Outskirts Press, INC.

Cleared for Takeoff was written by a longtime United Airlines pilot who flew commercial planes for forty years. But this is no ordinary pilot. Scott Kaye was not only one of the fewer than three hundred Boeing 747 captains in the United States, he's also among a handful of pilots throughout the world who are licensed to fly the biggest planes into the most difficult airports.

Cleared for Takeoff has as many layers as the earth's atmosphere. It is:

• An adventurous memoir of a veteran pilot who's seen it all. An engine fire? He's been there. Handcuffing a belligerent passenger? Yep. The loss of a good friend on 9/11? That too.

• An inspiring self-help book that is a metaphor for life and how to live it. Scott draws meaningful lessons from flying that can be applied to our personal journeys. These connections deepen and transcend the narrative.

• A metaphysical meditation on the higher realms of life as they reveal themselves through aviation experiences, including the law of attraction, the law of reciprocity, and human connectivity. It's a lofty view from 30,000 feet, and Scott translates it into every aspect of human experience.

• A close-up look at the pilot personality and the various characters to whom passengers entrust their lives, including the "Hat Nazi" and "The Mummy," and a colorful portrait of the pilot's lifestyle, including jet lag, layovers, pranks in the cockpit, and the vagaries of life in the aluminum tube (who ever thought that "pee control" would be one of a pilot's most valued skills?). And a glimpse into what pilots love (kids visiting the cockpit), what they hate (delays—just like the rest of us), and what they talk about (UFOs, for one).

• A behind-the-scenes look at commercial aviation, including company politics, close calls you never knew you had, the most dangerous airports, weather that threatens your flight, plus the author's perspective on several major airline disasters, including a new take on the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Flight 370.

• A practical and informative guide for the curious that explains de-icing, landing, those waving flaps on the wings, and much more, but all in a user-friendly style integrated with the stories.

• And finally, a guide for those interested in pursuing a career in aviation, including challenges and hurdles and how to overcome them, training, and the critical role of seniority.

Cleared for Takeoff is the first in a series of three books that blend stories, secrets, and insights and will appeal to everyone who has ever flown on an airplane. In the United States, that's 80 percent of the population. Every one of those passengers has questions about flying, planes, and pilots that have never been answered. Scott answers those questions and others that people never even thought to ask. The answers will intrigue, inform, amuse, and inspire.