The Ag Pilot's Survival Manual - Part 1

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BudRiggs

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Bud
It's a free book, now and always. It's a pdf of 1.4 Mb, so far.

This is part one of three parts, and I'm posting it now to see how it's done.

I'm using OOWriter and couldn't figure out how to do page numbers. Exported it to .pdf and found out I don't know how to make the left pane of the reader come out right. It's a mess, and I'd appreciate any comments or directions that will help me fix it before it becomes a bigger mess.

I plan to add a table of contents when I figure that out.

I hope the link works, as I've never posted a pdf for download before.

Maybe all that formatting doesn't matter as long as the content is good?

Any other comments that might help me improve the final book are welcome.
 
Nice to hear from you again Bud -- it has been awhile. Downloading it...
 
Great stories, and a lot of useful wisdom in there for any kind of pilot.

I like the way it's written: suitable to the purpose.

If you're looking for suggestions, the only flaw I see (and pardon me while I play editor for a moment) is one word- it kinda jumped out at me.

In the sentence on page 22 about a funeral, I think "next social event" would have more impact than "last social event"... I mean, every pilot has a funeral... just some sooner than others. ;)


If you like that idea, all I ask in payment is that you tell me what you believe makes an airplane turn... I'm pretty sure I know, but can't say it without using at least one of the words on the list. :D
 
Thanks Jesse. I've been lurking here for some time.

Thanks rottydaddy, I agree that "last" would have been better there. I'll change that in the next go around.

If your answer is on the list, or uses a word on the list, it isn't correct.

Besides, it's trick question.:)
 
Just finished reading part 1. Great stuff. Looking forward to reading more.
 
Bud, I enjoyed that a lot. Thank you. One small edit: pg.6 ATP, not APT.
 
Really enjoyed part 1, looking forward to the next release. Thank You for sharing
 
TMetzinger said:
The pilot makes the airplane turn!
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:yes:

Thanks to all who commented, I'm glad you like it. Also thanks for the corrections.

Rotty, I misunderstood last night but now I've got it straightened out. I corrected my correction of what you corrected.:) Now it's "next social event" as you suggested. Better.

APT changed to ATP. Thanks Lance.
 
I am really enjoying your insight into aerial application. You should keep writing. If you want I can suggest a good publisher if you don’t care about selling books but only want to see your work in print. If they accept your work it doesn’t cost a dime. PM me if you are interested. As you know my book “Dogs Don’t Fly” is based on crop dusting.
 
David_L_Wilson said:
I am really enjoying your insight into aerial application. You should keep writing. If you want I can suggest a good publisher if you don’t care about selling books but only want to see your work in print. If they accept your work it doesn’t cost a dime. PM me if you are interested. As you know my book “Dogs Don’t Fly” is based on crop dusting.
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Thanks David. I'm not interested in publishing a hard copy. I printed it out to do the editing, and anyone else can print it if they want.

I read part of Dogs. I couldn't stand it when he took the Stearman hopper out to give the dog a ride. That kind of fiction doesn't work for me I guess.

If you took the hopper lid off and made the dog stand in the hopper for his ride, now that I can believe. I've known a couple of people that have gone for hopper rides. None of them ever asked for a second ride.

Sorry, but people in the ag flying industry are sensitive to ignorance in the general population. It's the same kind of thing as when newspaper and tv reporters do an aviation story and get it all wrong. Randy Quaid's character in that alien invasion movie ****ed me off too. Why are cropdusters always depicted as drunks? Same reason little airplanes fall out of the air when they don't have flight plans?
 
BudRiggs said:
If you took the hopper lid off and made the dog stand in the hopper for his ride, now that I can believe. I've known a couple of people that have gone for hopper rides. None of them ever asked for a second ride.
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My dad once rode in the hopper of his A-9 Callair while letting a guy fly it that had never flown tail-wheels.

He tried to open the hopper in flight and got it open but the wind was so strong that it busted his shoulder and he fell back into the hopper in utter pain. He had no way to communicate to the guy flying so he had to sit in there why the guy buzzed all over.

Needless to say the landing was rather painful considering how the guy had no idea how to land it.

That was the last hopper ride he took.
 
BudRiggs said:
Thanks David. I'm not interested in publishing a hard copy. I printed it out to do the editing, and anyone else can print it if they want.

I read part of Dogs. I couldn't stand it when he took the Stearman hopper out to give the dog a ride. That kind of fiction doesn't work for me I guess.
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Keep an open mind. Remember I am not a crop duster. The world I invented does not exist so I can tell the story the way I want to. It was designed for young adults who wouldn't know the difference. If you read the rest of the book you might be able to overlook my indulgence. I have had a crop duster say it’s pretty accurate and I actually interviewed an 88 year old duster before I wrote the book. I did say in the book that it was a hard thing to do and took both of them to remove it.

I am looking for a conventional publisher for my horror novel, "And the Citadel Fell."

That being said I understand your dislike for inaccuracy. Notice the airplane on the cover is a Piper Pawnee, not a Stearman. I tried to get them to change it but they would not, saying they had no images in the free database of a Stearman. It sucked.

I looking for a new publisher for my latest book, a horror novel called "And the Citadel Fell." Sorry no sneak peaks yet but you can see the website

www.andthecitadelfell.com
 
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BudRiggs said:
Thanks David. I'm not interested in publishing a hard copy. I printed it out to do the editing, and anyone else can print it if they want.
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I respectfully disagree. You should finish the work and send it to PublishAmerica. It will cost you nothing and is very pleasing, seeing your book in print.
 
David_L_Wilson said:
I respectfully disagree. You should finish the work and send it to PublishAmerica. It will cost you nothing and is very pleasing, seeing your book in print.
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Thanks David, I checked out the Publish America site. I may submit the book to them when it's finished. Couldn't hurt.
 
BudRiggs said:
Thanks David, I checked out the Publish America site. I may submit the book to them when it's finished. Couldn't hurt.
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If the rest of your writing is as good as I have seen so far they will most likely offer to publish your book. Keep writing. It took me 7 years to finish my first book. Now I have finished 2 more in less than a year. It can become addictive.
 
Bud:

Thank you, for sharing your work. It is great. I really enjoyed Part 1, and I
am certainly looking forward to Part 2.

I agree with the others. You have talent. You've managed to tell a
fun story, and yet scattered throughout the content, is some good
common "flying sense."
Fly the plane, stay ahead of the plane and if it don't feel right, don't hesitate.

Thank You

Jim
 
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