Midlife Pilot Podcast
Welcome to the Midlife Pilot Podcast, where we share the experiences and the challenges of flying in midlife. Whether you're a seasoned pilot, training for private or instrument ratings, or just thinking about getting started in aviation, we like to think of the podcast as your aviation companion, and your weekly dose of aviation inspiration. Hosted by the dynamic trio of Ben, Brian, and Ted - the show is not instruction - it's all about sharing real stories, personal insights, and the pure joy of spreading your wings in midlife.
Episodes
EP187 - Information Whiskey: Super Scoopers, Springer Mountain & the Bachelorette Bravo
A whiskey episode, the non-format format where we catch up, work the live chat, and let it fly. Ted spots a pair of Canadair Super Scoopers fighting fires over Utah and IDs them on ADS-B in about ten seconds. Brian preps a 4:30 a.m. departure for West Texas to end-around a brutal heat dome, Tango 82 for a couple nights, then Marfa. Ted lays out the fatigue math of flying high for smoother air and
EP186 - Risk It for the Biscuit: The $300 Hamburger
Avgas hit 8.85 a gallon, so the $100 hamburger is now a $300 hamburger, and if you're renting, congratulations, it's a $1,000 hamburger. Brian, Ben, and Ted dig into how midlifers actually keep flying when fuel costs go vertical: pull the power back and trade five knots for four gallons an hour, cast a wide net for a safety pilot to split the cost, chase the cheapest fuel 50 miles out, and
EP185 - Flying the Long Way
You earned the ticket. Now what? Most VFR pilots get their certificate and then spend the next few years doing pattern laps and $100 hamburger runs, never quite working up the nerve for the big trip. There's no checkride for cross-country confidence, so nobody teaches it. This week, Brian, Ben, and Ted dig into everything that happens after your training ends and the open country begins.The gu
EP184 - Information Whiskey: Event Events vs. Non-Event Events
Brian is hiding from CMA Fest, Ben is back from the British Virgin Islands, and Ted has finally sprung the Egg from a two-month annual. Time for an Information Whiskey episode.Brian gets back in the air after his exam binge with a visit to Full Stop Aviation at Union City, where he meets a 1,000 horsepower Reno racer, then executes a strategic family airstrike to the Virginia mountains and reports
EP183 - "What's Time to a Hog?" — Ron Horton, DPE (Part 2 of 2)
If you haven't listened to Episode 182 yet, go back — this conversation picks up about five minutes later. Ron Horton, DPE extraordinaire, returns with the crew to finish what he started: a data-driven, story-rich tour through what actually happens on checkrides, what actually trips people up, and what a lifetime of examining pilots looks like from the other side of the table.In this second ha
EP182 - "What's Time to a Hog?" with DPE Ron Horton (Pt. 1 of 2)
The crew is joined by Charlotte-based Designated Pilot Examiner Ron Horton — 60 years of flying, Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, AOPA Regional Instructor of the Year, and the man responsible for both Brian's and Ben's commercial certificates. Ron comes armed with something most DPEs don't bother with: actual data. Over 500 checkrides' worth of it, color-coded spreadsheets and e
EP181 - Fly Like It's Your Job. Because It Kind Of Is.
Brian's got a shiny new commercial certificate, Ben just logged 25 hours in three days in a flying potato over Florida, and somehow nobody declared an emergency — so naturally, it's time to talk about flying like a professional even when nobody's paying you to. From sterile cockpit discipline to weight and balance on every single flight (yes, everyone), the crew runs through a practica
EP180 - Getting Back in the Training Saddle
Ben is about to climb into a Piper Apache, which our own blog has definitively declared the official airplane of twin-engine Russian roulette, and he's doing the responsible midlife thing: writing down the flows, chair flying in his hotel room until his shoulder gives out, and showing up prepared anyway. Brian is deep in commercial checkride prep mode, synthesizing seven sources of information
EP179 - Information Whiskey: Pimp the Plane or the Pilot, But You Can't Pimp Both
It's Information Whiskey time, and we're only one episode late — which, as Brian would say, is basically on time. Brian's commercial checkride is less than two weeks out, which means Lucy has been getting a workout and the chandelle has chosen violence. Mark crashes the Discord and the podcast in the same evening, Ted is somehow alive despite a brush with man flu, and a listener's
EP178 - Flying Silent: No Engine. No Seat Cushion.
Ted soloed a glider this weekend. He went up at 3,500 feet and came back down at 9,500. Then eventually came back down from that too, but only because his butt hurt. One tow rope, zero engines, four and a half hours, and a metal ballast brick he was apparently sitting on the entire time. Silver badge? Almost. Cushion? Negative.We get into what gliding actually feels like when you come from powered
EP177 - Momentum: The Pudding Skin of Aviation
What do glider tows, five written tests in 32 days, and refusing to go home before a late concert all have in common? Momentum — and the sneaky ways midlife tries to steal it from you.This week Brian, Ben, and Ted dig into what it actually takes to keep the aviation ball rolling when life, annuals, and the sweet relief of finishing something hard are all conspiring against you. From Brian's commer
EP176 - Flying With Pilots, Strangers, and Stranger Pilots
There's nothing more dangerous than a plane full of pilots. A wise man with a Pilatus once told Brian that, and he's been thinking about it ever since. Episode 176 is a deep dive into one of GA's most awkward social puzzles: what do you actually do when you need to evaluate another pilot before you get in the plane with them? And flip side — what should a non-pilot passenger even know
EP175 - Say Again, Slowly: Everything We Wish We Knew About ATC Comms
That little button is not your enemy — but nobody tells you that when you're a student pilot white-knuckling your first radio call. In episode 175, Brian, Ben, and Ted dig into everything they wish someone had told them about ATC before training started. Why "say again" is a superpower and not an admission of failure. How to read back what matters without trying to memorize everythin
EP174 - Information Whiskey: Just Don't Do It. Just Don't Do It.
Ted "puts a ring on" his airplane in the most permanent way possible. A Colorado hotel owner proves that "not a Patreon supporter" and "free advertising" aren't mutually exclusive. We talk IFR currency, what it's like to come back to instrument flying after 20 years of VORs that no longer exist, and why the marine layer off the west coast might be the greatest
EP173 - Certified vs. Experimental - Do You Want to Fly or a Hobby?
You can have a flying machine or you can have a project. Sometimes you get both whether you wanted them or not.This week, 1DullGeek aka Mark lays out why he's leaving the certified world behind and building a TL Sparker — a Czech experimental that burns half the fuel, costs a fraction to maintain, and was designed after his children were adults (unlike the Cherokee 235, which predates his pare
EP172 - Live from Bentonville! The Thaden Invasion Fly-In
Recorded live at Legends Air Center, Bentonville Municipal Airport (KVBT)We pulled it off. Forty-six planes, 76 humans, one carbon cub with a suspiciously placed trim switch, and a weather forecast that went from "perfect VFR" to "tornado watch to snowstorm in 24 hours." Episode 172 is the live recording from the Thaden Invasion fly-in — and it did not disappoint.Ben, Brian, an
EP171 - Bracin' for Thaden with Seth Lake
DPE, airline pilot, C-130 instructor, and VSL Aviation founder Seth Lake drops in from his car outside a North Little Rock hangar to help pilots get ready for the real thing. He previews his enhanced pre-flight safety seminar happening Saturday morning at Thaden Field — think less checklist theater, more popping cowlings and actually looking at stuff — and breaks down the honest threat picture at
EP170 - Information Whiskey: A Nothing Sandwich in the Clouds
An Information Whiskey edition where Ben loses his Sears and Roebuck HSI in the clouds and flies a partial panel ILS into McCollum like it's just another Tuesday, Brian takes his first solo IFR flight and discovers "the tape hiss of saturation" that nobody tells you about, and Ted goes up in an Arrow where the gear lights have a mind of their own. The Thaden Invasion is 12 days out a
EP169 - You Can't Fix the Mind With the Mind - with Gita Brown
Gita Brown came to flying the hard way: through crippling fear, a discovery flight, and one moment where she grabbed the controls and something just flipped. Now she's a student pilot marching toward her checkride, a yoga instructor, a music therapist, and the co-host of the Calm Cockpit Podcast. She also teaches fear-of-flying courses in partnership with Virgin Atlantic, which means she has profe
EP168 - How The Turn Tables... Brian's Turn to Checkride Debrief
You've watched our Patreon community members sit down with 1DullGeek after their checkrides and lay it all bare — the nerves, the near misses, the lessons learned the hard way. Private, instrument, commercial, glider, ATP. We've heard it all.This week, one of us is in that chair.Brian Siskind — your co-host, 800-hour VFR pilot, and the guy who just knocked out five FAA written exams in 32
EP167 - Cockpit Tetris and Mess Management
Episode 167 tackles the challenge of cockpit organization with real solutions from three very different flying setups.Brian's still battling the conspiracy to prevent his instrument checkride (spoiler: UPS trucks and snow banks are involved), while Ted shares wisdom from his Miata-sized cockpit about 3D-printed organizers, strategic cup holder placement, and why everything needs "ONE home
EP166 - Information Whiskey: Flat Tires and IFR Reality Checks
Time to kick back and catch up with the gang in our first "information whiskey" episode of the year. After starting 2026 with our Ultimate Guide series and that marathon session with Dr. Paul Craig, we're taking a breather to hang out, share some flying stories, and tackle your feedback.Ben kicks things off with a tale of terrible timing - how a flat nose tire and an MD-88 pilot who
EP165 - The Killing Zone Returns: Why 50-350 Hours Are Still the Most Dangerous
Aviation legend, educator, instructor, and author Dr. Paul Craig joins the gang to discuss the highly anticipated third edition of The Killing Zone - the book that's basically scripture for midlife pilots everywhere.With new publisher ASA, Paul's back with fresh data from 12,406 general aviation accidents proving that yes, the 50-350 hour zone still has significantly higher accident rates.
EP164 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - Part 3
EP164 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - Part 3: Safety, Community & Your Aviation LegacyThe Ultimate Guide trilogy concludes with safety mindset, community support, and creating your aviation legacy. While Ben dodges Delta jets over Atlanta ("I pulled my throttle - first time I've ever had to slow down for a jet"), Brian demonstrates textbook emergency procedures
EP163 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - Part 2
EP163 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - Part 2: From Dream to CheckridePart 2 of our Ultimate Guide tackles the training ecosystem from CFI selection to checkride reality. While Brian demonstrates "evasive maneuvers" on instrument approaches, the crew covers milestone moments and why your bank account will never forgive you.Key Training Insights:Find a CFI you can "
EP162 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - Part 1
The crew has just released their comprehensive Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - a 23-page PDF packed with community wisdom from hundreds of pilots who started flying at 40, 50, 60, and beyond. Download it FREE at midlifepilotpodcast.com!This is the first episode in a three-part series walking through this game-changing resource that answers the question every aspiring midlife pilot ask
EP161 - Information Whiskey Year End Spectacular
Join the gang as they toast to 2025's greatest hits: Ben earning the coveted "you are a badass MF" landing review from his wife, Brian discovering his Cherokee is indeed "the Toyota Camry of the skies" when loaded with three dudes and camera gear, and Ted conquering his first real Rockies crossings. Plus, the moment we've all been waiting for - The Thaden Invasion is of
EP160 - The Importance of Community
Ben leads the crew through a heartfelt discussion on the power of aviation community, proving that even "internet pilot buddies who are somehow both extremely wise and definitely unsupervised" can create something meaningful together. While Brian emerges from his five-week "gateway drug situation" of nonstop testing (having "forgotten how to function as a normal human bein
EP159 - The Sky Was Angry That Day, My Friend
Like George Costanza pulling a golf ball from a whale's blowhole, Ben emerges from a harrowing 3.5-hour IMC flight through icing conditions with quite the tale to tell. Our intrepid Atlanta pilot finds himself wondering "did I get away with one? This sparks a deep dive into normalization of deviance, expanding personal minimums, and whether Ben just wrote "the first line of his NTSB
EP158 - Dire Pragmatism with Absolute Lunacy
1DullGeek casually announces he's signed a contract for a Czech-built TL Sparker and will spend a month in Prague building it – because apparently "24 cubic feet of cargo space" (more than his compact SUV!) justifies international aircraft construction. The only minor detail? He has absolutely nowhere to hangar this composite beauty that "costs more than his house." Cue the
EP157 - Information Whiskey: A Countable Number of Summers
The spotted cow tradition lives on as the crew discusses building instrument flows (Wendy's "source-morse-course" wisdom), why updating flows is harder than you think (law of primacy), and the great EFB pricing debate (Sky Demon €120 vs ForeFlight $370+ in Europe). Plus: celebrating no-go decisions as bigger accomplishments than completing flights, Ted's minimalist wedding where
EP156 - Checkride Prep Reality Check with CFII Erica Gilbert
Checkride prep reality check with CFII Erica Gilbert! Brian passes his instrument written ("a solid grilled cheese sandwich with slightly better ingredients than Kraft singles"), Ben confesses his multi-engine notice of disapproval after chasing the CDI below the glide slope—then passed two days later—and Erica reveals her 100% initial pass rate secrets: mock orals should be 3-4 hours of
EP155 - “This Guy Never Saw Me" - A Pattern Predicament
Pattern predicament! Discord member Dom shares audio and flysto.net data from a close call at an untowered airport—100 feet of separation, spotty ADS-B, garbled radio calls, and the eternal question: turn right to avoid or stay predictable in the pattern? The non-CFI crew looks at 14 CFR 91.113, Wild West untowered airports, and why sometimes you just need to GTFO. Plus: Thaden Invasion updates, i
EP154 - "You've Got to Find Something Else to Do"
Airplane down! Not a crash—just 65 days and counting of repair purgatory. Special guest 1DullGeek (Mark) joins to talk about what happens when your plane is out of service for months, Keith C's emotional feedback about avoiding aviation altogether, and the reality of airplane ownership. Plus: Brian's IFR long cross-country with C-130s and blown approaches, Ben's icing adventure to Cinc
EP153 - Information Whiskey: "I've Studied My Brain Into a Porridge-Like Consistency"
Information Whiskey strikes again! BIG NEWS: The Thaden Invasion is official—March 13-15, 2026 in Bentonville, Arkansas! Brian confesses his Sheppard Air conversion after weeks of IFR written torture ("The FAA told you to look at figure 71, but you have to memorize it's actually figure 24"), his wife solves compass errors in 8 seconds ("Here, idiot"), and Ted's fuel gau
EP152 - "Into the Wilds of GA": MOSAIC Day Celebrations, Carb Heat Confusion, and Airframe Chaos
("One Fifty Two") Ted celebrates Mosaic Day by breaking free from the "walled garden" of light sport aviation and "soloing" both a purple lightning-bolt Cessna 152 and a 172. As our friend Dominic eloquently writes, sport pilots are now "loose upon the natural wilds of general aviation," discovering that some planes "require you to hold the yoke one-thi
EP151 - 2nd Chances at 46: Motion Sickness, Legacy, and Finding the Right CFI
Listener Chris T. writes in with a powerful story about his WWII pilot grandfather, a 25-year-old discovery flight that ended in motion sickness, and the question: Is it too late to try again at 46? The crew tackles motion sickness remedies, finding the right CFI as a midlifer, and realistic training schedules for busy adults. Plus: Ben celebrates 28 years of marriage ("She's said 'Yo
EP150 - The Garmin 430 Is That Friend Who Peaked in High School
Episode 150! Ben has a hilarious ATC mix-up flying into Nashville at night ("The other controller told me it was two zero...I could hear him laughing in the background"), Ted gets stuck at an abandoned airport for five hours, and the crew dives deep into avionics upgrades. From hoarding Garmin 430s like Beanie Babies to debating engine monitors, this is real talk about the joys (and fina
EP149 - Information Whiskey: Why Does This Plane Smell Like Grandpa?
It's Information Whiskey time - the crew's monthly no-format format where they "chew the fat" and see what happens. Brian accidentally became a Cherokee salesman at an air show ("I turn around, there's basically a queue forming"), Ben's on a night-flying mission to 1,500 hours, and Ted's been landing on Oregon beaches and flying 4,000 feet in ground effect. The guys also get serious about planning
EP148 - Camping on Mount Stupid: A Love Letter to Infrequent Flyers
Listener Chris C sparked this week's conversation with a thoughtful question about infrequent flying: "I have to think there's a whole class of pilots out there like me who just don't get up in the air very often... how I'll probably be camping on Mount Stupid for years at my current rate of flying." The crew dives deep into proficiency, imposter syndrome, and why flying
EP147 - Trip, Fall, Succeed: Chip Away at Your Next Rating
The crew tackles the midlife aviation dilemma: wanting that next rating but lacking time for full commitment. The hosts share Brian's "Trip Fall Succeed method" - making progress through small steps instead of diving headfirst into training.Ben returns from Europe unable to eat American pasta again and explains how multi-engine training feels like "standing in front of a cliff&q
EP146 - The Third Rail of Aviation Discussion
1DullGeek takes the hot seat to defend his controversial lean-of-peak flying technique that left Brian "smiling and nodding while trying to keep up." Using full throttle and mixture control for power management breaks more than just Lord Alpha Juliet's brain - it challenges decades of conventional wisdom. The crew dives deep into the psychology of finding and keeping good A&Ps, f
EP145 - Information Whiskey: Life, Spotted Cow, and Plane Jinxes
Episode 145 brings you "information whiskey" - the crew's loose, conversational format where they step back from their "really tightly wound formatted structure" to catch up on life, flying, and everything in between.Ben confesses to being a "plane jinx" after his multi-engine training gets derailed by yet another 100-hour inspection, while Brian plans an epic des
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
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 acrony
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
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
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
EP139 - MOSAIC for All Pilots: Ted Read 700 Pages So You Don't Have To
The aviation world just got flipped upside down! At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025, the FAA dropped the MOSAIC bomb—the biggest shake-up to general aviation since 2004. Sport pilots can now fly aircraft with stall speeds up to 59 knots, and now have access to four-seat aircraft. But this isn't just about sport pilots—MOSAIC fundamentally reshapes the landscape for ALL pilots.Our friend Ted, who s
EP138 - Cargo Pants Season and $70 Friends: CFII Nathan Ballard Answers Feedback (Ted Live from Oshkosh)
The crew tackles listener Zach R's dilemma about "feeding our souls and starving our wallets" when it comes to aviation passion. Ted broadcasts live from under his airplane wing at Oshkosh (complete with random interruptions from Captain Jeff and the APG crew), while Ben, Brian, and special guest Nathan Ballard brainstorm creative ways to make flying more affordable and fulfilling.Fr
EP137 - OG Chris Returns! Taking Aviation Breaks Without Guilt
After a year-long aviation hiatus, the legend himself returns! Chris Moran, the original midlife pilot who started it all, is back in the cockpit and spilling the raw truth about what happens when life pulls you away from flying. In this emotional reunion episode, Chris delivers the reality check every pilot needs to hear: "I want this to be a joy bringer to my life, not a stress bringer"
EP136 - Information Whiskey: The Tool in the Plane is Us
In this Information Whiskey session, Ben achieves peak midlife status by straining his back loading golf clubs into his airplane, proving that "we are the joke." Meanwhile, Brian gets voice recognized at an FBO after some night flying adventure, and Ted successfully converts his partner from "scrambling for handholds" to enjoying turbulence on flights to Seattle. The crew dives
EP135 - Dehydrated to Perfection with Erica Gilbert
Time for a heat dome intervention. Weather expert and certified mensch/CFII/CSIP Erica Gilbert returns to explain why we're all flying around in "the most expensive tin can you could sit in" and why Brian's brilliant idea of turning a boneyard 152 into a backyard sauna might actually be profitable. Learn why high temperatures make us all like moms telling kids to "get off of
EP134 - CAF Adventures, Heat Domes, and Shredded Tubes
The crew welcomes Dev Cannon, who exemplifies the CAF mission by going from aviation newcomer to Music City Wing Commander in just a few years, leading 70 volunteers in preserving warbird history. Dev explains how the CAF's 19,000 international members keep aviation heritage alive through everything from flyovers at memorial services to introducing kids to aviation, proving that "if you s
EP133 - Ice Bags in Your Nether Regions: Remote Field Breakdown Survival Guide
The guys tackle the inevitable reality of breaking down away from home - and yeah, "you did it to yourself by choosing to take on flying in midlife." They get real about emergency prep: "have a leatherman, have zip ties, have tape" and for the love of all that's holy, "cash is options, cash is flexibility." Brian drops wisdom about proactive maintenance ("we
EP132 - Information Whiskey: Smart Charts and Fish Finders
Ben raves about Garmin Smart Charts as a potential ForeFlight killer, while the gang shares their biggest radio pet peeves - from the dreaded "with you" to "fish finder." Brian explains why his ignition wires "date back to when Jimi Hendrix was an unknown rising guitarist," and they dive into listener feedback about check ride prep (spoiler: don't get "tuned
EP131 - 4% Gain to Go Pants Less - Cross Country Cockpit Organization
The crew tackles long cross-country cockpit organization after Ted's epic 5,400-mile journey reveals that going "pants-free" provides a "4% gain" in performance (wheel pants, people!). From the critical importance of blue shop towels to strategic snack placement and lumbar support, Ben, Brian, and Ted share hard-earned tips for setting up your cockpit for extended flights.
EP130 - Debriefing the Debriefs: Part 2 - Instrument Checkrides
In the compelling conclusion to their check ride series, the Midlife Pilot crew explores instrument rating experiences drawn from their Patreon community. From developing the perfect instrument scan to battling temperamental autopilots and partial-panel approaches, this episode reveals the unique challenges—and profound rewards—of becoming an instrument-rated pilot. Ben, Brian, and Ted unpack esse
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
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
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!"). Whil
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
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 coas
EP124 - Parking: The Episode That Goes Nowhere
Join the Midlife Pilot Podcast crew as they tackle the surprisingly complex world of airport parking that flight schools never teach you. Between Brian's maintenance woes with Lucy, Ted's triumphant return of "the egg" from annual, and preparations for their upcoming Texas fly-in, the hosts share hilarious stories about confusing marshaling signals ("like dance move diagrams
EP123 - The Answer to All Solutions: Level Seven Hangar Living
In this episode, Ben, Brian, and Ted dive into the challenges of finding and maintaining hangar space, or not having one. From ratchet straps (BAD) and tornado warnings (ALSO BAD) to the joys of electricity and the sorrows of cold starts, the guys discuss how far they'd travel for a good hangar and why sometimes your plane becomes 'an outdoor pet.' Plus, updates on Ben's annual mai
EP122 - "I Plan My Stops Around Food" and IFR Training: CFII Erica Gilbert
Join us for special guest Erica Gilbert, a CFII and TBM pilot who brings her expertise on cross-country planning and adult learning to the show. While Ben mourns his grounded "Beast" waiting on engine work, and Mark celebrates his impressive 693-nautical-mile nonstop flight in his upgraded Cherokee 235, Erica shares her refreshing approach to flight planning: "I plan my stops around food." The dis
EP121 - Information Whiskey: Between Patience and Numbness
Join Ben, Brian, and Ted for hangar talk about the joys (and pains) of annual inspections in this episode of the Midlife Pilot Podcast. The guys commiserate over their planes being simultaneously grounded, with Ben's Beast down to five cylinders and showing remarkable "patience" (or is it numbness?). Brian dishes on his new book of aviation essays "Make Small Corrections,"
EP120 - Descending from Mount Stupid: with Paul Craig
For this very special episode we welcome Paul Craig, author of "The Killing Zone," "Be a Better Pilot," and numerous other aviation books including his memoir "Flight Times: Stories from the Second Best Instructor." In this episode, we explore how aviation has evolved since Paul's last book edition, from the rise of electronic flight bags to the Wednesday before T
EP119 - The Cockpit Lies, Data Doesn't: Flysto Debrief
Join Ben, Ted, and special guest Mark (aka 1DullGeek) as they talk Flysto, the flight-tracking app that brutally reveals they're better and worse pilots than they thought. Geek out over landing scores, wind data, and traffic playback that "takes the emotional component out of the debrief" – perfect for analyzing that crosswind landing you swore was perfect (spoiler: it wasn't).Come for the flight
EP118 - All Aboard the Pain Train: The Trials of Aircraft Ownership
"Freedom to go broke." The guys dive deep into the bittersweet reality of aircraft ownership—from the freedom it provides to the unique challenges it presents. Brian compares airplane ownership to marriage, Ted discusses his aversion to suction cups, and Ben reveals he's "fully funded on my pro rata share" of an eventual engine overhaul. They discuss the importance of findi
EP117 - Park Bench vs. Swing Set: The High Wing-Low Wing Showdown
"If you're tired of doing your yoga classes every morning, just buy a low wing." In this episode, the crew kicks off a playful aviation civil war, pitting high-wing and low-wing aircraft against each other. Ben, Brian, and Ted debate the merits of each design, from the hanging sensation of high wings to the "sportiness" of low wings. Plus, updates on the Big Texas Send meet
EP116 - Got Lazy, Not Rusty: Navigating Pattern Entries
Ben shares his unconventional left base entry at Daniel Field, admitting "Rusty is not the right word. Lazy, I think is the right word." This sparks a spirited debate as Brian responds " I'm coming in hot in the other direction here!" Meanwhile, Ted confesses "I just forget how to land" and explains why being "the only VFR pilot out" is "usually not a good sign." The crew discusses proper pattern
EP115 - The $200 Time Machine: Flying GA For Business
From dodging Atlanta traffic to landing sweet courtesy car upgrades (hello, BHM Millionair FBO's Mercedes), Ben breaks down how flying personal aircraft can transform business travel. While Ted needs "a grandmother in every town" thanks to sport pilot restrictions, and Brian ponders partnership puzzles, Ben proves that sometimes the best business tool is a Cessna. "I would pay $
EP114 - "This is a Checklist, Not a Do List" - Hustle and Flow(s)
In this episode, a perfectionist's quest for the perfect checklist leads to an unexpected business acquisition. Barry explains how his journey from "maybe I should get my pilot certificate" turned into owning Checkmate Aviation after his DIY checklist started peeling apart.
Between Ben's tales of impressing passengers with instrument approaches and Brian's near-purchase of a globe-trotting Swift,
EP113 - Information Whiskey: Very Plane Shaped, That's As Far As It Goes
Come for the "sleep-deprived Ballyhoo," stay for the "bowling ball collectors who fly Cherokee 235s." In this episode, the crew reveals their "Ultimate Official Airplane of..." Guide where your aircraft choice might expose you as someone who "lectures about stick and rudder at parties" or "plans flights around Whole Foods locations." Plus, tales of
EP112 - 'Just Doing a Bombing Run Here We Go': Master CFI Nathan Ballard's Military Adventure
When a master CFII/ATP trades right rudder lessons for a seat in an Air Force T-38 Talon, you know it's going to be good. Nathan Ballard expected a polite tour of Sheppard Air Force Base but instead found himself pulling 6Gs during actual bomb runs at 375 knots. While he's up there burning through 4,000 pounds of fuel faster than Ted burns in a year flying his "egg," the Air For
EP111 - It's ALWAYS Fuel (and Never for Skywriting)
"Well honey, the engine's about to stop running..." is NOT a conversation you want to have at 5,000 feet. In this episode full of real-talk about fuel management, our midlife pilots share their close calls and lessons learned. From Ben's accidental "skywriting" performance (thanks to one loose screw) to his sweaty-palms moments watching those notoriously unreliable Cessna fuel gauges, the crew di
EP110 - An Appy Hour Special
Join us for a special Appy Hour episode! We talk aviation apps and tools we love, and some we even know how to use. From the "suspiciously good and free" flight analysis tools that'll keep you up until 4 AM, to website tools that look straight out of the "Angel Fire website" era (rotating fire GIFs not included), we're diving into the digital tools that keep us flying.
Learn why calling that old-
EP109 - Information Whiskey: Dented Wings and Announcing Big Texas Send 2025!
Join the crew as they announce their epic 2025 fly-in at the retro-cool Hangar Hotel in Fredericksburg, Texas! Between planning cross-country routes and debating who gets "shotgun" in Erica's TBM, the hosts share hilarious stories and valuable pilot wisdom. Featuring gems like "I can't tell if I'm being insulted or not" and "What if we just keep flying around until Oshkosh?" Plus, 1DullGeek bravel
EP108 - Trip, Fall, Succeed : When Bad Judgment Makes Good Stories
Ever pushed the wrong button while talking to ATC? Landed on the wrong runway but nailed the landing? Join Ben, Brian, and Ted as they confess their most memorable aviation oopsies and why they still stare at the ceiling some nights thinking about them. From "Roger, I have the weather" moments to getting an earful from ground control, discover why midlife pilots might take their mistakes a bit to
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