"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

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.