I Learned About Flying From That
This podcast features exclusive interviews with pilots who have shared their emergencies, crises, and mistakes in Flying magazine's iconic series 'I Learned About Flying From That.' Host Carl Valeri relates each tale as told by the author, then catches up with that pilot to answer lingering questions. Each episode provides a gripping firsthand account of aviation incidents and the lessons learned.
Episodes
138. Vacuum Down, Backup On
In Episode 138 of I Learned About Flying From That, host Carl Valeri is joined by flight instructor Gary Palmer to share a harrowing story of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flying. While en route with his wife as a passenger, Gary experienced a vacuum system failure in solid cloud cover. As his primary attitude indicator failed and spatial disorientation set in, Gary had to transition to backup equ
137. Electrical Failure Above the Clouds
In this episode, host Carl Valeri is joined by Eric Crump, Vice President of the Aerospace Center for Excellence, as he recounts a critical situation during a commercial pilot training flight. While flying at night in a Cessna 172RG high above a cloud deck, Eric and his crew smell electrical smoke in the cockpit. With no visible horizon and freezing temperatures threatening rapid ice accumulation
136. Engine Failure in the Pattern
When an explosive engine failure at 900 feet AGL completely covers the windscreen in oil and cuts all electrical power, routine checkride prep suddenly becomes a low-altitude emergency. Flight instructor Mike Pavlik and student pilot Nicolas Kirchner join host Carl Valeri to recount their harrowing Piper PA-28 flight out of Lakeland, Florida. They break down the split-second decisions required to
135. Should We Cross?
In this episode of I Learned About Flying From That, host Carl Valeri is joined by Boeing 777 pilot and aviation attorney Chris Pezalla to recount a challenging flight during the COVID era. After diverting to a Central Florida airport to wait out a storm, Chris faced an unexpected runway incursion while taxiing for departure in wet weather with obscured airport markings. Chris shares how communica
134. Right Airplane, Wrong Airport
What happens when a well-intentioned Flight Instructor lets a rusty student "dig a hole" during a cross-country flight? In this episode, host Carl Valeri is joined by flight instructor, mechanic, and aviation writer Jamie Beckett, who recounts a humbling 1992 New England flight where inadequate planning, misplaced confidence, and misidentified landmarks led to a surprise landing on a U.S. Army hel
133. When the Elevator Freezes
In Episode 133 of I Learned About Flying From That, host Carl Valeri welcomes back airline pilot and aviation attorney Chris Pezalla to discuss a harrowing mechanical failure during a tailwheel checkout flight.
What started as a routine practice session in a Cessna 140 quickly turned into a critical emergency. During climbout in the traffic pattern, Chris and his instructor discovered that the el
132. The Surprise Investigation
Imagine landing your aircraft after a seemingly routine flight, only to find the FAA waiting for you on the ramp. In this special episode of I Learned About Flying From That, host Carl Valeri sits down with commercial pilot Elliot Mintzer to discuss a harrowing experience from early in his PC-12 career. What started as a standard Part 91 contract flight from the Mid-Atlantic to Texas quickly unrav
131. Wake Turbulence and an Unusual Attitude Over Maui
In Episode 131 of I Learned About Flying From That, host Carl Valeri sits down with Leslie Cobble, a seasoned flight instructor and owner of flight schools in Arkansas and Hawaii. What was supposed to be a routine engine break-in flight over the beautiful shores of Maui quickly turned into a terrifying fight for control.
130. The Unintended Cessna 152 Camping Trip
In Episode 130 of I Learned About Flying From That, host Carl Valeri sits down with airline pilot and aviation attorney Chris Pezalla to recount a marathon time-building flight that quickly turned into a damp, late-night lesson in aeronautical decision-making.
Twenty years ago, a 19-year-old Chris and a friend rented a Cessna 152 to fly from Daytona Beach down to Key West. What started as a strai
129. Stuck at Full Power
In episode 129 of I Learned About Flying from That, host Carl Valeri sits down with pilot Christy De La Torre and flight instructor Mac Bradley to unpack a routine instructional flight that quickly escalated into a real-world emergency.
During a cross-country check ride preparation flight from Wiley Post to Wichita Falls, Texas, Christy and Mac were practicing pattern work when a critical mechani
128. Blinded by Oil
In Episode 128 of I Learned About Flying From That, host Carl Valeri welcomes Bill English, a veteran pilot, flight instructor, and former NTSB accident investigator with over 40 years of aviation experience.
Bill recounts a harrowing situation while flying a Cessna 172 that had just undergone a major engine overhaul. Setting out on a cross-country training flight with two CFI trainees, the crew
127. The Blue Button Lifesaver
In this episode of I Learned About Flying From That, host Carl Valeri sits down with pilot David Segel to discuss a seemingly routine night flight that quickly turned into a harrowing lesson in survival.
While attempting to regain his night currency at Alpine Airpark in Wyoming, David took off expecting a bright, full-moon lit sky to safely illuminate the surrounding 10,000-foot peaks. Instead, m
126. Slipping on the Slope of Safety
In this episode of I Learned About Flying From That, host Carl Valeri sits down with veteran pilot Richard Sheffield to recount a harrowing incident from his early flying days in Texas.
What started as a routine solo flight in an Aeronca Champ turned into a desperate struggle for control on a gravel ramp. Richard shares the terrifying moment his engine surged during a solo hand-prop start, sendin
125. Surviving the "Impossible Turn" at Night
What would you do if you lost your engine in the dark, less than 500 feet off the ground? In Episode 125, Carl Valeri speaks with Shreya Verma, a commercial pilot and CFI with over 2,000 hours of flight time. Originally from Nepal, Shreya shares her journey into aviation and the most intense 40 seconds of her career.
While conducting night takeoffs and landings with a student in DeLand, Florida,
124. Is This A Parking Lot Or A Runway?
In Episode 124 of I Learned About Flying From That, host Carl Valeri is joined by Dan George, founder and Chief Instructor at FlightInsight. Dan shares a startling story from his early days as a CFII flying in actual Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). While shooting the RNAV approach into Maryland’s challenging Freeway Airport (W00) with a student, a perfect storm of factors—an offset app
123. Engine Failure at FL230
In episode 123 of "I Learned About Flying From That," host Carl Valeri sits down with pilot James McDiarmid to discuss a dream cross-country flight that quickly turned into a terrifying emergency.
Cruising at 23,000 feet in his Mooney Acclaim en route from the UK to Italy, James was enjoying a smooth ride—until the engine unexpectedly quit cold over Brussels. Faced with freezing temperatures and
122. Flying High and Landing Low
In this episode of the I Learned About Flying From That podcast, host Carl Valeri welcomes guest Tom Frink to discuss his firsthand experience with an in-flight engine failure that forced him to land on a busy Florida highway.
Frink, an experienced flight instructor, recounts the moments leading up to the incident, his training and decision-making process, and the aftermath of the successful emer
121. Heidi Porch
In this episode of the I Learned About Flying From This podcast, host Rob Reider interviews Heidi Porch, a retired airline pilot who survived a harrowing emergency landing in the Pacific Ocean. For a pilot who admitted a lifelong fear of swimming, Heidi details the technical and psychological challenges of ditching a Cessna 182 during a ferry flight from California to New Zealand in 1984.
120. Kevin Winder
In this episode, host Rob Reider speaks with Kevin Winder, a veterinarian and pilot from Alberta, Canada, who experienced every pilot's nightmare: a total engine failure during a routine cross-country flight.
Jim Desmond
Former Army helicopter pilot and fixed-wing aviator Jim Desmond returns to I Learned About Flying From That to share a harrowing story from March 1973. While attempting a flight from Fort Riley, Kansas, to Colorado Springs, Jim fell victim to a severe case of "get-there-itis."
118. Dave Spreanza
Spatial disorientation accounts for less than 10% of fixed wing GA accidents; but among those, the fatality rate is 90% - a horrible statistic that hasn’t declined in the past two decades even with significant advancements in avionics. Host Rob Reider chats with Dave Speranza, who at the time was a non-instrument-rated pilot who inadvertently found himself in IMC. He’ll share how it affected him a
117. Kevin Reick
A “time-saver” offered by ATC might not have been a good idea for the pilot and his wife en route to the Bahamas, putting them farther over water than they’d like and into weather they didn’t expect. Instrument-rated private pilot Kevin Reick shares that story with host, Rob Reider, and another from his instrument instruction when the cockpit got as dark as the night sky they were flying in.
Sp
116. J.J. Madison
If you’ve ever “busted an altitude, inadvertently gone into a restricted area or other controlled airspace or something else that could get you in trouble with the FAA, they’ve offered an “out.” It’s the FAA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System and it could save you some heartburn. It’s more commonly known as the NASA report - if you’re not familiar with it, this episode of ILAFFT will be an eye-ope
115. When to Trust Your Feelings
As pilots, we’re taught to trust our instruments - trusting our feelings can lead to problems. But in an airplane you know very well, if there’s a strange sound or vibration, trusting your feelings might be the right thing to do. One pilot, experiencing this situation, convinced an A&P mechanic to double check a recently completed repair. What he found was a botched job that could have resulted in
114. ATC: service provider or life-saver
VFR Traffic Advisories, also known as “flight following,” is a service that is provided by ATC, workload permitting. But it can also be a life saver. In today’s episode, we’ll hear how controllers assisted a pilot who needed help when his engine started running very roughly and he began to lose altitude over terrain that was not at all conducive for a forced landing. The pilot was grateful for the
113. RODE Hard and Put Away Wet
Join Rob Reider on episode 113 of Flying Magazine's I Learned About Flying from That podcast as we meet a pilot who, fresh off earning his commercial certificate, accepted his very first flight for hire: ferrying an early, "very ragged" Cessna 150 from Connecticut to Florida. What seemed like a straightforward job quickly devolved into a tale of significant lapses in aeronautical decision-making.
112. Right Pavement, Wrong Direction
Join host Rob Reider for episode 112 of I Learned About Flying From That with John Price, who, nearly 40 years ago, embarked on his first solo flight into Class C airspace as a student pilot. This cross-country journey became an indelible experience, despite challenging conditions like clouds, an unfamiliar airport, and situational confusion. Though family finances prevented John from earning his
111. The Gusty Bow and the Prop Strike
Join host Rob Reider in Episode 111 of I Learned About Flying From That, featuring acclaimed air show pilot Anna Serbinenko, the "sky dancer". Anna recounts a harrowing incident during her Canadian Arctic Aviation Tour in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. After a successful performance, her routine post-landing 360-degree bow with air show smoke turned into an "oh sh*t moment" due to gusty, shifting wi
110. Against the Odds: A VFR Flight Story
Host Rob Reider interviews Pete Egan from Ireland about a harrowing flight. Pete was in the backseat of a plane not certified for instrument flight, scud running along the River Shannon from an airport near Dublin to Limerick. Despite a weather briefing recommending against VFR flight and the departing airport reporting less than VFR minimums, they took off. What they almost encountered could have
109. A Pilot's Swiss Cheese Moment
In I Learned About Flying from That, Episode 109, host Rob Ryder features experienced pilot Mark Brooke, who recounts a harrowing incident from August 1979 during his air taxi days, when a seemingly easy flight from a grass field near London to Leeds became a "nailbiter". Mark, then an instructor building hours for his commercial license, faced a series of converging "holes in the Swiss cheese lin
108. Density Altitude and Unexpected Clouds
Welcome to episode 108 of Flying Magazine's I Learned About Flying From That podcast, featuring Jose Acevedo, a private pilot and military aircraft mechanic stationed at Travis Air Force Base, who holds high performance, complex, and commercial ratings despite a "circuitous route" to his private pilot ticket due to military deployments and training inconsistencies. Jose shares two critical "I Lear
107. The Seat Sled Incident
In this episode of Flying Magazine's I learned about flying from that podcast, host Rob Reider speaks with Tom Bevard about a terrifying in-flight incident in his Cessna 140, which had been modified with Cessna 150 seats. Tom recounts how his adjustable pilot's seat, despite a pre-flight check, slid to the full aft position during takeoff just as he was about to rotate, causing the aircraft to sho
106. The Stuck Stick Glider Emergency with Terry Fagg
In this episode of I Learned About Flying From That, host Rob Reider speaks with Terry Fagg from Queensland, Australia, who shares a compelling story about a significant equipment failure during a solo glider flight in 1979. Terry was just 15 years old at the time, with about 30 total flying hours.
He was flying an ASW15, a high-performance competition glider known for being state-of-the-art but
105. Engine Failure in IMC
In this episode of Flying Magazine's "I learned about flying from that" podcast, host Rob Reider speaks with Tim Kurrek about a truly challenging incident that occurred over 20 years ago. Tim, a longtime instructor with extensive tailwheel and glider experience, was on what should have been a routine flight in IMC in his trusted Cessna 180 when the engine suddenly and unexpectedly quit. With no au
104. A Near-Disaster Hidden in a Familiar Thump
What sounds inconsequential on the ground can turn deadly in the air. Join Rob Reider on this episode of "I Learned About Flying From That" as he speaks with Philip Harris. Philip recounts a seemingly ordinary taxi out in his Rans S6 with his father, where a familiar thump masked a potentially catastrophic propeller strike. Discover how a post-flight inspection revealed the terrifying truth: a sev
103. Checklists of Baron and Bernoulli
Organization is important in every facet of life, especially in aviation. It's why we have checklists, and breaking the flow of those procedures can be hazardous to your health. While preparing for a casual flight to play golf, Dr. Baron Hamman deviated from his preflight routine to call his brother, inadvertently skipping the step of securely latching the aircraft door. Hear what happened in this
102. Geese Shatter Night Calm
A bird strike is a possibility that every pilot has to face, and they happen so quickly it's generally up to the bird to do the avoidance maneuver. In this episode, we'll meet two people who were literally inches from losing their lives when not one but two geese hit their airplane in the dark of night at an altitude of about 3,000 feet. Hear their harrowing story and how quick actions prevented t
101. From Fighter Pilot to YouTube Analyst
The internet and rise of social media have been a boon for so many around the world. But when there's a disaster, particularly one that involves an airplane, so-called experts are often quick to speculate about the cause and place blame. But there are few people out there whose reporting puts accuracy ahead of the need to be first with a story. Today, we'll meet “Hoover” from Pilot Debrief, a YouT
100. The Anniversary Show
In this special 100th episode celebration of the ILAFFT podcast, Lisa DeFrees shares her insights and experiences from behind the scenes. We’ll take a nostalgic journey through our Top 10 favorite stories that captivated listeners over the past five years. Each tale resonates with the spirit of flying—be it the thrill of piloting, the challenges faced in the air, or the stories that connect us to
99. Right Field, Wrong Pavement
Have you ever had problems locating an airport even from a few miles away? Altitude, sun angles, haze, and unfamiliarity with the airport can cause problems. And then there's the issue of which runway you should use. A VFR pilot in a Cessna 182 had a problem locating the field and the right runway and found himself very close to another airplane on approach to the correct runway. Hear what happene
98. Fire and Ice
There's a phrase used when talking about aircraft incidents that has become popular: “The holes in the Swiss cheese lined up.” And it happened to two pilots who encountered weather that almost brought them down … but not in a way one would expect. Snow-clogged engines, a cigarette lighter, differential pressures—the holes lined up. For the first time, Bob Rutherford shares the full story of what h
97. Double Trouble
Kevin Capozzi was the proud owner of a pressurized Cessna 337 Skymaster. He flew it a lot and knew its strengths and even its quirks, like fuel gauges that weren't always trustworthy. But he knew the fuel burn and meticulously kept track of it. So when both engines stopped almost simultaneously, the cause was a mystery. Hear what happened in this episode.
96. When One Door Opens
On an airliner, one of the flight attendants has the responsibility to make sure the boarding door is closed and locked for the flight. On some much smaller airlines, it's the first officer's job. So what happens if it opens on its own at 8,000 feet? It's a potentially deadly situation for the plane and passengers, and it happened to today’s guest, Lori Cline. Hear her remarkable story.
95. An Accidental Incident
Consider this scenario. You're a pilot who has a medical issue that prevents you from being PIC in your own airplane. And as you're waiting for the reinstatement of your medical, you enlist the help of a friend to sit in the right seat, the real PIC, so you can stay proficient even though you can't log it. But what if there's an incident? Who is responsible: you or the buddy in the copilot's seat?
94. Left with Few Options
A ride in a Mustang ignited a dream for Don Wykoff, and he followed that dream into the Air Force, becoming an instructor pilot — an IP — before moving on to Vipers. And in the Air Force, even an instructor has an instructor. So when he and another IP flew together on a long cross-country, and when the weather went below minimums at their destination, get-there-itis left them with few options.
93. The Tale of the Obstinate Alternator
On a vacation trip with his wife in their Cherokee Arrow, FLYING Magazine columnist Les Abend experienced the dreaded zero charge indication on his panel. He was VFR on top and would have to fly into the clouds to get to an airport. Would his battery have enough juice to keep the panel going? What happened? And why did it happen again on the same trip?
92. Staring Down a Storm
Aviation is full of acronyms. And over the years, many have been forgotten because of great strides in technology. NDB, MLS, PAR, GCA, even VOR are gone or going away. FSS is seldom used because of the availability of ADS-B weather that can be viewed on an iPad. But in 1979, not having that technology almost cost the life of a pilot.
91. A Student Pilot and a Crowded Pattern
NOTAMs are important. And as student pilots, we're taught to check them thoroughly before every flight. Even at our home airports things can change quickly, and NOTAMs can affect flight-planning decisions. But when one student pilot had to land at a different airport and then finally headed home, the pattern was very full. Was there a NOTAM for this congestion? Find out on this episode.
90. Incapacitation in the Cockpit
How well do you know the people you fly with? In corporate flight departments, you get to know the other pilots pretty well, but in the airline world, crews often meet for the first time only hours before a flight. And it’s difficult to know if the other crew member is a good stick, or even if the person is in good physical condition. On this episode, the lack of familiarity with an FO's health le
89. Full Feather in the Amazon
A pilot reacted quickly after the airplane he was flying went into full feather over the Amazon. The outcome was positive, but did he do the right thing?
88. Smoke in the Cockpit
After an annual inspection, condition inspection, or even an oil change, the airplane needs to be flown to make sure it’s operating at 100%. And if you’re the owner, you’ve got to do that flying. One pilot did a simple check after factory maintenance, but on his way home, he got a surprise: smoke in the cockpit.
87. Putting Down Over the Pacific
This week is an amazing tale of a pilot doing something most would never want to do: ferry an airplane across an ocean. Meet the pilot, who in an unfamiliar plane, was forced to put it down in the Pacific and hear what he learned from the experience.
86. Engine Failure in a Stearman
Dr. Stan Markus is an owner and lover of antique aircraft. And when the engine quit on his Stearman, away from his home airport, he only had a few seconds to find a suitable landing field that would not be a hazard to those on the ground, himself, or his airplane.
85. Trust But Verify
A recent equipment upgrade created an erroneous incompatibility with fuel flow sensing for pilot and social media influencer Kay Hall. Hear how it unfolded in this episode.
84. Views From the Cockpit and the Console
Landing in a parking lot on a private pilot checkride provides a powerful lesson in preparation and humility. Dave Schoen shares a story from his student pilot days.
83. ‘I’m Unable to Maintain Altitude’
Joey and Rachel Brown give their Cessna 150 a workout flying from California to Florida and back. It was all good until the final leg, when headwinds and downdrafts exceeded aircraft performance and they were no longer able to maintain altitude (even in a climb configuration). Fortunately, avoiding get-home-itis made for a happy ending.
82. Relying on Plan C
Flying is unforgiving, soaring even less so. Hear how glider pilot Bob Katz turned a loss of lift out of range of his airport into a picture perfect off airfield landing on a golf course after his Plan A and Plan B didn't work out. But good outcomes of unplanned situations don't happen by chance, every flight is an opportunity to rehearse a "what if" scenario.
81. Personal Minimums, Proficiency, Prudence, and Panic
A low time instrument pilot launches into IMC with a gradually failing vacuum pump and learns a lesson about proficiency and instrument cross-checking. The wisdom to invite another pilot along as a second set of eyes in the cockpit likely changed the outcome of this lesson.
80. Trim Tabs on a Baron
British pilot Mark Brooke has flown many different airplanes, from light singles and 727s for DHL to the Dassault Falcon 7X and even a Bucker Jungmeister. Hear how he handled a maintenance faux pas in a Beech Baron and his own faux pas on a downwind landing in a Tiger Moth.
79. Severe Turbulence
Turbulence and windshear drove CFII Anna Serbinenko and her
students to attempt a difficult diversion. Then, a search and rescue crew runs into trouble when they decide to push for their home airport following a hydraulic failure.
78. The Impossible Turn
With a failing engine and unforgiving terrain all around, flight instructor Mark Henshall had a decision to make about whether or not to turn back to the runway. Also, picking up a mayday from a fellow pilot comes to a difficult end only to be followed by a surprising revelation.
77. Sleeping on the Job
Finding the right teacher can be complicated, but when a flight instructor falls asleep on a student’s first-ever lesson it raises red flags. Also, low visibility and a failure to communicate lead to a head-to-head close call in the pattern.
76. Disoriented in the Dark
A pilot faces an instrument failure in the clouds and recalls how a decision to head home in the dark—despite having never flown at night—led to a harrowing experience in the pattern.
75. Approach Into the Trees
Experienced pilot Al Hewitt was proficient, current, and ready to go for a short IFR trip he’d made many times before, but when he broke out of the clouds on a familiar approach nothing was as expected.
74. Build Time-itis
Wanting to build flight time and under pressure from another pilot, a young aviator decided to take a jump plane up for one last flight in spite of dangerously low fuel indications and the approaching sunset.
73. The Hazard You Can't See
During a night proficiency flight, a pilot was practicing partial panel IFR when he had an emergency he did not expect.
72. NORDO Near DC
Pilot Victor Vogel was left with only a flashlight and a pencil following a total electrical system failure in his Beech Sierra—and he was headed straight for the nation's capital region.
71. A Fuelish Assumption
Pilot Scott Tomlinson hopped into his RV-6, ready to take his girlfriend on a flying date to Ocracoke Island. But a skipped part of the preflight just about ruined their day together.
70. Respond or React?
An Air Force Warthog pilot suffered an engine failure during a training mission, but was his course of action the right one?
69. Making It Make Sense
Pilot Charles Turner witnessed an accident and tried to save one of the occupants. It took him 20 years to share the story, and where it led him.
68. Hidden Hazard
Sometimes we conduct a careful preflight, and we still don’t find everything that might go wrong under the cowl. This Bonanza pilot discovered fuel all over the engine—after returning to the airport.
67. What Is that Smell?
A pilot practicing aerobatics nearly lost a critical part of the airframe of his project Pitts S-1, a problem that couldn't be found during preflight.
66. Treat It Like an Engine Failure
Instructor Josh Harnagel acquired a Beech B36TC Bonanza and was flying on a work trip when the turbocharger failed, leading to an off-airport landing.
65. A Freight Dog's Icing Lessons
Pilot and instructor Doug Rozendaal recounts stories of flying the Douglas DC-3, Beech 18, and Cessna 402 across the upper Midwest for a freight operation—and key lessons on avoiding or mitigating icing encounters..
64. Wire Strike
An expert pilot in the airshow and movie business recalls a shoot in Hawaii when a trio of cables appeared where they had not been before, and almost killed him.
63. Twice the Ice
A former flight test pilot for the U.S. Navy had two encounters with icing--in a Piper Seneca and in an Aero Commander--that he'll never forget.
62. Procedural Issues
A former Air Force pilot was taught to always follow the procedures—but a foray into weather almost cost him his life as a student.
61. Callsign SAM
Helping a cousin get to college orientation turned exciting for pilot Ford von Weise, and the ensuing emergency caused a VIP aircraft to break off its approach.
60. Impromptu Landing at JFK
Pilot Tom Hill heard a loud bang and saw something fly off of the front end of his 1974 Cessna 210, and the closest runway was at one of the busiest airports in the U.S.
59. The Misinterpreted Meter
Pilot Ryan Worley suffered an electrical system problem in the Cessna 172 he was flying, exacerbated by the fact the ammeter wasn't working to clue him into the issue.
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