In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down once again with Carolynn from PilotResumes.com to break down the current state of airline hiring, why qualified pilots still aren’t getting calls, and the factors recruiters evaluate long before an interview ever happens.

As the hiring market shifts and competition increases, Carolynn explains why flight time alone is no longer enough to stand out. From networking and professionalism to resume mistakes and reputation within the industry, this conversation dives into the realities of what airlines are actually looking for in today’s environment.

In this episode:

- Why many qualified pilots still aren’t getting interviews
- How the airline hiring market has changed over the last year
- The impact of the Spirit shutdown and increased pilot competition
- Common resume mistakes recruiters see constantly
- Why networking matters more than most pilots realize
- How pilots damage their reputation without even knowing
- Why professionalism outside the cockpit still matters
- How low-time pilots can still separate themselves in a difficult market
- What pilots misunderstand about airline culture and fit
- Advice for pilots trying to navigate a slowing hiring environment

About the guest:
Carolynn is a pilot recruiter, career consultant, and aviation writer with extensive experience helping pilots navigate airline hiring and career progression. Before entering aviation, she spent nearly a decade in recruiting and headhunting, reviewing well over a million resumes across multiple industries. Today, through PilotResumes.com and her work within the aviation community, she helps pilots better understand the hiring process, improve their applications, and position themselves competitively in an increasingly selective market.

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In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down with Halsey Schider, CEO of Sellacopter and North American Aircraft Brokerage, to explore one of the most visible and most overlooked corners of aviation.

Halsey shares what he’s learned from both flying and brokering helicopters, how deals really come together, and where buyers and sellers consistently get it wrong. From pricing psychology to market timing, to the people and equipment that quietly impact every part of the US economy.

In this episode:

- The who and why of buying helicopters
- The biggest misconceptions buyers have going into a purchase
- Transforming an outdated and broken sales process
- Lessons from transitioning from pilot to business owner
- How COVID temporarily disrupted supply, demand, and pricing
- The impact of global unrest on the helicopter market
- Helicopter pilot careers vs fixed wing alternatives
- How the industry can improve
- Influencer-fueled helicopter renaissance 

About the guest:
Halsey Schider is the CEO of Sellacopter, an aircraft brokerage focused on buying and selling helicopters across a wide range of missions and operators. A former professional helicopter pilot, Halsey brings firsthand operational experience along with deep insight into aircraft transactions, market dynamics, and client strategy. He has worked with private owners and commercial operators navigating complex aircraft purchases and sales.

Halsey is also the host of The Helicopter Podcast where he digs deep into the people, equipment, and operations behind the helicopter industry.

You can work with Halsey and his team at Sellacopter and North American Aircraft Brokerage (fixed-wing) here: 
https://sellacopter.com/
https://www.northamericanaircraft.com/

You can listen to The Helicopter Podcast here:
https://verticalhelicasts.com/the-helicopter-podcast/

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In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down with Preston Holland to break down the economics behind private aviation and why so many pilots, owners, and even high-net-worth individuals completely misunderstand how it actually works.

Preston shares how he built one of the most valuable audiences in aviation by sharing a peek behind the curtain of aircraft ownership, operating costs, and charter.

From NetJets and fractional ownership to the psychology behind why people choose to fly private, this conversation challenges the way most people think about cost, value, and decision-making in aviation.

In this episode:

- The biggest misconceptions about private aircraft ownership
- How NetJets became the dominant player in fractional aviation
- Why even ultra-wealthy individuals struggle to justify private flying
- Why “dollars per hour” is the wrong way to evaluate private aviation
- How Preston built a high-value audience through transparency
- The benefits of fractional ownership vs charter vs full ownership
- Why private aviation decisions aren’t purely financial
- The "empty leg" problem in charter and how to solve it
- How the industry actually works behind the scenes

About the guest:
Preston Holland is founder and president of Prestige Aircraft finance, cofounder of FastJets, cohost of The VIP Seat podcast, and author of the Private Jet Insider newsletter. He built a following of over 27,000 on Twitter/X sharing transparent pricing information about private jet ownership and has interviewed some of the industry's biggest players on his podcast. 

You can find out more about Preston here:
https://prestigefinance.com/
https://www.thevipseat.com/
https://fastjets.com/
https://prestonholland.com/

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In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down with former NASA engineer and Test Pilot School graduate Kate Gunderson to talk about what it actually takes to break into (and succeed in) one of the most competitive and misunderstood fields in aviation.

Kate shares her journey from student to engineer, the surprising culture of NASA, the challenges that test pilots face, and why the stereotype of what a career in engineering looks like is completely wrong. This conversation gives a behind-the-scenes look at the people building and testing the systems that keep aviation moving forward.

In this episode:

- What aerospace engineering actually looks like day-to-day
- The biggest misconceptions about becoming an engineer
- Why many people feel like they don’t “fit” the industry stereotype
- How young engineers are given real responsibility early in their careers
- How the landscape of space launches have changed
- The importance of honesty and accountability for flight test engineers and pilots
- Why small details are often what separate top performers
- Lessons from test pilot school
- Advice for students and aspiring engineers looking to break into the field

About the guest:
Kate Gunderson is a mechanical and aerospace engineer with experience in both government and private-sector aviation programs. She provided engineering support to a fleet of more than 20 aircraft at NASA's Johnson Space Center, flew hundreds of hours aboard two Gulfstream aircraft as NASA’s youngest Flight Science Officer aircrew member, and left her dream career at NASA for a full-ride fellowship at the National Test Pilot School in California. She holds a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology and a Master's in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech.

Kate passionate about breaking down barriers in the field and helping guide others on the pathways into aviation and aerospace careers. She shares her journey on her website, https://katelyngunderson.com/, and her Instagram page, https://www.instagram.com/theplanekate/

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In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down with Vanesa Miksa, a Human Factors engineer at Boeing and pilot, to break down the hidden science behind how pilots interact with aircraft and why many aviation accidents aren’t just “pilot error,” but systematic failures in disguise.

Vanesa shares how cockpit design, automation, and airspace systems are all built around human limitations, and what happens when those systems fail to account for how people actually think, process information, and make decisions under pressure.

From automation and ATC workload to confirmation bias and cockpit design flaws, this conversation dives into the real reasons mistakes happen in aviation and what can be done to prevent them.

In this episode:

- What “human factors” is and why it matters more than ever
- How poor system design can lead to “pilot error” accidents
- The role of human limitations in ATC workload and airspace congestion
- Why more technology can sometimes increase workload instead of reducing it
- How automation improves safety and when it can become dangerous
- The importance of “human in the loop” testing in aircraft design
- Common cognitive errors like confirmation bias and normalization of deviance
- Why complacency is one of the biggest threats in general aviation
- The debate around single-pilot cockpits and the future of automation
- How training, decision-making, and experience shape pilot safety outcomes

About the guest:
Vanesa Miksa is a Human Factors engineer at Boeing with a background in psychology and a Master’s degree in Human Factors from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She is also a pilot and flight instructor, combining technical expertise with real-world flying experience to help design systems that align with human capabilities and limitations. Vanesa focuses on improving cockpit design, pilot interaction, and overall aviation safety through human-centered engineering.

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In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down with Russ Torgerson, a retired Coast Guard helicopter pilot and rescue swimmer whose career spanned decades of search and rescue missions at sea. Russ shares what it’s really like operating in environments where the weather, the ocean, and the mission itself can all push a crew to the limit.

From ship-based helicopter operations to moments where seconds meant the difference between disaster and survival, Russ walks through the realities of Coast Guard aviation and the responsibility that comes with launching into the unknown.

In this episode:
- What Coast Guard aviation actually does day-to-day
- The unique challenges of the Coast Guard's operational environment
- The importance of Crew Resource Management in high-risk environments
- The difference between Coast Guard aviation and other military flight communities
- Lessons learned from both great leaders and the leaders who got it wrong
- The emotional toll of losing friends in aviation
- What civilian and fixed-wing aviators can learn from Coast Guard helicopter operations

About the guest:
Russ Torgerson is a retired Coast Guard helicopter pilot, C-130 pilot, and rescue swimmer with decades of experience flying search and rescue missions, maritime patrols, and ship-based helicopter operations. Throughout his career, Russ operated in some of the most demanding environments in aviation, working closely with rescue swimmers and flight crews to conduct lifesaving missions at sea. Russ is also a recipient of the Coast Guard Achievement Medal for superior performance of duty. Today, he shares lessons from leadership, aviation safety, and the realities of flying missions where the outcome is never guaranteed.

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Health decline in aviation is common, and most pilots don't notice until it becomes an issue during their medical.

In this episode, I sit down with commercial pilot and pilot fitness coach Josh Ageeb to talk about the biggest health risks facing aviation professionals today.

We break down the slow creep of fatigue, weight gain, and burnout, and why losing your medical is often the result of small habits compounded over time, not one catastrophic event.

We talk about:

- Why 8 hours of sleep doesn’t mean you’re actually recovered
- The downward spiral of fatigue and caffeine dependence
- Why you don’t need to be 10% body fat to perform at a high level
- The connection between physical health and cognitive performance
- Why accountability is the missing piece for most pilots
- The ego problem that keeps pilots stuck
- How small habits compound into career longevity

If you're just starting your aviation journey and want to develop habits for the long haul, or are approaching the end of an illustrious career and want to maintain your medical through retirement, this episode is for you.

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Airline hiring has shifted and a lot of pilots haven’t caught up.

In this episode, I sit down with resume expert and aviation recruiter Carolynn from pilotresumes.com to talk about what’s really happening behind the scenes in today’s hiring market.

We break down the difference between being qualified on paper and being hireable in practice, and why those are not the same thing.

We talk about:

- Why we’re in a company hiring market, not a candidate market
- How airlines actually evaluate checkride failures
- What recruiters are screening for beyond flight time
- The psychology of interviews (and the answers recruiters hear over and over)
- Whether flight school reputation really matters
- The truth about 141 vs 61 programs
- Why some “qualified” pilots never get a call back
- What companies are really trying to avoid in training

If you’re a student pilot, CFI, regional FO, or aiming for a legacy, this conversation is invaluable to your career journey.

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Austin is back.

After his first appearance became the most-watched full-length episode on The Aerpod, we went straight to the comments and brought him back to answer them.

Austin is a Boeing 777 First Officer at Atlas Air and a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE). In this Q&A episode, we dig into checkride pass rates, common DPE myths, Atlas Air schedules and pay, gateway commuting, and more.

In this episode:

- Why the private pilot checkride now has the lowest pass rate
- What DPEs really look for on a checkride (and why the ACS matters)
- Why “shopping for an easy DPE” usually backfires
- How Austin became a DPE at a young age
- Atlas Air schedules, minimum guarantee, and reserve life
- Gateway travel and living outside base (including internationally)
- Why some pilots choose cargo over the majors
- The realities of widebody flying, fatigue, and long-range decision-making

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In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down with Creighton Johannes, an A&P mechanic and Director of Maintenance who’s worked on everything from light GA aircraft to King Airs, Gulfstreams, and helicopters. Creighton breaks down what aviation maintenance really looks like day to day, what pilots often misunderstand about maintenance, and why an A&P license is often described as a license to learn.

From training pathways and accelerated programs to corrosion, deferred maintenance, and human factors, this conversation offers an inside look at the people who keep aircraft airworthy and the responsibility that comes with it.

In this episode:

• What A&P school is actually like—and why hands-on time matters
• Why the A&P license lets mechanics work across aircraft types immediately
• How aviation maintenance differs from automotive and diesel work
• The biggest misconceptions pilots have about maintenance timelines
• Why corrosion is one of the most dangerous and overlooked threats in GA
• How maintenance culture has evolved around safety and human factors
• The realities of parts shortages, salvage yards, and traceability
• Differences between Part 91, 135, and 121 maintenance standards
• Career paths, pay expectations, and progression for A&P mechanics
• Why networking matters just as much for maintainers as it does for pilots
• Advice for students, career-changers, and aspiring aircraft mechanics

About the guest:

Creighton Johannes is an A&P mechanic and Director of Maintenance based in Arizona. He has experience across general aviation, charter operations, and helicopters, including factory training on the Bell 407. Creighton brings a practical, safety-first perspective to aviation maintenance and mentorship for the next generation of mechanics.

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