Caroline Paul’s Why Fly—open-cockpit flight, awe from above, and the hard-won clarity that comes when life on the ground gets turbulent

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Caroline Paul—former San Francisco firefighter, lifelong adventurer, and pilot—joins me for a wide-ranging conversation about her new book, Why Fly (launching February 24). We talk gyrocopters, paragliding, trikes, the “rat-tat-tat” rhythm of humor and terror in pilot stories, and the way aviation can become both refuge and mirror when relationships shift and life asks us to find our footing again.

📚 Pre-order Why Fly through my website here: https://literaryaviatrix.com/book/why-fly/

In This Episode:

Why the title is Why Fly (no question mark—and why that matters)
Caroline’s flight path: Cessna training → paragliding → weight-shift trike → gyrocopter
What a gyrocopter is, how it flies, and why it stole her heart
“Pilot error” as a framework for accountability, learning, and humility
The wonder of flight: scale, perspective, and the quiet, tearful moments that catch you by surprise
Why girls are often trained to be cautious—and how bravery can be taught
Tower communication vs. relationship communication 

Featured Book:
Why Fly 

Caroline’s Other Titles:
Fighting Fire (memoir)
The Gutsy Girl
You Are Mighty
Tough Broad
Lost Cat
East Wind Rain

About Caroline Paul
Caroline Paul is a former San Francisco firefighter, author of eight books, and a lifelong pilot and outdoor adventurer. Her writing explores bravery, wonder, risk, and what we learn when we choose to step outside our comfort zones.

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Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening!

-Liz Booker