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The Reider Report

The Reider Report

AvBrief.com 13 episodes Oct 29, 2026

The Reider Report brings you real stories told by real pilots. Join host Rob Reider and guests every two weeks as they explore hard-won cockpit experiences and the vital lessons we learn when things don't go as planned. Authentic, collaborative, and educational—this is aviation storytelling for all pilots.

Episodes

Runway or the Highway - Another Engine Out Story
Runway or the Highway - Another Engine Out Story Oct 29, 2026 35:02 Retired air show performer Bill Leff experienced an engine failure on his T-6 Texan just a few miles from Oshkosh. Though he was close to another airport, he had to make a difficult decision: land on Highway 41 or stretch the glide and attempt to land at Fond-Du-Lac. Rob Reider drove to Dayton, Ohio and visited Bill in his hangar to learn the whole story. There’s a YouTube video that show
Save the Plane or Save Yourself
Save the Plane or Save Yourself Oct 15, 2026 42:03 Guest Brian Norris joins host Rob Reider and talks about having an engine failure while ferrying the aerobatic biplane of one of most famous - and greatest - aerobatic air show performers of the last 50 years, Sean D. Tucker. His options were few. Fortunately he was wearing a parachute. But he was flying a one-of-a-kind airplane that was worth saving. Brian shares what happened and what h
The Impossible Turn - Yes or No?
The Impossible Turn - Yes or No? Oct 1, 2026 31:51 A pilot had just launched from Lake Hood, Alaska when, only a few hundred feet above the surface, the engine malfunctioned. He couldn’t land straight ahead because of the frigid Alaskan waters. Further compounding his plight, he was squeezed between Anchorage International and Elmendorf Air Force Base, leaving him no options but to attempt the impossible turn. Jim Gibertoni shares his sto
Not Quite NORDO
Not Quite NORDO Sep 17, 2026 32:35 You might have the latest and greatest in equipment in your airplane but if you can’t transmit audio to ATC, all that cool stuff isn’t particularly useful. It’s what happened to an instrument-rated pilot and his instrument instructor on a cross-country flight. The checklist told them what to do but what if all comms were lost on the reset? Larry Noe describes this dilemma — to reboot or n
A Fire and a Key Fob
A Fire and a Key Fob Sep 3, 2026 52:26 An in-flight fire in a part of a Beech Baron where one would least expect it and the part that a key fob played in the total loss of avionics in a Cirrus SR22 are the stories related in this episode by flight instructor Elliot Danner. He also shares some very valuable lessons to all pilots - whether they’ve got a Baron or a Cirrus.Sponsored by Avemco
A Nearly Failed Ferry Flight
A Nearly Failed Ferry Flight Aug 20, 2026 42:49 Test pilot, retired rocket scientist, and award-winning air show performer Bob Carlton recounts the unforeseen travails of a cross-country ferry flight that brought to life lessons he’d only learned about in ground school. What should have been a leisurely 3-day trip turned into a 2-week odyssey due to severe icing — in VMC, ground fog, and the need for a sick sack.Sponsored by Avemco
Saratoga Surprise
Saratoga Surprise Aug 6, 2026 33:14 A newly-minted, Atlanta-based instrument pilot on a business trip to northern Ohio encountered weather that included unexpected ice accumulation. It caused a loss of control that could have killed him and the five others aboard his Piper Saratoga. Doug Armstrong joins host Rob Reider to share what happened, why it happened, and what he learned from this event.Sponsored by Avemco Insurance
Incorrect Instrument Indications
Incorrect Instrument Indications Jul 16, 2026 39:54 A pilot took off in his Columbia 400 and noticed that the airspeed and altitude numbers looked a little off. He managed to handle the discrepancy during the cruise portion of his flight but when he began his descent, the airspeed indicator said he was in excess of Vne. Things felt right but reconciling the differences were causing some problems. What did he miss?Sponsored by Avemco
Fifteen Thousand Hours and Still Learning
Fifteen Thousand Hours and Still Learning Jul 9, 2026 36:31 It doesn’t matter how many hours you’ve logged — there’s still more aviation you haven’t seen or experienced. Join host Rob Reider and his guest, Mark Blois-Brooke, as Mark tells about a downwind landing attempt, a serious maintenance faux-pas in a Beech Baron, a student who messed up an engine failure test on takeoff nearly killing both aboard, and almost snap-rolling a Lear 45. Still le
Dead Stick and Almost Dead
Dead Stick and Almost Dead Jun 25, 2026 46:40 CFI Dan Bass is today's guest as he relates how he almost lost his life because carbon monoxide poisoning rendered him unconscious as he was returning home from a day-long business trip. He also recounts an engine failure at 14,500 feet, and what he did right—and wrong—in handling this emergency. Both incidents resulted in good outcomes and provide valuable lessons to learn.Sponsored by A
An Arrow and a Stone Wall
An Arrow and a Stone Wall Jun 11, 2026 57:23 A pleasure flight with co-owners of a Piper Arrow nearly turned deadly when the pilot realized he was too low to make a safe landing on an old grass field. But when he initiated the go-around, he heard a loud thump. He looked out at the left wing and the left flap was up! Asymmetrical flaps and a mangled left main gear made the plane nearly impossible to control. Guests Andrew Levison and
Confidence or Complacency?
Confidence or Complacency? May 28, 2026 27:26 Twenty-one year-old Mason Rowe is the guest on this episode. He’s a flight instructor, has about 300 hours in Cessna Citations, and will soon join a major cargo airline to be type-rated in the Boeing 737. He recounts 2 stories of engine issues in a small plane that has caused him to reconsider how much to “trust” any airplane. The lessons learned include a warning about complacency when f

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