Behind the Prop

Wally has owned several airplanes over the years... and he currently owns two.  Bobby operate a flight school and currently owns 12 aircraft!  So when it comes to airplane ownership, you'll be hard pressed to find two more knowledgeable guys in the Houston area.  Is owning an aircraft a good idea for you, or would renting be a better option?  Listen to this week's episode of Behind The Prop to fin...

You can't fly every day to stay current and proficient.  But you can listen to your favorite aviation podcast and keep aviation on the brain!  This week we're talking about fuel and your airplane's fuel system.

It's one of the first things a student pilot will notice that very first time they take the controls and push the throttle forward on the runway.  For some reason the airplane wants to turn to the left.  Why is this happening and why is it important that we understand what's going on?  Dive into this week's mid-week bonus episode to find out!

Got a checkride coming up??  Kick back, relax, pop an ear bud in and listen to this week's episode of Behind the Prop.  The guys take you through the major things you need to be doing to prepare for your 'ride... and exactly what publications you need to be digging into to make sure your big day goes as smooth as possible.

Certified flight instructors are great pilots.  But they are not perfect people!  Like you, they are just human beings.  Make the most of your flight lessons (and your money!) by using these invaluable tips to hold your instructor accountable.

Set the technology aside this week.  Leave the iPads behind and power down the GPS... because we are focusing on good old stick and rudder skills in this week's episode.  Let's talk about the best part of aviation... hand flying the airplane!

How better to learn than by studying other people's mistakes?  Bobby and Wally lay out some common student pilot mistakes, how and why they happen, and most importantly how you can avoid them yourself!

There are many misconceptions about the differences between Part 61 & Part 141 flight schools.  Is one better?  Does one save you money over the other?  Who better to ask than a flight school owner and a DPE!  Bobby and Wally lay it all out and answer some great questions!

What do most pilots do wrong?  How often should you change the oil?  If you could only check ONE system during a preflight, what would you check?  Our fascinating guest, mechanic/pilot Ray Villalba of E&E Aviation answers all these questions and more on this week's episode of Behind The Prop!

Whether you're a student entering that exciting next phase of training, a new private pilot looking to head out and explore, or a seasoned pilot who has done it for years... the guys share some great tips that will help you become a better pilot on those long cross country trips!

You're cruising along enjoying your flight... when all of the sudden you notice the low voltage light on the panel is flashing.  You glance over to the amps gauge and sure enough, it's showing a discharge.  What do you do?  How much time do you have?  Is it even an emergency??  All that and more on this week's episode of Behind The Prop!

Wally has been a DPE for years, and it's safe to say he's seen almost everything!  This episode includes some great pointers for checkride preparation, as well as some things NOT to do.  If you come prepared you will reduce your stress and anxiety on the day of the checkride... and you will also increase your chance of success!

Learning radio communications is an essential part of learning to fly... but it can be really scary at first!  You're sharing the frequency with many experienced pilots and controllers, and here you are a brand new pilot.  How are you supposed to keep up??  Bobby and Wally bust out the A.I.M. and give us a great list of things to do... and things NOT to do on the radio while flying!

Women make up 50% of the population... but only account for about 6% of pilots in the United States.  Jessica is on a mission to raise that number!  To learn more about the Houston Chapter of Women in Aviation, visit WAIHouston.org.

Night time can be confusing for pilots, but hopefully we help each pilot with some regulations and a few tips.  This week Bobby and Wally break down what constitutes night time, when you can log night time in your logbook and when you can log your night landings.  They also give a number of tips to be safe while flying at night.  

Primary and Secondary Flight Controls.  Hopefully, you use all of them on every flight.  Hopefully, you check them before every flight.  Today, Bobby and Wally go into detail on what you should be checking, how they should be working, and a few best practices.  Let us know what you think and please share the show with a friend.  Thanks!

There is nothing like the first time and this week we both reflect on and celebrate the FIRST SOLO.  Probably a day that aviators remember more than most, join us as we reflect on Wally's first solo exactly 39 years later today - December 7, 1981.  Bobby's first solo came in July 2015 and we both reminisce on those days.  We also interview a student who just solo'ed and get to relive that moment a...

Happy Holidays!!  This week Behind the Prop shares their top 10 or so gift ideas for the pilot in your life (whether that is you or someone you shared this podcast with).   We cover a lot of products and gift ideas this week to help you decide on big gifts, little gifts, and maybe a few things to avoid this year as well.  Hopefully, everyone has a wonderful holiday season and we also hope you were...

We have been asked a number of times to put together a show on how to best tackle the economics of flight training.  There are MANY opinions here and hopefully, we share a number of ideas that will help everyone get the proper amount of training while also saving some money!  In a part of this show, we tackle the question about whether you should "knock out your written" before you start training....

Devin Miller has been flying for the past three years and has come a long way.  He literally walked in one Sunday afternoon and wanted to fly.  We took him up and he has been a great friend, partner, and aviator ever since.  Devin and Bobby have literally flown thousands of miles together and share a passion for aviation.  On the show today Devin, Bobby, and Wally challenge listeners on their avia...

This week Bobby and Wally discuss a system for the first time and believe it will be the first of many.  Each time we fly we do a magneto check and as Wally says, he hopes we change the name to an ignition check.  There are a lot more things we are checking besides the magneto and hopefully you learn a few things this week.  Let us know what you think and please share the show with a friend.  Than...

In the mid-80s it was a decision my parents and the wrestle with, paper vs plastic as they checked out at the grocery store.  Now as pilots many of us have quickly moved from the paper choice to an electronic one.  Bobby and Wally discuss what is legal and some best practice as you too may wrestle with the decision between paper vs. plastic.  No matter what you choose to use, make sure you underst...

Pat Brown has a long history in aviation and not only serves the "Texas Triangle" as the AOPA You Can Fly Ambassador, and he is also a Designated Pilot Examiner.  Pat and Wally have a long past and didn't even know they were both pilots when they first started working together.  We cover that and many more topics on this week's show including their general aviation pet peeves!   Fly safe and stay...

This week Bobby tells his near-miss story.  While these are more common than they should be some are closer than others!   We won't give it away here, but Bobby comes VERY CLOSE to the big one and shares what he thinks saved him and his passenger from the "BIG ONE".  This near-miss story could happen to each of us and both Bobby and Wally hope the show helps everyone be a little safe.  Fly safe ev...

Checklist usage sounds simple.  #1 - Use one.  #2 - Follow it.  It continues to be one thing that pilots don't do frequently enough and causes problems, both big and small.  Wally shares some things that he sees on check rides (even applicants reading them upside down), and Bobby shares a lot of what he sees around the flight school.  Please share this episode with other pilots and fly safe!