Stuck Mic AvCast - An Aviation Podcast About Learning to Fly, Living to Fly, and Loving to Fly!

Today we bring a fun interview with a really cool pilot, aircraft and aviation business owner, who’s fortunate to fly from his own backyard runway, leaping into the Oregon wilderness for all the off-airport flying adventures one can handle! Brendan O’Mara ofCRAZEDpilot.com shares his experiences flying Kitfox aircraft, the reliability of Rotax engines, what it’s like to operate into his 16% grade grass-runway in his backyard, and a whole bunch more.

Time to saddle up and get your listen on for this Episode 54 sponsored byForPilotsOnly.com.

Don’t forget to share this episode by clicking that Like, Share, Tweet button to spread the love!

Pre-Flight

Announcements

• Air Transport World Eco-Aviation Conference – “ATW’s 6th Annual Eco-Aviation Conference & Awards will focus on overall sustainability, affordability and overcoming political hurdles within the air transport industry, particularly those social, economic and environmental developments that will improve and have a lasting effect on the industry’s future environmental performance.” This years event will take place at the Westin City Center, Washington, DC on September 11th and 12th.
• Stuck Mic AvCast Blog Posts – Some new additions to the website that are worth your while to read up on, Mom, Where Do Airplanes Go When They Die?, What’s In A Callsign?, No Second Chances, and Where’s Baldo – July 2013 Edition. Check those out for some reading enjoyment!

Cruise Flight

Show Notes

• Meet Brendan O’Mara
• Getting into flying
• Powered-Parachute Flying
• Kitfox Aircraft
• Folding wing design
• Frequency of flying
• Backyard runway
• Kitfox variations
• Tundra tires
• Buying homebuilt airplanes
• Homebuilt regulations
• Homebuilt insurance
• Rotax Engines
• Backcountry Flying
• Flying M Ranch Lodge
• “Pioneering”
• CrazedPilot.com

PS – Did you know that by clicking the affiliate links in this blog post that you help support our website? There’s no extra cost to you, we receive a small percentage, and it helps us maintain the podcast. Plus you’ll get extra karma points in our logbook! Thank you for continued listenership.

After Landing Checklist

~ Picks of The Week ~

No Picks of the Week were included in this interview episode.

This Episode Is Sponsored By

Virgin Galactic Space Flight Fund

Thanks for listening to the Stuck Mic AvCast, a listener supported aviation podcast. We love publishing and delivering useful content and information for everyone! Please show your support with a $5 or $10 donation today and maybe we could one day fly in space!

Please submit your questions and feedback via blog comments, Twitter, or email and we’ll be sure to answer them on the air!

Podcast: Download | Mobile Friendly

Today’s show is on the more serious and sober side as we discuss aviation accidents and how they’ve affected us on a personal level. Recently, co-host Victoria Zajko came to learn that 2 of the aircraft she flew during her flight training had been involved in fatal crashes where the pilot and occupants did not survive. Not long after that Victoria also lost her friend and wing walker Jane Wicker in a tragic air show accident in Dayton, OH.

These events spurred a back stage conversation amongst the co-hosts and today we share with you our own experiences losing friends and family in fatal aviation related accidents including how we’ve dealt with each situation and what keeps us in the saddle, behind the yoke, still flying.

So settle in for Episode 53 sponsored by ForPilotsOnly.com.

Don’t forget to share this episode by clicking that Like, Share, Tweet button to spread the love!

Pre-Flight

Announcements

• Favorite $100 Hamburger Joints – Continuing our online discussion about favorite $100 hamburger joints, we’d love to hear from you. Tell us about your favorite spot be it the food, location, type of approach, etc. If you’ve got menu recommendations you can include those, too. Use #benburger to track the conversation on Twitter.

Cruise Flight

Show Notes

• Aviation accidents
• 4 relatives killed in place crash in Oakland
• Wingwalking crash
• Learn from NTSB reports
• Dissecting accidents
• Learning from others’ accidents
• Getting back in the saddle
• Calming passengers’ fears
• Training and preparation

After Landing Checklist

~ Picks of The Week ~

Victoria – Aviation Forecast Discussion

Rick – iPro Aviator iPad Kneeboard

Len – AviationUniverse.us – check out Len’s interview with the owners: Episode 51a

Carl – Aviation Week

This Episode Is Sponsored By

Virgin Galactic Space Flight Fund

Thanks for listening to the Stuck Mic AvCast, a listener supported aviation podcast. We love publishing and delivering useful content and information for everyone! Please show your support with a $5 or $10 donation today and maybe we could one day fly in space!

Please submit your questions and feedback via blog comments, Twitter, or email and we’ll be sure to answer them on the air!

Podcast: Download | Mobile Friendly

In Episode 51, we interviewed commercial pilot and co-founder of OpenAirplane, Rod Rakic, and learned about his flight adventures in Civil Air Patrol. Everything from how he got started to working his way up the ranks to mission pilot. Rod also shares some really neat information about the organization itself like how you can participate and many of the different types of volunteer opportunities available, even for the non-pilot out there.

Episode 52 is part 2 in this series where Rod explains everything there is to know about OpenAirplane and our predictions on how it’ll revolutionize the aircraft rental industry as you know it. Haven’t heard of OpenAirplane yet? Basically you’ll finally be able to rent an aircraft WITHOUT having to to do multiple checkouts for each FBO you fly out of. Yea, it’s the bomb, yo!

Now go grab a beverage, sit back, relax, and join us for Episode 52 sponsored by ForPilotsOnly.com.

Don’t forget to share this episode by clicking that Like, Share, Tweet button to spread the love!

Pre-Flight

Announcements

• Favorite $100 Hamburger Joints – We’ve started an online discussion about favorite $100 hamburger joints and would love to hear from you. Tell us about your favorite spot be it the food, location, type of approach, etc. If you’ve got menu recommendations you can include those, too. Use #benburger to track the conversation on Twitter.

Cruise Flight

Show Notes

• Meet Rod Rakic
• Introducing OpenAirplne
• How to help OpenAirplane get rolling
• How OpenAirplane gives you a local briefing
• OpenAirplane’s reputation system
• Finding OpenAirplane online
• OpenAirplane

After Landing Checklist

~ Picks of The Week ~

No Picks of the Week were included in this interview episode.

This Episode Is Sponsored By

Virgin Galactic Space Flight Fund

Thanks for listening to the Stuck Mic AvCast, a listener supported aviation podcast. We love publishing and delivering useful content and information for everyone! Please show your support with a $5 or $10 donation today and maybe we could one day fly in space!

Please submit your questions and feedback via blog comments, Twitter, or email and we’ll be sure to answer them on the air!

Podcast: Download | Mobile Friendly

Recently co-host Len Costa had an opportunity to visit Aviation Universe, a local pilot shop in Bensenville, IL. During his visit he met the shops owners, Lora Yowell and Richard Wells. What ensued was a fun interview detailing the history of the store, the owners background in aviation, meeting Orville and Wilbur (the dogs), and even a commuter train happened to find it’s way into the show.

Other topics include:

• Beech Musketeer
• RCAF
• Normandy Hurricane Pilot
• Canadian Pilot
• Canadian to FAA Certificate Conversion
• Civil Air Patrol
• Flight Instructor Certificate
• FAA Charts
• Pilot Training Materials
• Collectible Models
• Kids Toys
• Handmade Crafts
• Meigs Field
• Jewelry
• Magazines
• Lanyards
• Stickers
• Pins
• ORD Airport Watch (mentioned on CNN)
• United 787
• Air Berlin
• Karlene Pettit
• Flight For Control
• Airplane Spotting
• And a whole heap more!

The store is located at 13 W Main Street, Shop #6, Bensenville, IL and available online at AviationUniverse.us. Follow AviationUnvrse on Twitter, Like Aviation Universe on Facebook, or join Aviation Universe on Pinterest.

Virgin Galactic Space Flight Fund

Thanks for listening to the Stuck Mic AvCast, a listener supported aviation podcast. We love publishing and delivering useful content and information for everyone. Please show your support with a $5 or $10 donation today and maybe we could one day fly in space!

Please submit your questions and feedback via blog comments, Twitter, Facebook, oremail and we’ll be sure to answer them on the air!

Podcast: Download | Mobile Friendly

Today we interview commercial pilot and co-founder of OpenAirplane, Rod Rakic, to talk about his flight adventures in Civil Air Patrol. Everything from how we got started to working his way up the ranks to mission pilot. Rod also shares some really neat information about the organization itself like how you can participate and many of the different types of volunteer opportunities available, even for the non-pilot out there.

This interview with Rod is actually Part 1 of a 2 part series. Part 2 will release next as Episode 52 as we learn everything there is to know about OpenAirplane, especially how it’s going to revolutionize the aircraft rental industry as you know it. Good news is you’ll finally be able to rent an aircraft at any participating FBO in the country WITHOUT have to do any additional rental checkouts. Yea, it’s that awesome.

So grab a cold one and join us for Episode 51 sponsored by ForPilotsOnly.com.

Don’t forget to share this episode by clicking that Like, Share, Tweet button to spread the love!

Pre-Flight

Announcements

• AirVenture – It’s almost that time of year where we all flock to Wisconsin for the biggest airshow in the world, EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh. Dates for the 2013 event are Monday July 29th through Sunday August 4th. You’ll be able to meet co-host Carl Valeri and Len Costa on various days so stay tuned for more information on their dates of attendance.
• NJ Balloon Festival – If you can’t make it to AirVenture we suggest you make your way to the 31st Annual QuickChek Ballon Festival at Solberg Airport, Readington, NJ from July 26th through July 28th.
• Favorite $100 Hamburger Joints – We’ve started an online discussion about favorite $100 hamburger joints and would love to hear from you. Tell us about your favorite spot be it the food, location, type of approach, etc. If you’ve got menu recommendations you can include those, too. Use #benburger to track the conversation on Twitter.
• Aviation Universe – Coming in Episode 51a, co-host Len Costa sits down with Lora Yowell and Richard Wells, owners of Aviation Universe pilot shop, to learn more about the store, their background in aviation, and even the best locations for plane spotting at Chicago O’Hare.

Cruise Flight

Show Notes

• Meet Rod Rakic
• Civil Air Patrol
• CAP Humitarian Missions
• CAP Search and Rescue
• Cessna 182
• GippsAero GA8 Airvan
• Pilots Roles at CAP
• CAP Volunteer Opportunities
• CAP Communication Infrastructure
• CAP Disaster Response
• OpenAirplane

After Landing Checklist

~ Picks of The Week ~

No Picks of the Week were included in this interview episode.

This Episode Is Sponsored By

Virgin Galactic Space Flight Fund

Thanks for listening to the Stuck Mic AvCast, a listener supported aviation podcast. We love publishing and delivering useful content and information for everyone! Please show your support with a $5 or $10 donation today and maybe we could one day fly in space!

Please submit your questions and feedback via blog comments, Twitter, or email and we’ll be sure to answer them on the air!