Book Testamonials

Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger,  Captain of Flight 1549, the Miracle on the Hudson

Richard de Crespigny takes us on a fascinating journey through the hearts and minds of resilient leaders, revealing what it takes to overcome life’s greatest challenges.

Gene Kranz, former NASA Flight Director

The finest book I have ever read . . . structure and flow provide a PhD for leadership. Resilience is a necessary skill for working in Houston Mission Control.  Fly! would be mandatory reading for all leaders and members of my flight control team.

Space flight by its nature involves complex, time-critical decisions. By the time we finish training they have acquired the resilience needed for success.  Fly! would be the primary textbook for our training.

Dr Thomas ‘Tom’ Enders, Chief Executive of Airbus

Richard de Crespigny is not only one of the most accomplished and prominent pilots of our time, he is also an impressive author and researcher.  Fly! is as much about aviation and great airmanship as it is about leadership and management under stress and strain, and how our brain works in acute crisis situations.  Richard shows how good crisis management, whether in the cockpit of an aircraft or at the helm of a big company, can be learned and how it should be practised and sharpened. Fly! is the perfect book for leaders in all walks of life.   It should be mandatory for business colleges, military academies and, of course, flight schools.

Dick Smith AC, adventurer, entrepreneur, record-breaking aviator and philanthropist

An extraordinary, invaluable book – a must read.

William Voss, former Director at ICAO, former CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation and former Senior Aviation Safety Official in the United Nations

Fly! is an extraordinary collection of modern wisdom, amassed by a man who has demonstrated his resilience in the most remarkable way.

Simon Hackett, innovator, entrepreneur and pilot

Fly! is an approachable, moving and powerful book teaching leadership and resilience in the face of risk, change, extreme complexity and stress. Reading Fly! could change your life.

Eric Auxier, A321 International Captain for American Airlines, Airways magazine columnist, and author of The Last Bush Pilots, There I Wuz! and Code Name: Dodger

I wish Fly! had been available as required reading back in my flight training days. Thoroughly researched, it takes a fascinating look at accidents and other crises – including Captain de Crespigny’s own QF32 inflight explosion – and analyses them through the filter of cutting-edge research. From these, he gleans keen insight and valuable lessons for dealing with life’s inevitable challenges.

This book is essential reading for everyone, from fledgling aviator to grizzled airline captain, from medical student to heart surgeon, from nervous flyer to corporate CEO – basically, anyone who wishes to take command of their own ship called “life”.

Paul Barach MD, MPH, Maj (Ret.), Clinical Professor, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA

Fly! is a remarkably accessible and important book. Richard de Crespigny’s extensive research reveals important insights into the science of how we learn, make optimal decisions and deal with stress.  Fly! goes beyond what we teach people in schools. Life skills like focus, perspective, leadership and resilience are essential to building human potential and key to improving patient safety and quality in health care. We need to get these important messages out.

Fly! is a must read for every healthcare provider or manager who wants to succeed in the twenty-first century.

Tony Hughes, bestselling author and international sales leadership keynote speaker

Fly! is the compelling follow-up to the bestselling QF32 and the book every leader needs to read. Authentic leaders build deep foundations at every level, and Richard’s insights come from an impeccable intellect and real-world experience, where human lives and iconic brands are at stake. In an age where we’ve lost trust in many people and institutions claiming to serve us, Richard shows us what genuine leadership and resilience is, how to foster it in ourselves, others and in teams, and how to rebuild trust for a better world. Read it and give a copy to anyone you believe has the potential to make a real difference.

Tony’s other comments-posts about FLY!

Tim Robinson, Editor in Chief of Aerospace, the flagship magazine of the Royal Aeronautical Society

From flight deck to everyday life, Fly! details the hard-won lessons on dealing with crises, both large and small. Richard de Crespigny faced the ultimate test of his resilience in the form of QF32 – one of the most amazing episodes of teamwork and skill in aviation safety.

Geoffrey Thomas, Australia’s most awarded aviation journalist and author

Fly! brings together the science and real-life reality of all the factors that will shape your journey through the stressful minefield that is life today, wrapping it in a warm, caring and easy to understand narrative. For a 17-year-old this book is your life bible. For a 71-year-old it is not too late to get back on course. Fly! is a must read.

Christine Negroni, author of The Crash Detectives: Investigating the World’s Most Mysterious Air Disasters

To all those who believe in “heroes” Captain Richard de Crespigny has a confession to make: he is not one. Everything he did the day Qantas Flight 32 suffered a near-catastrophic uncontained engine failure after taking off from Singapore’s Changi Airport, was not the result of heroics. On the contrary it was training, preparation and experience that allowed him to land safely and save the day for 469 people.

In FLY! Captain de Crespigny explores the science of success and reveals techniques we all can use to enhance our performance and be ready for anything.

Captain Steve Nelson, Boeing 747, Airbus A330-300, A340-300 and A340-600 pilot

FLY! combines all the elements, in essentially layman’s terms, for the successful training of pilots of all ranks and their equivalent in the business world.