset"—an uncommanded departure from controlled flight. This section is a masterclass in survival from a pilot who survived superstorms while certifying aircraft. Taylor | More diagrams, less British wit |
In the post-war decades, he became the most important "pilot's advocate" in British civil aviation. His role involved putting every new jet airliner through its paces before it could be certified as safe for passenger service. From the de Havilland Comet to the Boeing 707 and the mighty 747, his recommendations from the flight test program directly influenced crucial design changes to ensure safety and good handling qualities. It was from this unparalleled position of expertise that he wrote Handling the Big Jets (originally published in 1967), a work that has since earned him the reputation of being "the test pilots' test pilot".
Many online search results for "Handling the Big Jets.pdf" lead to outdated, low-resolution scans that are missing diagrams or contain OCR errors (e.g., "airspeed" becomes "airweed").