The Gann novel referred to by 410, above, is called IN THE COMPANY OF EAGLES. I don't have the ISBN.
Actually, Hailey's AIRPORT was a good 'un and made an excellent movie which is still watchable. The sequels were pure entertainment! The ultimate, of course, was AIRPLANE which amply illustrated all the wonderful tech boobs I mentioned earlier. The soundtrack of a DC-4, every time the 707 is seen in flight, is a classic. In the otherwise gripping movie RAID ON ENTEBBE, as the C-130 starts engines, the unmistakable splutter of a large piston radial winding-up clearly escaped the technical advisor. (Sorry to digress on to movies!). Although holding a mass-briefing in normal voice, and singing songs, in the back of said Herc could charitably be passed off as artistic licence!
This has been a most interesting thread. I have marked-off a number of "must finds" for my next trawl around the book shops.