eta: October 20, 2026

A NOVEL BY
JOSEPH A CONFORTI

In the Fall of 1990, Captain Tony Martin’s life is in a tailspin. Airline deregulation is redefining what it means to be a pilot. The airline he flies for faces an imminent strike. Martin splits his time between fighting with his family at home and fighting with his eccentric roommates in their dilapidated crash pad. War is brewing in the Middle-East. And one of his roommates is probably certifiable, trouble is, it’s difficult to tell which one. Martin’s just a guy trying to hold things together in a messed-up world. The holidays are coming and he could really use a vacation, preferably somewhere tropical, with lots of bourbon. But chasing drug-runners in Honduras wasn’t on his Christmas list.

                                        Buckle up.

  • “A HILARIOUS JOURNEY INTO THE MAYHEM OF AIRLINE DEREGULATION AS I KNEW IT.”

    — Tom Davis, Retired Airline Pilot

  • “COMICAL, COMPELLING CHARACTERS AND SITUATIONS MAKE THIS BOOK DIFFICULT TO PUT DOWN.”

    — Donald Krivitsky, Former Army Pilot

  • The author doesn’t just invite you to join him inside his story. Instead, he reaches out from the pages, grabs you by your shirt, pulls you inside, and takes you with him on a wild, jaunty, and wind-swept ride with pilots, veterans, labor leaders, corporate executives, and families."

    -Michael Foley, Author and RET. Lt. Boston Fire Department

The Novel

The Crash Pad is Conforti’s debut novel, based on his experience as an airline pilot during the 1980s airline deregulation era. Inspired by his experiences, it follows five misfit pilot living in a ramshackle New Jersey ‘crash pad’ as they navigate through the personal mayhem of airline deregulation.

The Crash Pad was a decade-long project. While he admits it was a labor of love, it also served as an outlet for the deep-seated feelings stemming from flying during the airline deregulation era.

Join the Conversation

MY MISSION: "Whenever creating any work, whether a screenplay, cartoon, novel, or short story, it’s best for the creator to remember the old maxim, thou shalt not bore. In that regard I write and draw mainly about subjects I know. In my novel, “The Crash Pad,” I’ve written about a world I am intimately familiar with. By following that Maxim I hope i’ve succeeded in making “The Crash Pad” a compelling read. Enjoy!” ‍

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MY MISSION: "Whenever creating any work, whether a screenplay, cartoon, novel, or short story, it’s best for the creator to remember the old maxim, thou shalt not bore. In that regard I write and draw mainly about subjects I know. In my novel, “The Crash Pad,” I’ve written about a world I am intimately familiar with. By following that Maxim I hope i’ve succeeded in making “The Crash Pad” a compelling read. Enjoy!” ‍ *