Flying With a Purpose

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Latest Episodes:

Saving Money On Flight Training Dec 08, 2019

David and Derek discuss various ways to save money on flight training. Ideas include the use of desktop flight simulators at home, watching training videos and quality YouTube videos, chair flying, teaming up with other students, and more.

If you have more ideas on how to save money on flight training, we would love to hear them. Drop us an email at podcast@flightreview.tv, or you can Tweet at us at @FlightReviewTV. We would love to hear from you.

Melbourne Flight Training is now hosting "Master Classes" covering a wide range of topics. If you are in the Melbourne, Florida area (KMLB), stop by and join us.

If you want to see videos of David's personal flight training experience, subscribe to the YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/flightreview. And if you would like to send us a question to potentially be answered on the show, send us an email to podcast@flightreview.tv.

Getting and Staying Proficient Dec 01, 2019

Derek discusses the differences between currency and proficiency, and he explains how proficiency for once pilot might not be the same for another pilot.

Melbourne Flight Training is now hosting "Master Classes" covering a wide range of topics. If you are in the Melbourne, Florida area (KMLB), stop by and join us.

What is flight training, anyway? Nov 24, 2019

What is flight training? How is it different from other training or education? How can a student pilot make the most of their flight training experience? Derek answers these questions here.

Melbourne Flight Training is now hosting "Master Classes" covering a wide range of topics. If you are in the Melbourne, Florida area (KMLB), stop by and join us.

Concerned About Your Medical? Nov 17, 2019

You're ready to start flight training, but you have concerns about your health and your medical eligibility to fly. Where do you go for help? We try to answer some of your questions here.

While Derek is not a doctor of AME (Aviation Medical Examiner), he's seen a lot of things while giving flight training and is able to provide some basic guidance. Medical issues can certainly be a touchy subject with complex solutions. We hope to dispel some incorrect assumptions and myths with this episode.

If you have any questions or concerns about your medical eligibility to fly airplanes, please be sure to consult with qualified medical personnel.

FAA Medical Certifications: https://www.faa.gov/pilots/medical/

Episode 9: Bad Habits CFIs Need To Change May 05, 2019

After our last episode was published, we received a Tweet from our friends John and Leslie Caubble of the Fly Maui podcast. They stated that the topic was good food for thought since they had aspirations of becoming flight instructors themselves. This got us thinking about the topic of other good and bad habits found at flight schools and in the flight training environment.

In this episode of Flying With a Purpose, Derek address some bad habits he has encountered with student pilots and their instructors. Derek also discusses ways to ensure students and instructors are following best practices in their flight training operations. We talk about standardization, documentation, assumptions, and unlearning improper procedures. We bring up the importance of stage checks and their role in evaluating the CFI and the student.

We wish to thank John and Leslie Caubble for the thought-provoking Tweet, and for giving us a reason to really dig deeper into this topic. Please check out and subscribe to their fantastic podcast at https://www.flymauihi.com/. And if you need some ridiculously delicious barbecue on Florida's Space Coast, check out Cryderman's in Downtown Melbourne: https://www.crydermansbarbecue.com/

Episode 8: Should CFIs Test Their Student's Prowess During Preflight? Apr 22, 2019

In this episode, David and Derek tackle the controversial practice of flight instructors intentionally messing things up on an airplane prior to a lesson so that the student can find those issues during the preflight. Should instructors "test" their students to see if they are able to spot problems during preflight? What are your thoughts on it?

They also discuss the various types of ground school training available, including computer-based training, study books, classroom training, and one-on-one training with a certified instructor. Each has benefits and drawbacks, and we discuss those.

Episode 7: SUN 'n FUN 2019 Apr 14, 2019

Derek and David are at the 2019 SUN 'n FUN International Fly-in and Expo in Lakeland, Florida. In this episode - which was recorded while on the grounds at SUN 'n FUN - they discuss flight training in the aviation industry, and spend a lot of time discussing the new Piper Pilot 100 trainer and its possible impact on the industry.

Later in the episode, Derek gives his thoughts on the impact an event like SUN 'n FUN has on the flight training industry and on the aviation industry as a whole.

Episode 6: Landing in a Crosswind Mar 31, 2019

In this episode of Flying With a Purpose, Derek talks about dealing with windy conditions on landing. We specifically discuss crosswind landings and changing wind conditions as the aircraft approaches the airport environment.

John & Leslie Caubble live in Kihei, Hawaii on the island of Maui. The host the Fly Maui aviation podcast, and have mentioned a number of times how their personal minimums had to change if they were ever going to get flight time in the islands. The crosswinds in Hawaii are some of the craziest in the world.

Jason Miller of The Finer Points recently made a couple of YouTube videos about how to learn to land in a crosswind.

Derek and David talk about the various techniques for landing in a crosswind, and about how to train for this difficult but critical skill.

Be sure to subscribe to the Fly Maui podcast and The Finer Points. Links to both are below.

Fly Maui: https://www.flymaui.com/

The Finer Points: https://www.learnthefinerpoints.com/

Episode 5: Is the pace of my flight training too fast? Mar 24, 2019

In this episode of Flying With a Purpose, we answer our first listener email. Joe is a student pilot currently pursuing his private pilot certificate, and he wonders if the pace of his flight training is too fast.

While certain tasks need to be learned early in flight training, like basic aircraft control and proper handling of emergency procedures, Derek suggests that some experiential-based flight instruction might help during the cross-country phase of the training. A cross-country flight to a location the pilot will typically fly to on their own once they are a certificated private pilot might help to slow the pace and make the training more relevant to the long-term mission.

We owe a huge thanks to Joe for sending us an email, and we hope we have answered the question effectively.

Episode 4: Have You Ever Been Scared While Teaching a Student? Mar 17, 2019

In this episode, Derek tells the story of the most scared he has ever been while flight instructing. Early in his flight instructing career, Derek and his private pilot student embarked on a mission-based lesson that would take them to a destination airport on one day, with a return to the home airport the next day. Circumstances came together such that they encountered a very low-fuel situation, and without immediate and decisive action, they would have faced a forced landing.

Everything turned out alright, but Derek certainly recalls this as one of the "never again" moments of his career. Many lessons were learned by both the student and the instructor.

Episode 3: Can a CFI Make a Living? Mar 04, 2019

Many pilots see flight instruction as a way to build enough time and experience to be able to achieve an ATP rating and get hired by the scheduled airlines. But what if a pilot simply wants to teach? Is it possible to make a viable living as a full-time flight instructor? Derek and David answer that question in episode 3 of Flying With a Purpose.

Derek later talks about how he became a career CFI and why he has chosen that over simply becoming an airline pilot.

Episode 2: Ratings, Add-ons, and the FAA Airman Certification Standards Feb 17, 2019

In this episode, Derek and David discuss the complexities surrounding different ratings and add-ons, especially when it comes to single- versus multi-engine ratings. The whole thing is enough to leave you scratching your head, and it feels a little bit “inside baseball”. In fact, I make a reference to that in the episode. It’s a really interesting conversation, and it shows just how complex getting new ratings and certificates can be.

Later, we talk a bit about the differences between the older PTS and the newer ACS that replaced it. We also discuss how the ACS helps pilots manage risk and execute better aeronautical decision making.

Episode 1: Standardization and Qualifications to Own a Flight School Feb 10, 2019

In this episode of Flying With a Purpose, David asks Derek what qualifies him to own and operate a flight school like Melbourne Flight Training. They also discuss standardization of the flight instruction given at the flight school. Finally, they answer the question about how to find a good flight school and instructor.

Episode 0 - Pilot Feb 03, 2019

Welcome to the first episode, the "pilot" episode, of Flying With a Purpose. In this episode, Derek and David discuss the goal of the show and the various approaches to training student pilots. We discuss the culture of Melbourne Flight Training, and how that influences the flight training experience. During recording, another student at Melbourne Flight Training passes his CFI check ride, and will start working as an instructor at the school.

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