Former Regional Airline Pilot Provides "Eye-Opening Details" In New Book

Squawk 7700, an aviation autobiography by Peter M. Buffington, tells of a personal adventure into the world of aviation to achieve a professional airline pilot career. He offers details of his experience with daily operations within the aviation industry, and the struggles flight crew members face to maintain their lifestyles.

From student pilot at age 15, to flight instructor, to nighttime cargo pilot, and finally to first officer aboard the ATR 42 and ATR 72 turboprop airliners, Buffington details his personal experiences of becoming an airline pilot. Squawk 7700 also provides insight as to why recent accidents, like Colgan Air Flight 3407, in Buffalo, NY, and Comair Flight 5191, in Lexington, KY, can occur.

Jeff Skiles, the first officer with Captain C.B. "Sully" Sullenberger on US Airways Flight 1549 that ditched into the Hudson River, endorses "Squawk 7700" as "mandatory reading,"

"Based upon my personal experiences as an airline pilot and as acting first officer aboard US Airways Flight 1549 that ditched into the Hudson River," Skiles says, "I recommend 'Squawk 7700' for anyone interested in an aviation career, and mandatory reading for those who fly on our national airline system."

Shortly after the US Airways Flight 1549 incident in New York, Buffington and Skiles began working together to see that changes were implemented in the way regional airlines hired pilots, and to expose the daily lifestyle challenges of regional airline pilots. Skiles was called to testify before Congress on numerous occasions in 2009. On July 30th, 2010, the U.S. House and Senate passed the FAA Safety Bill, setting forth new pilot hiring minimums, increasing pilot flight hours from 200 to 1,500 total flight hours. On August 1st, 2010, the President of the United States signed the FAA Safety Bill, HR 5900.

FMI: www.squawk7700.com