Midlife Pilot Podcast

Ben leads the crew through a heartfelt discussion on the power of aviation community, proving that even "internet pilot buddies who are somehow both extremely wise and definitely unsupervised" can create something meaningful together. While Brian emerges from his five-week "gateway drug situation" of nonstop testing (having "forgotten how to function as a normal human being"), the episode explores how pilot communities support each other through the challenges of midlife aviation.

From anonymous confessionals about night landing requirements to the wisdom of "Fly what you want, log what you need," this episode showcases why the Midlife Pilot community has become "one of the great joys" for pilots navigating their aviation journeys. Ted chimes in from Portlandia while Ben reminds us that aviation community - whether in Discord, at fly-ins, or through podcast connections - provides the essential support network that keeps us all flying safely.

Plus: Why we probably need "at least one service bulletin requiring post-podcast cranial inspections," and Ben's words of wisdom about truth vs. lies in our connected world.

Mentioned on the show:

* AGI: advanced ground instructor

* IGI: instrument ground instructor

* FOI: fundamentals on instruction

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

* Seth Lake on VBT-Thaden airspace: https://arflightsafety.com/VBT.html

To send feedback, support the show, get merch, and more, visit www.midlifepilotpodcast.com

Like George Costanza pulling a golf ball from a whale's blowhole, Ben emerges from a harrowing 3.5-hour IMC flight through icing conditions with quite the tale to tell. Our intrepid Atlanta pilot finds himself wondering "did I get away with one? This sparks a deep dive into normalization of deviance, expanding personal minimums, and whether Ben just wrote "the first line of his NTSB report."

Brian continues his quest to become qualified to "give bad information for small amounts of money" as an instrument ground instructor, while Ted battles the "Mississippi River pointed at the Northwest" and installs stripped hex screws.

The crew tackles thoughtful listener feedback about pre-flight anxiety and the existential dread of pursuing aviation as what outsiders might call "the Midlife Crisis Podcast." Plus, planning continues for "The Thaden Invasion" fly-in at KVBT - a very GA-friendly airport that's excited to host the podast and community... for now.

Mentioned on the show:

* Wikipedia - List of social generations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation#List_of_social_generations

* Beresford Research - Generations defined by name, birth year, and ages in 2025: https://www.beresfordresearch.com/age-range-by-generation/#:~:text=Generations%20defined%20by%20name%2C%20birth%20year%2C%20and%20ages%20in%202025

* Side view of The Hollywodo Squares: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059995/mediaviewer/rm648494848/?ref_=tt_ov_i

* The Finer Points on the Oscar pattern for IFR flying: https://www.learnthefinerpoints.com/articles/the-oscar-pattern

* Checkmate Aviation IFR, Oscar pattern on back: https://www.checkmateaviation.com/products/checkmate-ifr

* Oscar pattern graphic: https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/comments/13hnvzo/oscar_pattern_graphic/

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

* EP36 - CFI Jeff Ramsey, Frequency Change Aviation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgaNuf5gCCo

* Seinfeld, "The Sea Was Angry That Day My Friends": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a3TZC69tSg

* Psych Safety - The Challenger Disaster: Normalisation of Deviance: https://psychsafety.com/normalisation-of-deviance/

* Blancolirio on the N2345R Montana fatal icing encounter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkSM531bYzs

* Ben's video, "Pushing the Envelope" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9cvl1LJV1Y

* Big Bird was nearly on the Challenger: https://www.history.com/articles/big-bird-challenger-disaster-nasa-sesame-street

* Performance Pilot by Ross Bentley and Phil Wilkes : https://bookshop.org/p/books/performance-pilot-skills-techniques-and-strategies-to-maximize-your-flying-performance-phil-wilkes/1d2cd7f443b0d5ca

* The Calm Cockpit podcast: https://calmcockpit.com/

* Tammy Barlette's Crosscheck mental performance training course: https://www.crosscheckmentalperformance.com/

* Crosscheck training course and group: https://www.skool.com/crosscheck/about?ref=f15fa026369c49dfaf275891f87f1f26

Join us on Patreon, get event info, merch, and more:

www.midlifepilotpodcast.com

1DullGeek casually announces he's signed a contract for a Czech-built TL Sparker and will spend a month in Prague building it – because apparently "24 cubic feet of cargo space" (more than his compact SUV!) justifies international aircraft construction. The only minor detail? He has absolutely nowhere to hangar this composite beauty that "costs more than his house." Cue the deep dive into "Hangar Hell" – where waiting lists stretch to 2038, car detailing businesses occupy hangars, and Mark realizes he's been "a wholesale menace in every capacity to an airport." Meanwhile, Brian's gone full on into written tests, knocking out instrument ground instructor and fundamentals of instruction in two weeks because "the sponginess of my brain is kind of working at the moment." Plus: heated seats, cup holders, and the eternal question of whether N633K (a.k.a. "N-GEEK") will ever see the inside of an actual hangar.

Upcoming Event:

• The Thaden Invasion Fly-In - March 13-15, 2026, Bentonville, Arkansas (VBT)
• RSVP at midlifepilotpodcast.com - "If half the RSVPs show up, we're gonna have a real good time. If more than half show up, it'll be a disaster."

Support the Show:

• Patreon Community
• Merch Store
• Website: midlifepilotpodcast.com

Mentioned on the show:

* Mark's new plane, TL Sparker: https://tlsportaircraft.com/sparker/

* Risen Aircraft: https://www.flyrisen.com/

* Roy "Deacon" Qualls, Pilot's Edge: Think, Train, and Fly Like a Pro: https://amazon.com/dp/B0FY26ZJJM

* CGI, Cape Girardeau Regional Airport: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Girardeau_Regional_Airport

* Garmin GNC355: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/689774/

The spotted cow tradition lives on as the crew discusses building instrument flows (Wendy's "source-morse-course" wisdom), why updating flows is harder than you think (law of primacy), and the great EFB pricing debate (Sky Demon €120 vs ForeFlight $370+ in Europe). Plus: celebrating no-go decisions as bigger accomplishments than completing flights, Ted's minimalist wedding where the Uber driver waited outside, and why being in aviation has made Ted realize there's a countable number of summers left in his life—a perspective his 18-year-old brain never understood.

In this episode:

• "Source-Morse-Course" - Wendy's instrument flow (identify source, check morse code, set course)
• "I need more flow, not more to-do lists" - Brian's IFR struggles
• Law of primacy: How hard is it to update flows once you've learned them?
• Ben's multi flow stuck in his head: "Mixtures forward, props forward, throttles forward, identify, feather, verify"
• Building the helmet fire muscle through repeated exposure
• Sky Demon €120 vs ForeFlight $370+ in Germany (3 more hours of flying time difference)
• Richard Yankee88: Flew to New Orleans, drove to Texas instead of flying - "That's a bigger accomplishment"
• Doug F: "I loved my private checkride. Someone wanted to ask me aviation questions!"
• "Maybe I'm overthinking this" - The most midlife phrase in Discord

Great moments:

• Ted's minimalist wedding: "The Uber driver was waiting. That's how long my ceremony took" (5 people total)
• "We have a 50% success rate for anything we talk about" / "We're like a broken clock—right twice a day"
• Notice of Disapproval pads: New merch idea
• Garmin sponsorship dreams: "Everybody has a price" / "Refurb 430s for everybody!"
• Alternative sponsors: "Icy Hot? That's more realistic"

Thaden Invasion: March 13-15, 2026 at VBT, Bentonville, Arkansas - RSVP at midlifepilotpodcast.com (parking limited!)

Mentioned on the Show:

• EP114 with Checkmate Barry
• CheckMate IFR Checklist
• Garmin Pilot
• New Glarus Spotted Cow Beer
• blancolirio on the N2345R PA-23 Montana icing crash
• ASN entry on the crash

Support the Show:

• Patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast - Discord access & checkride debriefs
• MidlifePilotPodcast.com - Merch & Thaden Invasion RSVP
• youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast - Live Mondays 8PM ET

10% of Patreon proceeds support Freedom Aviation Network's anti-human trafficking efforts

Closing wisdom: "A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures."

Checkride prep reality check with CFII Erica Gilbert! Brian passes his instrument written ("a solid grilled cheese sandwich with slightly better ingredients than Kraft singles"), Ben confesses his multi-engine notice of disapproval after chasing the CDI below the glide slope—then passed two days later—and Erica reveals her 100% initial pass rate secrets: mock orals should be 3-4 hours of pain, Day One starts with defining PIC, and exact FAA phraseology matters on every rating. Plus: 1DullGeek's Thanksgiving rant about flying with friends (the fuel leak meow incident at Clarksburg), why "what are the next two things?" might save your check ride, and the hard truth about midlife pilots—you've forgotten how to study and haven't done anything you suck at in a long time. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Audio note: Technical difficulties with our guest's audio—it's listenable but not perfect!

Erica Gilbert's check ride prep secrets:

• Day one: Lay out ACS, FAR/AIM—"Shocking how many students had never seen the ACS"
• "Anyone going through training needs to be their own best advocate"
• Find an instructor who uses a syllabus and transitions canceled flights into ground lessons
• Stage checks with senior CFIs at solo, solo cross-country, and pre-check ride
• Mock oral should be 3-4 hours (your actual oral will be 1.5 hours if you know your stuff)
• "You'd rather spend the money with an instructor than an evaluator"
• Practice active recall with exact FAA phraseology out loud
• PIC authority starts lesson one: "Make the plane do what you want it to do"
• In midlife: "You've forgotten how to study and haven't done anything you suck at in a long time"
• The marathon mindset: "Will we stop for lunch? Take a breather if your adrenaline can handle it"

Mentioned on the Show:

• * Erica Gilbert, Aerosafe: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/aerosafe
• * Erica Gilbert, IFR course: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/ifr
• * Midlife Pilot Podcast- Thaden Invasion 2026: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/thadeninvasion
• * Keith O'Brien, Fly Girls (includes Louis Thaden): https://bookshop.org/p/books/fly-girls-how-five-daring-women-defied-all-odds-and-made-aviation-history-keith-o-brien/8152b66cad2a720c?ean=9781328592798
• * Seth Lake's VBT overview: https://arflightsafety.com/VBT.html
• * Avoiding brianrot (New York Times): https://www.soundsclassic.com/receivers.html
• * Sandel displays: https://www.pacificcoastavionics.com/collections/sandel
• * Old Marantz stereos: https://www.soundsclassic.com/receivers.html
• * Rear projection TVs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear-projection_television
• * Private Pilot ACS (PDF): https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs/private_airplane_acs_6.pdf

Support the Show:

• Patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast - Discord access, exclusive content, and check ride debriefs!

• MidlifePilotPodcast.com - Merch, Thaden Invasion RSVP, feedback

Happy Thanksgiving from the Midlife Pilot Podcast crew. We're thankful for every single one of you who listens, supports, and shares this journey with us.

🎯 THE THADEN INVASION: March 13-15, 2026 | VBT | Bentonville, Arkansas

Pattern predicament! Discord member Dom shares audio and flysto.net data from a close call at an untowered airport—100 feet of separation, spotty ADS-B, garbled radio calls, and the eternal question: turn right to avoid or stay predictable in the pattern? The non-CFI crew looks at 14 CFR 91.113, Wild West untowered airports, and why sometimes you just need to GTFO. Plus: Thaden Invasion updates, icing on the vegetables origin story, and why "show your belly" might not be the best advice.

Mentioned on the Show:

• Episode 44 with Bryan of Just Plane Silly - Icing on the vegetables origin

• Flysto.net - Track log visualization and analysis (FREE!)

• Flying the Overhead Break - AOPA technique

• 14 CFR 91.113 - Right-of-way rules

• BWG - Bowling Green-Warren County Airport, Kentucky - Brian's pattern work airport

• M54 - Lebanon Municipal Airport, Tennessee - "Wild West" untowered field

• GCC - Gillette-Campbell County Airport, Wyoming - Steve Schofield's home base

Support the Show:

• Patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast - Discord access & exclusive content

• Special thanks to our 5 longest supporters!: 1DullGeek, Biff B, Chris C, Josh M, and Aero Grizzly!

• MidlifePilotPodcast.com - Merch, feedback, Thaden Invasion RSVP

• Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts!

• youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast - Live Mondays 8PM ET

10% of Patreon proceeds support Freedom Aviation Network's anti-human trafficking efforts

Closing wisdom: "Common sense is like deodorant. The people who need it most never use it."

Send us your pattern predicaments, close calls, or confessions to [email protected] - we'll keep you anonymous if you want!

🎯 THE THADEN INVASION: March 13-15, 2026 | VBT | Bentonville, Arkansas

Airplane down! Not a crash—just 65 days and counting of repair purgatory. Special guest 1DullGeek (Mark) joins to talk about what happens when your plane is out of service for months, Keith C's emotional feedback about avoiding aviation altogether, and the reality of airplane ownership. Plus: Brian's IFR long cross-country with C-130s and blown approaches, Ben's icing adventure to Cincinnati, and the Cherokee 235 that "totally spoiled" Mark's wife. The Thaden Invasion details keep rolling in!

Mentioned on the Show:

• VBT - Thaden Field - March 2026 fly-in location

• Gaston's White River Resort - Arkansas fly-in fishing destination

• LUK - Lunken Airport - Cincinnati

• Fort Campbell - Brian's airport hopping area

• PAH - Barkley Regional Airport - Paducah, KY

• IPJ - Lincoln County Airport - North Carolina (Mark's home base)

• VUJ - Stanly County Airport - Where Mark's plane was in annual

• Josh's Sling TSI Build Playlist - Aviation 101

• Midwest Panel Builders YouTube - Avionics videos

Support the Show:

• Patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast - 1DullGeek & Son checkride debrief NOW AVAILABLE!

• MidlifePilotPodcast.com - Merch, feedback, RSVP for Thaden Invasion

• Leave us a 5-star review and get a sticker!

• youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast - Live Mondays 8PM ET

10% of Patreon proceeds support Freedom Aviation Network's anti-human trafficking efforts

New Patreon Members: Rich H and James S at the Hershey Bar level - Welcome!

Closing wisdom: "Sometimes it's best to remain silent and look stupid, rather than opening your mouth and removing all doubt." - Drew

Special thanks to Keith C for the honest feedback about stepping away and coming back. We're not taking attendance—this community is here when you need it.

🎯 THE THADEN INVASION: March 13-15, 2026 | VBT | Bentonville, Arkansas

Information Whiskey strikes again!

BIG NEWS: The Thaden Invasion is official—March 13-15, 2026 in Bentonville, Arkansas! Brian confesses his Sheppard Air conversion after weeks of IFR written torture ("The FAA told you to look at figure 71, but you have to memorize it's actually figure 24"), his wife solves compass errors in 8 seconds ("Here, idiot"), and Ted's fuel gauge crisis leads to the ultimate "It's Always Fuel" moment. Plus: Ben kills another twin, navigating without flight following during the shutdown, and why flying different planes makes you better.

In this episode:

• 🎉 THE THADEN INVASION IS HAPPENING: March 13-15, 2026 at VBT, Bentonville, Arkansas!
• Why Bentonville rocks: Frank Lloyd Wright house, Crystal Bridges Museum (free!), mountain biking capital, Fly Oz backcountry destinations, and Flying Magazine's "Coolest Airport in the Country"

• Ben's twin curse continues: "I warned this flight school of my curse and they still accepted me" - switching to BE-55 Baron
• Jekyll Island adventure with red bug rentals and son Evan
• Government shutdown reality: How to fly safely when ATC can't take VFR requests and controllers are on skeleton crews
• Ted's "It's Always Fuel" crisis: "This wing is either full or empty. There's no level in it. I have no confidence that I have fuel at this point."
• Chinese lantern with actual flame floating past Ted's wing at night: "I can hear the FAA: 'So how did your wing catch on fire?'"
• The Hacienda Cherokee: Still out there, still getting refueled mid-air, still haunting Ben's flights

Safety talk that actually matters:

• Ben's wisdom: "See and avoid is ALWAYS our responsibility - 50 hours or 5,000 hours, period"
• Monitor approach frequencies even when not on flight following
• Know arrival/departure corridors at major airports
• "Keep your eyes outside and don't get lazy. Don't start playing on your phone."
• Ben's Cherokee stalker story: Same plane intersected his course twice in one day

Weather nerdery from Erica Gilbert:

• Ted's 30.48" altimeter after atmospheric river: "That is a HIGH number"
• Jet stream troughs create low pressure; ridges create high pressure
• High pressure = stable air, clear skies, but poor visibility from trapped pollution

Listener feedback gold:

• Chris H: Why flying multiple planes makes you better - "I became too comfortable flying just one plane and built bad habits"
• The value of clubs: 180-2, PA-28, and 172 access keeps you sharp and forces proper checklist usage

Fly-in essentials:

• One mile walk to brewery, one mile to downtown (Ben's proud of this planning)
• Grass strip + paved runway available
• Live podcast recording somewhere in Bentonville (street corner? Hangar? Brewery? TBD!)
• Hotels, Airbnbs, mountain biking, art museums, and aviation - something for everyone
• Brian: "Ben has rented us a giant complex with what seems like a slaughterhouse in the back, but I'm sure it's fine"

Mentioned on the Show:

• Legends Air Center - FBO at Thaden Field - Your Bentonville basecamp
• Fly Oz - Thaden Field - Backcountry flying destinations
• VBT Pilot Briefing - Everything you need to know
• Flying Magazine - The Coolest Airport in the Country - VBT feature
• Crystal Bridges Museum - Free American art museum in canyon park
• BE55 - Beechcraft Baron 55 - Ben's new twin
• 48A - Cochran Airport, Georgia - Picked up Evan here
• 09J - Jekyll Island Airport, Georgia - Red bug rentals!
• Hacienda - The 64-Day Flight - Still flying
• Sheppard Air - Brian's IFR written redemption
• Gilbert Aviation IFR Course - Keeping Brian sane
• NOAA - What Is the Jet Stream? - Erica's explanation
• Checkmate Aviation - The best checklists (Chris H approved)
• LGE Flying Club, Georgia - Multi-plane access

Support the Show:

• Patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast - Discord, exclusive content, checkride debriefs
• MidlifePilotPodcast.com - Merch, feedback, stickers for reviews!

New Patreon Members: Andy & Babs, Sierra Tango, Patrick L, Michael R, Michael W - Welcome aboard!

("One Fifty Two") Ted celebrates Mosaic Day by breaking free from the "walled garden" of light sport aviation and "soloing" both a purple lightning-bolt Cessna 152 and a 172.

As our friend Dominic eloquently writes, sport pilots are now "loose upon the natural wilds of general aviation," discovering that some planes "require you to hold the yoke one-third to the right just to fly straight and level. It's a feature."

Ted's conclusion: "I buttered almost every landing...they're so easy to land compared to the egg." The bad news? He keeps forgetting carb heat exists.

Ben logs his "maybe second best landing ever" (wife-verified!) at the Gainesville fly-in and surprises her with a short field takeoff. Brian gets Nashville Approach's fastest "stay outta the Class Charlie" dismissal ever, attends a stellar Commemorative Air Force hangar dance, and reminds us that filing IFR doesn't guarantee instant gratification when controllers are slammed.

The crew tackles listener feedback from newly-minted MOSAIC pilots navigating "airframe chaos" (G1000s, steam gauges, and seats "smushed flat" so you "can hardly see over the firewall"), motion sickness solutions featuring Chick-fil-A minis and relief bands, and why even Bob Hoover dealt with air sickness.

Plus community shoutouts including a 60-year-old nailing his commercial checkride with a power-off 180 in 15-gusting-25, and Xyla Foxlin getting her plane back after losing her medical.

Mentioned on the show:

• ABY - Albany Ga: https://www.airnav.com/airport/ABY
• GVL - Gainesville Ga: https://www.airnav.com/airport/GVL
• FlySto: https://www.flysto.net/home
• M93 Southernaire: https://www.airnav.com/airport/M93
• M54 Lebanon Tenn: https://www.airnav.com/airport/M54
• Ted's "soloing a 150" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmXyFeK09ng
• Checkmate Aviation: https://www.checkmateaviation.com/
• myaeroglass: https://www.myaeroglass.com/
• Xyla Foxlin lost her medical: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aj0H8oVS7qg
• Xyla got her plane back!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu-T7P3o6tU

Join the Midlife Pilot Podcast community, support the show on Patreon, and get merch at www.midlifepilotpodcast.com

Listener Chris T. writes in with a powerful story about his WWII pilot grandfather, a 25-year-old discovery flight that ended in motion sickness, and the question: Is it too late to try again at 46? The crew tackles motion sickness remedies, finding the right CFI as a midlifer, and realistic training schedules for busy adults.

Plus: Ben celebrates 28 years of marriage ("She's said 'You Are Right' twice—that's now a thing"), Ted does his first Special VFR, and the fly-in location may be shifting to Bentonville, Arkansas.

In this episode:

• Chris T's story: His B-29 grandfather, motion sickness fears, and juggling four kids while chasing the aviation dream
• Motion sickness reality check: "Habituation remains the most effective non-pharmacological method" - it gets better with time
• The secret: "I get motion sickness when the CFI has the controls, but when I have the controls, I don't" - your stomach needs warning
• Finding the right CFI as a midlifer: Why assertiveness levels matter and how to take control of your own training
• Training schedules for busy adults: "Plan on one getting canceled every week" - fly 2-3 times weekly
• Ben's perfect weekend: Multi-engine training, fly fishing, charity golf tournament (came in 2nd!), and 28th anniversary
• Ted's first Special VFR: "Turn out whichever way you want" - getting the entire Delta to yourself
• Brian flies to Alabama, shows his friend how beautiful the state really is (including seaplane runways)
• International Day of the Air Traffic Controller: Community members dropping off donuts and $500 in pizzas

Great wisdom:

• "Don't trust the CFI to guide you along—apply your midlife project management skills to your training"
• "We definitely prefer straight information. My communication style is bullet points and curse words"
• Nathan Ballard on veteran students: "They all want right to the point direct feedback"
• "That's not what we meant by power-off 180" - the compliment sandwich
• Ben's marriage secret: "If you can make each other laugh, that's a big part of it"

Fly-in update: Tango 82 is looking tough - considering Bentonville, Arkansas (VBT) with Fly Oz backcountry, grass strip, Frank Lloyd Wright house, and James Beard Award-winning chefs!

Mentioned on the Show:

• 8A1 - Guntersville Municipal Airport, Alabama - Seaplane base
• VBT - Bentonville Municipal Airport - Proposed fly-in location
• AR05 - Harris Field, Combs, Arkansas - 2,500' grass strip
• PDK - DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, Atlanta
• WDR - Barrow County Airport, Winder, GA
• XNA - Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport - Commercial airport near Bentonville
• Fly Oz - Backcountry flying experiences in Bentonville

• Gilbert Aviation - Erica Gilbert's IFR ground school

Support the Show:

• Patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast - Discord access & exclusive content including checkride debriefs
• MidlifePilotPodcast.com - Merch, feedback, and all things MLP
• Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or email: [email protected]
• youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast - Live Mondays 8PM ET

10% of Patreon proceeds support Freedom Aviation Network's anti-human trafficking efforts

Closing wisdom: "Simulated engine failures: The only time your instructor smiles and you don't."

Have motion sickness tips or CFI insights? Send us feedback at MidlifePilotPodcast.com