"Establishes Bilstein as the most accessible guide to American aerospace history."
--Technology and Culture
"A masterly synthesis by a master historian."
--David Lewis, Auburn University
"More than a generation has passed since John Rae published his overview of the American aircraft industry,
and it has been unsurpassed-until now. Roger Bilstein, perhaps the dean of historians of American aviation, has
provided...an exquisite synthesis of a complex and fascinating subject in the history of twentieth-century America.
Making stunning use of recently available documents and scholarly writings, this book succeeds in capturing the
essence of a major American technological enterprise."
--Roger D. Launius, NASA Chief Historian
Publisher Web Site, January, 2004
Summary
This reissue of The Enterprise of Flight: The American Aviation and Aerospace Industry (originally titled The
American Aerospace Industry) is a highly praised contribution to the literature on American aviation and space
exploration history. In a new introduction for this paperback edition, Roger E. Bilstein explains how international
competition has affected American aerospace and airline manufacturers, leading to some unlikely partnerships, and
updates the ongoing controversy over the high cost of military aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor. In the five years
since the original publication, the surge in popularity of executive jets also surprised many, and the operational
debut of the International Space Station proved to be a genuine historical moment.