The Performance Pilot

Ben Todd
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  • Aviation

Join Ben Todd, student pilot and competitive bodybuilder, as he documents the journey from flight training to professional aviation, while pursuing peak physical and mental performance. Each episode of The Performance Pilot dives into the parallels between flying and fitness: discipline, precision, mindset, and continuous improvement. Through personal stories and conversations with industry professionals, Ben explores what it really takes to perform at the highest level — in the cockpit, in the gym, and in life.

Episodes

  1. 4h ago

    7: The True Cost of Chasing a Dream

    In this episode, I get candid about the financial realities, sacrifices, and unexpected challenges I’ve experienced while pursuing my aviation career. I discuss the true cost of flight training, my decision to finance my Private Pilot Certificate, and why balancing flight school with a full-time IT career ultimately led me to leave my job and pursue training full-time. While that decision allowed me to earn my Private Pilot Certificate, it also created significant financial challenges that eventually forced me to put the remainder of my flight training on hold and return to the IT industry. I share what I’ve learned from that experience, including what I would do differently if I could start over, how an unconventional job search strategy helped me get back on my feet, and why I believe adapting your plan doesn’t mean giving up on the goal. Most importantly, this episode is about taking risks, accepting the consequences of our decisions, adapting when things don’t go according to plan, and continuing to move forward. In This Episode: The financial reality of flight trainingMy experience financing flight schoolWhy I left my IT career to pursue aviation full-timeThe unexpected financial consequences of that decisionReturning to the IT industry and rebuilding financial stabilityWhy I’m putting the remainder of my flight training on holdWhat I would do differently if I could start overLearning to adapt without abandoning the goalWhy fear of the unknown shouldn’t prevent us from pursuing what mattersThe importance of finding a way forward when life doesn’t go according to planYou can always figure a way out. FOLLOW:IG: instagram.com/beentoddYT: youtube.com/@beentodd

  2. Jun 24

    6: The Power of Remaining a Student: Aviation, Bodybuilding, and High Performance | Kait Shaffery

    In this episode of the podcast, I sit down with airline First Officer and OCB bikini competitor Kait Shaffery to discuss her journey through aviation and fitness. From growing up in a small Arizona town and discovering aviation through her mother’s career as a flight attendant, to earning a seat at a major airline, as well as stepping on a bodybuilding stage, Kait shares the lessons, challenges, and mindset shifts that have helped her succeed. The conversation dives into flight training, instructing, navigating the uncertainty of the COVID-era airline industry, the value of networking and interview preparation, and what it takes to build a successful aviation career. Kait also shares her experience balancing airline life with bodybuilding prep, proving that discipline, planning, and consistency can make even the most ambitious goals achievable. FOLLOW:IG: instagram.com/beentoddYT: youtube.com/@beentoddKait's IG: instagram.com/kaitshaff

  3. Jun 1

    5: My Journey to Becoming a Pilot

    After a four month hiatus from the podcast, I'm back with one of the biggest milestones of my life: officially becoming a licensed private pilot. In this deeply personal episode, I share the full story of my 15 month journey from my first flight lesson to passing my private pilot checkride. I discuss the challenges of balancing a demanding career in IT with flight training, the difficult decision to leave a stable job, and the sacrifices required to pursue a lifelong dream. Listeners will get an inside look at what pilot training actually involves, including the differences between Part 61 and Part 141 flight schools, solo flights, stage checks, simulator training, cross-country flights, and the intense preparation required to earn a pilot certificate. More importantly, this episode is about far more than aviation. It’s a conversation about discipline, delayed gratification, resilience, and what becomes possible when you fully commit yourself to a goal that truly matters. Whether you’re pursuing a pilot certificate, building a business, preparing for a competition, or chasing a dream you’ve held for decades, this episode serves as a reminder that extraordinary achievements are possible when focus, sacrifice, and persistence align. FOLLOW: IG: instagram.com/beentoddYT: youtube.com/@beentodd

  4. Feb 16

    4: From Personal Passion to Community Impact - Building a Highly Successful Fitness Coaching Business | Tyler Fluitt

    This week's episode is another interview episode. My guest this week is Tyler Fluitt, an Austin, TX-based fitness coach and owner of Level Up Physiques. He is an IFBB Professional Bodybuilder in the Men's Physique Division, and has also been my personal bodybuilding coach for the last 3 years. We begin the conversation by discussing how Tyler got his start in the fitness industry, growing up as a skinny kid in Louisiana. We dive into how he began working out and why he got started competing in bodybuilding, culminating in winning his IFBB Pro Card in 2023. We then move on to talking about his fitness coaching business, Level Up Physiques. Tyler shares his journey from bartending at a luxury Austin hotel, to becoming a personal trainer at Gold's Gym, and how that experience led him to building his own online coaching business. Tyler's passion for what he does as a coach is very evident from our conversation. He shares some very insightful information around fitness and why he believes investing in a coach is helpful for people who have a specific fitness goals that they would like to achieve, whether that is to step on stage and compete in a bodybuilding show, or just to look and feel better overall. FOLLOW: IG: instagram.com/beentodd/YT: youtube.com/@beentoddTyler's IG: instagram.com/level_up_physiques/Level Up Physiques Website: https://www.levelupphysiques.com/

  5. Jan 19

    3: Flight School Expectations and Bodybuilding Update

    In this week's solo episode, I discuss my expectations for beginning flight school, as well as provide an update to my bodybuilding journey. Since the college semester begins this week, I outline my expectations for how I expect the semester to unfold, the different ways of accomplishing flight training, and what my future plans may entail in order to expedite my training. I also reveal that my bodybuilding coach and I have selected the first bodybuilding show that I will be competing in this summer, so I share some thoughts on getting ready to begin prep, what my expectations for prep are, and how I plan to balance all of the different life priorities that I will have over these next six months. FOLLOW:IG: instagram.com/beentoddYT: youtube.com/@beentodd

  6. Jan 12

    2: Save Money on Flight Training | Colin Boone

    This week's episode is an interview with Colin Boone: Gulfstream G150 pilot, Gold Seal Flight Instructor, and owner of Flight Sim University, an online flight training platform that teaches student pilots all of the fundamentals of flight training right from the comfort of their own home. The conversation begins by Colin discussing how he developed an initial interest and passion for aviation, then moves into a discussion on his experience flying the Gulfstream G150 and how he found his way into corporate aviation. We spend the rest of the conversation talking about his experience as a flight instructor and why he decided to create his own online flight training platform, and what he hopes it will accomplish now that it has been launched. Colin concludes by offering some advice to aspiring pilots, both in terms of corporate aviation, as well as student pilots who are looking to maximize their training. FOLLOW: IG: instagram.com/beentoddYT: youtube.com/@beentodd Colin's IG: instagram.com/colin_boone_aviation/Flight Sim University Patreon: patreon.com/cw/FlightSimUniversity

  7. Jan 5

    1: A New Chapter

    In this inaugural episode of the podcast, I begin by discussing my inspiration for starting the podcast in the first place. I then move into talking about my journey as both a competitive bodybuilder and student pilot, and how each of those journeys will be the focal points of not only future podcast episodes, but also my life this year. I conclude by issuing a call to action to invite everyone to get uncomfortable this year to finally pursue and make progress towards a goal or desire that they've been chasing in their own lives. FOLLOW: IG: instagram.com/beentoddYT: youtube.com/@beentodd

  • 7 Episodes

About

Join Ben Todd, student pilot and competitive bodybuilder, as he documents the journey from flight training to professional aviation, while pursuing peak physical and mental performance. Each episode of The Performance Pilot dives into the parallels between flying and fitness: discipline, precision, mindset, and continuous improvement. Through personal stories and conversations with industry professionals, Ben explores what it really takes to perform at the highest level — in the cockpit, in the gym, and in life.

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Todd
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Performance Pilot