An Essay

 These are "essays" because they are more personal (first person is used) and are not very research-oriented; they definitely are not boring research papers. These essays seem a bit biased at some points, too (which is not characteristic of a research paper). This can be seen in "The Stunt Pilot," as the narrator goes on and on about how Dave Rahm was such a great pilot. There is even some dialogue, as seen in "Ali in Havana." The essays use descriptive and musical language; for example the narrator of "The Stunt Pilot" says, "Our shaking, swooping belly seemed to graze the snow" in reference to an eventful flight. We can see how the author has used some alliteration here. These essays remind me of short stories. They are interesting, and generally keep the reader's attention (if the reader is interested in the first place). It is key that the author grab the reader's attention; if a person is interested in the topic, that person will at least stay interested if it's a gripping essay.