Midlife Pilot Podcast

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• EP184 - Information Whiskey: Event Events vs. Non-Event Events 10.06.2026 1Std. 7Min.

  Brian is hiding from CMA Fest, Ben is back from the British Virgin Islands, and Ted has finally sprung the Egg from a two-month annual. Time for an Information Whiskey episode.Brian gets back in the air after his exam binge with a visit to Full Stop Aviation at Union City, where he meets a 1,000 horsepower Reno racer, then executes a strategic family airstrike to the Virginia mountains and reports that Lucy's autopilot vertical hold now sounds like logging into America Online before giving up entirely. Listener feedback from Chris H. sparks a debate on whether heavy dual time before the private checkride is a red flag or just life happening. Community accomplishments include a PIN code for the DC FRZ, a 9,000 foot density altitude wake turbulence encounter, ten Young Eagles in one day, an LSRM-I sign-off, and fresh grief for everyone hand jamming a Garmin 430 in actual.Then things go deeper. Brian unpacks his new video "Trip. Fall. Succeed." and the photograph he took of a family at Huntsville Executive just two days before they were lost in the Montana Aztec accident. It's a thoughtful look at how aviation talks about tragedy, and how Ron Horton's challenge to become instructors gives all of this weight and purpose.Plus: episode 200 hits this fall, and the crew wants your votes for a very special non-event event at a no-place place. Hudson Corridor? New Orleans? A Denny's in Topeka? Send votes to midlifepilotpodcast@gmail.comTonight's bit of wisdom: "Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm."Mentioned on the show:UCY - Union City:https://www.airnav.com/airport/UCYFull Stop Aviation at UCY:https://fs-aviation.com/Luke's Landing:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOrpUYt-M4Qosktmet7JnfgFlightChops video, going to UCY - Have You Ever Truly Experienced "Severe Turbulence"?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUrGSFulrwITUPJ - Lettsome International, British Virgin Islands:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrance_B._Lettsome_International_AirportEP182 - DPE Ron Horton Part 1:https://open.spotify.com/episode/5yl5pJ0rvFXpg5nxNL7xTw?si=1XbAa1HlQKmC5oP5XfaghwI was today years old:https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-was-today-years-oldFLARE Bourbon distillery:https://www.flarebourbon.com/homeCheckmate Barry using the Icarus electronic foggles:https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2026-04-27/training-icarus-device-inoculates-against-iimcRedbird AATD (simulators):https://simulators.redbirdflight.com/Brian's new YouTube video, The Midlife Way: Trip. Fall. Succeed:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCim9wvwmO0Blancolirio video about the family flying the Aztec:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7kT0_Jns0QBrian's video on monetizing tragedy, The Economics of Exploitation. Aviation's YouTube Problem:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=129nlBPpVAIJim Morrison, No One Gets Out Of Here Alive:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_One_Here_Gets_Out_AliveNEW, New Orleans Lakefront Airport terminal building:https://lakefrontairport.com/about/Connect with the show:Everything Midlife Pilot Podcast:https://midlifepilotpodcast.comPatreon and Discord:https://patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcastLive on YouTube Mondays 8 PM Eastern:https://youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcastLeave a five star review on Apple Podcasts and we'll read it on the air.
• EP183 - "What's Time to a Hog?" — Ron Horton, DPE (Part 2 of 2) 02.06.2026 53Min.

  If you haven't listened to Episode 182 yet, go back — this conversation picks up about five minutes later. Ron Horton, DPE extraordinaire, returns with the crew to finish what he started: a data-driven, story-rich tour through what actually happens on checkrides, what actually trips people up, and what a lifetime of examining pilots looks like from the other side of the table.In this second half, Ron walks through his color-coded scorecard of common ground and flight failures — weather, cross-country planning, airspace, and the takeoff and landing tables that trip up nearly half of all students. Spoiler: if your entire weather education came from ForeFlight, you and aviationweather.gov need to get acquainted. We also dig into why so many students arrive with no mechanical intuition whatsoever (one applicant had never cut grass — and had someone for that), why VOR navigation has become a near-lost art, and what it means when a student shows up with a perfectly calligraphed weight and balance that they clearly didn't do themselves.Brian gets called out — gently — for overthinking his commercial W&B scenario, which as it turned out had absolutely no landmine in it at all. Ron also makes the case that showing up with a pre-tabbed FAR/AIM you bought online is a very different thing from showing up with tabs you put there yourself. And he closes with the phrase that stuck with Brian after the checkride: What's time to a hog? — a farmer's wisdom about taking the long road when the long road is worth it.Mentioned on the Show:aviationweather.gov: https://aviationweather.govSeth Lake (VSL Aviation) YouTube: https://youtube.com/@VSLAviationJason Miller — The Finer Points: https://thefinerpoints.netFreedom Aviation Network: https://freedomavnetwork.orgConnect with the Show:Website: https://midlifepilotpodcast.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcastEmail: midlifepilotpodcast@gmail.com
• EP182 - "What's Time to a Hog?" with DPE Ron Horton (Pt. 1 of 2) 26.05.2026 54Min.

  The crew is joined by Charlotte-based Designated Pilot Examiner Ron Horton — 60 years of flying, Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, AOPA Regional Instructor of the Year, and the man responsible for both Brian's and Ben's commercial certificates. Ron comes armed with something most DPEs don't bother with: actual data. Over 500 checkrides' worth of it, color-coded spreadsheets and everything.In this first of a two-part conversation, Ron unpacks his checkride pass/fail rates across private, instrument, commercial, CFI, and CFII — and the numbers will either comfort you or send you back to the books. (Spoiler: the instrument rating is harder than you think, and it's increasingly the avionics' fault.) We also dig into the sobering reality that the average student now takes 103 hours to reach their private checkride — up from 81 just five years ago — and what that 36% creep in dual hours says about the state of flight training. Plus: why soloing students at 40 hours dual is, in Ron's words, "staggering," and why the instructors who never ask a DPE what went wrong are the ones who keep sending unprepared students.Mentioned on the show:* DPE Ron Horton: http://planevisions.com/* Seth Lake- VSL Aero- How to Read a Jeppesen SID and Star (Made Simple): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2osAEHUpKjw* FlightInsight- How toRead a Jeppesen Approach Plate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQViPd5XYk8* EGCB - Manchester Barton Aerodrome: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Barton_Aerodrome* Thorndike's Law of Effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_effectSupport the show, get shirts and hats, and more at www.midlifepilotpodcast.com
• EP181 - Fly Like It's Your Job. Because It Kind Of Is. 19.05.2026 1Std. 10Min.

  Brian's got a shiny new commercial certificate, Ben just logged 25 hours in three days in a flying potato over Florida, and somehow nobody declared an emergency — so naturally, it's time to talk about flying like a professional even when nobody's paying you to. From sterile cockpit discipline to weight and balance on every single flight (yes, everyone), the crew runs through a practical list of habits that separate polished pilots from the yank-and-bank crowd. Plus: a listener who went from ICU nurse to CFII at 54, a fuel tank horror story that will make you check yours right now, and Mark prepares to hand a large sum of money to some people in the Czech Republic who have definitely sent him pictures of his actual airframe. Probably.Mentioned on the show:* Time Building Mafia: https://volare.aero/timebuildingmafia* The Calm Cockpit Podcast: https://calmcockpit.com/* TL Sparker: https://www.tl-ultralight.cz/en/ultralight-aircraft/sparker* 0W3 - Hartford County Airport - Churchville Maryland: https://www.airnav.com/airport/0w3* PHKO - Ellison Kona airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/phko* SISKIND: Do Easy: How Fast Can You Take Your Time? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqsg-iW3KBw
• EP180 - Getting Back in the Training Saddle 12.05.2026 48Min.

  Ben is about to climb into a Piper Apache, which our own blog has definitively declared the official airplane of twin-engine Russian roulette, and he's doing the responsible midlife thing: writing down the flows, chair flying in his hotel room until his shoulder gives out, and showing up prepared anyway. Brian is deep in commercial checkride prep mode, synthesizing seven sources of information into cheat sheets that actually make sense to a human brain, and Ted — man flu survivor — is keeping everyone grounded as only Ted can. The topic tonight is what it actually takes to reenter the atmosphere of training after a gap: the ego check, the clipboard anxiety, the moment you realize you don't understand something and instead of walking away, you just read it again slower. Also: Neil deGrasse Tyson drops some wisdom, a five-star review nails all three hosts in one sentence, and we make the case that your private certificate is just a learner's permit for everything you're about to get wrong. Safety third. Always.Mentioned on the show:* Piper PA23 Apache: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_PA-23* Gary Vaynerchuk: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Vaynerchuk* Blog- The Ultimate "Official Airplane Of" Guide: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/blog/the-ultimate-official-airplane-of-guide* Brian Schiff on The Calm Cockpit podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnSCpa2weUs* Transair Flight 810 - 737, shut down the good engine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transair_Flight_810* Beechcraft Baron 55: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_Baron* Beechcraft Dutchess: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_DuchessSupport the show!https://www.patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast
• EP179 - Information Whiskey: Pimp the Plane or the Pilot, But You Can't Pimp Both 05.05.2026 59Min.

  It's Information Whiskey time, and we're only one episode late — which, as Brian would say, is basically on time. Brian's commercial checkride is less than two weeks out, which means Lucy has been getting a workout and the chandelle has chosen violence. Mark crashes the Discord and the podcast in the same evening, Ted is somehow alive despite a brush with man flu, and a listener's tachometer cable failure at Sun 'n Fun reminds us all that airplanes love to choose the most inconvenient possible moment to express themselves. We dig into the surprisingly philosophical world of commercial regulations — where "do you have operational control?" is apparently all you need to know, until it absolutely isn't — debate whether AI is the future of aviation study or just a very confident guesser, and somehow end up at the conclusion that private pilots are pilots, instrument pilots are meteorologists, and commercial pilots are lawyers who can't bill by the hour. Monroe is a hornet's nest, the Cessna 140 is the VW Bug of airplanes, and Brian is headed to Mark's house. The pantry awaits.Mentioned on the show:* M54 - Lebanon Commemorative Air Force Warbird Day, May 23 2026: https://commemorativeairforce.org/events/750A* EQY - Charlotte Monroe Executive, North Carolina: http://www.airnav.com/airport/EQY* JQF - Concord-Padgett Regional Airport, North Carolina: https://www.airnav.com/airport/JQF* MyAeroGlass: https://www.myaeroglass.com/* Glide AI: https://www.glideai.io/* HobbsMate: https://hobbsmate.com/* WingsMX: https://wingmx.com/* VSL Aviation- Seth Lake: https://www.youtube.com/@SethLakeDPE/videos* Ben Lehman, Drift Aviation, Cessna 140 tailwheel: https://www.driftaviation.com/Support the show and keep us ad free! https://www.patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcastVisit us at midlifepilotpodcast.com
• EP178 - Flying Silent: No Engine. No Seat Cushion. 28.04.2026 1Std. 10Min.

  Ted soloed a glider this weekend. He went up at 3,500 feet and came back down at 9,500. Then eventually came back down from that too, but only because his butt hurt. One tow rope, zero engines, four and a half hours, and a metal ballast brick he was apparently sitting on the entire time. Silver badge? Almost. Cushion? Negative.We get into what gliding actually feels like when you come from powered aircraft — the tow, the release, the moment the tow plane rocks its wings and suddenly everything is very real, and the variometer beeping in your ear like an Atari game while you chase thermals over rural Oregon. Ben joins the conversation too as we dig into the physics, the philosophy, and the surprisingly affordable math of staying airborne for half a workday on a single tow.Also: Brian had a weekend. We'll just say that.Plus listener feedback, community wins including a freshly minted instrument pilot or two, and a closing thought that pretty much nails why we all do this in the first place. No engine required.Mentioned on the show:* M91 - Springfield Kentucky: http://www.airnav.com/airport/M91* 9A0 - Lumpkin County/Wimpy's Field, Dahlonega Georgia, Ben's nemesis: https://www.airnav.com/airport/9A0* Ted's glider club: https://www.wvsc.org/* LET L-23 Super Blanik: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LET_L-23_Super_Blan%C3%ADkSupport the show!www.patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast
• EP177 - Momentum: The Pudding Skin of Aviation 21.04.2026 1Std. 1Min.

  What do glider tows, five written tests in 32 days, and refusing to go home before a late concert all have in common? Momentum — and the sneaky ways midlife tries to steal it from you.This week Brian, Ben, and Ted dig into what it actually takes to keep the aviation ball rolling when life, annuals, and the sweet relief of finishing something hard are all conspiring against you. From Brian's commercial training comeback to Ted's sun-toasted glider adventures to Ben's Sun 'n Fun barrel-roll-adjacent arrival story, we explore how to pick your next mission, why your weakness list is your best preflight tool, and what pudding skin has to do with getting back in the cockpit.Plus: too many PICs, one very eventful military checkride, vetting your safety pilot, and a review that'll remind you exactly why this show exists.If it's not on the calendar, it's not real. Go put something on the calendar.Mentioned on the show:* Sun n Fun: https://flysnf.org/* Member-exclusive bonus content: Parachute Equipped Flying with Erica (Aerosafe): https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-content-150148114* I Learned About Flying From That- EP102, “geese shatter night calm”: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/ilafft/episodes/102--Geese-Shatter-Night-Calm-e310i8a/a-abs6rja* 1dullgeek - "Passed Checkride, Still Doing Checkride Prep?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsb6YPyWCQkSupport the show! www.patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast
• EP176 - Flying With Pilots, Strangers, and Stranger Pilots 14.04.2026 1Std.

  There's nothing more dangerous than a plane full of pilots. A wise man with a Pilatus once told Brian that, and he's been thinking about it ever since. Episode 176 is a deep dive into one of GA's most awkward social puzzles: what do you actually do when you need to evaluate another pilot before you get in the plane with them? And flip side — what should a non-pilot passenger even know to ask before trusting their life to someone with a certificate and a Cessna?Also: Ted went flying with no engine. On purpose. Loved it. Needs more rudder.Mentioned on the show:* Conan O'Brien interviewing Arsenio Hall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS1pfretkM8* M93 - Southernaire - breakfast: https://tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/entries/southernaire-motel-and-restaurant/4e5a83ce-d53d-4443-a85f-fbb1daaa43be* L-39 Albatros, what Ben took to pick up his plane: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_L-39_Albatros* 10" certified Garmin G3x: $13,195: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/682215/pn/G3X-TCERT-01/* 10" experimental Garmin G3x: $5,425: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/166058/621.79 delta air lines* TPF - Peter O'Knight Airport, Tampa Florida: https://www.airnav.com/airport/TPF* I flew all day and landed at the same airport - tshirt: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/merch/p/i-flew-all-day-and-landed-at-the-same-airport-unisex-classic-tee* EP104 - Flying With Strangers From The Internet: Vetting Co-Pilots: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3HdgBUWZghbMuYXi5klMr2?si=6EjeYPykTT6iLwRTStTmEA* CheckMate Aviation - Crew and Passenger Briefing Card: https://www.checkmateaviation.com/products/checkmate-crew-and-passenger-briefing-card?_fid=a43b4f713&_pos=1&_ss=cSupport the show! www.patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast
• EP175 - Say Again, Slowly: Everything We Wish We Knew About ATC Comms 07.04.2026 1Std. 1Min.

  That little button is not your enemy — but nobody tells you that when you're a student pilot white-knuckling your first radio call. In episode 175, Brian, Ben, and Ted dig into everything they wish someone had told them about ATC before training started. Why "say again" is a superpower and not an admission of failure. How to read back what matters without trying to memorize everything the controller just said. Why knowing who you're talking to — ground, tower, approach, center — shrinks the panic down to a manageable size. How live ATC on your commute is basically free ground school. And the single most important thing any student pilot can do before pressing that button: practice the words before you say them. Whether you're still circling an uncontrolled airport wondering what to say on the CTAF or you're tangled up in a busy Class Charlie wondering how anyone does this naturally — they didn't. They just got the reps. Mentioned on the show:* Thanks to Erica at Turbine Rotables! https://www.turbinerotables.com/* Taylor Coot: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_Coot* Republic Seabee/Lake Buccaneer: https://airvectors.net/avlake.html* NOBODY CARES fly-in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAjPnyxtrSM* Turbo Encabulator video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac7G7xOG2Agpro pilot pete* PlaneEnglish: https://planeenglishsim.com/* ARSim: https://arsim.ai/* Revisionist History- This Is Your Captain Speaking: https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/revisionist-history/this-is-your-captain-speaking* The Right Stuff (book): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Right_Stuff_(book)* CaptnTodd's "first flight with the portapilot" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyUVfGulHeYSupport the podcast - keep it ad free - and join our community!www.midlifepilotpodcast.comwww.patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast
• EP174 - Information Whiskey: Just Don't Do It. Just Don't Do It. 31.03.2026 52Min.

  Ted "puts a ring on" his airplane in the most permanent way possible. A Colorado hotel owner proves that "not a Patreon supporter" and "free advertising" aren't mutually exclusive. We talk IFR currency, what it's like to come back to instrument flying after 20 years of VORs that no longer exist, and why the marine layer off the west coast might be the greatest IFR playground on earth. A 56-year-old gets his ticket back, another gets his for the first time, and somewhere between teenage phone anxiety and shooting approaches in the Pacific fog, we remember why all of this matters.Mentioned on the show:* Luke's Landing: https://www.youtube.com/@lukeslanding2230/videos* EP172 - Live from Bentonville! Thaden Invasion podcast video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL_5JakmqDA* 48A - Cochran Georgia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochran_AirportSupport the podcast on Patreon, get merch, send feedback: www.midlifepilotpodcast.com
• EP173 - Certified vs. Experimental - Do You Want to Fly or a Hobby? 24.03.2026 1Std. 8Min.

  You can have a flying machine or you can have a project. Sometimes you get both whether you wanted them or not.This week, 1DullGeek aka Mark lays out why he's leaving the certified world behind and building a TL Sparker — a Czech experimental that burns half the fuel, costs a fraction to maintain, and was designed after his children were adults (unlike the Cherokee 235, which predates his parents). Brian is staying in the museum business for now, flying a 1967 Cherokee 180 and embracing his identity as a steward of vintage aviation history, whether he likes it or not. Ted is flying a Special Light Sport that is certified, experimental-adjacent, and philosophically its own thing — much like Ted himself.Along the way we get into what it really costs to own old iron, why parts availability in the certified world will break your soul, what MOSAIC means for the future of sport pilot, and whether two weeks of coursework is actually enough to maintain your own airplane (spoiler: probably not, but it's a useful warning label).Also in this episode: a debrief from the Thaden Invasion fly-in including a NASA report we won't elaborate on, a $25 ramp fee at JWN that costs less than a tank of avgas but somehow hurts more, a surprise night power-off 180, and a birthday calculation that required community intervention.Listener Sierra Victor from Surprise, Arizona (yes, that's a place) writes in about sport pilot gatekeeping and gets some straight talk: the aerodynamics don't care what certificate you hold, and neither should you.Mentioned on the show:* UCY - Union City Tenn: https://www.airnav.com/airport/UCY* Full Stop Aviation: https://fs-aviation.com/* AOPA - PAPA bill: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2026/march/11/pr-support-grows-for-bills-banning-ads-b-misuse* Coleal interpretation: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/agc/practice_areas/regulations/interpretations/Data/interps/2009/Coleal-Bombardier%20Learjet_2009_Legal_Interpretation.pdf* LSRI, LSRM courses: https://rainbowaviation.com/courses/* Dunning-Kreuger effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect* Fly Eagle Sport: https://flyeaglesport.com/Support the podcast: www.patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast www.midlifepilotpodcast.com
• EP172 - Live from Bentonville! The Thaden Invasion Fly-In 16.03.2026 56Min.

  Recorded live at Legends Air Center, Bentonville Municipal Airport (KVBT)We pulled it off. Forty-six planes, 76 humans, one carbon cub with a suspiciously placed trim switch, and a weather forecast that went from "perfect VFR" to "tornado watch to snowstorm in 24 hours." Episode 172 is the live recording from the Thaden Invasion fly-in — and it did not disappoint.Ben, Brian, and 1DullGeek filling in for Ted who attempted to get here from Portland via Delta and was defeated by the commercial aviation gods. We called him anyway. He answered!IN THIS EPISODE:🛫 The Instrument Rating Spite Train ✈️ The Race to Union City — Ben attempts to bribe a Memphis Center controller via Venmo. The controller provides his Venmo. "Ready to copy." 🛩️ The Convergence Incident — Mark's GPS-autopilot handshake goes sideways mid-flight, resulting in an unannounced formation maneuver.🌩️ The Forecast Nobody Asked For — Our new friend Bruce, a multi-decade professional meteorologist, delivers a pre-show weather briefing that sends everyone scrambling for early departures. Tornadoes by noon. Snow by evening. Perfect fly-in weather.📞 We Call Ted — He answers. It's lovely. He didn't miss anything at Game Bird. Those planes are ugly. The formation flights were nothing. (They were incredible. Ted knows.)🎙️ Community Moments — Keith's story of stepping away from aviation and finding his way back. Captain Todd's first cross-country with his girlfriend (she asked where the car was). The anonymous question about an all-wives episode (immediately shot down). Erica Gilbert, CFII and weather guru, knitting quietly in the back like an aviation safety angel.MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:🏆 Legends Air Center at Bentonville Municipal Airport (KVBT) — Home of the Thaden Invasion and quite possibly the only FBO where you can fish off one end and tour an aerobatic manufacturer off the other.✈️ Game Aerospace — The manufacturing facility that had our crew high on carbon fiber fumes and ambition. Shoutout to Derek and the team.📋 Checkmate Aviation — Sponsor of our beautiful lounge space. Barry bought the company by accident (sort of). Custom checklists. Real story. 🎙️ Midlife Pilot Podcast on Patreon — The thing that keeps this ad-free and human. The reason we can afford microphones and index cards (when Ted is here).🐦 Plane Places Adventures (YouTube) — Check out the channel. Virgil always has something.🎙️ Airline Pilot Guy Podcast — AJ's co-hosting home. Captain Jeff. Good people. Good aviation.📘 Helen Thaden — Aviation Pioneer — The namesake of the invasion. Bentonville's own. Look her up if you don't know the name yet.🌤️ 1800wxbrief.com — FAA Aviation Weather Briefings — For those of you who don't have Bruce's number.📖 Make Small Corrections by Brian Siskind Essays on flying, legacy, and midlife transformation. Brian's book. Read it.QUOTE OF THE EPISODE:"A beef Wellington is just a corn dog from a different socioeconomic background."
• EP171 - Bracin' for Thaden with Seth Lake 10.03.2026 1Std. 17Min.

  DPE, airline pilot, C-130 instructor, and VSL Aviation founder Seth Lake drops in from his car outside a North Little Rock hangar to help pilots get ready for the real thing. He previews his enhanced pre-flight safety seminar happening Saturday morning at Thaden Field — think less checklist theater, more popping cowlings and actually looking at stuff — and breaks down the honest threat picture at a busy uncontrolled airport: why flight following isn't optional, why calling traffic "in sight" is a commitment you'd better mean, and why hope is not an arrival strategy.Plus: the case against the emergency descent maneuver, what midlife pilots actually have going for them on check rides, a surprise Miller's Ale House field recording, and the Bentonville roundabout that has claimed at least one dignity so far.Seth's enhanced pre-flight seminar is Saturday at 9AM in the exhibition hall. Register at faasafety.gov for WINGS credit.See you on the ramp.Mentioned on the show:* Nashville Bravo reclassification: https://www.reddit.com/r/nashville/comments/1q6ixd5/bna_to_be_upgraded_to_bravo_airspace/* Erica's Aerosafe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AeroSafe* Erica's Aerosafe weather briefing checklist: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/aerosafe* Aviation Weather Handbook: https://www.faa.gov/regulationspolicies/handbooksmanuals/aviation/faa-h-8083-28a-aviation-weather-handbook* Charles Taylor master mechanic award: https://www.faasafety.gov/content/mastermechanic/default.aspx* Airline Pilot Guy: https://airlinepilotguy.com/* Bob Hoover's aileron roll: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9pvG_ZSnCc* Seth Lake's VSL ACE guide: https://vslaviation.myshopify.com/products/vsl-ace-guide* Seth's WINGS/EAA seminar on STCs at ORK (N Little Rock): https://www.faasafety.gov/spans/event_details.aspx?eid=141995&caller=/spans/events/eventlist.aspx* How to fly an emergency descent: https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/aerodynamics/emergency-descent-aerodynamics-how-to-fly-them-safely-high-to-low/* VBT airspace briefig: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAJldTQ8LhM* Fayetteville airport: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fayetteville_Regional_Airport* 2025 DCA crash: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Potomac_River_mid-air_collision* Seth on setting up Foreflight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFLxF8uciT8* Crystal Bridges museum: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Bridges_Museum_of_American_Art* Pinnacle Hills Promenade: https://www.pinnaclehillspromenade.com/en/* Buffalo National River: https://www.nps.gov/buff/index.htm* Pinch Hitter course for nonpilots: https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/online-learning/safety-spotlights/pinch-hitter* Seth/Midlife Pilot Enhanced Preflight WINGS course: https://www.faasafety.gov/SPANS/event_publicregistration.aspx?eid=141537&type=1* Josh at Free Pilot Training: https://www.youtube.com/c/FreePilotTrainingSupport the show on Patreon: www.patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast
• EP170 - Information Whiskey: A Nothing Sandwich in the Clouds 03.03.2026 1Std. 17Min.

  An Information Whiskey edition where Ben loses his Sears and Roebuck HSI in the clouds and flies a partial panel ILS into McCollum like it's just another Tuesday, Brian takes his first solo IFR flight and discovers "the tape hiss of saturation" that nobody tells you about, and Ted goes up in an Arrow where the gear lights have a mind of their own. The Thaden Invasion is 12 days out and the weather looks terrible — which is exactly how we want it. Listener emails from a student pilot in Frederick and a "chef" who soloed at 53 remind us why we do this, and a five-star review from Scotland teaches us the word "scunnered." Also: a spirited debrief on whether Ben should have declared an emergency, and what the whiskey compass is actually good for.Mentioned on the show:* Seth Lake's Thaden/VBT arrival notes: https://arflightsafety.com/VBT.html* FLY OZ VBT Airspace Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAJldTQ8LhM* Seth's podcast on VBT airspace: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0r3rDFPNyUdYtYEfbVBqyl?si=as-NYQ99R5-F9qgAhSSoig* WINGS registration for Enhanced Preflight seminar: https://www.faasafety.gov/SPANS/event_publicregistration.aspx?eid=141537&type=1* Game Aero, gamebird aerobatic plane: https://game.aero/gb1-gamebird/* Thaden Invasion event page: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/thadeninvasion* Air Safety Institute, 178 Seconds to Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7t4IR-3mSo* Infamous drivers ed scare film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HAv1pfJqgU* Sandel HSI: https://avweb.com/features_old/sandel-avionics-sn3308-electronic-hsi-efis-becomes-affordable/* Sandel teardown video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjWIXHL0G1M* Blairsville Airport - DZJ: https://www.airnav.com/airport/DZJ* Angel Flights: https://www.angelflightsoars.org/* SWTEE "sweet tea" arrival: https://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/2602/00469SWTEE.PDF* OVPEW fix: https://opennav.com/waypoint/US/OVPEW* RYY's ILS 27 approach: https://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/2602/06424IL27.PDF* Garmin GPSMAP 296 on Ben's yoke: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/6399/* MPP's Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/#guidePatreon: www.patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcastYouTube (Live Monday nights at 8 PM): www.youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcastWebsite (events, merch, blog, and more): www.midlifepilotpodcast.comEmail: midlifepilotpodcast@gmail.comFreedom Aviation Network (10% of Patreon donations): www.freedomaviationnetwork.org
• EP169 - You Can't Fix the Mind With the Mind - with Gita Brown 24.02.2026 1Std. 9Min.

  Gita Brown came to flying the hard way: through crippling fear, a discovery flight, and one moment where she grabbed the controls and something just flipped. Now she's a student pilot marching toward her checkride, a yoga instructor, a music therapist, and the co-host of the Calm Cockpit Podcast. She also teaches fear-of-flying courses in partnership with Virgin Atlantic, which means she has professionally helped hundreds of people do the thing she herself was terrified to do two years ago. She joined us from a snowbound cabin in Maine, mid-blizzard, fully caffeinated, and ready to explain why your brain is failing you in the cockpit and what you can actually do about it. Spoiler: it starts with electrolytes, ends with meditation, and somewhere in the middle involves not eating grapes.Mentioned on the show:* Calm Cockpit Podcast: https://calmcockpit.com/* MGM - Montgomery Alabama: https://www.airnav.com/airport/MGM* SISKIND - Time building vs Time HAVING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFw9CpSqwHA* Lovefly - fear of flying courses: https://www.lovefly.co.uk/* Seth Lake - VSL Aero: https://vsl.aero/* Seth Lake's youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAQS8w0x9swAMJRMhLY_P5g* Fly Oz - gateway to the Ozarks: https://www.flyoz.com/* LMNT electrolyte drink mix: https://drinklmnt.com/* Insight Timer app: https://insighttimer.com/* Baraka (film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baraka_(film)* Koyaanisqatsi (full fiml): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOA_dOrm_Mk* SISKIND - DO EASY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqsg-iW3KBw* Qigong: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qigong* Koyaanisqatsi, Hopi word for "life out of balance": https://bureauoflinguisticalreality.com/portfolio/koyaanisqatsi/* The Deep Magic of Daily Consistency: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G6FJQSGW* Scott Manley - Explaining Why NASA's Starliner Report Is So Bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L96asfTvJ_AMidlife Pilot PodcastWebsite: midlifepilotpodcast.comYouTube: youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcastPatreon: patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast
• EP168 - How The Turn Tables... Brian's Turn to Checkride Debrief 18.02.2026 1Std. 2Min.

  You've watched our Patreon community members sit down with 1DullGeek after their checkrides and lay it all bare — the nerves, the near misses, the lessons learned the hard way. Private, instrument, commercial, glider, ATP. We've heard it all.This week, one of us is in that chair.Brian Siskind — your co-host, 800-hour VFR pilot, and the guy who just knocked out five FAA written exams in 32 days — just passed his instrument rating. Ben and Ted give him the questions 1DG usually asks, and the answers are honest. How did he handle the DPE systematically failing his instruments one by one? What happened when the WAAS dropped and he had to revert to LNAV minimums mid-approach? And why did the oral run longer than expected? Brian watched every single one of our community debriefs to prepare for this moment — and now it's his turn to answer the questions.But the episode doesn't stop there. Jacqui, spouse of RV-10 pilot Ryan K, sent in the most honest and moving voice message we've ever received about what this aviation obsession actually looks like from the other side. And new member John W. — 57 years old, 0.9 hours, and a copy of The Killing Zone in hand — wrote in to say the community convinced him to finally stop watching from the sidelines and go all in.This is exactly what this community is built for.Mentioned on the show:* Piper Apache: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_PA-23* Louise Thaden: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Thaden* Erica Gilbert's IFR course: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/ifr* Gallatin/Music City Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/XNX* Peachtree-Dekalb Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/PDK* Lebanon Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/M54* Pilot's Cafe IFR study guide: https://www.pilotscafe.com/IFR-quick-review-guide/* ASA Instrument Pilot Oral Exam Guide: https://asa2fly.com/instrument-pilot-oral-exam-guide-eleventh-edition/* Brian's CFI Ben Lehman: https://www.driftaviation.com/
• EP167 - Cockpit Tetris and Mess Management 10.02.2026 1Std. 6Min.

  Episode 167 tackles the challenge of cockpit organization with real solutions from three very different flying setups.Brian's still battling the conspiracy to prevent his instrument checkride (spoiler: UPS trucks and snow banks are involved), while Ted shares wisdom from his Miata-sized cockpit about 3D-printed organizers, strategic cup holder placement, and why everything needs "ONE home." Ben discovers that big game hunting expos are surprisingly good aviation networking venues.From Pivot cases and pulse oximeters to the life-or-death importance of proper seatbelt clipping, plus listener feedback that sparks a deeper discussion about test scores and aviation's competitive culture. Because when you're hand-flying an approach in the clouds and ATC changes your clearance, you need to be flying the airplane, not managing your mess.Features the guys' real-world tips for everything from "hard-wired" Stratus installations to keeping cash hidden in baggage organizers for emergency out-calls. Plus: why Ted went from zero flight hours to helping rewrite aviation regulations in under five years.Mentioned on the show:* Dallas Safari Club: https://www.biggame.org/convention/* Georgia World Congress Center: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_World_Congress_Center* Nicholas Air: https://www.nicholasair.com/* ASTM F37 committee: https://www.astm.org/membership-participation/technical-committees/committee-f37* DPE and educator Seth Lake: https://vsl.aero/* Seth's ACE guide: https://vslaviation.myshopify.com/* TL Sparker: https://tlsportaircraft.com/sparker/* BRS Parachutes: https://brsaerospace.com/* Ted's "purse", holds the iPad Mini: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FZL4TZP* Pivot case: https://pivotcase.com/products/a35a* Calm Cockpit Podcast: https://calmcockpit.com/* Flyfisherman Lefty Kreh: The Greatest of All Time: https://www.flyfisherman.com/editorial/lefty-greatest-of-all-time/516098Website: https://midlifepilotpodcast.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcastLeave us a 5-star review and we'll read it on the air!
• EP166 - Information Whiskey: Flat Tires and IFR Reality Checks 03.02.2026 1Std. 3Min.

  Time to kick back and catch up with the gang in our first "information whiskey" episode of the year. After starting 2026 with our Ultimate Guide series and that marathon session with Dr. Paul Craig, we're taking a breather to hang out, share some flying stories, and tackle your feedback.Ben kicks things off with a tale of terrible timing - how a flat nose tire and an MD-88 pilot who was "stuck" (but not really stuck) turned a simple night cross-country into an evening of airport ground operations. Meanwhile, Brian's been surviving Nashville's ice apocalypse while grinding through the final stages of instrument training, complete with shoulder harnesses and a healthy dose of reality about how IFR actually works versus how it's taught.We dive deep into Brian's theory that instrument flying is "interpretive dance" rather than the precise, procedural flying it's marketed to be. Spoiler alert: holds aren't what you think they are, and ATC doesn't care about your perfect entry technique.Plus, we celebrate some amazing listener accomplishments - from glider add-ons to ice runway landings to solo cross-countries - and address the burning question: do non-flying spouses actually listen to aviation podcasts? (Spoiler: some do, and we want to hear from them!)Featuring Thaden Invasion updates, washing machine turbulence scales, and why sometimes the best thing to do is just wait 15 minutes for the weather to change.Mentioned on the show:* RYY - Cobb/McCollum Field: https://www.airnav.com/airport/RYY* FAA WINGS program: https://www.faasafety.gov/* CCO - Coweta County Georgia: https://www.airnav.com/airport/KCCO* PUJ - Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/KPUJ* Flight Insight, Going Missed on a Circling Approach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJiEuHWF5B8* Flight Insight, the VOR Flower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm7XxyzZFh0* Columbia Cascade 99's winter raffle: https://www.columbiacascade99s.org/store/p/2025-2026-winter-raffle* IFR6 - accelerated IFR training, Charleston SC: https://ifr6.com/* TOA - Torrance California: https://www.airnav.com/airport/KOTA* EP46 - Flying With Your Spouse: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep46-flying-with-your-spouse/id1591463789?i=1000632568750Visit midlifepilotpodcast.com for more content, merch, and our free Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot. Support the show and join our community at patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast - 10% of proceeds support Freedom Aviation Network's anti-trafficking efforts.
• EP165 - The Killing Zone Returns: Why 50-350 Hours Are Still the Most Dangerous 27.01.2026 1Std. 48Min.

  Aviation legend, educator, instructor, and author Dr. Paul Craig joins the gang to discuss the highly anticipated third edition of The Killing Zone - the book that's basically scripture for midlife pilots everywhere.With new publisher ASA, Paul's back with fresh data from 12,406 general aviation accidents proving that yes, the 50-350 hour zone still has significantly higher accident rates.We dive deep into his data-driven approach to accident analysis, explore how technology is creating pilot-induced distractions like GoPro fiddling and selfie-taking, and discover why mental health conversations have finally evolved beyond just "pilot stress." Paul explains how HIMS AMEs are changing the game for pilots needing help, and why scenario-based training beats practicing basketball fundamentals all day.Whether you're climbing Mount Stupid or think you've conquered it, Paul reminds us that every flight is different and deserves your full attention. Plus, hear his scariest moment involving recruiting football players, hydraulic failure, and emergency gear extension that sounded like the airplane was coming apart.Featuring abnormal contact with the ground, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving accident curse, and why Paul never tells ATC how an approach will terminate.Mentioned on the show:* ASA, The Killing Zone third edition: https://asa2fly.com/the-killing-zone-softcover/* Wingnuts Aviation, M91 Springfield Tenn: https://wingnutsaviation.net/* About ASA: https://asa2fly.com/about-us/* The Vegas Bravo Buster on VASAviation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUSUXnr4dSo* New York Times Presents 'Lie to Fly': https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/23/NYT-Presents/lie-to-fly-joseph-emerson-pilot.html* AOPA, Mike Busch, Quantifying Maintenance Risk: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2025/november/pilot/savvy-maintenance-opinion-quantifying-maintenance-risk* Scarpazza, Quantifying the Risk of Accidents and Serious Incidents Due to Maintenance in General Aviation: https://www.savvyaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Risks-of-maintenance-to-GA.pdf* Paul Craig, Flight Times: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1685642306Visit www.midlifepilotpodcast.com to support the show, get merch, and download the free 23 page PDF "The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot".