Midlife Pilot Podcast

Midlife Pilot Podcast
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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.

  1. HACE 2 DÍAS

    EP167 - Cockpit Tetris and Mess Management

    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/516098 Website: https://midlifepilotpodcast.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast Leave us a 5-star review and we'll read it on the air!

    1 h y 7 min

  2. 3 FEB

    EP166 - Information Whiskey: Flat Tires and IFR Reality Checks

    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=1000632568750 Visit 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.

    1 h y 3 min

  3. 27 ENE

    EP165 - The Killing Zone Returns: Why 50-350 Hours Are Still the Most Dangerous

    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/1685642306 Visit www.midlifepilotpodcast.com to support the show, get merch, and download the free 23 page PDF "The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot".

    1 h y 48 min

  4. 20 ENE

    EP164 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - Part 3

    EP164 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - Part 3: Safety, Community & Your Aviation Legacy The Ultimate Guide trilogy concludes with safety mindset, community support, and creating your aviation legacy. While Ben dodges Delta jets over Atlanta ("I pulled my throttle - first time I've ever had to slow down for a jet"), Brian demonstrates textbook emergency procedures after his engine starts shaking violently on takeoff: "I didn't pull all the power, I just started veering away from the runway... I was already landing the plane while I was troubleshooting." Guide Part 3 Focus: Risk management evolution from new pilot to 1000+ hoursPersonal minimums: your safety guardrails that evolve with experienceCommunity as lifeline - from check ride failures to celebrating milestonesAviation legacy: mentoring the next generation of midlife pilotsReal-World Lessons: "You don't rise to the level of the emergency, you sink to the level of your training" - Brian's calm emergency handling proves the pointZ Powell's wisdom: "It hurt to cancel, but it was correct" - weather minimums aren't suggestionsRisk management parallels your professional life - apply existing decision-making skillsCommunity Moments: Cory reports his first discovery flight: "Amazing and humbling at the same time"Boo Radley sharing family flying photos from AustraliaCheck ride support system that Ben wished he'd had during his discontinuanceCFI Sam Terrell's MOSAIC Correction: Student pilots can now solo under sport pilot privileges without a medical - major change that many schools haven't caught up to yet. Thaden Invasion Final Details: March 13-15, 2026 at VBT Bentonville! 30 spots, dedicated lounge space, live podcast Saturday. Review Corner: "Great content, just play it on 1.5 speed to get through all the uhs and ums" - Thanks for the backhanded compliment, Working170! Download your FREE 23-page Ultimate Guide at https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/ "Welcome to aviation - you're gonna love it here." Mentioned on the show: * Peach State Aerodrome: https://www.peachstateaero.com/ * CFI Sam, Northwest Aeronaut: https://www.youtube.com/@NorthwestAeronaut * Sam's On Centerline podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3DSELWSqYqbvpbxD842lED * EP139, MOSAIC for All Pilots: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6MnT5yGcWnN8vF90WwN8gt?si=z2xZpJQeQjeprdAHLSrA4g * XKCD 386: http://xkcd.com/386

    1 h y 6 min

  5. 14 ENE

    EP163 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - Part 2

    EP163 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - Part 2: From Dream to Checkride Part 2 of our Ultimate Guide tackles the training ecosystem from CFI selection to checkride reality. While Brian demonstrates "evasive maneuvers" on instrument approaches, the crew covers milestone moments and why your bank account will never forgive you. Key Training Insights: Find a CFI you can "poorly do things" with - you're the boss, they work for youFirst solo memory outlasts everything: "I remember mine like it was October 3rd, 1976""My checkride was the first test where I went in not knowing if I'd pass" - universal midlife truthFinancial reality: Training is just the beginning - you must maintain the pilot you've createdMilestone Moments: First solo: the spiritual thrill no other rating will matchSolo cross-country: when flying actually clicksCheckride: "Welcome, you have a license to learn"Alpha Juliet Bravo's Reality Check: Medical deferment story proves why getting your strategy right BEFORE training isn't optional. Coming Up: Part 3 covers life as a midlife pilot and creating your aviation legacy. Download your FREE 23-page Ultimate Guide at https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/ Mentioned on the show:* "Tailwheel Ben Lehman", Drift Aviation: https://www.driftaviation.com/* I Like Killing Flies - Soup Nazi documentary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Like_Killing_Flies* Erica Gilbert- Aerosafe: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/aerosafe* Cap'nTodd's new Cessna 150: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jjLE4HmovgFind everything including how to support us on Patreon, merch, and more at www.midlifepilotpodcast.com

    1 h

  6. 6 ENE

    EP162 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - Part 1

    The crew has just released their comprehensive Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - a 23-page PDF packed with community wisdom from hundreds of pilots who started flying at 40, 50, 60, and beyond. Download it FREE at midlifepilotpodcast.com! This is the first episode in a three-part series walking through this game-changing resource that answers the question every aspiring midlife pilot asks: "How do I actually get started?" No more scattered advice - this is your roadmap from dream to checkride. What's in the Guide: The mindset shifts required for learning to fly in midlifeCommunity-sourced insights from real midlife pilotsLegacy-focused motivation beyond just "learning to fly"Actionable first steps that won't derail your journeyThis Week's Key Insights: "The willingness to suck is a challenge" - embrace being terrible at something newBrian's liberating "nobody cares philosophy" - your bad landings aren't as noticed as you thinkWhy community isn't optional - it's the difference between success and washing outThe critical importance of getting your medical strategy right BEFORE you start trainingReality Check Moments: Why your 23-year-old instructor might seem confused by your existenceThe humbling experience of task saturation (what's 8x8 again?)How existential dread during training is normal and survivableWhy being bad at flying initially doesn't predict your ultimate successPro Tips from the Community: Contact AOPA FIRST before making any medical decisionsUnderstand sport vs. private pilot privileges before committingFind your tribe - isolation kills aviation dreamsThis journey is about legacy, not just transportationComing Up: Parts 2 and 3 will cover training realities, milestone moments, and advanced midlife pilot strategies. The Ultimate Guide represents two years of community wisdom distilled into one comprehensive resource. Whether you're thinking about starting or helping someone else begin their journey, this PDF eliminates the guesswork and provides a clear path forward. Download your FREE 23-page guide at https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/#guide "Midlife is a state of mind, not an age" - and this guide helps you navigate both. Mentioned on the show: * Thaden Invasion: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/thadeninvasion * PDF of the midlife starter kit is on the website, https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/ * Million Air- BHM (cookies, wet bar): https://www.millionair.com/locations/bhm/ * Rev2, student with task saturation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnQLuGPLHN4 * SISKIND - Nobody Cares. My Creative Manifest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da4I2Y9v1Sk&t=1s * AOPA's medical resources (call them!): https://www.aopa.org/go-fly/medical-resources * Killing Zone, third edition, now available: https://asa2fly.com/the-killing-zone/ * Opposing Bases OB418: Ice Chunks and Slam Dunks

    1 h y 1 min

  7. 31/12/2025

    EP161 - Information Whiskey Year End Spectacular

    Join the gang as they toast to 2025's greatest hits: Ben earning the coveted "you are a badass MF" landing review from his wife, Brian discovering his Cherokee is indeed "the Toyota Camry of the skies" when loaded with three dudes and camera gear, and Ted conquering his first real Rockies crossings. Plus, the moment we've all been waiting for - The Thaden Invasion is officially happening March 13-15, 2026 in Bentonville, Arkansas! Expect the usual "personal responsibility themed gathering" where "we're all grownups, figure it out," brewery meetups are "a foregone conclusion," and someone will inevitably need a rescue mission. Brian's setting ambitious 2026 goals involving actual instrument training, Ben wants to fly "somebody else's airplane while not incurring the expenses" (relatable), and the crew reflects on why this community has become their "daily sustenance." Warning: Contains gratitude, aviation wisdom, and Ted admitting he "really needed to smoke" during the Tango 82 live show moment. Mentioned on the show: * Stranger Things (TV): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_Things * George Carlin, Stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rhVQCzF3r0 * Freedom Aviation Network: https://www.freedomaviationnetwork.org/ * M54 - Lebanon Airport: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon_Municipal_Airport_(Tennessee) * Southwest Georgia Regional Airport (Albany, Georgia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Georgia_Regional_Airport * Benalla, Victoria, Australia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benalla * Kangaroo Island, Australia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_Island * Moontown Airport, Huntsville Ala: https://www.moontownairport.com/ * RYY - Cobb County - Steakhouse: https://www.elevationatlanta.com/ * Checkmate Aviation has a youtube channel now! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GL6_2RZdZU Join us on Patreon and support the show, give feedback, and more at www.midlifepilotpodcast.com

    1 h y 8 min

  8. 24/12/2025

    EP160 - The Importance of Community

    Ben leads the crew through a heartfelt discussion on the power of aviation community, proving that even "internet pilot buddies who are somehow both extremely wise and definitely unsupervised" can create something meaningful together. While Brian emerges from his five-week "gateway drug situation" of nonstop testing (having "forgotten how to function as a normal human being"), the episode explores how pilot communities support each other through the challenges of midlife aviation. From anonymous confessionals about night landing requirements to the wisdom of "Fly what you want, log what you need," this episode showcases why the Midlife Pilot community has become "one of the great joys" for pilots navigating their aviation journeys. Ted chimes in from Portlandia while Ben reminds us that aviation community - whether in Discord, at fly-ins, or through podcast connections - provides the essential support network that keeps us all flying safely. Plus: Why we probably need "at least one service bulletin requiring post-podcast cranial inspections," and Ben's words of wisdom about truth vs. lies in our connected world. Mentioned on the show: * AGI: advanced ground instructor * IGI: instrument ground instructor * FOI: fundamentals on instruction * Thaden Invasion: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/thadeninvasion * Seth Lake on VBT-Thaden airspace: https://arflightsafety.com/VBT.html To send feedback, support the show, get merch, and more, visit www.midlifepilotpodcast.com

    1 h y 2 min
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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.

Información

  • Creador
    Midlife Pilot Podcast
  • Años de actividad
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodios
    166
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © Midlife Pilot Podcast
  • Mostrar sitio web
    Midlife Pilot Podcast

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