University of Wisconsin-Superior transportation and logistics management professor Daniel Rust’s new book “Come Fly with Me” tells the story of how three of the biggest names in American aviation created and ultimately destroyed one of the United States’ most iconic airlines: Trans World Airlines, or better known as TWA. 

“I have been fascinated by the commercial air transportation industry for a very long time, and Trans World Airlines was one of the most significant airlines of the 20th century,” said Rust.

The book doesn’t just tell the story of a now defunct airline, but the tale of a whole American era come and gone through the lens of aviation. The book, which is published by Missouri Historical Society Press and distributed by the University of Chicago Press, hit the shelves earlier this month. Co-authored with historian Alan B. Hoffman, “Come Fly with Me” takes an ambitious and comprehensive approach by recounting stories of aviation heavyweights Charles Lindbergh, Howard Hughes and Carl Icahn and how they shaped one of the country’s most preeminent airlines. 

The book analyzes the history of TWA and its predecessors by tracing the airline from its origins in the 1920s to its demise at the start of the 21^st century. To do so, Rust and Hoffman were given access to scour through the entire TWA corporate archives, in addition to interviews with key business leaders. 

“I see the story of TWA as a cautionary tale for current business leaders who may have official corporate titles but find themselves overshadowed by individuals with inordinate influence within their companies,” Rust said. 

Rust is an associate professor of transportation and logistics management at UW-Superior whose research spans all modes of transportation. Previously, he served as assistant director of the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. His previous aviation-related books include “The Aerial Crossroads of America: St. Louis’s Lambert Airport” and “Flying Across America: The Airline Passenger Experience.” 

In his classes he includes insights he gathered while researching this book, from customer service strategies to fleet acquisition decisions. 

“The story of TWA holds many lessons for aspiring transportation professionals,” he said. 

Co-author Alan Hoffman is an aviation historian who spent most of his career as a lawyer and private pilot. His previous work includes “Up There with the Biggest: The Story of Ozark Airlines.” He currently serves as an aviation expert for the Law360 news service. 

“My co-author and I are the first to tell the story of TWA covering the entire lifespan of the airline from the birth of predecessor companies in the 1920s to the sale of TWA to American Airlines in 2001,” Rust said. “Hopefully readers gain a better appreciation of the historic significance of Trans World Airlines as well as the role of aviation in shaping our world.”