The Fabulous Flight of the Three Musketeers: A Rollicking Airplane Adventure with a few Thrills
The Fabulous Flight of the Three Musketeers is a memoir based on the development and introduction of a newly-designed airplane in 1962. Trading on the airplane's name, Beech Aircraft Corporation devised a 3-airplane, 90-day, 48-state introductory tour—which unintentionally turned into an extended service test.
The author, who was one of the pilots (always flying in a dress and high heels), described the escapades surrounding the unproven aircraft. She documented the travels with 100 photos, and technical information for design improvements during the journey for pilot readers as well as and clear explanations of the challenges to satisfy the curious non-pilot.
The Three Musketeers tour nearly 50 years ago—a story of adventure, technology, travelogue, history, and human challenge—includes a surprising insight into the vast advances in aviation in the past half-century. Most of all, it's great fun!
Book review from Amazon.com
by Force Marker, Los Angeles, California, June 26, 2009
A Fond Memory of a Wonderful Aviation Publicity Stunt
Gene Nora Jessen's book recounts a criss-crossing series of flights around the United States to promote Beech Aircraft's new Musketeer airplane in 1962. The 90-day, 40K mile adventure also did a great deal to prove the plane's design, and as a result of all that hard flying dozens of (mostly minor) design changes were implemented. A well-written jaunt, the book will interest anyone who flies a Musketeer or is interested in the story of Beech. It also has some appeal as a story of women in flight, as Gene Nora was one of two women pilots—the other being Joyce Case—who made the trip. The third "Musketeer," Beech's Mike Gordon, did not have to fly in heels and a skirt, which certainly made his life easier.
I can also recommend Gene Nora's other non-fiction book, the excellent Powder Puff Derby of 1929.
Published by BookSurge, 228 pages, 100 photos, 9 by 6 inches, signed by the author
Another book by Gene Nora:
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