Richard David Bach is an American writer, born on June 23, 1936. He has authored numerous flight-related works of fiction and non-fiction. His notable works include Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1970) and Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah (1977), which were among the bestsellers of the 1970s.

Most of Bach's books are semi-autobiographical, incorporating actual or fictionalized events from his life to illustrate his philosophy. He expounds the belief that our apparent physical limits and mortality are merely illusions. Bach is recognized for his love of aviation, using flying as a metaphorical context in his books. He began flying as a hobby at the age of 17.

In late August 2012, Bach suffered severe injuries when his aircraft clipped power lines and crashed upside down in a field near Friday Harbor, Washington. Despite this, he remains an avid aviator-author, exploring and chronicling the joys and freedom of flying and sharing his findings with readers.

His recent works include Travels with Puff, which recounts his journey from Florida to Washington state in his small seaplane, Puff, and Illusions II: The Adventures of a Reluctant S.