Welcome to the Midlife Pilot Podcast, where we share the experiences and the challenges of flying in midlife. Whether you're a seasoned pilot, training for priv...
EP122 - "I Plan My Stops Around Food" and IFR Training: CFII Erica Gilbert
Join us for special guest Erica Gilbert, a CFII and TBM pilot who brings her expertise on cross-country planning and adult learning to the show. While Ben mourns his grounded "Beast" waiting on engine work, and Mark celebrates his impressive 693-nautical-mile nonstop flight in his upgraded Cherokee 235, Erica shares her refreshing approach to flight planning: "I plan my stops around food." The discussion reveals how midlife pilots bring unique strengths to aviation training—they're more motivated, committed, and arrive prepared despite memory challenges that come with age.Erica breaks down her framework for learning complex aircraft systems into four simple parts (function, components, limitations/failures, and operation), offers weather briefing insights, and introduces her new IFR course designed to bridge the gap between online learning and practical application. The episode delivers aviation wisdom for pilots of all levels while tackling the question of how to maintain confidence as a newly certificated pilot.Mentioned on the show:* Diamond DA40NG: https://www.diamondaircraft.com/en/private-owners/aircraft/da40/overview/* Erica's youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AeroSafe/videos* One of Erica's weather vids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BFXShZFVGs* LEX Lexington Ky: https://www.airnav.com/airport/LEX* LOZ London Ky: https://www.airnav.com/airport/LOZ* Capitol Drive airport, Wisc: https://www.airnav.com/airport/02C* UES Waukesha County Airport, Wisc: https://www.airnav.com/airport/WAU* ERAU paper- Student Engagement in Aviation Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs): https://commons.erau.edu/publication/2285/* Beech Baron 55: https://www.aviationconsumer.com/used-aircraft-guide/beech-baron-55-2/* Erica's IFR ground school begins Apr 15: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/ifr* Mark practicing PPL maneuvers after having his PPL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsb6YPyWCQk
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EP121 - Information Whiskey: Between Patience and Numbness
Join Ben, Brian, and Ted for hangar talk about the joys (and pains) of annual inspections in this episode of the Midlife Pilot Podcast. The guys commiserate over their planes being simultaneously grounded, with Ben's Beast down to five cylinders and showing remarkable "patience" (or is it numbness?). Brian dishes on his new book of aviation essays "Make Small Corrections," while Ted smugly reminds everyone his oil-free belly never needs scrubbing. The fellas debate what aircraft they'd come back as in the next life, swap formation flying stories, and remind everyone about the upcoming Texas meetup. Pull up a chair in the hangar and settle in for another episode that'll make you feel right at home in the best pilot community around.Mentioned on the show:* Ernest Goes To Jail: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Goes_to_Jail* The Green Mile: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Green_Mile_(film)* Nashville prison: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_State_Prison* Paul Craig episode 120: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/midlifepilotpodcast/episodes/EP120---Descending-from-Mount-Stupid-with-Paul-Craig-e30b2sb* Cessna 195: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cessna_195* Stinson v77: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stinson_Reliant* Lockheed AC130: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_AC-130* Continental IO520: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_IO-520* Georgia Tech Wreck Racing: https://wreckracing.gatech.edu/* RMG Rome airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/RMG* Sam's Burger and Deli: https://www.samsburgerdeli.com/* XNX Music City Executive: https://www.airnav.com/airport/XNX* "Cessna 140 Ben": https://flywithben.com/* Centerline Aviation: https://centerlineair.com/* Cessna 337 Skymaster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cessna_Skymaster* TomAir's Cessna 337: https://www.youtube.com/@tomairtv* The Green Machine: https://www.retroist.com/p/the-green-machine* Brian's book, "Make Small Corrections": https://amazon.com/dp/B0DZWQKGJX* Original Kindle with a keyboard: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Amazon_Kindle_(original_version)
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EP120 - Descending from Mount Stupid: with Paul Craig
For this very special episode we welcome Paul Craig, author of "The Killing Zone," "Be a Better Pilot," and numerous other aviation books including his memoir "Flight Times: Stories from the Second Best Instructor." In this episode, we explore how aviation has evolved since Paul's last book edition, from the rise of electronic flight bags to the Wednesday before Thanksgiving being statistically the most dangerous flying day. As Paul notes about his writing approach, "I just sit down at the computer and have a conversation with the keyboard. It's just you and me talking on a Saturday afternoon at the hangar."Paul shares stories from his memoir, including the time his instructor Bill Kirshner yelled "CLEAR PROP!" after 23 spins while still inside the aircraft, and when his student's first solo flight had Air Force One on approach behind him. Mentioned on the show:* Ted's new video, "I don't feel heard": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3D4bXBSMiw* Invisible Hulk piano intro, 1978: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9MysTXM_P4* CHA - Chattanooga Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/CHA* EP40 - introducing Ben and Ted: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/midlifepilotpodcast/episodes/EP40---The-Podcast-Handoff---a-very-special-crossover-episode-e29965s* Cornelia Fort Airfield: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelia_Fort_Airpark* Cornelia Fort herself: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelia_Fort* Patsy Clilne was headed to Cornelia Fort: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963_Camden_PA-24_crash* Paul Craig, "Be A Better Pilot": https://amazon.com/dp/0830620478/* Paul Craig, "Killing Zone, Second Edition": https://amazon.com/dp/0071798404/
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EP119 - The Cockpit Lies, Data Doesn't: Flysto Debrief
Join Ben, Ted, and special guest Mark (aka 1DullGeek) as they talk Flysto, the flight-tracking app that brutally reveals they're better and worse pilots than they thought. Geek out over landing scores, wind data, and traffic playback that "takes the emotional component out of the debrief" – perfect for analyzing that crosswind landing you swore was perfect (spoiler: it wasn't).Come for the flight data analysis, stay for Ben's parting wisdom: "Light travels faster than sound, which is why some people appear bright until they speak."(Special thanks to Mark for filling in for Brian last minute)Mentioned on the show: * Mark aka 1dullgeek: https://www.youtube.com/@1dullgeek/videos* AID - Anderson Indiana: https://www.airnav.com/airport/AID* 02C - Capitol Drive Airport, Wisc: https://www.airnav.com/airport/02C* Seth Lake DPE: https://www.youtube.com/c/SethLakeDPE* Seth Lake's ACE guide: https://vslaviation.myshopify.com/products/vsl-ace-guide* Video showing the ACE guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZM-s2EBK7w* Aviation NewsTalk 365 with Patrick L. of Flysto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7CiwzM7kWE* Flysto- AOPA, Dave Hirschman: https://aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2024/september/pilot/first-look-more-than-a-tattletale* Flysto on EuroGA: https://www.euroga.org/forums/flying/14846-geeking-out-on-post-flight-data-with-flysto-net?page=1* Bruce Williams showing the flysto overlay on a instrument approach to EAT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7CiwzM7kWE* Flysto's "supported avionics": https://www.flysto.net/avionics* VUJ - Stanly County, NC: https://www.airnav.com/airport/VUJ
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EP118 - All Aboard the Pain Train: The Trials of Aircraft Ownership
"Freedom to go broke." The guys dive deep into the bittersweet reality of aircraft ownership—from the freedom it provides to the unique challenges it presents. Brian compares airplane ownership to marriage, Ted discusses his aversion to suction cups, and Ben reveals he's "fully funded on my pro rata share" of an eventual engine overhaul. They discuss the importance of finding a trusted mechanic, the joy of spontaneous lunch flights, and why "squawk and walk" is something renters do, not owners. As Brian puts it, "I'm a visitor in this socioeconomic space," but the rewards are worth the challenges.Mentioned on the show:* Ghost Dog: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Dog:_The_Way_of_the_Samurai* Jim Jarmusch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jarmusch* Open Source GA- "squawk and walk": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4smAzSqNG4o#t=2m40s* Coleal interpretation- AOPA: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2023/august/pilot/savvy-maintenance-legal-interpretations
Welcome to the Midlife Pilot Podcast, where we share the experiences and the challenges of flying in midlife. Whether you're a seasoned pilot, training for private or instrument ratings, or just thinking about getting started in aviation, we like to think of the podcast as your aviation companion, and your weekly dose of aviation inspiration. Hosted by the dynamic trio of Ben, Brian, and Ted - the show is not instruction - it's all about sharing real stories, personal insights, and the pure joy of spreading your wings in midlife.
South Africa