Midlife Pilot Podcast

Episode 150! Ben has a hilarious ATC mix-up flying into Nashville at night ("The other controller told me it was two zero...I could hear him laughing in the background"), Ted gets stuck at an abandoned airport for five hours, and the crew dives deep into avionics upgrades. From hoarding Garmin 430s like Beanie Babies to debating engine monitors, this is real talk about the joys (and financial pains) of panel upgrades.

In this episode:

• Ben's ATC comedy: vectored past his approach, realizes the airport is right there at 4,000 feet, and reveals his identity: "Is this Sierra Whiskey? It's Bravo Sierra from your second favorite podcast"
• Music City STOL recap: Brian gets his second SNJ ride with the CAF, they meet community members, and discuss rookie class plans
• Ted's five-hour weather delay: "Nobody locks sliding doors properly" - breaking into an abandoned clubhouse to wait out IMC
• Avionics deep dive: Discord's best conversations about GPS upgrades, dual G5s, engine monitors, and managing limited budgets
• "The 430 is that friend who peaked in high school" - why these units are hoarded and what your options are
• Do you really want to know THAT much about your engine? The pros and cons of digital engine monitoring
• Why partnerships make upgrades harder: "Convince your partners to spend $12,000 and the plane will be the exact same afterward"

Listener feedback: Louis R. makes the case for getting Mike Busch on the podcast.

Mentioned on the Show:

• Music City STOL - XNX Gallatin, TN
• XNX - Music City Executive Airport
• 9er Systems - Pete's Cardinal
• EP134 with Dev Cannon about the CAF
• Piperzilla - Ultimate STOL Cherokee 180
• "Lost Prop Sonex Guy" - Cheapest instrument setup
• Avidyne IFD440 - Drop-in replacement for Garmin 430
• 1dullgeek on Ask the A&Ps Episode 51
• AVEMCO on MOSAIC Insurance
• Sarasota Avionics - Pricing resource
• Pacific Coast Avionics - Pricing resource
• Savvy Aviation - Mike Busch's resources
• FAA Part 61.129 - IFR requirements

Support the Show:

• Patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast - Discord access & exclusive content
• MidlifePilotPodcast.com - Merch & feedback
• youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast - Live Mondays 8PM ET

10% supports Freedom Aviation Network's anti-human trafficking efforts

It's Information Whiskey time - the crew's monthly no-format format where they "chew the fat" and see what happens. Brian accidentally became a Cherokee salesman at an air show ("I turn around, there's basically a queue forming"), Ben's on a night-flying mission to 1,500 hours, and Ted's been landing on Oregon beaches and flying 4,000 feet in ground effect. The guys also get serious about planning the Spring 2026 fly-in.

In this episode:

• Brian's weekend: Muscle Shoals barbecue diplomacy ("if you come back with barbecue sandwiches and hot dogs...that goes a long way"), becoming an unwitting static display, and escaping a TFR with one minute to spare
• The accidental GA ambassador: helping kids sit in the plane until "I realized this is not good"
• Ben's race to 100 hours of night time: "Turn on your lights. If you don't like it, turn your lights back off"
• Ted gives midlife eagle flights, lands at Boeing Field, and masters the art of the 4,000-foot ground effect taxi
• Ryan K's thoughtful case for returning to Tango 82 for the spring fly-in

Flying wisdom:

• "Night IFR is one of the best arguments for a parachute system"
• "Learning to fly: horizon is steady, but your confidence isn't"

• On night engine failures: "Choose a place to land, turn on your lights. If you don't like it, turn your lights back off"

Important announcement: If you have fly-in location suggestions, send them NOW. Brian's sounding the alarm.

Mentioned on the Show:

• Bunyan's Barbecue - Muscle Shoals, AL (MSL)
• Luke's Landing: Flying to the Best Hot Dog - Luke's video about Bunyan's
• 2I0 Madisonville Airport - Wings Over Western Kentucky location
• Wings Over Western Kentucky Air Show
• Music City STOL - Oct 10-11, XNX Gallatin, TN
• T82 - Gillespie County Airport - Fredericksburg, TX
• Hangar Hotel at T82 - Previous fly-in location
• Kentucky Lake/Lake Cumberland Regional Airport - Potential fly-in location
• 2I3 Rough River Airport - Kentucky fly-in option
• Blue Grass Airport (LEX) - Lexington, Kentucky option
• Cali Beach (S16) - Oregon coast beach landing strip
• CheckMate Aviation - Barry's checklist company (1 year anniversary!)
• MyAeroGlass - Tim/Banjo Pilot's METAR displays
• Gilbert Aviation - Erica Gilbert's IFR training
• FAA Color Vision Testing Flowchart - Recent changes discussed
• Freedom Aviation Network - Anti-human trafficking efforts

Support the Show:

• Join the Patreon community for Discord access, exclusive content, and check ride debriefs: Patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast
• Visit MidlifePilotPodcast.com for merch, feedback, and discount codes
• URGENT: Send fly-in location suggestions to [email protected]
• Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe and catch us live most Monday nights at 8 PM ET: youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast

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

Listener Chris C sparked this week's conversation with a thoughtful question about infrequent flying: "I have to think there's a whole class of pilots out there like me who just don't get up in the air very often... how I'll probably be camping on Mount Stupid for years at my current rate of flying." The crew dives deep into proficiency, imposter syndrome, and why flying once a month doesn't make you any less of a pilot.

In this episode:

• Chris C's honest take on being an infrequent flyer and what it means for skills, risk assessment, and confidence
• Brian's insight: "You're not somebody that's rusty. You're somebody that is consciously, willfully not flying a lot, but flying a little"
• Why "there are millions of people in this country that don't have a pilot license at all—so you're flying more than them"
• Ben confesses to his wrong-runway landing in Florida: "I turned all the blood left my face"
• Strut collapses, coyote wrangling, and why the instrument written is "just a hazing"

Bonus wisdom: "VFR flying is like break dancing. IFR flying is like cotillion."

Also: Don't write "oops, landed wrong runway" in your logbook.

Thanks to Chris C for the episode inspiration and for reminding us that thoughtful, safety-conscious flying matters way more than your Hobbs meter.

Mentioned on the Show:

• List of Class B airports - Wikipedia
• List of Class C airports with traffic volume - Wikipedia
• Sheppard Air - Written test prep
• Triple Tree Fly-In - Sep 22-28, SC00 Spartanburg, SC
• Music City STOL - Oct 10-11, XNX Gallatin, TN
• Swift National Fly-In - Oct 1-5, MMI Athens, TN
• CheckMate Aviation - Barry's aviation business




The in person (online) guided IFR course Brian is taking is from our friend of the show CFII Erica Gilbert, and you can sign up here: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/ifr

Support the Show:

• Join the Patreon community for Discord access, exclusive content, and check ride debriefs: Patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast
• Visit MidlifePilotPodcast.com for merch, feedback, and all things Midlife Pilot Podcast
• Leave us a 5-star review
• Subscribe and catch us live most Monday nights at 8 PM ET on YouTube: youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast

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

www.freedomaviationnetwork.org

The crew tackles the midlife aviation dilemma: wanting that next rating but lacking time for full commitment. The hosts share Brian's "Trip Fall Succeed method" - making progress through small steps instead of diving headfirst into training.

Ben returns from Europe unable to eat American pasta again and explains how multi-engine training feels like "standing in front of a cliff" until it becomes "a little bit of a slope." His dedication includes yoga training just to reach emergency gear handles: "I'm surprised I haven't thrown my back out yet."

Brian shares his instrument training breakthrough on flying holds: "just draw the heading inbound to the fix and make the least insane turn" - apparently the secret nobody teaches. Ted discovers rental planes lack coffee makers while relearning carburetor heat exists.

The key message: you don't need full commitment to make progress. "Point yourself in that direction and start chipping away" through reading, finding safety pilots, or just "planting seedlings of learning" in your brain during downtime.

As friend of the show ATP CFII Nathan Ballard proves: "It took me 27 years to go from commercial to CFI. We are all on our own pace."

Plus the debut of Midlife Pilot Confessional featuring anonymous "avionics errors."

"Steam gauges because sometimes your best friend is a needle with a twitch."

Mentioned on the show:

* Moontown Airport Alabama: https://www.moontownairport.com/

* CFII Ben Lehman, Drift Aviation: https://www.driftaviation.com/

* Sandwich Illinois private airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/IS65

* The Dunning-Kreuger effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

* Ted's Alvord Desert video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKIK0CiVnrM

* CNI Cherokee County, Canton Georgia: https://www.airnav.com/airport/CNI

* Triple Tree fly-in, Sep 22-28, SC00 Spartanburg, SC: https://tta.aero/ttfi/

* Music City STOL, Oct 10-11, XNX Gallatin Tenn: https://nationalstol.com/musiccity/

* Swift fly-in, Oct 1-5, MMI Athens Tenn: https://swiftmuseumfoundation.org/2025-swift-national-fly-in-october-1st-5th-preregistration-form/

* Atlanta Mayors' 5k on an ATL runway: https://runsignup.com/Race/Donate/GA/CollegePark/Mayors5Konthe5thRunway

* Atlanta airport cemetery (on the runway): https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/flat-rock-and-hart-cemeteries

* Erica's IFR ground school class: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/ifr

* dwhonan's aviation photography: https://www.instagram.com/dwhonan/

Join the Midlife Pilot Podcast community, get merch, and more at www.midlifepilotpodcast.com

1DullGeek takes the hot seat to defend his controversial lean-of-peak flying technique that left Brian "smiling and nodding while trying to keep up." Using full throttle and mixture control for power management breaks more than just Lord Alpha Juliet's brain - it challenges decades of conventional wisdom.

The crew dives deep into the psychology of finding and keeping good A&Ps, from owner-assisted annuals to the art of setting ground rules before work begins. Ted shares desert camping adventures complete with ground effect experimentation, Brian celebrates his first successful tailwheel flight review, and everyone agrees that partnerships come with built-in mechanics (the real MVP move).

Mentioned on the show:

* EP100 in West Virginia with OG Chris: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/blog/remembering-episode-100-a-very-special-non-event

* Mike Busch, Time and Materials: https://www.savvyaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Savvy_2023-12_time-and-materials.pdf

* Ask the A&Ps: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/podcasts/podcasts/ask-the-a-and-ps

* Savvy Aviation: https://www.savvyaviation.com/

Support the Show: Join the best midlife pilot community and support the podcast on Patreon, browse our aviation merch collection, send us your feedback, and connect with fellow pilots at https://midlifepilotpodcast.com. We're grateful for your support in making this the positive aviation community we all love to be part of.

Episode 145 brings you "information whiskey" - the crew's loose, conversational format where they step back from their "really tightly wound formatted structure" to catch up on life, flying, and everything in between.

Ben confesses to being a "plane jinx" after his multi-engine training gets derailed by yet another 100-hour inspection, while Brian plans an epic desert trip from Nashville to New Orleans to Marfa because "if I don't have something on the horizon to look forward to, I'm just a shell of a human being." Ted shares his Palouse flying video and recalls his motorcycling adventures from "above the Arctic circle" to "below the equator."

The highlight of the episode is Brian's glowing review of Wendell Geek's masterful Fisk arrival video, calling it "the first thing I've seen where it actually made me want to fly Fisk" and praising its non-linear storytelling approach. Mark reveals he accidentally rendered over his original footage and had to rebuild the entire video from scratch.

The conversation meanders through STOL competitions ("if I had your plane, I would be doing that"), insurance implications of MOSAIC rules, and the crew's ongoing battle with aging aircraft and cars. Ben gets his thrills with a massive forward slip through Atlanta's Delta airspace, while Brian contemplates whether anyone wants to rebuild a 4AGE motor in a 1985 Toyota MR2.

As Ted notes about midlife priorities: "We chose this not because it was easy, but because we thought it was easy" - the same mindset that drives both flying and life decisions at this stage.

Ben's wisdom: "Cleared for the approach means it's time to make math panic look graceful."

Mentioned on the show:

• Music City STOL: https://nationalstol.com/musiccity/
• XNX - Music City Executive Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/KXNX
• Piperzilla: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1418719012179295
• Ted's "Palouse Is My Happy Place" vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhD9hx-XvII
• Tailwheel CFI Ben: https://www.instagram.com/flyyywithben/
• RYY - Cobb County: https://www.airnav.com/airport/KRYY
• MGE - Dobbins ARB: https://www.airnav.com/airport/kmge
• Mark/1dullgeek's Oshkosh arrival vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIWmgdiTDj8
• Ted's Oshkosh arrival vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91smAolmRpI
• Checkride debriefs and Killing Zone Konversationz: https://www.patreon.com/collection/1238009
• Midlife Pilot Podcast: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/
• YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@MidlifePilotPodcast
• Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast
• Freedom Aviation Network: https://freedomaviation.network/

1DullGeek drops the bombshell that building beats bureaucracy, while keeping his aircraft shortlist more classified than Area 51 (spoiler: Ted's in on the secret). Brian discovers that flying tailwheel means surrendering all control to achieve actual control, and that Cherokee muscle memory doesn't translate to delicate Cessna 140s. Ben's multi-engine journey continues with nose-diving revelations and the humbling realization that "dead foot, dead engine" logic fails spectacularly under pressure.

The crew dives deep into Mosaic's game-changing LSRI certification that's about to turn every EAA chapter into inspection central, while insurance companies lurk in the shadows as aviation's true overlords. Plus, why builder-assist programs range from "comprehensive education" to "glorified observation," and Ted casually flexes 45 nautical miles per gallon because apparently his egg runs on good intentions and Pacific Northwest vibes.

Mentioned on the show:

• Tailwheel CFI Ben Lehman, Drift Aviation: https://www.driftaviation.com/
• XNX, Music City Executive Airport: https://www.musiccityexecutiveairport.com/
• skywatch.ai, renters insurance on a daily basis: https://www.skywatch.ai/aircraft-renters-insurance
• Transair Flight 810, getting the failed engine wrong and landing in the ocean near Hawaii: https://apnews.com/article/plane-ditches-ocean-hawaii-7ec8d9d33b42ec6b7cefe0ea94aa74b7
• Ted's video, sunset burger flight up the columbia river gorge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8o4es8puSA
• Mark's video, Climbing Thru a Thin Broken Layer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxxULQhMZ5E
• Canard Boulevard: Mosaic: The Huge Gift from the FAA for Experimental Owners That Nobody Is Talking About: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS9GY_9-t6c
• Moonies, aka Unification Church: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unification_Church
• Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Dog:_The_Way_of_the_Samurai
• Ang Patriot: https://veloceplanes.com/ang/
• Porto Risen: https://www.flyrisen.com/
• TL Sparker: https://tlsportaircraft.com/sparker/
• Sling TSi: https://slingaircraft.com/aircraft/sling-tsi/
• Erin & Paul's airplane build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB6X4IZVEXo
• Aviation101 Sling build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8_QRqLhUq0&list=PLZUuXpwtz5yDL3fELSX72zGl6IaTL7usE

Support the Show:Join the best midlife pilot community and support the podcast on Patreon, browse our aviation merch collection, send us your feedback, and connect with fellow pilots at ⁠https://midlifepilotpodcast.com⁠. We're grateful for your support in making this the positive aviation community we all love to be part of.

What happens when four pilots discuss IFR ground school and nobody really knows what they're talking about? Episode 143 delivers a chaotic journey through aviation acronyms that'll make you question everything.

Ben admits he's "a little nervous" before diving into MOCAs vs ROCAs. Brian, suffering through IFR ground school, says his brain "goes cross-eyed" with acronyms like "M-A-A-M-C-A-M-D-A-M-E-A." Ted drops wisdom about aviation's three knowledge levels: "pass the test, throw away that knowledge."

The conversation careens from NDB approaches to Shepherd Air debates, with Wendell Geek explaining the gap between training IFR and actual IFR: "you spend most of your time trying to avoid that."

Brian perfectly captures the episode: "This is gonna be the worst episode that we've ever done, because we have nobody that knows what they're talking about." He later calls it "a false glide slope" metaphorically.

Join the gang for aviation education that's equal parts informative and terrifying, where approach plates are more confusing than figuring out who actually knows what they're talking about.

Ben's wisdom: "It's not real IFR until the sweat soaks your checklist."

"This has not been sponsored by the FAA."

Mentioned on the show:

• Erica/Aerosafe IFR course: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/ifr
• MOCA, OROCA: https://www.flight-insight.com/post/mea-moca-oroca-ifr-altitudes-explained
• Foreflight expected routes: https://support.foreflight.com/hc/en-us/articles/360054089634-What-are-Expected-Routes-in-ForeFlight
• Sheppard Air- test prep software: https://www.sheppardair.com/
• Garmin G5: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/570665/
• Garmin GI275: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/719027/
• CCO - Newnan-Coweta County Airport: https://www.coweta.ga.us/departments-services/departments-a-e/airport
• Midlife Pilot Podcast: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/
• YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@MidlifePilotPodcast
• Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast
• Discord Community (join via website)
• Freedom Aviation Network: https://freedomaviationnetwork.org

Welcome back to the aviation playground where three guys who "have a podcast and don't know what we're talking about" dive deeper into MOSAIC regulations! After Ted's fan-favorite first episode on the topic, the gang returns to explore what these new rules actually mean for us midlifers - from couch potatoes thinking about learning to fly, to seasoned pilots with 5,000 hours looking to "slow down a little bit."

Brian channels his inner skeptic wondering if this will be another case of "big promise, reality chips away at the dream," while Ben ponders the demand vs. supply problem that might keep us all flying antiques forever. Meanwhile, Ted continues to be our "sport pilot extraordinaire" and resident MOSAIC expert, explaining everything from the magic wand theory of medical downgrades to why there are only 75 recreational pilots in America.

Plus: Ted makes his debut on VASAviation (and it's not for getting a number to copy!), Brian contemplates bachelorette tunnels vs. airspace tunnels, and we discover that declaring yourself a sport pilot is easier than Michael Scott declaring bankruptcy.

Show Notes & Links:

Mentioned on the show:

• Ted on VASAviation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-prIctcva4
• The Alameda-Weehawken Burrito Tunnel: https://idlewords.com/2007/04/the_alameda_weehawken_burrito_tunnel.htm
• Video discussing the tunnel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGGa9drcClI
• Ford's "Model T Moment": https://www.jalopnik.com/1936674/ford-next-model-t-mid-size-ev-truck/
• Spirit SE-1 airplane: https://spiriteng.com/se-1-aircraft/
• The Office, "I Declare Bankruptcy": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-m3RtoguAQ#t=65s
• FAA's Mental Health rule recommendations: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2024/april/03/faa-publishes-mental-health-recommendations
• FAA's "arbitary and capricious" antidepresasnt court case: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2025/july/03/court-rules-faa-antidepressant-denial-arbitrary

Community Updates:

• William S. - Solo at 16, back flying after 37 years with BFR
• Patreon survey insights on returning pilots
• Discussion on 25-year gap pilots returning to aviation

Key MOSAIC Takeaways:

• Private pilots can exercise sport pilot privileges by simply letting medical/BasicMed expire
• Sport pilots can now fly larger, more capable aircraft
• Experimental manufacturers can now build completed aircraft, not just kits
• Potential for more affordable avionics and equipment options
• Training schools may benefit from electric aircraft and more durable LSAs
• Sport Pilot limitations: No night flying, no IFR, two seats maximum in use

Connect With Us:

• Live Show: Monday nights, 8 PM Eastern on YouTube
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast

Disclaimer: We openly admit we "have a podcast and don't know what we're talking about," so always consult proper sources for regulatory guidance!

When Tim "Banjo Pilot" Lien's CFI's wife called his sectional chart maps "ugly," he didn't get mad - he got creative. The result? MyAeroGlass - stunning aviation art that actually makes spouses happy (imagine that!). It also is tech-enabled to show us the current weather, because we love VFR green.

Tim joins the crew to explore why midlife pilots are secretly makers and artists. From banjo picking to CNC machining, we dive into the creative minds of aviators who "glom onto things and take them way too far." Plus, discover how aviation's discipline actually enhances creativity, and why every pilot is creative whether they realize it or not.

As the crew discovers: "We chose this not because it was easy, but because we thought it was easy" - the same mindset that drives both flying and creating.

Mentioned on the show:

• Erica Gilbert's IFR course: https://gilbertaviation.com/
• Ted's youtube video, "serene mountain flying": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fabgHCyHI8
• 1dullgeek's youtube video, "Hand Flying in IMC": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBTlpl8keho
• MyAeroGlass: https://www.myaeroglass.com/
• Ben's youtube video, "Pushing the envelope": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9cvl1LJV1Y
• The Flow state: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)
• Kenny G on SocialFlight, "The Jazz of Seaplane Flying with Kenny G": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzJ4g1hVftw

Community shoutouts: New Patreon supporters Anthony C, Jeff S, Justin G

Midlife Pilot Podcast:

• Website: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/
• Patreon Community: https://www.patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast
• Watch Live on YouTube - Mondays 8PM Eastern
• Email: [email protected]
• Discord Community (via Patreon)

Tonight's wisdom: "Flying IFR - where you trade scenery for stress."