I have been wanting to write this book for a long time. As a corporate pilot who has spent countless hours in cockpits, jump seats, hotel rooms, and crew lounges around the world, I have accumulated a lot of stories. Some of them are funny. Some of them are absurd. Most of them are both. FunkyPilot Journals is my attempt to bottle all of that up and share it — and I am genuinely thrilled to say it is now available.

If you have followed my FunkyPilot Academy comic series at funkypilotacademy.com, you already know the universe this book lives in. If you are new here — welcome. You are in for a ride.

So, what is it about?

The book follows two pilots: Captain Jack Williams, a seasoned but thoroughly burnt-out airline captain flying 12-day stretches with his vacation requests perpetually denied, and First Officer Lando Harris, an ambitious young pilot on-call most of the week but rarely getting actual flights — barely scraping by financially while waiting for a captain slot to open up.

It all starts with a bird strike, a left engine fire, and two pilots trying to hold it together

Sherman, the Exelsior Therapy System. His advice is surprisingly solid.

Think Catch-22 meets The Office, but set at a budget airline. There is scheduling chaos, institutional absurdity, a union rep named Frank Power Unity, and yes — a talking therapy pig named Sherman who gives surprisingly good advice. The story begins mid-crisis with an emergency landing, then rewinds to show everything that led up to it.

Being a pilot is often seen by outsiders as a glamorous occupation. This book makes sure readers understand the many struggles that come with it — told with enough humor that it never stops being fun.

What makes it different from a typical aviation thriller is the format. After each chapter, there is a Captain's Learning Log — a short, illustrated section introducing real aviation concepts. Pilot fatigue. Checklist procedures. Licensing requirements. Labor rights. Mental health. These are real issues I care deeply about, and weaving them into a story felt like the most honest way to talk about them.

Captain's Learning Log #23 — one of the illustrated educational sections inside the book

The FunkyPilot Academy comic series — the universe this novel is built on

What the reviewers said

I am not someone who easily asks others to take my word for things. So instead, here is what some very respected voices in book reviewing had to say:

KIRKUS
REVIEWS

Kirkus Reviews ✦ GET IT Verdict

A heartfelt tribute to aviation... off to a tremendous start — one that fires on all engines.

— Kirkus Reviews

IndieReader IR Approved  ·  ★★★★ 4.2

With passion and wry humor, Vesa Turpeinen's FunkyPilot Journals invites teen and adult readers into the fascinating and complicated world of a commercial airline pilot.

— Cameron Gillespie, IndieReader

Readers' Favorite Three ★★★★★ reviews

A hilarious and educational aviation story that entertains while revealing what really happens behind the cockpit door.

— Readers' Favorite

Getting a Kirkus GET IT verdict, IndieReader approval, and three five-star reviews from Readers' Favorite on a debut novel is something I genuinely did not take for granted. These are not easy crowds to please, and it means the world to me.

Who is it for?

Honestly? Almost anyone. Aviation enthusiasts will enjoy the depth and the insider detail. People with no interest in aviation will enjoy the characters, the humor, and the workplace dynamics — the frustrations Jack and Lando go through are painfully universal. And it makes a great gift for anyone with even a passing curiosity about what happens on the other side of the cockpit door.

About the author

Vesa Turpeinen

Corporate pilot, author, and creator of the FunkyPilot Academy comic series. Vesa draws on years of real flight deck experience to write stories that are equal parts funny and honest about the aviation life. He works in publishing on the side — and if you have ever thought about writing a book yourself, he is genuinely happy to help. Now, or whenever the time feels right.

What comes next

I am already working on Book 2. My goal is to make FunkyPilot Journals a full series — to keep following Jack and Lando, keep introducing new characters, and keep finding the funny in a profession I love even when it drives me absolutely mad.

If you enjoy the first book, the single best thing you can do is leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads. It does not need to be long. Even two or three sentences helps more than most people realize — it is what makes the algorithm notice, and what helps other readers decide to take a chance on an indie author.