Kalafatas presents an extraordinary look at flight and its conflict with the environment–a conflict that is not always won by human or machine and an environment that was innocent of the threat of aircraft-bird collisions a mere century ago. Kalafatas intertwines the human drama of passengers, families, witnesses, and rescuers with the intricacies of machine and the simplicity of nature. A must read for anyone who enjoys human drama and the complexities of flight.