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PODCAST

Midlife Pilot Podcast

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

leisure aviation

All Episodes

01:01:40

EP177 - Momentum: The Pudding Skin of Aviation

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/04/21

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 commercial training comeback to Ted's sun-toasted glider adventures to Ben's Sun 'n Fun barrel-roll-adjacent

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01:00:08

EP176 - Flying With Pilots, Strangers, and Stranger...

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/04/14

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 to ask before trusting their life to someone with a certificate and a Cessna?Also: Ted went flying with

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01:01:53

EP175 - Say Again, Slowly: Everything We Wish We Knew...

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/04/07

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 everything the controller just said. Why knowing who you're talking to — ground, tower, approach, center —

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00:52:04

EP174 - Information Whiskey: Just Don't Do It. Just...

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/03/31

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 IFR playground on earth. A 56-year-old gets his ticket back, another gets his for the first time, and

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01:08:47

EP173 - Certified vs. Experimental - Do You Want to...

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/03/24

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 parents). Brian is staying in the museum business for now, flying a 1967 Cherokee 180 and embracing his

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00:56:33

EP172 - Live from Bentonville! The Thaden Invasion...

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/03/16

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, and 1DullGeek filling in for Ted who attempted to get here from Portland via Delta and was defeated by the

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01:17:03

EP171 - Bracin' for Thaden with Seth Lake

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/03/10

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 a busy uncontrolled airport: why flight following isn't optional, why calling traffic "in

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01:17:54

EP170 - Information Whiskey: A Nothing Sandwich in...

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/03/03

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 and the weather looks terrible — which is exactly how we want it. Listener emails from a student pilot in

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01:09:28

EP169 - You Can't Fix the Mind With the Mind - with...

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/02/24

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 professionally helped hundreds of people do the thing she herself was terrified to do two years ago. She

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01:02:23

EP168 - How The Turn Tables... Brian's Turn to...

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/02/18

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 days — just passed his instrument rating. Ben and Ted give him the questions 1DG usually asks, and the

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01:06:48

EP167 - Cockpit Tetris and Mess Management

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/02/10

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." Ben discovers that big game hunting expos are surprisingly good aviation networking venues.From

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01:03:18

EP166 - Information Whiskey: Flat Tires and IFR...

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/02/03

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 was "stuck" (but not really stuck) turned a simple night cross-country into an evening of

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01:48:16

EP165 - The Killing Zone Returns: Why 50-350 Hours...

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/01/27

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.We dive deep into his data-driven approach to accident analysis, explore how technology is creating

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01:06:17

EP164 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife...

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/01/20

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 after his engine starts shaking violently on takeoff: "I didn't pull all the power, I just

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00:59:34

EP163 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife...

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/01/14

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 "poorly do things" with - you're the boss, they work for youFirst solo memory outlasts

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01:01:06

EP162 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife...

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2026/01/06

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 asks: "How do I actually get started?" No more scattered advice - this is your roadmap from dream

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01:08:06

EP161 - Information Whiskey Year End Spectacular

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2025/12/31

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 officially happening March 13-15, 2026 in Bentonville, Arkansas!Expect the usual "personal

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01:01:41

EP160 - The Importance of Community

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2025/12/24

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 being"), the episode explores how pilot communities support each other through the challenges of

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01:05:38

EP159 - The Sky Was Angry That Day, My Friend

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2025/12/16

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 report."Brian continues his quest to become qualified to "give bad information for small

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00:59:42

EP158 - Dire Pragmatism with Absolute Lunacy

Midlife Pilot Podcast ·

2025/12/09

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 deep dive into "Hangar Hell" – where waiting lists stretch to 2038, car detailing businesses

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179 results

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