“…extraordinarily timely and informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit… An essential pick for personal, professional, community, and college/university library…”

Read the full review here.

Midwest Book Review

"The Dangers of Automation in Airliners provides a great understanding of these issues in the aviation industry."

4.5 out of 5

Sami Mäkeläinen - LinkedIn post

"...this is a thoroughly researched insight into civil aviation...Food for thought…this book provides welcome common-sense in an increasingly troubled arena…"

York Model Engineers Newsletter - March 2024

"Saw a Capt reading this on my flight, so I bought it for my 20yrs pilot husband. He says he knows everything about this book already. So if your dream is to become a pilot buy this book, good scenarios and history you can learn from to become a well awarded future pilot..."

Amazon Review

"Full marks for this unusual, fascinating book."

The Aviation Historian, Issue No.38

A valid book for both enthusiasts and pilots.

JP4 Feb 2021, reviewed by Marco De Montis

As seen in Panorama Difesa

Panorama Difesa

Author interview on The Pilot Network Podcast

The Pilot Network

Click here to watch Jack Hersch on

WGN News in Chicago

Author interviewed by

KOMO Seattle Radio, November 2020

This volume analyzes in great detail and great clarity some plane crashes of the last 10 years. Among the best known, the two occurred at the 737 MAXs of Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines in 2018 and 2019 and the air France flight AF447 which disappeared in the Atlantic Ocean in 2009. The author, aviation enthusiast and certified pilot for IFR flight, he is also a financial journalist and as such he deepens many aspects on the sidelines of the technical aspect, but fundamental to fully understand certain planning and training philosophies, unfortunately a harbinger of errors due to the lack of “situation awareness” of the crews. The first chapters introduce the evolution of aeronautical technologies, focusing on the equipment (autopilot, FMS, FMC) that have contributed so much to improving the safety of scheduled flight. Then follow the chapters with the detailed examination of the various accidents and the reconstruction of each salient phase of the flight, with a style that is always fluid and free of unnecessary technicalities. In the chapters on the 737 MAX and A330 Air France of the tragic flight AF447, the author illustrates the different design philosophies of Airbus and Boeing and the genesis of the 737 MAX, in which the pressing schedule triggered various lightnesses and system errors. Hersch's notes are always illuminating and never banal, aimed at making the reader understand how crucial is the awareness of every gesture inside the cockpit and perfect coordination between crew members. A valid book for both enthusiasts and pilots.

See the full Italian review here

Marco De Montis

The introduction of computers and electronic systems into aircraft has been generally positive, although there are many potential risks and concern that these are not being met effectively. The author provides a provoking presentation of aviation safety in an age of automation – Most Highly Recommended

Read the full review here

Firetrench

In The Dangers of Automation in Airliners: Accidents Waiting to Happen, Hersch, an instrument-rated commercial pilot, focuses on nine flight incidents and seven crashes over 10 years, intricately dissecting every button pushed, every indicator light flashing, the mechanics behind every takeoff and landing, even the competence and frame of mind of the pilots. To say Hersch makes readers feel like they are in the cockpit is not cliché.

Read the full review here

Book Trib

As featured onDear Author

Dear Author

One of the things I really like about this book is that it isn’t just a series of crash reports, telling of the mistakes made by crews and how it could have been avoided. It goes into detail about how automation arrived, the intricacies of how aircraft work (explained in layman’s terms) and how it all fits together.

It is easy enough for someone with little knowledge of aviation to read, whilst having enough detail to keep a knowledgeable enthusiast hooked.

The descriptions of the crashes and moments leading up to them is as captivating as watching an episode of Air Crash Investigation, while the summaries and explanations give real detail into what went wrong.

Read the full review here

Airport Spotting

'I’m recommending it to my professional pilot colleagues and my non-flying friends'.

Flight Test Fact

This book was very informative.

It explained how automated stuff in a plane causes the most crashes and how pilots become lazy in flying.

Some history on who made the auto flying possible aswell.

If you like books about flying and aeroplanes then you'll like this.

NetGalley, Natalie Power

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Oh I loved this book. As an avid aviation enthusiast, this book was so interesting, and the author included different stories alongside explaining technical terms and parts of the plane very well. Even though its a non-fiction book it was captivating and I would be reading this for hours on end. Definitely a 10/10!

NetGalley, Iman Khan