Airshow performer, instructor, and corporate pilot Ashley Shelton relates two stories of distraction—in her Cub and hew RV-6—that taught her the importance of preflight checklists.

42. The Hazard of Distractions

Tune in for the rest of the story—with exclusive interviews with pilots who have shared their emergencies, crises, and mistakes over 950-plus installments of Flying's iconic series, "I Learned About Flying From That." Host Rob Reider relates the tale as told by the author, then catches up with that pilot to ask the questions we know have been on your mind.

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British pilot Mark Brooke has flown many different airplanes, from light singles and 727s for DHL to the Dassault Falcon 7X and even a Bucker Jungmeister. Hear how he handled a maintenance faux pas in a Beech Baron and his own faux pas on a downwind landing in a Tiger Moth.

80. Trim Tabs on a Baron

Turbulence and windshear drove CFII Anna Serbinenko and her
students to attempt a difficult diversion. Then, a search and rescue crew runs into trouble when they decide to push for their home airport following a hydraulic failure.

79. Severe Turbulence

With a failing engine and unforgiving terrain all around, flight instructor Mark Henshall had a decision to make about whether or not to turn back to the runway. Also, picking up a mayday from a fellow pilot comes to a difficult end only to be followed by a surprising revelation.

78. The Impossible Turn

Finding the right teacher can be complicated, but when a flight instructor falls asleep on a student’s first-ever lesson it raises red flags. Also, low visibility and a failure to communicate lead to a head-to-head close call in the pattern.

77. Sleeping on the Job

A pilot faces an instrument failure in the clouds and recalls how a decision to head home in the dark—despite having never flown at night—led to a harrowing experience in the pattern.

42. The Hazard of Distractions

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