Flying Midwest Podcast

With heavy hearts we remember and pay tribute to a truly remarkable individual, Richard McSpadden. The aviation world has been shaken by the sudden loss of this extraordinary man, whose impact on the industry was profound. We reflect on the life and contributions of Richard, a former commander of the USAF Thunderbirds and a vice president at AOPA, where he served as the director of the Air Safety...

We’re joined by Dr. Keith Roxo with Wingman Med. Medical exams are just as important as any other exam you will take in your aviation career. Keith chats with us all about FAA medicals and how Wingman Med can help you prepare for your next exam.  If you’d like to learn more about Wingman Med, check out their website - https://wingmanmed.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wingmanmed   Be sure...

Recorded LIVE from Airventure 2023, it's FMP Live from OSH! We had a really fantastic opportunity to meet with the crew of the Super Guppy at Airventure. Climb up into the flight deck with us as we talk to Pilot Brett Pugsley, and Flight Engineer Nelson Reyes. They tell us all about what it takes to make this unique aircraft fly. Special thank you to the crew and NASA's Office of Communica...

Come one, come all to experience the joy of aviation! In this week’s episode, we were delighted to speak with a previous guest, Ambyr Peterson, as well as Mina Carlson, about Women in Aviation International’s event called Girls in Aviation Day. This is a worldwide event held annually by local WAI chapters for girls (and boys!) to experience different areas of aviation. The Stars of the North chapt...

All good things must come to an end, but at least we have good stories to tell! Join us (Jim and Madi) as we rehash our experience at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023. We'll discuss our roles as Media, meeting some of you, our Interviewee Scavenger Hunt, and the content we were fortunate to record with a lot of great people. Come relive the memories with us as we adventure through our Oshkosh Recap...

Recorded LIVE from Airventure 2023, it's FMP Live from OSH! We had a great morning on Day 4 with the folks over at AOPA. We reconnect with Kyle Lewis, the Great Lakes Regional Manager for an update on what they are working on in the region. We then sit down and chat with Cade Halle about the medical side of AOPA's Pilot Protection Services. Finally, we learn all about the initiatives in AO...

We are proud to bring you the first of our episodes recorded live at this year's Airventure 2023. On day one of the event, Cirrus announced the launch of their new Cirrus Private Pilot Program. We caught up with Cirrus CEO, Zean Nielsen to learn more about Cirrus, the companies Midwestern roots, and their exciting new pilot training program. A huge thank you goes out to Zean and Nadia, and eve...

The gang's all here! In this live bonus episode, we are on location at AirExp 2023. We get a chance to catch up with Trevor, learn a bit more about the C130, and hear about where he is at with his flying. Jim and Madi will talk about all the exciting things we will be getting into a Airventure. Free content isn't always free. Each month, we have various costs associated with brining you th...

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Airventure Call-in Extravaganza Spectacular! On this episode, we are so thrilled to be joined by several guests and fans of the podcast, talking all things Airventure. We had such a great time connecting with with people in this episode. A huge thank you to all of them for playing along with our crazy podcasting crew.  1. Ed and Caitlin - A Wisconsin based couple on a tou...

In this highly anticipated episode, we are joined by Richard McSpadden. He's gone from being a combat F-15 pilot, to Commander of the USAF Thunderbirds, to the Executive Director of AOPA's Air Safety Institute. We will talk about his incredible career, his roles with AOPA and the Thunderbirds, and some exciting things that the Air Safety Institute is working on. Be sure to check out their...

We welcome the funniest game in aviation weather, METAR AF! This new aviation weather app gives you the latest METAR data for your local airport, with a comedic twist. Creators Bryan Turner and Andrew Hughes talk to us about the creation of the app and what they are working on for the future! www.metaraf.com https://apps.apple.com/us/app/metar-af/id1661162042 https://play.google.com/store/apps/det...

Welcome to Episode Reload! With Simventure '23 on the horizon, we want to replay our episode from last year's event. We're joined by Kevin from Pilotedge. He will preview this year's event and we will roll into last years episode where he talks about their virtual Oshkosh event, Simventure. Sim pilots can fly into the virtual show using the Pilotedge ATC service, provided by real A...

Are you ready for Airventure! We are joined by EAA's Director of Communication, Dick Knapinski to preview this year's show. We talk about how they will celebrate the 70 years of EAA, changes to the event, some featured attractions, and much more. We also talk about the unique aviation family reunion feel and community that comes with the annual pilgrimage to Oshkosh. It's the perfect pre-game for...

On this bonus episode, we review the big news from the FAA related to mental health and medicals. We sit down and chat about what the changes mean, some other medical issues, and share some of our own opinions on the FAA medical system. We also make mention of the Pilot's Pandemic Podcast. If you are interested in more information on pushes for medical reform, check them out! https://podcasts....

On this episode, we chat with Erika Armstrong. She is the author of the book A Chick in the Cockpit, active on social media, and has flown a wide array of aircraft. She talks with us about her start in an FBO at a Minnesota airport, her journey to become the Chick in the Cockpit, and her take on aviation today. We also announce another partnership with Flying Eyes Optics. They design sunglasses an...

On this episode, we sit down with former UND Aerocast Host, Tyler Lauer. During Covid, Tyler was part of revamping the UND Aerocast channel with Three Minute Thursdays, focusing on improving common errors of student pilots. He talks with us about the inspiration and the process behind the revamp. We also announce our partnership as a Lightspeed affiliate. Jim has been using Lightspeed products for...

On this episode, we sit down with Liz Kailey of Jeppesen. Liz has been writing and editing the Jeppesen flight training materials for nearly 30 years. If you've ever read their Guided Flight Discovery text, you have read her work. Hear how she got into writing flight training materials, more about her role, and some things Jeppesen is looking at for the future. we are just shy of 20K total dow...

On this episode, we are thrilled to welcome back AOPA's Kyle Lewis, Great Lakes Regional Manager. Kyle chats with us about his background in aviation, how he got started with AOPA, and what his role is. We also take a moment to talk about our efforts to help grow and develop the podcast and a call to action for our listeners. You can show your support and help us grow through sharing the podca...

On this episode, we are joined by Joe Czech, of the Minnesota Aviation Career Education Camp (MN ACE Camp.) This annual summer camp is open to teens to explore the variety of careers in aviation. Campers get to experience tours, flights, demonstrations, and guest speakers, as they bridge the gap from classroom to careers in aviation. If you or someone you know is interested in ACE Camp, applicatio...

On this episode, we are are excited to bring you John Zimmerman. He is the president of the Midwest based aviation superpower, Sporty's! If you are a pilot, it is highly unlikely that you aren't familiar with Sporty's. We will talk about the origins of Sporty's, their pilot training programs, John's growth within the company, and how they have adapted over time. He will also ta...

On this episode, we are thrilled to be joined by AOPA's Kyle Lewis, Great Lakes Regional Manager. Kyle chats with us about the advocacy efforts that AOPA is undertaking and what is going on in our region of the country. He will also discuss the latest in avgas and unleaded fuel updates and what that means for pilots and owners.  Visit AOPA's State Advocacy site here:  https://www.aopa.or...

On this episode, we are once again joined by Ferry Pilot, Author, and Reality TV Star Kerry McCauley. We had such a great conversation with Kerry, that we had to split it into two separate episodes. In the first episode, we heard a bit about Kerry's introduction to aviation, how he got into ferry flying, and some of the tense moments he has had on some of these flights. In this episode, he shares...

Welcome to the start of the second year of the Flying Midwest Podcast! On this episode, we are joined by Ferry Pilot, Author, and Reality TV Star Kerry McCauley. We had such a great conversation with Kerry, that we had to split it into two separate episodes. In this first episode, we hear a bit about Kerry's introduction to aviation, how he got into ferry flying, and some of the tense moments he h...

We welcome Airshow Announcer, the face and voice of Sporty's pilot training videos, and host of the "I Learned About Flying From That" podcast, Rob Reider. An Aviation Renaissance Man who has lent his talents to the aviation community for years.  Rob Reider has spent decades as a highly sought airshows announcer, announcing shows all across the nation. He has built many friendships and professiona...

In this episode, we officially welcome Trevor back to the Midwest and we have a great conversation with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer/Pilot Jason Jensen. He talks to us about the different missions and aircraft used by the MN DNR, his journey into aviation, and some hangar talk story swapping. Jim also announces his new podcast, Fly the Transition. He’s got some gr...