Midlife Pilot Podcast

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 Frederick and a "chef" who soloed at 53 remind us why we do this, and a five-star review from Scotland teaches us the word "scunnered." Also: a spirited debrief on whether Ben should have declared an emergency, and what the whiskey compass is actually good for.Mentioned on the show:

* Seth Lake's Thaden/VBT arrival notes: https://arflightsafety.com/VBT.html

* FLY OZ VBT Airspace Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAJldTQ8LhM

* Seth's podcast on VBT airspace: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0r3rDFPNyUdYtYEfbVBqyl?si=as-NYQ99R5-F9qgAhSSoig

* WINGS registration for Enhanced Preflight seminar: https://www.faasafety.gov/SPANS/event_publicregistration.aspx?eid=141537&type=1

* Game Aero, gamebird aerobatic plane: https://game.aero/gb1-gamebird/

* Thaden Invasion event page: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/thadeninvasion

* Air Safety Institute, 178 Seconds to Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7t4IR-3mSo

* Infamous drivers ed scare film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HAv1pfJqgU

* Sandel HSI: https://avweb.com/features_old/sandel-avionics-sn3308-electronic-hsi-efis-becomes-affordable/

* Sandel teardown video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjWIXHL0G1M

* Blairsville Airport - DZJ: https://www.airnav.com/airport/DZJ

* Angel Flights: https://www.angelflightsoars.org/

* SWTEE "sweet tea" arrival: https://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/2602/00469SWTEE.PDF

* OVPEW fix: https://opennav.com/waypoint/US/OVPEW

* RYY's ILS 27 approach: https://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/2602/06424IL27.PDF

* Garmin GPSMAP 296 on Ben's yoke: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/6399/

* MPP's Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/#guide

• Patreon: www.patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast
• YouTube (Live Monday nights at 8 PM): www.youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast
• Website (events, merch, blog, and more): www.midlifepilotpodcast.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Freedom Aviation Network (10% of Patreon donations): www.freedomaviationnetwork.org

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 joined us from a snowbound cabin in Maine, mid-blizzard, fully caffeinated, and ready to explain why your brain is failing you in the cockpit and what you can actually do about it. Spoiler: it starts with electrolytes, ends with meditation, and somewhere in the middle involves not eating grapes.

Mentioned on the show:

* Calm Cockpit Podcast: https://calmcockpit.com/

* MGM - Montgomery Alabama: https://www.airnav.com/airport/MGM

* SISKIND - Time building vs Time HAVING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFw9CpSqwHA

* Lovefly - fear of flying courses: https://www.lovefly.co.uk/

* Seth Lake - VSL Aero: https://vsl.aero/

* Seth Lake's youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAQS8w0x9swAMJRMhLY_P5g

* Fly Oz - gateway to the Ozarks: https://www.flyoz.com/

* LMNT electrolyte drink mix: https://drinklmnt.com/

* Insight Timer app: https://insighttimer.com/

* Baraka (film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baraka_(film)

* Koyaanisqatsi (full fiml): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOA_dOrm_Mk

* SISKIND - DO EASY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqsg-iW3KBw

* Qigong: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qigong

* Koyaanisqatsi, Hopi word for "life out of balance": https://bureauoflinguisticalreality.com/portfolio/koyaanisqatsi/

* The Deep Magic of Daily Consistency: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G6FJQSGW

* Scott Manley - Explaining Why NASA's Starliner Report Is So Bad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L96asfTvJ_A

Midlife Pilot Podcast

• Website: midlifepilotpodcast.com
• YouTube: youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast
• Patreon: patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast

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 answers are honest. How did he handle the DPE systematically failing his instruments one by one? What happened when the WAAS dropped and he had to revert to LNAV minimums mid-approach? And why did the oral run longer than expected? Brian watched every single one of our community debriefs to prepare for this moment — and now it's his turn to answer the questions.

But the episode doesn't stop there. Jacqui, spouse of RV-10 pilot Ryan K, sent in the most honest and moving voice message we've ever received about what this aviation obsession actually looks like from the other side. And new member John W. — 57 years old, 0.9 hours, and a copy of The Killing Zone in hand — wrote in to say the community convinced him to finally stop watching from the sidelines and go all in.

This is exactly what this community is built for.

Mentioned on the show:

* Piper Apache: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_PA-23

* Louise Thaden: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Thaden

* Erica Gilbert's IFR course: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/ifr

* Gallatin/Music City Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/XNX

* Peachtree-Dekalb Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/PDK

* Lebanon Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/M54

* Pilot's Cafe IFR study guide: https://www.pilotscafe.com/IFR-quick-review-guide/

* ASA Instrument Pilot Oral Exam Guide: https://asa2fly.com/instrument-pilot-oral-exam-guide-eleventh-edition/

* Brian's CFI Ben Lehman: https://www.driftaviation.com/

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 Pivot cases and pulse oximeters to the life-or-death importance of proper seatbelt clipping, plus listener feedback that sparks a deeper discussion about test scores and aviation's competitive culture. Because when you're hand-flying an approach in the clouds and ATC changes your clearance, you need to be flying the airplane, not managing your mess.

Features the guys' real-world tips for everything from "hard-wired" Stratus installations to keeping cash hidden in baggage organizers for emergency out-calls. Plus: why Ted went from zero flight hours to helping rewrite aviation regulations in under five years.

Mentioned on the show:

* Dallas Safari Club: https://www.biggame.org/convention/

* Georgia World Congress Center: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_World_Congress_Center

* Nicholas Air: https://www.nicholasair.com/

* ASTM F37 committee: https://www.astm.org/membership-participation/technical-committees/committee-f37

* DPE and educator Seth Lake: https://vsl.aero/

* Seth's ACE guide: https://vslaviation.myshopify.com/

* TL Sparker: https://tlsportaircraft.com/sparker/

* BRS Parachutes: https://brsaerospace.com/

* Ted's "purse", holds the iPad Mini: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FZL4TZP

* Pivot case: https://pivotcase.com/products/a35a

* Calm Cockpit Podcast: https://calmcockpit.com/

* Flyfisherman Lefty Kreh: The Greatest of All Time: https://www.flyfisherman.com/editorial/lefty-greatest-of-all-time/516098

Website: https://midlifepilotpodcast.comPatreon: https://patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast

Leave us a 5-star review and we'll read it on the air!

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 airport ground operations. Meanwhile, Brian's been surviving Nashville's ice apocalypse while grinding through the final stages of instrument training, complete with shoulder harnesses and a healthy dose of reality about how IFR actually works versus how it's taught.

We dive deep into Brian's theory that instrument flying is "interpretive dance" rather than the precise, procedural flying it's marketed to be. Spoiler alert: holds aren't what you think they are, and ATC doesn't care about your perfect entry technique.

Plus, we celebrate some amazing listener accomplishments - from glider add-ons to ice runway landings to solo cross-countries - and address the burning question: do non-flying spouses actually listen to aviation podcasts? (Spoiler: some do, and we want to hear from them!)

Featuring Thaden Invasion updates, washing machine turbulence scales, and why sometimes the best thing to do is just wait 15 minutes for the weather to change.

Mentioned on the show:

* RYY - Cobb/McCollum Field: https://www.airnav.com/airport/RYY

* FAA WINGS program: https://www.faasafety.gov/

* CCO - Coweta County Georgia: https://www.airnav.com/airport/KCCO

* PUJ - Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/KPUJ

* Flight Insight, Going Missed on a Circling Approach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJiEuHWF5B8

* Flight Insight, the VOR Flower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm7XxyzZFh0

* Columbia Cascade 99's winter raffle: https://www.columbiacascade99s.org/store/p/2025-2026-winter-raffle

* IFR6 - accelerated IFR training, Charleston SC: https://ifr6.com/

* TOA - Torrance California: https://www.airnav.com/airport/KOTA

* EP46 - Flying With Your Spouse: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep46-flying-with-your-spouse/id1591463789?i=1000632568750

Visit midlifepilotpodcast.com for more content, merch, and our free Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot. Support the show and join our community at patreon.com/midlifepilotpodcast - 10% of proceeds support Freedom Aviation Network's anti-trafficking efforts.

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 pilot-induced distractions like GoPro fiddling and selfie-taking, and discover why mental health conversations have finally evolved beyond just "pilot stress." Paul explains how HIMS AMEs are changing the game for pilots needing help, and why scenario-based training beats practicing basketball fundamentals all day.

Whether you're climbing Mount Stupid or think you've conquered it, Paul reminds us that every flight is different and deserves your full attention. Plus, hear his scariest moment involving recruiting football players, hydraulic failure, and emergency gear extension that sounded like the airplane was coming apart.

Featuring abnormal contact with the ground, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving accident curse, and why Paul never tells ATC how an approach will terminate.

Mentioned on the show:

* ASA, The Killing Zone third edition: https://asa2fly.com/the-killing-zone-softcover/

* Wingnuts Aviation, M91 Springfield Tenn: https://wingnutsaviation.net/

* About ASA: https://asa2fly.com/about-us/

* The Vegas Bravo Buster on VASAviation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUSUXnr4dSo

* New York Times Presents 'Lie to Fly': https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/23/NYT-Presents/lie-to-fly-joseph-emerson-pilot.html

* AOPA, Mike Busch, Quantifying Maintenance Risk: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2025/november/pilot/savvy-maintenance-opinion-quantifying-maintenance-risk

* Scarpazza, Quantifying the Risk of Accidents and Serious Incidents Due to Maintenance in General Aviation: https://www.savvyaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Risks-of-maintenance-to-GA.pdf

* Paul Craig, Flight Times: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1685642306

Visit www.midlifepilotpodcast.com to support the show, get merch, and download the free 23 page PDF "The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot".

EP164 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - Part 3: Safety, Community & Your Aviation Legacy

The 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 started veering away from the runway... I was already landing the plane while I was troubleshooting."

Guide Part 3 Focus:

• Risk management evolution from new pilot to 1000+ hours
• Personal minimums: your safety guardrails that evolve with experience
• Community as lifeline - from check ride failures to celebrating milestones
• Aviation legacy: mentoring the next generation of midlife pilots

Real-World Lessons:

• "You don't rise to the level of the emergency, you sink to the level of your training" - Brian's calm emergency handling proves the point
• Z Powell's wisdom: "It hurt to cancel, but it was correct" - weather minimums aren't suggestions
• Risk management parallels your professional life - apply existing decision-making skills

Community Moments:

• Cory reports his first discovery flight: "Amazing and humbling at the same time"
• Boo Radley sharing family flying photos from Australia
• Check ride support system that Ben wished he'd had during his discontinuance

CFI Sam Terrell's MOSAIC Correction: Student pilots can now solo under sport pilot privileges without a medical - major change that many schools haven't caught up to yet.

Thaden Invasion Final Details: March 13-15, 2026 at VBT Bentonville! 30 spots, dedicated lounge space, live podcast Saturday.

Review Corner: "Great content, just play it on 1.5 speed to get through all the uhs and ums" - Thanks for the backhanded compliment, Working170!

Download your FREE 23-page Ultimate Guide at https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/

"Welcome to aviation - you're gonna love it here."

Mentioned on the show:

* Peach State Aerodrome: https://www.peachstateaero.com/

* CFI Sam, Northwest Aeronaut: https://www.youtube.com/@NorthwestAeronaut

* Sam's On Centerline podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3DSELWSqYqbvpbxD842lED

* EP139, MOSAIC for All Pilots: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6MnT5yGcWnN8vF90WwN8gt?si=z2xZpJQeQjeprdAHLSrA4g

* XKCD 386: http://xkcd.com/386

EP163 - The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - Part 2: From Dream to Checkride

Part 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 you
• First solo memory outlasts everything: "I remember mine like it was October 3rd, 1976"
• "My checkride was the first test where I went in not knowing if I'd pass" - universal midlife truth
• Financial reality: Training is just the beginning - you must maintain the pilot you've created

Milestone Moments:

• First solo: the spiritual thrill no other rating will match
• Solo cross-country: when flying actually clicks
• Checkride: "Welcome, you have a license to learn"

Alpha Juliet Bravo's Reality Check: Medical deferment story proves why getting your strategy right BEFORE training isn't optional.

Coming Up: Part 3 covers life as a midlife pilot and creating your aviation legacy.

Download your FREE 23-page Ultimate Guide at https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/

Mentioned on the show:* "Tailwheel Ben Lehman", Drift Aviation: https://www.driftaviation.com/* I Like Killing Flies - Soup Nazi documentary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Like_Killing_Flies* Erica Gilbert- Aerosafe: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/aerosafe* Cap'nTodd's new Cessna 150: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jjLE4HmovgFind everything including how to support us on Patreon, merch, and more at www.midlifepilotpodcast.com

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 to checkride.

What's in the Guide:

• The mindset shifts required for learning to fly in midlife

• Community-sourced insights from real midlife pilots

• Legacy-focused motivation beyond just "learning to fly"

• Actionable first steps that won't derail your journey

This Week's Key Insights:

• "The willingness to suck is a challenge" - embrace being terrible at something new

• Brian's liberating "nobody cares philosophy" - your bad landings aren't as noticed as you think

• Why community isn't optional - it's the difference between success and washing out

• The critical importance of getting your medical strategy right BEFORE you start training

Reality Check Moments:

• Why your 23-year-old instructor might seem confused by your existence

• The humbling experience of task saturation (what's 8x8 again?)

• How existential dread during training is normal and survivable

• Why being bad at flying initially doesn't predict your ultimate success

Pro Tips from the Community:

• Contact AOPA FIRST before making any medical decisions

• Understand sport vs. private pilot privileges before committing

• Find your tribe - isolation kills aviation dreams

• This journey is about legacy, not just transportation

Coming Up: Parts 2 and 3 will cover training realities, milestone moments, and advanced midlife pilot strategies.

The Ultimate Guide represents two years of community wisdom distilled into one comprehensive resource. Whether you're thinking about starting or helping someone else begin their journey, this PDF eliminates the guesswork and provides a clear path forward.

Download your FREE 23-page guide at https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/#guide

"Midlife is a state of mind, not an age" - and this guide helps you navigate both.

Mentioned on the show:

* Thaden Invasion: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/thadeninvasion

* PDF of the midlife starter kit is on the website, https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/

* Million Air- BHM (cookies, wet bar): https://www.millionair.com/locations/bhm/

* Rev2, student with task saturation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnQLuGPLHN4

* SISKIND - Nobody Cares. My Creative Manifest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da4I2Y9v1Sk&t=1s

* AOPA's medical resources (call them!): https://www.aopa.org/go-fly/medical-resources

* Killing Zone, third edition, now available: https://asa2fly.com/the-killing-zone/

* Opposing Bases OB418: Ice Chunks and Slam Dunks

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 responsibility themed gathering" where "we're all grownups, figure it out," brewery meetups are "a foregone conclusion," and someone will inevitably need a rescue mission. Brian's setting ambitious 2026 goals involving actual instrument training, Ben wants to fly "somebody else's airplane while not incurring the expenses" (relatable), and the crew reflects on why this community has become their "daily sustenance."

Warning: Contains gratitude, aviation wisdom, and Ted admitting he "really needed to smoke" during the Tango 82 live show moment.

Mentioned on the show:

* Stranger Things (TV): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_Things

* George Carlin, Stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rhVQCzF3r0

* Freedom Aviation Network: https://www.freedomaviationnetwork.org/

* M54 - Lebanon Airport: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon_Municipal_Airport_(Tennessee)

* Southwest Georgia Regional Airport (Albany, Georgia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Georgia_Regional_Airport

* Benalla, Victoria, Australia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benalla

* Kangaroo Island, Australia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_Island

* Moontown Airport, Huntsville Ala: https://www.moontownairport.com/

* RYY - Cobb County - Steakhouse: https://www.elevationatlanta.com/

* Checkmate Aviation has a youtube channel now! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GL6_2RZdZU

Join us on Patreon and support the show, give feedback, and more at www.midlifepilotpodcast.com