Flying Upside Down: True Tales of an Antarctic Pilot

By Mark A. Hinebaugh

It won't take the reader of this book long to realize that Antarctica is not the place for the faint of heart. A single mistake can kill you, and pilots in particular are vulnerable. Author Mark Hinebaugh should know. As an LC-130 pilot with the U.S. Navy's VXE-6 squadron, he put his life on the line countless times to carry scientists and their supplies in and out of this enigmatic continent. And in this engaging memoir he puts the reader in the seat next to him to experience the adventure of flying over the coldest, driest, highest, windiest, and most godforsaken place on earth.

Cloudless, sunny days mutate into maelstroms of snow in a matter of minutes. A whiteout landing where crews land without ever seeing the ground is unforgettably described in a chapter called "Flying in a Milk Bottle." Hinebaugh also makes it perfectly clear that when the weather breaks, the views are awe-inspiring. He brilliantly conveys the exhilaration of flying down low through rugged glacial valleys and the thrill of seeing the sites where such giants of Antarctic exploration as Amundsen, Byrd, Scott, and Shackleton began their journeys. The author's formula for survival is steely nerves and a healthy dose of optimism, along with an ability to adapt to constantly changing situations and an uncompromising adherence to a personal code of safety. He warns that this is a place where skill, teamwork, flexibility, and a keen sense of humor are paramount. Hinebaugh's rich, vivid voice is so descriptive that opening the pages of his book are almost as exciting as taking the trip yourself--and a lot more comfortable.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557503893
• ISBN13: 9781557503893
• Release Date: December 1998
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
• Length: 318 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Exceptionally well written

Mr. Hinebaugh displays a refreshing blend of literary brilliance and technical understanding. His crystal clear descriptions of his experiences deliver what an aviator is looking for . . . a complex read of operating aircraft in extreme conditions. I would rank this work along with Antoine De Saint Exupery's, `Wind, Sand and Stars' as one of the best aviation books available.

Very well written! Descriptions that will make you shiver!

Love this very well written book. Took me awhile to read but this was due to my 13 year old son grabbing it to read before I was finished. He was very into this and his remarks "Cool book!" sums it up rather well. The Shaman of the weather guessers really makes me wonder how these guys kept their tempers in check at times. Description of the lands and the changing conditions along with the flying difficulties of all the unique situations that come up makes this a very enjoyable and easily read book. Thanks Mark for giving me and my son something to talk about for quite awhile!

Outstanding! Now I know what its like being in the coldest

place on the planet as only an incredibly brave Naval Pilot could. Thanks Mark for getting us there and bringing us back home again safely!

A spendid read

Very few pilots are great writers. Here's one of the exceptions. Hinebaugh (then an Air Force pilot, now flying commercially) salts his narrative with deceptively beautiful lines, along with gutsy tales of flying under almost impossible conditions. Great nuggets also: did you know that planes at the South Pole can spew out contrails while still on the ground, thereby creating such a fog that they can't take off? Don't be put off by the silly title. It's a splendid book.

This is an accurate presentation of Antarctic flying.

I was also an Antarctic piolt in the same squadron (VXE-6) a few years before the author. His descriptions of the continent of Antarctica, and the operations that the squadron performed, brought back many memories of my 3 years in VXE-6. He also expanded on my understanding of the history of Antarctic exploration. Anyone who is interested in a good description of a unique area of the world (that very few people ever get to see) would enjoy this book. Antarctica is a beautiful, but very unforgiving place, and the author describes it well. I would also recommend this book to anyone who has flight experience because the flying in Antarctica is unique and the Antarctic pilot's instrument flying skill is tested on a daily basis. The squadron's mission was to support science and exploration and "to boldly go where no man has gone before". How many places on earth can you think of that fit that description?