Thomas Petzinger Jr Popular Books
Thomas Petzinger Jr Biography & Facts
Conquistadores del Cielo (Spanish for "Conquerors of the Sky") is a secretive club of high-level airline and aerospace industry executives. The Conquistadores del Cielo are still in existence today, stating that they exist "To develop and promote interest in aerospace activities. Sponsoring and giving educational, social, recreational and athletic events and functions that will bring together and unite in fellowship persons interested in the general purpose of the organization, and any other activities that such fellowship shall kindle and inspire. The organization shall be conducted without pecuniary benefit to the membership." History The club was founded by Transcontinental & Western Air, later Trans World Airlines (TWA), President William John "Jack" Frye, and Vice President Paul Richert in 1937 as an informal gathering for airline industry giants. Jack Frye was the Conquistadores' first leader. During these initial meetings, Jack Frye proposed a number of his friends and associated come together for an annual meeting at his ranch, A-Bar-A Ranch in Encampment, Wyoming. During these early years, the Conquistadores would go horseback riding, shooting, and hunting, although their recreational activities expanded over time.In 1938, the Conquistadores expanded their membership to include persons involved in the space industry. The group was officially incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1941 with EIN 95-6092475. The Conquistadores were first named in a major media publication in 2010 as airline executives who were attending a Reuters Aerospace and Defense Summit were leaving to go to Wyoming. According to Rolls-Royce chief executive Sir John Rose, the Conquistadores have a club drinking song, a twist on the song "The Three Caballeros" from the 1944 film The Three Caballeros. The song goes:'We're Conquistadores, gay Conquistadores We're birds of a very fine feather! We're happy amigos no matter where he goes The One, Two and Three goes, we're always together.During the 2019 retirement celebration of Southwest Airlines CEO Herb Kelleher, Bill Franke, chairman of Frontier Airlines, Colleen Barrett, Kelleher's replacement emeritus, Bill Cunningham, Southwest's presiding director, and retired General Duncan McNabb broke with a long-standing tradition of silence and shared several stories about Kelleher and the Conquistadores del Cielo. According to Cunningham, the A-Bar-A Ranch sits on 100,000 acres of land, and is "so large it has four climatic zones". Cunningham also alleges that the Conquistadores spend a great deal of time drinking and hunting, though he claims that despite being well armed, little hunting is done, and the only shots had been "exclusively Wild Turkey".The accounts of Thomas Petzinger, Jr. in his book Hard Landing, recounts his time at the A-Bar-A Ranch and claims that the members "would turn out in cowboy hats and boots – Stephen Wolf in an elegant knitted sweater, perhaps, and Bob Crandall in a leather vest and bolo tie. They would feast on prime rib, buffalo burgers, trout pate, and bacon smoked on Applewood.” According to one of the Conquistadores Del Cielo Papers at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, one of the largest events during the retreats is the initiation ceremony.“The highlight of the week was the initiation ceremony for new members who had attended three meetings. This ceremony is a pantomime induction with processions of Conquistadores riding down from the hills with lighted torches. “Initiates are sworn in and dubbed ‘Conquistador.’ The script being read recounts the history of the Conquerors of the Sky. Fireworks conclude the ceremony. “It is costumed by the workshop which costumes the Royal Spanish Opera in Madrid. Authentic period costumes complete with armor, swords, and full regalia are used. It is an extremely solemn occasion for members involved in the cause of promoting aviation in this country.”There were allegations that the Conquistadores del Cielo had no female or non-Europe/North America members until in 2002 Korean Air chairman Cho Yang-ho announced his attendance. Additionally, in 2017, Mary Nagelmann was the organization's full-time Executive Director and sole employee. Despite this, the organization has historically been called mostly male. The organization has $1.2m in annual revenue and spends nearly all of its money on two annual retreats. Members Stephen Wolf, Robert Crandall, Harding L. Lawrence (CEO of Braniff International Airways), David Barger, and Gary Kelly have been members. 2015 members listed on the annual IRS filing include Tom Enders, Scott C. Donnelly, Mark Dunkerley (CEO of Hawaiian Airlines until 2018), Daniel Altobello (Retired Chairman of Mesa Airlines), and Marillyn Hewson. 2016 members also include Marc Parent (CEO of CAE Inc.), Jerry Atkin, John R. Dailey, Robert Fornaro, Randall Greene (CEO of Safe Flight Instrument Corp.), David P. Hess (EVP at United Technologies), Dawne Hickton, David L. Joyce (CEO of GE Aviation), C. Jeffrey Knittel (CEO of Airbus Americas), Lloyd W. Newton, Kelly Ortberg (CEO of Collins Aerospace), Curtis Reusser (CEO of Esterline), Christian Scherer (Chief Commercial Officer of Airbus), Terry Stinson (former CEO of Bell Helicopter), and Jeffrey L. Turner (of Rockwell Collins and Spirit AeroSystems). 2017 members also include Daniel Crowley (CEO of Triumph Group), Cindy Egnotovich (formerly of UTC Aerospace, now Collins Aerospace), Paul Funchino (partner at AE Industrial Partners), August Henningsen (formerly CEO of Lufthansa Technik), and David Melcher.The Conquistadores became more visible at the public memorial service for Herb Kelleher, when Hudson Drake, an executive with Boeing and Teledyne Technologies as well as a White House Fellow for the Johnson and Nixon administrations, gave a eulogy for Herb. In the short talk, he revealed that the Conquistadores' spring meeting rotates throughout the world and that Herb was initiated in 1990. Conquistadores receive a green jacket and 25-year members receive a yellow jacket. Both Hudson and Herb were at least 25-year members. Herb received the "Big Horse Award", the club's highest honor, in 2005. Scandals Although the number one rule within the Conquistadores del Cielo is to "Leave Your Swords at the Door", there have been known instances where the members of the group have either participated in or spoken of incidents of insider trading. Paul Thayer During the 1984 trial of Paul Thayer, former Deputy Secretary of Defense, at least two members of the Conquistadores del Cielo testified against Thayer. Both Thomas Pownall, chairman of Martin Marietta and Coquistadores president, and Harry Gray, chairman of United Technologies, testified that from September 8 through September 12, 1982, Thayer had openly spoken with them about a merger between Bendix Corporation and the Allied Corporation. In 1985 Thayer was sentenced to four years in prison for insider stock-trading. American Airlines and US Airways Mer.... Discover the Thomas Petzinger Jr popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Thomas Petzinger Jr books.
Best Seller Thomas Petzinger Jr Books of 2024
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Noxious
Lexy TimmsStop setting yourself on fire to keep someone else warm. Brady and Levi have been together since high school, since before he became famous and started thinking only about himself....
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Christmas in Sweetbriar Cove
Melody GraceCelebrate the holidays in Sweetbriar Cove with this festive romance collection, containing two sizzling smalltown holiday stories perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey, Sophie Kinsella...
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The Target
Lexy TimmsWhen you seek revenge be sure to dig two graves… Revenge was the only thing I had going for me. It kept me awake at night and drove me into desperate situations in dive bars across...
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Always Yours
Claire RayeSome things are just meant to be... Ellen Somerville and Will McIntyre met by accident and under unusual circumstances. Getting sprayed by a skunk in a parking lot wouldn’t normall...
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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Arthur Conan DoyleAn Apple Books Classic You get not one, not two, but 25 gripping mysteries in Arthur Conan Doyle’s first of five collections of Sherlock Holmes short stories. Follow the brilliant ...
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Never Enough
Lexy TimmsBe good enough never is... Anthony Accardi is a man on a mission: make his father's watch company a success while bringing in millions of dollars. To do that, he needs an assi...
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The Art of War
Sun TzuAn Apple Books Classic edition. It’s believed that Sun Tzu wrote this Chinese military primer during the 5th century BChundreds of years before the Bible. The book’s 13 chapters ex...
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Holy Bible
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsThe 2013 edition of the Holy Bible contains all of the study aids contained in the 1979 edition and includes revisions to the study aids, several new photos, updated maps, and adju...
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The Holy Bible - King James Version
King JamesHoly Bible King James Version Few Sample Paragraphs from The Holy Bible eBook, Genesis (OT) 1 Gen. 1 IN the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was with...
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Rogue Alpha
Kimber WhiteOne touch made her crave him. But the pull of fate could be the path to ruin. College student Laura Prince lands a plum internship deep in the Michigan wilderness. When she discove...
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Dream Psychology
Sigmund FreudAn Apple Books Classic edition. Written by the founding father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud’s 1899 book is the definitive text on learning to interpret dreams. Freud’s groundbr...
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Pretty Little Lies
Ivy ThornFour years ago, Nicolo Marchetti took my innocence. But he left me with something else Nicolo almost took everything from me. My virginity, my reputation, and very nearly my future...
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Alpha
Sybil BartelBillionaire. Mercenary. Navy SEAL. The Teams trained me to be a killer. War taught me to be ruthless. Then an illfated mission proved I was human. Combat wounded, cut loose by the ...
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The Next Girl
Carla KovachIF YOU ONLY READ ONE BOOK THIS YEAR, MAKE IT THE NEXT GIRL... You thought he’d come to save you. You were wrong. ‘ Absolutely the best thriller I’ve read this year! ’ Goodreads Rev...
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Silver Santa
Lacey SilksTrapped together on Christmas, their unintended onenight stand becomes a lifechanging encounter amidst the snow. Laura Young's professional role as a security guard at the Sil...
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Finding Cinderella
Colleen Hoover#1 New York Times bestselling author of It Starts with Us and It Ends With Us writes a free novella about the search for happily ever after. A chance encounter in the dark leads ei...
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The Cupcake Cottage
Jean OramNHL player Maverick Blades could fall in love with anyone... But he had to fall for a woman who falls under the Bro Code as untouchablehis best friend’s beautiful ex, DaisyMae Ray....
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Wuthering Heights
Emily BrontëAn Apple Books Classic edition. If you’ve only ever seen Wuthering Heights on screen, you may have an image of Catherine and Heathcliff as the ultimate starcrossed lovers. But that...
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Enemies With Benefits
Roxie NoirI don’t love him. I don’t even like him. I just want him. Eli Loveless was my nemesis from the first day of kindergarten until we graduated high school. Everything I did, he had to...
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Law of Attraction
Jordan HollisHow to Finally Overcome the Hurdles of Manifesting Proven, effective and enjoyable ways to help you manifest faster… Right now, think of something that makes you successful. If you...
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Eternal
W.J. MayShe will fight for what is hers. When the king is murdered, Katerina, his only daughter, must flee for her life. She finds herself on a strange and dangerous path. Alone for the fi...
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Saltwater Cove
Amelia AddlerSecond chances...and the secrets that sabotage them. At 48 years old, Margie Clifton never expected to be starting her life all over again. But when her brother gifts her a propert...
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Man In The Water
Jon HillAn attempted murder. A missing spouse. And an international conspiracy that could change the world. Jack Green has always been skeptical of socalled facts. Though he's forced ...
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Peace on Earth
Maia RossCrime never takes a holiday. Why should Irma? Irma Abercrombie is an energetic retiree with a shadowy past, a mean right hook, and a profound love of Christmas. Surrounded by seaso...
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Inception of Gold
Lexy TimmsThings are not as bad as they seem. They are worse. Being the personal assistant to a narcissistic actress who just happens to own the key to my family's undoing isn't ex...
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Bewitching a Highlander
Roma CordonDefying all for the love of a bewitching lass. Breena MacRae, a healer from Skye with a touch of witchery in her blood, embarks on a dangerous search for her missing father. She ar...
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The Four Loves
C. S. LewisThe Four Loves summarizes four kinds of human loveaffection, friendship, erotic love, and the love of God. Masterful without being magisterial, this book's wise, gentle, candi...
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Teased by Fire
Molly O'HareFrom USA Today bestselling author Molly O’Hare comes an enemiestolovers, older brother’s best friend, romantic comedy with a curvy, antisocial, supernaturalobsessed, allyearround h...
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Nothing to Hide
Scarlett FinnPrize of a lifetime: travel the world with a celebrity billionaire. Come to LA with us, Roxie… It will be so much fun! We have tickets for a latenight talk show! What could possibl...
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Becoming Lady Dalton
Carrie LomaxA dance of desire and deceit... In the glittering world of London's ton, Mrs. Viola Cartwright revels in her newfound freedom as a lady of leisureuntil a series of jewel theft...
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All Fired Up
Kathryn ShayCaptain Jarek Zenko, a war veteran and firefighter, meets Lacey Roth at a bar one night. They don’t share their real identities, even when they retreat to a hotel. When they meet t...
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Meditations
Emperor of Rome Marcus AureliusMeditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor 161–180 CE, setting forth his ideas on Stoic philosophy.
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Escape, A New Life
David J AntocciTo save herself, she had to lose everything. Trapped in a tropical paradise with no memory of how she got there, Abby is thrust into a fight for her life. Hunted by a madman, and c...
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The Stoic Mind
Addy Osmani & GoLimitlesssDiscover the timeless wisdom of Stoicism in a modern context with "The Stoic Mind," an enlightening visual guide by Addy Osmani and GoLimitlesss. This rich exploration co...
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A Christmas Carol
Charles DickensAn Apple Books Classic edition. It’s Christmas Eve in Victorian England. While some families don’t know where their next meal will come from, Ebenezer Scrooge sits in his large hom...
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My Paper Heart
Magan VernonOne piece of paper can change everything After my parents received the letter I failed out of college, they didn't ask questions. They just sent me to work for my great aunt i...
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Silenced Girls
Roger Stelljes“ Wow wow wow!  Grips you in a choke hold and  does not let go … Oozes suspense and  bonechilling twists and turns .  Astonishing … One of those...
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Masters of Restraint
Ines JohnsonMy new boss is good at giving orders. But his latest demand is NSFW. Especially when his two business partners want in on our deal. My new boss My boss’s boss Their investor &#...
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Salvation
Meghan O'FlynnIf you like mouthy detectives, serial killers, and suspenseful mysteries that don't quit, this chilling and actionpacked hardboiled detective series has you covered! Try this ...
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You Are Kind
Michael GordonA little kindness goes a long way. How can you help encourage your kids to be kind from a young age? Teach kindness to preschoolers Acts of kindness can be fun, easy, and make a ...
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School of Potential
W.J. MayUSA Today Bestselling author, W.J. May brings you a continuation of the international bestselling series, The Chronicles of Kerrigan! Come back and enjoy the famous characters, or ...
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The Great Gatsby
F. Scott FitzgeraldAn Apple Books Classics edition. The Roaring Twenties are in full effect in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s riveting classic. Manabouttown Jay Gatsby seems to have it all, including loads of...
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Dracula
Bram StokerAn Apple Books Classic edition. Few characters have seized readers’ imaginations quite like Count Dracula of Transylvania, the hero of Bram Stoker’s classic. The 1897 novel put vam...
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Just Me
Lexy TimmsWe all need somewhere where we feel safe… After leaving her abusive husband, Katherine Marshall is out on her own for the first time. She's hopped from city to city to avoid t...
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Tempting the King
Jessa YorkAn escaped Mafia Queen, hiding from her past. A Mafia King who wants to claim her… Giselle They think I'm lostbut I know better. I can never be found. The path I've creat...
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Think and Grow Rich
Greg Habstritt & Napoleon HillThink and Grow Rich is one of the most popular success book of alltime, having sold more than 60 million copies since it was first published more than 70...
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Get Lucky
Lila MonroeFall for the hot and hilarious romcom spin on 'The Hangover', perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey, Ali Hazelwood, and Emily Henry! What happens when you wake up in a hotel s...
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A Bookshop to Die For
M.P. BlackDitching her fiancé at the altar, Alice Hartford bolts to her childhood hometown to reconnect with the last, happy remnant of her past: her mom's old bookstore. But the bookst...
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Hot Off the Press
Lexy Timms"This is what really happened… reported by a free press, for a free people…" Wes Shaw leads a secret double life. As the secret owner of a billion dollar newspap...
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Good Guy
Kate MeaderHe's a Special Forces veteran making his pro hockey debut. She's a dogged sports reporter determined to get a scoop. She's also his best friend's widow . . . Fa...