Dana L. Van Loan, a pilot for more than fifteen years, magnificently captures the sights, sounds, and feel of being aloft and navigating a plane as it hurtles through the air at great speed. After twenty-two years of running the family farm, the author recalls his moving decision to follow his dream of becoming a pilot. Following countless hours of training and several years as a flight instructor, Van Loan became a captain, piloting both air ambulances and the world's sleekest private jets. In ""Blue Skies and Tail Winds"", he tells stories of near-tragedy, humor, sudden panic, and the quiet joy of just being in the sky.