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PODCAST

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s

Sporty"s Pilot Shop

Pilot"s Discretion brings you authentic conversations with some of aviation"s most interesting people. From honest discussions about flight training to fascinating stories from airshow pilots, this podcast is for anyone who loves to fly. Stay tuned for our rapid-fire "ready to copy" segment at the end of every episode, where we go beyond the cliches to find out what each guest really thinks. Brought to you by Sporty"s Pilot Shop, training and equipping pilots worldwide since 1961. Have a comment

leisure aviation

All Episodes

00:37:55

74. Electric airplanes, drone delivery, and personal...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2024/03/26

New aerospace businesses seem to be launching every month, including electric ultralights, eVTOL air taxis, drone delivery services, and private space flight. As a longtime pilot and venture capitalist, Ben Marcus is the perfect person to sort through the hype. He explains which business models will work first, why Walmart is finding success with drone delivery, and what benefits GA pilots might see as a result of this investment boom. Ben also founded JetAviva, a popular airplane broker, so he

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00:50:51

73. Flying a vintage airplane across the country,...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2024/03/12

A spur-of-the-moment airplane purchase presented David Tulis with the adventure of a lifetime: flying a 1953 Tri-Pacer across the country. He tells the story of this fun and challenging trip in this episode, including what it was like to cross the Rockies with a 135-horsepower engine, the value of mentors, and the appeal of vintage airplanes. David is also a highly accomplished photographer, so he explains why photos still matter in a world of videos and offers some practical tips for taking better

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00:37:41

72. Why most airports are poorly managed, with Mike...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2024/02/27

Airports are missing out on $35 billion in economic impact because they're not well run - that's according to pilot and airport management expert Michael Jones. He explains the cause of this underperformance and why the structure of an airport management team is so important. Mike is also a longtime Cessna 210 owner, so he shares stories about this do-everything piston single, including the time he took one to 27,000 feet. In the Ready to Copy segment you'll hear tips for successful

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00:36:44

71. IFR proficiency and remote flight instruction,...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2024/02/13

Earning an instrument rating can unlock new flying adventures, but only if you keep your skills sharp. In this episode, CFII Ryan Koch offers some tips for doing that, including: staying mentally engaged when you can’t fly, using scenarios instead of maneuvers, and simple techniques for improving your instrument scan. Ryan also talks about delivering remote flight instruction with flight simulators, including for avionics training and high school classes. In the Ready to Copy segment, you’ll hear

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00:32:16

70. How musicians and pilots are similar, with Randy...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2024/01/30

When you go on tour with Frank Sinatra at age 21, it’s hard to be intimidated—so it’s no surprise Randy Waldman jumped into the exciting world of helicopters with both feet. In this episode he shares his unique aviation journey, from model airplanes to owning a Mooney to setting a speed record in a Bell OH-58. As one of LA’s most experienced studio musicians and an active helicopter CFI, Randy talks about the similarities between music and flying, including how pilots can develop feel, whether

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00:33:37

69. Engine failure lessons and flight simulator tips,...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2024/01/16

On his way to Sun ’n Fun 2023, the engine on Josh Harnagel’s Bonanza quit, leading to a forced landing in a cow pasture. While no one was hurt, Josh learned a lot from this harrowing experience. He shares those lessons in this episode, including why partial engine failures are hard to diagnose, why hope can kill you in an emergency, and what he has changed about his habits since the incident. Josh works at Redbird, so he also offers plenty of practical tips for using flight simulators to maintain

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00:39:23

68. Business aviation trends and new technology, with...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2024/01/02

How much of the recent boom in private aviation will last now that the pandemic is over? Aviation analyst Brian Foley says about 10%, which is good for the industry but not enough to sustain some overly optimistic business models. In this episode, he talks about the current state of the market, the fate of Wheels Up, and Cirrus Aircraft’s plan to go public. Brian is also getting current as a pilot after 15 years, and he offers some realistic advice for other rusty pilots. In the Ready to Copy

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00:46:23

67. Year in review, with John Zimmerman and Rob Reider

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2023/12/19

In this special year-end episode, host John Zimmerman sits down with producer Rob Reider for a behind-the-scenes look at Pilot’s Discretion. They talk about what traits make for a good guest, the two rules for podcast hosts, and tips for getting better audio. You’ll also learn the most popular Pilot’s Discretion episodes of 2023, what John and Rob’s favorite episodes are, and what lessons they have learned about flying after 66 interviews. In the back-and-forth Ready to Copy segment, they share the

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00:38:25

66. Flying like a pro in a Boeing and a Bonanza, with...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2023/12/05

From F-16 to 737 to Citation to Bonanza, Don Wykoff has flown a lot of different airplanes in his 50-year flying career. In this episode he explains how he stayed safe by approaching every flight with professionalism, using checklists the right way, and building training into simple trips. He also talks about losing the engine in his F-16, why pilot rest rules matter, and how to transition back to GA after a career flying jets. In the Ready to Copy segment, Don explains why he doesn’t like the GUMPS

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00:39:03

65. Why learning to fly can be lonely, with Patrick...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2023/11/21

After a lifetime of riding on airplanes, economist Patrick Chovanec decided to learn how to fly them. In this episode, he explains how a combination of Covid-19 and Microsoft Flight Simulator started him on a path to earning his Private Pilot certificate, and what he learned along the way. He explains how flight training can be lonely, why modern flight simulators are much more than a game now, and why airplanes are so expensive. In the Ready to Copy segment, Patrick shares the biggest myth in

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00:41:24

64. Safety lessons learned at the NTSB, with Robert...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2023/11/07

The point of an accident investigation is “to find out what happened, so that we can prevent it from happening again,” says longtime airline pilot and former NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt. He shares what he's learned after decades of working this process, including: how pilots should read an NTSB report, why flight path monitoring matters, what professionalism means for GA pilots, and how flight data monitoring can improve safety. In the Ready to Copy segment, Robert talks about landmark

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00:32:54

63. Epic Cub videos and entitled airline pilots, with...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2023/11/03

Mist swirls as a yellow Cub touches down on a grass runway—Joe Costanza (better known as @Bananasssssssss on Instagram) is the man behind those viral videos, and in this episode he takes us behind the scenes. He explains why stick and rudder flying is a nice break from his day job flying an Airbus, how to have fun flying with kids (he has four), and the good parts of social media. He also shares his slightly controversial advice for new airline pilots and how training is changing to adapt to a new

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00:36:03

62. Why angle of attack is overrated, with Ed Wischmeyer

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2023/10/10

Loss of control accidents are a problem, but longtime pilot and engineer Ed Wischmeyer says there simply isn’t a miracle cure. He explains why angle of attack indicators, stabilized approaches, and energy management are all overrated—and the concept he teaches pilots instead. As he says, “You want pilots to have a large comfort zone, so that when they’re flying in normal operations they’re not anywhere near the boundaries of their comfort zone.” In the Ready to Copy segment, Ed talks about the most

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00:46:48

61. Safety theory and restoring a Cessna 172, with...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2023/09/26

As a professor, Sidney Dekker has spent his career studying safety processes in industries like healthcare and mining. As a pilot, both for an airline and in his Carbon Cub, he has put those theories into practice. In this thought-provoking episode, you'll hear what he's learned, including: how much risk pilots can actually quantify, why we should study what went right and not just what went wrong, and what it means to drift into failure. You'll also learn about the beat up Cessna 172 he

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00:53:50

60. Surviving a plane crash on a frozen lake, with...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2023/09/12

When the airplane engine quits over a remote part of Canada, your options are limited. For Tom Comet and his friend, this was just the start of an incredible adventure—one packed with lessons for all pilots. In this riveting episode, he shares how they reacted to their emergency, where they chose to land, and what survival gear made a difference during a long, cold night on a lake. As a UAS pilot and former circus performer, Tom also talks about flying $150,000 drones for TV and creating huge

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00:36:32

59. A reality check on eVTOL aircraft, with Elan Head

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2023/08/29

The headlines about eVTOL aircraft are optimistic right now, but veteran aviation reporter Elan Head says there’s a lot of work to be done: "the customers don't really exist." In this episode, she dives deep into the world of advanced air mobility, including the current state of the market, what military applications might look like, and what the drone industry can teach eVTOL companies about FAA certification. Elan is also an experienced helicopter instructor, so she talks about what

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00:42:39

58. What MOSAIC means for pilot training and airplane...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2023/08/15

More privileges for Sport pilots and more affordable light airplanes—that’s the promise of MOSAIC, a sweeping new proposal from the FAA this summer. Industry expert Dan Johnson has been tracking this reform for years, and he gives us a behind-the-scenes tour in this episode, including which legacy airplanes will now be available for Sport pilots and what new airplane designs might emerge. Dan also talks about timing for the final rule, the LSA safety record, and why ultralights are overlooked. In

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00:37:10

57. FAA medicals and flying as a Top Gun adversary...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2023/08/01

The FAA medical is just another check ride and pilots should prepare for it the same way. That's according to Dr. Keith Roxo, an aviation medical examiner and former Top Gun adversary pilot. He shares plenty of practical tips in this episode, including: what to do if you’re unsure of an answer on the application, why some pilots are stuck in medical limbo for over a year, what SODA and CACI mean, and how the FAA is handling mental health issues these days. Keith also talks about flying the

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00:44:31

56. Fuel management and flying the U-2, with Tim Decker

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2023/07/18

Tim Decker’s flying career includes almost every segment of aviation, including military, fractional, airline, and even airshows. He applies safety habits from each of these jobs to his flying in his Cirrus SR22, and shares some of those in this episode. He explains the difference between minimum fuel and emergency fuel, when it’s smart to declare an emergency, and why instructors must embrace scenario-based training. He also talks about the concept of factored landing distances and shares how to

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00:48:12

55. Why airplane accidents are not just stories, with...

Pilot"s Discretion from Sporty"s ·

2023/07/03

Pilots think about accidents all wrong, according to author and retired airline captain Steve Green. In this thought-provoking episode, he explains why you can't predict every accident, why protecting margins is the key to safe flying, and why pilots must have an overarching strategy beyond just following the checklist. He also argues for more detailed systems knowledge and for maintaining two situational awarenesses (one for the pilot and one for the automation). In the Ready to Copy segment,

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114 results

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