Flight Tales

Ryan Owens

Ryan Owens, Owner and flight instructor at Owens Flight training interviews other pilots, co-workers, students, air traffic controllers, and talks about everything aviation in these fun and sometimes informative episodes of Flight Tales.

  1. 2d ago

    Meteorologist Explains Dangerous Weather Every Pilot Should Understand

    How much can pilots really trust a weather forecast? And what happens when the weather changes faster than expected?In this episode of Flight Tales, Ryan Owens sits down with Acadiana meteorologist Chris Cozart to talk about how weather forecasts are made, why South Louisiana weather can be so unpredictable, and what every pilot should understand before taking off.We take a look at the science behind weather forecasting, including how meteorologists use computer models, radar, and atmospheric data to predict what might happen. We also discuss why forecasts change, why thunderstorms can be so difficult to predict, and why pilots need to understand more than just what their weather app is showing them.Throughout the conversation, we cover:- How meteorologists create daily weather forecasts- Why weather forecasts change as storms get closer- What makes South Louisiana weather so unpredictable- How thunderstorms develop and why pilots should avoid them- The dangers of wind shear, microbursts, and severe turbulence- Why weather radar doesn't always show the full picture- Aircraft icing and the dangers of flying in freezing conditions- Hurricane forecasting and how Hurricane Hunters collect weather data- Real aviation accidents involving dangerous weather- How pressure to reach a destination can lead to bad decisions- Why pilots should always have a backup plan when weather gets worseWe also discuss real-world aviation accidents and how weather, pilot decisions, and aircraft limitations can all play a role when things go wrong.Whether you're a student pilot learning aviation weather for your Private Pilot checkride, an instrument student preparing to fly in actual weather, or an experienced pilot looking to improve your decision-making, this episode offers a closer look at the weather we fly through and the risks we need to understand.Weather doesn't always do what the forecast says it will. That's why understanding what you're flying into matters just as much as knowing how to fly the airplane.Our mission at Owens Flight Training is to help you become a safe, knowledgeable, and confident pilot.Learn more about flight training at https://owensflighttraining.com Flight Training is a flight school based in Lafayette, Louisiana.www.owensflighttraining.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/owensflighttrainingInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/owensflighttrainingTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@owensflighttraining

  2. Oct 29

    Pilot Radio Communication: What to Say, When to Say It, and What NOT to Say

    Does talking to air traffic control make you nervous? You're not alone. Radio communication is one of the biggest challenges student pilots face, but it doesn't have to be.In this episode of Flight Tales, Ryan Owens sits down with Shawn to discuss how pilots can become more comfortable and confident talking to ATC, understanding radio procedures, and using the services available to them.We cover everything from making your first radio call to communicating in busy airspace, including the mistakes student pilots commonly make and how to avoid them.In this episode, we discuss:- Why student pilots get nervous talking to ATC- How to make clear, effective radio calls- What to say when you don't understand an ATC instruction- Why VFR pilots should consider using flight following- Radio communication in Class B, C, and D airspace- Towered vs. non-towered airport communications- Common CTAF mistakes and proper traffic pattern calls- ATC readbacks, frequency changes, and busy frequencies- ATIS, AWOS, ASOS, and clearance delivery- What to do if your radio stops working- How to practice radio communication outside the airplaneWe also talk about why you shouldn't be afraid to ask ATC to repeat an instruction, how controllers can help pilots with traffic and weather, and why understanding what's happening around you is just as important as knowing what to say on the radio.Whether you're preparing for your first solo, working toward your Private Pilot certificate, or simply want to improve your radio communication skills, this episode is full of practical advice you can use on your next flight.At Owens Flight Training, our mission is to help you become a safe, knowledgeable, and confident pilot.Learn more at https://owensflighttraining.comOwens Flight Training is a flight school based in Lafayette, Louisiana.www.owensflighttraining.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/owensflighttrainingInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/owensflighttrainingTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@owensflighttraining

  3. Oct 15

    Aviation Weather Explained: What Every Pilot Needs to Know Before Flying

    Checking the weather before a flight is easy. Understanding what that weather actually means for your flight is a different story.In this episode of Flight Tales, Ryan Owens sits down with flight instructor Chris Darnell to talk about aviation weather, how pilots should prepare for changing conditions, and how to make better go/no-go decisions.We start with the basics of weather theory, including high and low pressure systems, cold fronts, warm fronts, stationary fronts, thunderstorms, turbulence, and how different weather patterns affect flying throughout the year.Then we walk through an actual flight planning scenario from Lafayette, Louisiana, to Austin, Texas, using ForeFlight to review a full weather briefing.We break down the information pilots should understand before every flight, including:METARs and TAFsPIREPs and actual weather conditionsAIRMETs, SIGMETs, and Convective SIGMETsSurface analysis charts and weather frontsWinds aloft and their effect on fuel planningNOTAMs, TFRs, and airport closuresThunderstorm avoidance and the limitations of datalink weatherPersonal minimums and go/no-go decisionsWe also discuss why getting a good weather briefing doesn't guarantee good weather for the entire flight.Chris shares a real experience during an instrument cross-country flight when thunderstorms developed near Lafayette, forcing him and his student to make a decision about whether to continue or divert to another airport.Whether you're a student pilot preparing for your Private Pilot checkride, an instrument student learning to interpret aviation weather, or a licensed pilot looking to improve your flight planning, this episode will help you better understand the information available and how to use it.Because being a good pilot isn't just about knowing how to fly the airplane. It's about knowing when you should fly it.Our mission at Owens Flight Training is to help you become a safe, knowledgeable, and confident pilot.Owens Flight Training is a flight school based in Lafayette, Louisiana.www.owensflighttraining.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/owensflighttrainingInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/owensflighttraining

  4. Oct 8

    Are You Making These Checkride Mistakes? DPE Explains

    What are the most common mistakes pilots make during their checkrides, and how can you avoid making them yourself?In this episode of Flight Tales, we sit down with Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) Peyton Enloe to discuss the mistakes, habits, and misunderstandings that can get pilots into trouble during a checkride.We talk about the difference between memorizing information and actually understanding it, how examiners evaluate applicants, and why being able to perform a maneuver isn't always the same as demonstrating good judgment.We also get into some of the biggest challenges student pilots face, including crosswind takeoffs and landings, knowing when to go around, maintaining control during stall recovery, using checklists correctly, and communicating at towered and non-towered airports.For instrument pilots, we discuss GPS, G1000 avionics, autopilot usage, and the dangers of becoming so focused on programming your equipment that you forget to fly the airplane. We also talk about what happens when automation doesn't do what you expect and why pilots need to be proficient both with and without it.Whether you're preparing for your Private Pilot checkride, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot certificate, or just looking to improve your flying skills, this episode offers practical lessons from an examiner's perspective.Our mission at Owens Flight Training is to help you become a safe, knowledgeable, and confident pilot.Owens Flight Training is a flight school based in Lafayette, Louisiana.www.owensflighttraining.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/owensflighttrainingInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/owensflighttraining

  5. Oct 1

    Cessna 172 System Failures: Would You Know What to Do?

    How well do you actually understand the systems in a Cessna 172?It’s one thing to memorize aircraft systems for your checkride. It’s another thing to recognize what’s happening when something stops working in the airplane.In this episode of Flight Tales, we’re doing things a little differently. Fernando gives Ryan a series of Cessna 172 systems scenarios, and Ryan has to figure out what could be happening, how he would recognize the problem, and what he would do next.We work through problems involving the ignition system, magnetos and spark plugs, rough-running engines, oil pressure and temperature, fuel systems, alternator failures, batteries, circuit breakers, pitot-static instruments, carbon monoxide, cabin heat, and flap failures.We also get into what happens when an alternator fails at night, why the engine can keep running after an electrical failure, what different pitot-static blockages can look like on your instruments, and how understanding your airplane’s systems can help you decide whether you have a problem you can manage—or whether it’s time to get the airplane on the ground.Knowing aircraft systems isn’t just about being able to draw a diagram or answer a DPE’s question. Understanding how the airplane works helps you make better decisions when something doesn’t work.If you’re a student pilot, private pilot, CFI, or preparing for a checkride, use these scenarios to test how well you actually know the airplane you’re flying.Our mission at Owens Flight Training is to help you become a safe, knowledgeable, and confident pilot.Owens Flight Training is a flight school based in Lafayette, Louisiana.www.owensflighttraining.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/owensflighttrainingInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/owensflighttraining

  6. Sep 24

    Pilot Proficiency Examiner (PPE): What 50+ Years of Flying Teaches You

    What does it really mean to stay ahead of the airplane?In this episode of Flight Tales, we sit down with Jeff Brevelle, whose aviation career began right here in Lafayette in 1970 and has taken him through an incredible range of flying, instructing, maintenance, airline operations, and aircraft.Jeff has flown everything from floatplanes, helicopters, King Airs and Citations to Saab 340s, 727s, 737s, MD-11s and DC-3s. Along the way, he’s spent decades teaching, training, checking, and learning what separates simply being able to fly an airplane from actually managing it.We talk about why pilots get behind the airplane, energy management, planning descents and approaches, situational awareness, automation dependency, instrument flying, understanding aircraft systems, and why simply following the magenta line isn't enough. Jeff explains how experienced pilots are thinking miles ahead of where the airplane currently is—and why that skill matters whether you're flying a Cessna 172 or a transport-category jet.We also get into the importance of understanding why the airplane does what it does. Jeff shares why students should understand the systems underneath the cowling instead of simply memorizing what a control does, and why instructors need to adapt their teaching to the individual student.Later in the episode, we dig into advanced pilot topics including energy management, stabilized approaches, workload management, automation, situational awareness, and knowing when it's time to stop trying to salvage an approach and go around.Jeff's biggest lesson after more than five decades in aviation comes back to planning and knowledge: know what you're going to do, know where you need to be, and have another plan ready when things don't happen the way you expected.Whether you're a student pilot, instrument student, CFI, commercial pilot, or experienced aviator, there's something to take away from this conversation.Our mission at Owens Flight Training is to help you become a safe, knowledgeable, and confident pilot.Owens Flight Training is a flight school based in Lafayette, Louisiana.www.owensflighttraining.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/owensflighttrainingInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/owensflighttraining

  7. Sep 17

    How to Fly an Approach Plate | What IFR Pilots Need to Know

    What do you actually do with an approach plate once you’re flying the approach? In this episode of Flight Tales, we’re breaking down how to actually use an approach plate while flying IFR. Using the VOR/DME RWY 11 approach into Lafayette, Louisiana (KLFT), we walk through the approach from beginning to end and talk about what should be going through your head at each step. We cover how to make sure you have the correct approach, verify that you and the airplane can actually fly it, check equipment and NOTAMs, determine how you’re getting onto the approach, understand when you’re authorized to descend, and stay ahead of the airplane throughout the procedure. We also get into IAFs and FAFs, procedure turns and NoPT, DME arcs, the plan and profile views, loading versus activating an approach in your GPS, selecting the correct transition, MDA versus DA, what you need to see at minimums, and what to do if you have to go missed. Most importantly, we talk about staying ahead of the airplane. Your approach briefing, frequencies, navigation setup, aircraft configuration, minimums, and missed approach should be figured out before you need them. If you’re trying to figure everything out while you’re already descending on the approach, things can snowball quickly. The goal isn’t to memorize an approach plate for your instrument checkride. It’s to understand what the chart is telling you, know what’s coming next, and use that information to safely fly the approach. If you’re working on your instrument rating, preparing for an IFR checkride, or trying to become a more proficient instrument pilot, this episode is for you. Our mission at Owens Flight Training is to help you become a safe, knowledgeable, and confident pilot.

  8. Sep 10

    Part 61 vs. Part 91: Do You Know These FAA Regulations?

    What’s the difference between FAR Part 61 and Part 91—and which FAA regulations should you actually know before you fly?In this episode of Flight Tales, Ryan Owens sits down with flight instructor Fernando to break down two of the most important sections of the FARs for general aviation pilots: Part 61 and Part 91.Instead of simply memorizing regulations for a checkride, Ryan and Fernando look at how these rules affect the decisions pilots make in the real world. They discuss student pilot endorsements, private pilot privileges and limitations, acting vs. logging PIC, passenger currency, flight reviews, instrument currency, medical certificates, PIC authority, VFR weather minimums, required aircraft equipment, inoperative equipment, and more.They also put the regulations into practical scenarios: Can you legally fly after four months away from the airplane? What if your flight review expired yesterday? Can you take passengers if you haven’t made three landings in the last 90 days? What happens when equipment is broken? What should you do when an ATC instruction could compromise safety?Knowing the regulations isn’t just about passing an FAA knowledge test or checkride. It’s about understanding your privileges, limitations, responsibilities, and authority as pilot in command so you can make better decisions when you’re actually flying.If you’re a student pilot, private pilot, instrument student, CFI, or just need a FAR/AIM refresher, this episode is for you.Topics include:Part 61 vs. Part 91, pilot certificates and endorsements, currency vs. proficiency, private pilot privileges and limitations, PIC logging, passenger currency, flight reviews, instrument currency, medical certificates, PIC authority, careless or reckless operation, alcohol regulations, IMSAFE, VFR weather minimums, Special VFR, required equipment, inoperative equipment, aircraft inspections, and ATC clearances.Flight Tales is presented by Owens Flight Training with one mission: helping pilots become safe, knowledgeable, and confident pilots.Owens Flight Training is a flight school based in Lafayette, Louisiana.www.owensflighttraining.comFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/owensflighttrainingInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/owensflighttraining

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Ryan Owens, Owner and flight instructor at Owens Flight training interviews other pilots, co-workers, students, air traffic controllers, and talks about everything aviation in these fun and sometimes informative episodes of Flight Tales.

Information

  • Creator
    Ryan Owens
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    101
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Ryan Owens
  • Show Website
    Flight Tales

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