Midlife Pilot Podcast

Ben is away for this week, so Brian and Ted are joined by OG host and OG Midlife Pilot Chris Moran! They catch up with Chris, talking about how it's okay to not fly, how proficiency is affected with time, flying clubs, airport authorities, anxiety, carb heat, Super Deltas, cargo cults, West Wing, and more. Mentioned on the show: * Ted's Copalis beach landing video: https://www.youtube.com/...

Ben, Brian, and Ted are joined by prospective pilot Laura to talk about things to think about before starting flight training. Even before starting, what's the mindset? What can you be doing even when you can't take your first lesson yet? Mentioned on the show: * Ted's "subcultures" video: https://youtu.be/979RVlzZ_3s * The 99s: https://www.ninety-nines.org/ * Airplane Academ...

Join Ben, Brian, and Ted while they discuss what to do when you have a few hours to fly. Other topics include hyperbole, flying in Sweden, (engine) infant mortality, and a musical Bag o' Words. * Nashville Ninety-Nines: https://nashville99s.org/ * XNX Music City Executive: https://www.musiccityexecutiveairport.com/ * Mt. St. Helens eruption: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_eruption_of_Mount...

Join Ben, Brian, and Ted as they talk about the pitfalls of comparison and envy in training, airplanes, and in flight. It might be the missing hazardous attitude. Mentioned on the show: * Brian's "Comparison is a Thief" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4UoyWk6_Mk * PDK Good Neighbor Day Air Show: https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/airport/good-neighbor-day-air-show * Angel Flight...

Ben and Ted host while Brian is attending to house issues, but the pod must go on! The two discuss external pressures, from low-visibility rain during training to choosing to not fly to the Bahamas. Community feedback rounds out the topic. Ben is doing tailwheel training soon. Ted also shares a combination Bag o' Words and mistake while flying, and rants about his annual. Mentioned on the show...

We recap the Nashville Fly In, talk about the importance of the aviation community, newts, chinchillas, and many more insights from our gathering of podcast friends. Mentioned on the show: * Blairsville, Georgia: https://www.airnav.com/airport/DZJ * Published Vertical Guidance approaches: https://www.ifr-magazine.com/system/gps-alphabet-soup/ * OG Midlife Pilot Chris Moran's student pilot land...

We preview the Nashville Fly-In, which is later this week - and are joined by BNA Nashville ATC controller Scott Wexler, who talks flight following, crossing the BNA arrivals and departures corridor, and makes a special offer of help for a possible Saturday adventure. The hosts talk through plans and weather possibilities. Show mentions: * Previous episode (EP48) with Scott and Shelley Weckler: ht...

We are joined by Erica Gilbert (Gilbert Aviation, Aerosafe), and her 9 year old son to talk about the things you need to think about when flying with children, the joy of making special memories with them while they are young. Patreon members also chime in with their tips, tricks, and questions. * Gilbert Aviation: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/ * Aerosafe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Ae...

We are joined by "Tailwheel Ben" Lehman, a CFI in Nashville who instructs in his Cessna 140A. Ben gives us great insights on learning the art of tailwheel flying, the ground loop monster, and much more! Brian learned tailwheel with Ben, so you can hear how Brian really did straight from the source. * Ben Lehman, Nashville tailwheel CFI: https://flywithben.com/ * Ben's 1950 Cessna 140...

We take a break from topics and planning to catch up, chat with the livestream audience, listen to a checkride debrief clip, and hear from 1dullgeek for a fantastic rant on Zulu time. The NASHVILLE FLY-IN is coming up at the end of the month, learn more, RSVP, and get one of the remaining hotel rooms: https://www.midlifepilotpodcast.com Discussed on the show: * Natty Light: https://en.wikipedia.or...

We talk though a great list of things our Patreon community would have done differently in their training and flying - and add a few of our own. Also we talk Nashville fly in details - be sure to fill out our pre-event survey! Ted also shares a Bag o' Words from a recent flight with a fellow Patron. * Midlife Pilot Podcast fly-in final survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1TEqGe59ISGfRaqNuH...

On this episode: Nathan Ballard's upcoming NAFI presentation, Ted's epic West Coast loop, and then discuss how to pace your aviation training. What's different about midlifers compared to young career-oriented pilots? What do the hosts and the community prioritize in their training and goals? * Sign up and watch CFII Nathan Ballard's NAFI MentorLIVE presentation, Wednesday March 20...

Night flying is surreal, beautiful, and presents its own challenges and dangers. We read your feedback on sport piloting episode, talk night flying, and we get a glorious rant from 1DullGeek on ACRONYMS. * Signature Aviation at Mobile Downtown: https://www.signatureaviation.com/locations/BFM * Tempest video game gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMto2HJJSSA#t=58s * Dauphin Island airport:...

Ted talks about all things sport pilot. What are the limitations? How can a private pilot understand it? The crew talks about LSA planes, MOSAIC, and if Ted would want to fly night or IFR. Ben is out of town, so Mark (aka 1dullgeek) is the third host! Mentioned on the show: * MOSAIC NPRM: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/07/24/2023-14425/modernization-of-special-airworthiness-certifi...

Join Ben, Brian, and Ted as they talk knowledge gaps, being aware of them, and what to do about areas of weakness as a pilot. Feedback has us on a rant about IFR traffic expecting VFR traffic to be psychic, and sorting confusion around midfield crosswind entries in the pattern. Mentioned on the show: Airplane Flying Handbook, Chapter 8, "enter on a midfield crosswind at pattern altitude"...

After having to do a go around with episode 63 due to tech gremlins, we re-recorded the episode and are now back in the pattern! We talk about the problem with the term "mission", our quests for the perfect plane for what we do, and some thoughts on how you can go about your quest for the right airplane. 1DullGeek chimes in with a glorious rant, and his tale of finding his Cherokee 235....

Ben, Brian, and Ted talk about combating complacency as a private pilot. They also celebrate podcast supporters who have passed checkrides recently! The new midlife pilot podcast website: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/ * EP37 - Looking for a flying purpose? Join the Freedom Aviation Network: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/midlifepilotpodcast/episodes/EP37---Looking-for-a-flying-purpose-...

Ben, Brian, and Ted talk about gaining confidence as a new pilot. The team also reads feedback from Mike Alpha Golf about the importance of having friends in aviation- for one thing, they keep you safe. MAG mentions Mike Patey's seminar, and Ted talks about it in the show as well. That's "Stop Hurting my Pilot Friends" from Experimental Aircraft Channel with Bryan Wahlstrom (Expe...

We are joined by CFII Erica Gilbert of AeroSafe - she makes weather more fun! Erica speaks to her work as a CFII, the art of weather briefings, expanding your minimums, and how she came to sharing her knowledge through frequent weather breakdowns on her awesome new YouTube channel. Don’t forget to make or update your RSVP for the Nashville Fly-In, April 26-28: https://midlifepilotnashville.mystrik...

After talking about filming flights on the last episode, Ben, Brian, and Ted talk about debriefing flights- using a gopro as a "black box", looking at tracks, or using pen and paper. show mentions: * AAS, Taylor County Airport, Kentucky: https://www.airnav.com/airport/AAS * Ted's flight to The Dalles with views that look greenscreened: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcY0cz5eRqM * Te...

Many pilots are recording their flights now, whether to learning, or maybe just for content farming. Ben, Brian, and Ted talk pros and cons of filming your flights, and some ways to do it safer - if at all. Ben also talks about the Fly-In, which is in April. The "midlife compound" is in place and is filling up! Chris and Brian discussed the technical details of recording on EP1 - Why and...

Ted and Ben are in the same city and went on an adventure together, so they podcasted in the same room and talked with Brian about personal minimums: What are minimums? What is included? How to you expand them? Also, our thoughts on flying after dry spells of flying. AI takes over the intro. The Spruce Goose: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_H-4_Hercules AOPA's personal minimums document:...

Ben, Brian, and Ted share some listener feedback and talk about their experiences with crosswind landings. Brian reads from The Killing Zone, including a story from a pilot in the book. The crew finishes talking about the Nashville Fly-In, which is April 26-28 2024 at KJWN. Lodging (Midlife Central) is in the works. * The Killing Zone, 2nd edition, by Paul Craig: https://bookshop.org/book/97800717...

Ben, Brian, and Ted host a hilariously chaotic end-of-year episode, with Ben surprising Brian and Ted with snippets from the show. * Brian's "almost Brasher" Charlie vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YJYFuvB_9U * Wilson Air Chattanooga: https://www.wilsonair.com/cha-chattanooga/ * EP40, The Podcast Handoff: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/midlifepilot/episodes/EP40---The-...

Ben passed his commercial checkride, so Brian and Ted debrief (interrogate) him about the experience. The crew then talk about finding bad habits in yourself, and the value of communicating about risk to others. Finally the Nashville Meetup, aka White Claw Crawl, is discussed! See the link below for information and to signal your interest. Ron Horton, DPE: http://planevisions.com/ Nathan Ballard,...