Midlife Pilot Podcast

• EP144 - It's Easier to Build an Airplane Than Get My A&P

  1DullGeek drops the bombshell that building beats bureaucracy, while keeping his aircraft shortlist more classified than Area 51 (spoiler: Ted's in on the secret). Brian discovers that flying tailwheel means surrendering all control to achieve actual control, and that Cherokee muscle memory doesn't translate to delicate Cessna 140s. Ben's multi-engine journey continues with nose-diving revelations and the humbling realization that "dead foot, dead engine" logic fails spectacularly under pressure.The crew dives deep into Mosaic's game-changing LSRI certification that's about to turn every EAA chapter into inspection central, while insurance companies lurk in the shadows as aviation's true overlords. Plus, why builder-assist programs range from "comprehensive education" to "glorified observation," and Ted casually flexes 45 nautical miles per gallon because apparently his egg runs on good intentions and Pacific Northwest vibes.Mentioned on the show:Tailwheel CFI Ben Lehman, Drift Aviation: https://www.driftaviation.com/XNX, Music City Executive Airport: https://www.musiccityexecutiveairport.com/skywatch.ai, renters insurance on a daily basis: https://www.skywatch.ai/aircraft-renters-insuranceTransair Flight 810, getting the failed engine wrong and landing in the ocean near Hawaii: https://apnews.com/article/plane-ditches-ocean-hawaii-7ec8d9d33b42ec6b7cefe0ea94aa74b7Ted's video, sunset burger flight up the columbia river gorge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8o4es8puSAMark's video, Climbing Thru a Thin Broken Layer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxxULQhMZ5ECanard Boulevard: Mosaic: The Huge Gift from the FAA for Experimental Owners That Nobody Is Talking About: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS9GY_9-t6cMoonies, aka Unification Church: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unification_ChurchGhost Dog: The Way of the Samurai: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Dog:_The_Way_of_the_SamuraiAng Patriot: https://veloceplanes.com/ang/Porto Risen: https://www.flyrisen.com/TL Sparker: https://tlsportaircraft.com/sparker/Sling TSi: https://slingaircraft.com/aircraft/sling-tsi/Erin & Paul's airplane build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB6X4IZVEXoAviation101 Sling build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8_QRqLhUq0&list=PLZUuXpwtz5yDL3fELSX72zGl6IaTL7usESupport the Show:Join the best midlife pilot community and support the podcast on Patreon, browse our aviation merch collection, send us your feedback, and connect with fellow pilots at ⁠https://midlifepilotpodcast.com⁠. We're grateful for your support in making this the positive aviation community we all love to be part of.

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• EP143 - The IFR Imposters: A False Glide Slope to Aviation Knowledge

  What happens when four pilots discuss IFR ground school and nobody really knows what they're talking about? Episode 143 delivers a chaotic journey through aviation acronyms that'll make you question everything.Ben admits he's "a little nervous" before diving into MOCAs vs ROCAs. Brian, suffering through IFR ground school, says his brain "goes cross-eyed" with acronyms like "M-A-A-M-C-A-M-D-A-M-E-A." Ted drops wisdom about aviation's three knowledge levels: "pass the test, throw away that knowledge."The conversation careens from NDB approaches to Shepherd Air debates, with Wendell Geek explaining the gap between training IFR and actual IFR: "you spend most of your time trying to avoid that."Brian perfectly captures the episode: "This is gonna be the worst episode that we've ever done, because we have nobody that knows what they're talking about." He later calls it "a false glide slope" metaphorically.Join the gang for aviation education that's equal parts informative and terrifying, where approach plates are more confusing than figuring out who actually knows what they're talking about.Ben's wisdom: "It's not real IFR until the sweat soaks your checklist.""This has not been sponsored by the FAA."Mentioned on the show:Erica/Aerosafe IFR course: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/ifrMOCA, OROCA: https://www.flight-insight.com/post/mea-moca-oroca-ifr-altitudes-explainedForeflight expected routes: https://support.foreflight.com/hc/en-us/articles/360054089634-What-are-Expected-Routes-in-ForeFlightSheppard Air- test prep software: https://www.sheppardair.com/Garmin G5: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/570665/Garmin GI275: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/719027/CCO - Newnan-Coweta County Airport: https://www.coweta.ga.us/departments-services/departments-a-e/airportMidlife Pilot Podcast: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@MidlifePilotPodcastPatreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcastDiscord Community (join via website)Freedom Aviation Network: https://freedomaviationnetwork.org

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• EP142 - Poof, You're a Milkshake! - MOSAIC Part Deux: What's Next

  Welcome back to the aviation playground where three guys who "have a podcast and don't know what we're talking about" dive deeper into MOSAIC regulations! After Ted's fan-favorite first episode on the topic, the gang returns to explore what these new rules actually mean for us midlifers - from couch potatoes thinking about learning to fly, to seasoned pilots with 5,000 hours looking to "slow down a little bit."Brian channels his inner skeptic wondering if this will be another case of "big promise, reality chips away at the dream," while Ben ponders the demand vs. supply problem that might keep us all flying antiques forever. Meanwhile, Ted continues to be our "sport pilot extraordinaire" and resident MOSAIC expert, explaining everything from the magic wand theory of medical downgrades to why there are only 75 recreational pilots in America.Plus: Ted makes his debut on VASAviation (and it's not for getting a number to copy!), Brian contemplates bachelorette tunnels vs. airspace tunnels, and we discover that declaring yourself a sport pilot is easier than Michael Scott declaring bankruptcy.Show Notes & Links:Mentioned on the show:Ted on VASAviation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-prIctcva4The Alameda-Weehawken Burrito Tunnel: https://idlewords.com/2007/04/the_alameda_weehawken_burrito_tunnel.htmVideo discussing the tunnel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGGa9drcClIFord's "Model T Moment": https://www.jalopnik.com/1936674/ford-next-model-t-mid-size-ev-truck/Spirit SE-1 airplane: https://spiriteng.com/se-1-aircraft/The Office, "I Declare Bankruptcy": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-m3RtoguAQ#t=65sFAA's Mental Health rule recommendations: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2024/april/03/faa-publishes-mental-health-recommendationsFAA's "arbitary and capricious" antidepresasnt court case: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2025/july/03/court-rules-faa-antidepressant-denial-arbitraryCommunity Updates:William S. - Solo at 16, back flying after 37 years with BFRPatreon survey insights on returning pilotsDiscussion on 25-year gap pilots returning to aviationKey MOSAIC Takeaways:Private pilots can exercise sport pilot privileges by simply letting medical/BasicMed expireSport pilots can now fly larger, more capable aircraftExperimental manufacturers can now build completed aircraft, not just kitsPotential for more affordable avionics and equipment optionsTraining schools may benefit from electric aircraft and more durable LSAsSport Pilot limitations: No night flying, no IFR, two seats maximum in useConnect With Us:Live Show: Monday nights, 8 PM Eastern on YouTubeEmail: [email protected]: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcastDisclaimer: We openly admit we "have a podcast and don't know what we're talking about," so always consult proper sources for regulatory guidance!

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• EP141 - Every Pilot Is Creative Somehow: Tim Lien from Banjo to CNC

  When Tim "Banjo Pilot" Lien's CFI's wife called his sectional chart maps "ugly," he didn't get mad - he got creative. The result? MyAeroGlass - stunning aviation art that actually makes spouses happy (imagine that!). It also is tech-enabled to show us the current weather, because we love VFR green.Tim joins the crew to explore why midlife pilots are secretly makers and artists. From banjo picking to CNC machining, we dive into the creative minds of aviators who "glom onto things and take them way too far." Plus, discover how aviation's discipline actually enhances creativity, and why every pilot is creative whether they realize it or not.As the crew discovers: "We chose this not because it was easy, but because we thought it was easy" - the same mindset that drives both flying and creating.Mentioned on the show:Erica Gilbert's IFR course: https://gilbertaviation.com/Ted's youtube video, "serene mountain flying": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fabgHCyHI81dullgeek's youtube video, "Hand Flying in IMC": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBTlpl8kehoMyAeroGlass: https://www.myaeroglass.com/Ben's youtube video, "Pushing the envelope": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9cvl1LJV1YThe Flow state: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)Kenny G on SocialFlight, "The Jazz of Seaplane Flying with Kenny G": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzJ4g1hVftwCommunity shoutouts: New Patreon supporters Anthony C, Jeff S, Justin GMidlife Pilot Podcast:Website: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcastWatch Live on YouTube - Mondays 8PM EasternEmail: [email protected] Community (via Patreon)Tonight's wisdom: "Flying IFR - where you trade scenery for stress."

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• EP140 - Information Whiskey: Leg Day, Dutch Rolls, and Answering Machines

  Welcome to another Information Whiskey post-maintenance flight where apparently we need more whiskey. Ben's out here doing multi-engine training in a Beechcraft Duchess and discovering that single-engine work is basically "leg day" for pilots. Meanwhile, Brian's back in the air after a month-long hiatus (because life gets in the way when you're a midlife pilot) and Ted's just casually racked up 58 hours flying from Wisconsin to Oregon... by way of Indiana. Because that's totally how geography works. Ben's living his best pleasantly primitive life at flight school, complete with actual answering machines (beep!), carbon copy receipts, and instructors who write everything out by hand.Brian shares his mid-flight training technique: practicing wing-raising with rudder while just "bopping around doing kind of nothing" at 3000 feet, while Ted's been in a quasi-serious relationship with "the egg" for the last 90 days. Community celebrations include our new Hershey Bar level Patreon members Greg T, William S, Joel R, Echo Kilo, Zach R, Matthew P, and Aaron G (thank you!), plus Scott and Mountain Rat Mat crushing their long solo cross-countries. MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:• Northwest Aeronaut aka "Oregon CFI Sam", Dutch rolls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxUwSb40LD4• Spirit aircraft's SE-1: https://flyer.co.uk/spirit-launches-se-1-at-oshkosh-after-ten-years-of-secrecy/• Spirit aircraft website: https://spiriteng.com/se-1-aircraft/• My Cousin Vinny: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Cousin_Vinny• Mike Busch, Ask the A&Ps, on post-maintenance flights: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thats-one-way-to-flat-spot-a-tire/id1527442466?i=1000717363376• Ben's Beechcraft Duchess Multi-Engine Training• Ted's Epic Oshkosh Return Journey (with Chicago skyline detour)• Brian's Mid-Flight Rudder Training Techniques• Community Wins and New Patreon FamilyMIDLIFE PILOT PODCAST:• Website: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com• Patreon Community: https://patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast• Watch Live on YouTube - Mondays 8PM Eastern: https://www.youtube.com/@midlifepilot• Email: [email protected]• Merch Store: https://store.midlifepilotpodcast.com

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