Pilot's Discretion from Sporty's

Latest Episodes:

62. Why angle of attack is overrated, with Ed Wischmeyer Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

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 absurd FAA regulation, how to prevent runway incursions, why slow flight is underrated, and flying the AirCam.

https://airfactsjournal.com/author/edwischmeyer/

- Expanded Envelope Exercises video: https://youtu.be/7C2xfFNb1sQ

- Sporty's Pilot Training+ membership: https://www.sportys.com/sportys-pilot-training-plus.html

61. Safety theory and restoring a Cessna 172, with Sidney Dekker Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

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 restored, whether autopilots are a positive or negative for safety, whether pilots should read accident reports, and what an "automation surprise" is.

LINKS:

- Sidney's website: https://sidneydekker.com/

- Drift into Failure: https://www.amazon.com/Drift-into-Failure-Sidney-Dekker/dp/1409422216

- Sporty's Pilot Training+ membership: https://www.sportys.com/sportys-pilot-training-plus.html

60. Surviving a plane crash on a frozen lake, with Tom Comet Sep 12, 2023

Show notes

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 pyrotechnic displays, including the lessons learned about risk management. In the Ready to Copy segment, you'll hear why the Cessna Skymaster is an underrated airplane, tips for learning to ride a unicycle, and why Tom found himself juggling chainsaws.

SHOW LINKS:

- Tom's article at Air Facts: https://airfactsjournal.com/2023/08/my-lake-rescue-in-northern-ontario/

- TomAir YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@tomairtv

- Pilot Training+ membership: https://www.sportys.com/sportys-pilot-training-plus.html

59. A reality check on eVTOL aircraft, with Elan Head Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

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 the industry should learn from the Kobe Bryant crash and why Safety Management Systems are overrated. In the Ready to Copy segment, she tells us her prediction for when eVTOLs will really be flying, the strangest helicopter she’s ever flown, and the best place to visit in Belize.

SHOW LINKS:

- Elan's articles at The Air Current: https://theaircurrent.com/author/elan1073068/

- K-Max helicopter video: https://youtu.be/sev6v6d9bKk

- Sporty's radios: https://sportys.com/radios

58. What MOSAIC means for pilot training and airplane designs, with Dan Johnson Aug 15, 2023

Show notes

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 the Ready to Copy segment, he shares his favorite airplanes from AirVenture 2023, why he loves the AirCam, what he’d change about the FAA.

SHOW LINKS:

Dan’s website: https://bydanjohnson.com/

MOSAIC proposal: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/07/24/2023-14425/modernization-of-special-airworthiness-certification

Sporty’s radios: https://www.sportys.com/avionics-and-radios/aviation-radios.html

57. FAA medicals and flying as a Top Gun adversary pilot, with Dr. Keith Roxo Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

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 F/A-18 and F-16, and how Top Gun taught him the difference between a standard and a technique. In the Ready to Copy segment, you'll hear why color-blindness isn’t a disqualifying condition, whether BasicMed has been successful, and what Keith's favorite aviation movie is.

SHOW LINKS:

- MedXPress simulator: https://wingmanmed.com/medxpress-simulator/

- Avoiding adverse drug interactions: https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/2022-01/Avoiding_Adverse_Drug_Interactions.pdf

- Sporty’s Pilot Training+ membership: https://www.sportys.com/sportys-pilot-training-plus.html

56. Fuel management and flying the U-2, with Tim Decker Jul 18, 2023

Show notes

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 calculate them in ForeFlight. In the Ready to Copy Segment, Tim tells us what it’s like to land a U-2 in a crosswind, two key lessons he learned from flying airshows, and the key differences between a career as an airline pilot and fractional pilot.

SHOW LINKS:

- FAA guidance on minimum fuel: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/media/atb2012-1.pdf

- U-2 landing video: https://youtu.be/txVHB8k0rTI

- Sporty's Pilot Training+ membership: https://www.sportys.com/sportys-pilot-training-plus.html

55. Why airplane accidents are not just stories, with Steve Green Jul 03, 2023

Show notes

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, Steve talks about surviving an airplane crash, whether ice bridging is a myth, and what to carry in your survival kit.

LINKS:

54. ATC for flight simulators and SimVenture, with Kevin from PilotEdge Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

Flight simulators boomed in 2020 and have barely slowed down since, but many pilots don’t use all the available tools for flight training. Kevin from PilotEdge has watched it all unfold over the last decade and he explains what flight sims are good for (and what they aren't). He talks about how Microsoft changed the game, whether you can log simulator time, and how virtual ATC plug-ins can make training more realistic. Kevin also created SimVenture, and he describes how pilots can prepare to fly to the world’s busiest airport by talking to real AirVenture controllers during this live online event. In the Ready to Copy segment, he tells us his favorite flight sim airplane, what upgrade he wants to see from sim developers, and whether AI will ever replace human controllers.

SHOW LINKS:

53. Airline myths and leadership lessons, with retired airline CEO Bill Ayer Jun 06, 2023

Show notes

You have to be both realistic and optimistic to run an airline - that's according to retired Alaska Airlines CEO Bill Ayer, an industry veteran and experienced GA pilot. He offers wisdom from his four decades in the airline business, including why safety must be a data-driven activity, where the real pilot shortage is, and how to manage the tradeoffs between efficiency and safety. He also shares leadership lessons, explaining why "hope is not a strategy" when you're running a business and what young people can do to build a career in aviation. In the Ready to Copy segment, Bill tells us his favorite airplane to ride on as a passenger, whether you should drink coffee on an airliner, his opinion of supersonic airliners, and why aviation culture is so welcoming.

SHOW LINKS:

- Alaska Airlines history: https://www.alaskaair.com/content/about-us/history

- Sporty's Pilot Training+ membership: https://www.sportys.com/sportys-pilot-training-plus.html

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