Midlife Pilot Podcast

• EP129 - Debriefing the Debriefs: Part 1 - Private Pilot Checkrides

  In this first installment of their two-part check ride series, the Midlife Pilot Podcast crew mines gold from their community's private pilot exam experiences through intimate Patreon debriefs. Ben, Brian, and Ted tackle everything from the anxiety-inducing oral exam (which Ben likens to "walking into the delivery room") to those heart-stopping landing attempts on check ride day. The hosts share candid stories of forgotten keys, unexpected teaching moments, and the surprising feeling when a DPE says "you ought to know you passed." Whether you're contemplating your first lesson or preparing for your own check ride, this episode offers both practical wisdom and the reassurance that even type-A personalities sometimes "completely forget how to land" - and still earn their wings.Join our Patreon for access to all the debriefs, Discord, and much more: www.patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcastMentioned on the show:* Ted's youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@flysport_tedder* GGG - Longview, Texas: https://www.airnav.com/airport/GGG

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• EP128 - Two Bounces and a Skip: Planning vs. Reality

  Join the Midlife Pilot Podcast crew as they return from their epic Texas fly-in adventure with tales of triumph, near-misses, and one unfortunate set of wheel pants. Ted recounts his 28.3-hour post-fly-in journey that somehow went east instead of west ("Look, you can only chase tailwinds for so long"), while Brian shares his VFR limits revelation ("I have now taken VFR flying as far as one can take it"). Ben confesses to "two bounces and a skip" on one of his worst landings in recent memory, and the guys discuss the wisdom of testing boundaries safely: "Go up and have a look, but be fully prepared to land again." Featuring an impossibly flowery listener message that has Brian nearly falling out of his chair, frequent tangents, and what the hosts themselves describe as "an episode that is apparently all appetizers."80V - Airmail Airport, Medicine Bow Wyoming: https://www.airmailaviator.com/4R9 - Dauphin Island, Alabama: https://www.airnav.com/airport/4R9Cap'n Todd flying to the Texas Send: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLQ14WrGWXcFedex fast talking commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeK5ZjtpO-MMicro Machines fast talking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLP6oT3uqV8Avemco- increasing taxi crash rate outside of the Killing Zone: https://www.avemco.com/news-events/pirep-blog/taxiing-one-of-the-first-skills-you-learnedSRB - Upper Cumberland Airport, Sparta Tenn: https://www.airnav.com/airport/SRBPlan continuation bias: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_cost#Plan_continuation_biasTed's Rockies turbulence video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GC-5BnhILUErica Gilbert, May 21, "When Mistakes Happen: The Flight Instructor's Response" https://my.nafimentor.org/events-calendar/mentorlive/mentor-live-92/704Vans RV15 development video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtsJVNx72a4

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• EP127 - Big Texas Send Live from T82: Between Two Wheelpants

  The Midlife Pilot Podcast hosts the Big Texas Send fly in at T82 in Fredericksburg, TX and  lands with a thud (but "didn't dent the runway") at the gorgeous TAC Aero hangar. Ben, Brian, and Ted swap harrowing journey tales involving everything from Brian's "measured scud running" to Ted mysteriously ascending to 15,000 feet in a light sport ("Try a German-engineered plane built in Ukraine!"). While celebrating their adrenaline-junkie passenger Hope flying with Ted and  losing a bird-strike battle with Ted's wheel pants ("Suicidal Sparrow would be a good band name"), the crew raises their glasses to those who made the toughest decision of all—not flying. As Brian says about the fly-in pressure, "We never actually have to fly anywhere, ever...except for this Sunday because we don't have hotels anymore." Between "advanced VFR flying" (which apparently means "leave the day before") and zip-tie engineering miracles, episode 127 captures why aviation friendships are "like meeting family for the first time, except you like them."Locations Mentioned:TAC Aero - Tail wheel training academy at T82 in Fredericksburg, TX ("This is heaven, this is Tail Wheel Academy")Hangar Hotel - Aviation-themed hotel at T82Fredericksburg Brewery - Meetup location for the groupCooper's Barbecue - Lunch spot in LlanoLockhart BBQ - Another BBQ destination visited by attendeesAviation Resources:Checkmate Aviation - Custom checklists offered by Barry (including the upside-down emergency checklist)Freedom Aviation Network - Anti-human trafficking organization supported by the podcastThanks To:Chris and the TAC Aero teamHope from the Hangar Hotel (the adrenaline junkie who survived Ted's wheel pants departure)Erica Gilbert for her weather briefingsRichard (Yankee 88) for his safe no-go decision ("congratulations on not flying here")Mike (Alpha Golf) for his safe no-go decisionLouis for his safe aircraft choice (opting for A/C over his shiny new Carbon Cub)Get Connected:Midlife Pilot Podcast Patreon - Join for $1/month or $12/year ("Friends with Benefits program")Email: [email protected]: midlifepilotpodcast.comLive on YouTube Mondays at 8PM Eastern (or "sometimes in Texas at weird times")Words of Wisdom: "Real pilots use the rudder. Tail wheel pilots worship it."

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• EP126 - Information Whiskey: "Like Oregon Trail Without Dysentery"

  The Midlife Pilot crew prepares for their "Big Texas Send" fly-in at T82 while navigating spring weather challenges. Brian celebrates returning to flying after a 42-day maintenance hiatus, sharing stories of tower tours and smoke-signaling air tractors. Ted plans his epic 1800-mile cross-country journey in his LSA, which Brian dubs "Oregon Trail without dysentery," while guest weather expert and CFII Erica Gilbert offers forecasting wisdom. The show celebrates both those making the journey and those making smart no-go decisions. As all the best GA adventures play out, "This is not going as planned, and it's awesome."Mentioned on the show:* CMD - Cullman Airport, Alabama: https://www.airnav.com/airport/KCMD* Trent Palmer's smoke system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ4ZDpx2ysM* Manifest, 2018 TV series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifest_(TV_series)

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• EP125 - "What Am I Doing?": Extinguishing Helmet Fires Before They Consume You

  When your CFI asks for your name and you respond with "standby" – you're experiencing what pilots call a helmet fire. In this episode, Ben, Brian, and Ted dive into the phenomenon of task saturation that affects pilots at every level, from Ben's instrument approach adventures where he made what sounded like "Charlie Brown's teacher" over the radio, to Ted's coastal flight where turning back was the smartest option. The crew shares practical strategies for extinguishing these cognitive infernos: slowing down both mentally and physically, asking for delay vectors, and constantly thinking ahead by asking "what are the next two things?" They discuss how flying with other pilots can increase pressure, why preparation is critical, and how everyone from students to seasoned pilots can recover when they fall behind the airplane. Plus, updates on the upcoming T82 fly-in (80 attendees, 39 aircraft!), community milestone celebrations, and a reminder that, as Wendell Geek says, "helmet fires are like exercise – they suck in the moment, but in the long run they make you stronger."Mentioned on the show:* VLD - Valdosta Georgia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdosta_Regional_Airport* The Underbelly Project: https://viralart.vandalog.com/read/chapter/the-underbelly-project/* The Towering Inferno: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Towering_Inferno* M02 - Dickson County Airport, Tenn: https://www.airnav.com/airport/M02* the Dixie Dregs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Dregs* L.P. Hartley, The Go-Between, "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there": https://rylandscollections.com/2015/09/19/the-past-is-a-foreign-country-l-p-hartleys-the-go-between/

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