Thinking of buying an airplane? You need a knowledgable guy in your corner, ensuring you don't get a lemon. We talk to your guy- Don Sebastian.

Today's Flight Plan

Sick of not being able to fly during the winter months? Well, flight simulation can be your medicine!

Today we talk about what it takes to get into flight simulation, from the cost, all the way to perfecting procedures. We have tips on a whole lot of things that can help you better setup a realistic flight simulator.

Join and find out the insider knowledge on how to get setup with a simulator.

Useful Links

Newegg.com

Jetline Systems

Flight Controls

Prepar3D Simulation Software

Oculus Rift

ActiveSky Weather

Simulator Scenery

ForeFlight

ForeFlight Simulator Software

PilotEdge

Crew

Major thanks to the amazing Angle of Attack Crew for all their hard work over the years. Our team works incredibly hard, and they're very passionate about what they do.

Now What?

iTunes Subscribe

Want to get regular updates through iTunes? This is the easiest way to automatically download your podcast, and take it on the go. Make sure to SUBSCRIBE HERE.

Email Signup

Want us to let you know via email when episodes of AviatorCast are released? We can do that, too. SIGNUP ABOVE.

Get Started Today!

Want to get started with some of our video training? Go to our main page and signup for Aviator90 (our basic and free course) or other pay products we have.

Transcript

[transcript]

Flying loud grounded. This is AviatorCast episode 81!

Calling all aviators, pilots, flight sim enthusiasts and aviation lovers, you’ve landed at AviatorCast! Join us weekly in our efforts to become better masters of the air through interviews, refreshers, lessons, training topics, simulator set-up, hangar talk, news and more! Buckle up and prepare yourself for this week’s episode of AviatorCast! Preflight complete, fuel on board and flight plan filed. Let’s kick the tires and light the fires! Here’s your humble host, Chris Palmer!

Chris: Welcome, welcome, welcome aviators, you’ve landed at AviatorCast. My name is Chris Palmer. If you have a love for flying things like, you know that flying never really stops. You think about flying while driving, eating and dream about it while sleeping. Yes. It is that wonderment of all things aloft that brings us together today. So welcome to this, the 81st episode of AviatorCast. It is my pleasure to have you here. This podcast is brought to you by Angle of Attack, a flight training media production studio which I found it and which I run. So first of, a little bit about AviatorCast just in case you’re new here at the 81st episode. We won’t hold you to it. You can always go back and listen to the other episodes. So AviatorCast is all about aviation passion. This is where we come together, we talk about certain topics, keep us going, keep our knowledge growing and we just meet together on a regular basis. Also, I bring inspiring aviators on the show and interview them, talk to them about their careers, about what they’re up to, how they got into flying, and any insight they have into the industry and into flying itself.

Maybe you have been out of aviation for a while and you’re looking to rignite the flame. This is also a place where you can do that. Or maybe you are looking to fly for the first time and you’re looking to get the courage to do that. Whether it’s the courage to choose it as a profession and dive right in or courage to try flying because maybe you’re scared of it, probably don’t get many of those here on the show, but over and above everything else, this is a place where we talk about aviation passion and that’s what it is all about. I come to you week after week and bring that to you.

And to share a little bit with you about what that is like for others,

Talking/writer about flying is the second funnest thing to flying itself. Dan, our guest for this episode, is a writer for many popular aviation magazines.

Patrick Smith, Airline Pilot and Author, joins us to talk about passenger fears, questions, and the joy of travel as part of an airline pilot job.

Need an aviation mentor? Look no further than Sendaero. Founder Mike Rushforth, also an airline pilot, shares more on this episode.

What's the biggest upgrade you can make to your sim in the new year? Look no further than Oculus Rift with "FlyInside" for an awesome experience.

Merry Christmas! This is just a short message. Refer to episode 49 from last year to get the full story on Santa and the Reindeer!

Today's Flight Plan

Have you seen the new Star Wars yet? Well, it’s aptly named “The Force Awakens”. I had confidence JJ Abrams would pull it off, but I didn’t know it would be this good.

In this episode we travel far, far away, and learn about what flying is like in the Galaxy. We’ll explore pilot training, regulations, the different type of aircraft, and of course nerd out on some of the Star Wars battle stuff.

Truth is, flying a starship in the Galaxy isn’t that much different from flying an aircraft here on earth- it takes skill, practice and a lot of training.

Crew

Major thanks to the amazing Angle of Attack Crew for all their hard work over the years. Our team works incredibly hard, and they're very passionate about what they do.

Now What?

iTunes Subscribe

Want to get regular updates through iTunes? This is the easiest way to automatically download your podcast, and take it on the go. Make sure to SUBSCRIBE HERE.

Email Signup

Want us to let you know via email when episodes of AviatorCast are released? We can do that, too. SIGNUP ABOVE.

Get Started Today!

Want to get started with some of our video training? Go to our main page and signup for Aviator90 (our basic and free course) or other pay products we have.

Transcript

[transcript]

One of the first steps to any journey through the Galaxy is choosing ones side. That is, are you on the dark side, or are you on the light side? We are inflicted with some of these same difficult choices in aviation her on earth. Are you for Boeing, or Airbus? Cessna or Piper? Military Training or Civilian? Wheels or floats?

The Rebel Alliance and the Empire, now known as the Resistance and First Order, both have their pros and cons. At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself where you stand on principle. Do you want to fly for the Rebellion and Freedom, or do you want to fly with the awesomely powerful and frightful Galactic Empire.

Once you’ve picked a side, you also largely pick your path, and the types of Starships you’ll fly. Much like the military and airlines, you can take a path to fighter jets, gunships, transports, cargo, and so on.

Of course, everyone wants to go the fighter direction. TIE Fighters and X-Wings are the most iconic. These fighters see the most action. However, regardless of all the technology in the Galaxy, dogfighting still remains quite primitive. Even though star fighters are equipped with lasers that house a seemingly limitless amount of ammunition, pilots still must resort to high intensity, close-quarters dogfighting.

Some of the fighters you can select are:

- Tie Fighters

- Tie Interceptors

- Tie Bombers

- X-Wing

- A-Wing

- B-Wing

- Y-Wing

- Snowspeeder

- Naboo N-1 Starfighter

- ETA-2 JEDI STARFIGHTER

- DELTA-7 JEDI STARFIGHTER

- and several more

More on fighters later when we get more techy about the types of fighters.

Of course, pilots don’t have to go the fighter route. The mortality rate in some of the larger battles simply wasn’t great. Chances of surviving were low, on both sides. You’ve seen this in many Star Wars battles. There are tie fighters, x-wings, b-wings, y-wings and more completely covering sky and space. There’s a reason why were hear, “There’re too many of them!” screamed often in these intense battles.

No, one doesn’t have to go that route. As a star pilot, you can choose transports as well. Still involved in a bit of action, but mostly protected by fighters and many ship-mounted cannon systems, both the skill level required and the mortality rate are lower.

Like aircraft carriers, these starship transports are space-bound cities,

After a short time away, AviatorCast is now back! I've got some stories to share from various journeys- Atlanta, California, Brazil, Texas and more.

Business, corporate and charter is an awesome career path for a pilot. We hear from one of the most influential industry leaders, NBAA President Ed Bolen.