Midlife Pilot Podcast

• EP121 - Information Whiskey: Between Patience and Numbness

  Join Ben, Brian, and Ted for hangar talk about the joys (and pains) of annual inspections in this episode of the Midlife Pilot Podcast. The guys commiserate over their planes being simultaneously grounded, with Ben's Beast down to five cylinders and showing remarkable "patience" (or is it numbness?). Brian dishes on his new book of aviation essays "Make Small Corrections," while Ted smugly reminds everyone his oil-free belly never needs scrubbing. The fellas debate what aircraft they'd come back as in the next life, swap formation flying stories, and remind everyone about the upcoming Texas meetup. Pull up a chair in the hangar and settle in for another episode that'll make you feel right at home in the best pilot community around.Mentioned on the show:* Ernest Goes To Jail: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Goes_to_Jail* The Green Mile: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Green_Mile_(film)* Nashville prison: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_State_Prison* Paul Craig episode 120: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/midlifepilotpodcast/episodes/EP120---Descending-from-Mount-Stupid-with-Paul-Craig-e30b2sb* Cessna 195: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cessna_195* Stinson v77: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stinson_Reliant* Lockheed AC130: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_AC-130* Continental IO520: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_IO-520* Georgia Tech Wreck Racing: https://wreckracing.gatech.edu/* RMG Rome airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/RMG* Sam's Burger and Deli: https://www.samsburgerdeli.com/* XNX Music City Executive: https://www.airnav.com/airport/XNX* "Cessna 140 Ben": https://flywithben.com/* Centerline Aviation: https://centerlineair.com/* Cessna 337 Skymaster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cessna_Skymaster* TomAir's Cessna 337: https://www.youtube.com/@tomairtv* The Green Machine: https://www.retroist.com/p/the-green-machine* Brian's book, "Make Small Corrections": https://amazon.com/dp/B0DZWQKGJX* Original Kindle with a keyboard: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Amazon_Kindle_(original_version)

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• EP120 - Descending from Mount Stupid: with Paul Craig

  For this very special episode we welcome Paul Craig, author of "The Killing Zone," "Be a Better Pilot," and numerous other aviation books including his memoir "Flight Times: Stories from the Second Best Instructor." In this episode, we explore how aviation has evolved since Paul's last book edition, from the rise of electronic flight bags to the Wednesday before Thanksgiving being statistically the most dangerous flying day. As Paul notes about his writing approach, "I just sit down at the computer and have a conversation with the keyboard. It's just you and me talking on a Saturday afternoon at the hangar."Paul shares stories from his memoir, including the time his instructor Bill Kirshner yelled "CLEAR PROP!" after 23 spins while still inside the aircraft, and when his student's first solo flight had Air Force One on approach behind him. Mentioned on the show:* Ted's new video, "I don't feel heard": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3D4bXBSMiw* Invisible Hulk piano intro, 1978: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9MysTXM_P4* CHA - Chattanooga Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/CHA* EP40 - introducing Ben and Ted: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/midlifepilotpodcast/episodes/EP40---The-Podcast-Handoff---a-very-special-crossover-episode-e29965s* Cornelia Fort Airfield: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelia_Fort_Airpark* Cornelia Fort herself: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelia_Fort* Patsy Clilne was headed to Cornelia Fort: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963_Camden_PA-24_crash* Paul Craig, "Be A Better Pilot": https://amazon.com/dp/0830620478/* Paul Craig, "Killing Zone, Second Edition": https://amazon.com/dp/0071798404/

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• EP119 - The Cockpit Lies, Data Doesn't: Flysto Debrief

  Join Ben, Ted, and special guest Mark (aka 1DullGeek) as they talk Flysto, the flight-tracking app that brutally reveals they're better and worse pilots than they thought. Geek out over landing scores, wind data, and traffic playback that "takes the emotional component out of the debrief" – perfect for analyzing that crosswind landing you swore was perfect (spoiler: it wasn't).Come for the flight data analysis, stay for Ben's parting wisdom: "Light travels faster than sound, which is why some people appear bright until they speak."(Special thanks to Mark for filling in for Brian last minute)Mentioned on the show: * Mark aka 1dullgeek: https://www.youtube.com/@1dullgeek/videos* AID - Anderson Indiana: https://www.airnav.com/airport/AID* 02C - Capitol Drive Airport, Wisc: https://www.airnav.com/airport/02C* Seth Lake DPE: https://www.youtube.com/c/SethLakeDPE* Seth Lake's ACE guide: https://vslaviation.myshopify.com/products/vsl-ace-guide* Video showing the ACE guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZM-s2EBK7w* Aviation NewsTalk 365 with Patrick L. of Flysto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7CiwzM7kWE* Flysto- AOPA, Dave Hirschman: https://aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2024/september/pilot/first-look-more-than-a-tattletale* Flysto on EuroGA: https://www.euroga.org/forums/flying/14846-geeking-out-on-post-flight-data-with-flysto-net?page=1* Bruce Williams showing the flysto overlay on a instrument approach to EAT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7CiwzM7kWE* Flysto's "supported avionics": https://www.flysto.net/avionics* VUJ - Stanly County, NC: https://www.airnav.com/airport/VUJ

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• EP118 - All Aboard the Pain Train: The Trials of Aircraft Ownership

  "Freedom to go broke." The guys dive deep into the bittersweet reality of aircraft ownership—from the freedom it provides to the unique challenges it presents. Brian compares airplane ownership to marriage, Ted discusses his aversion to suction cups, and Ben reveals he's "fully funded on my pro rata share" of an eventual engine overhaul. They discuss the importance of finding a trusted mechanic, the joy of spontaneous lunch flights, and why "squawk and walk" is something renters do, not owners. As Brian puts it, "I'm a visitor in this socioeconomic space," but the rewards are worth the challenges.Mentioned on the show:* Ghost Dog: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Dog:_The_Way_of_the_Samurai* Jim Jarmusch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jarmusch* Open Source GA- "squawk and walk": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4smAzSqNG4o#t=2m40s* Coleal interpretation- AOPA: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2023/august/pilot/savvy-maintenance-legal-interpretations

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• EP117 - Park Bench vs. Swing Set: The High Wing-Low Wing Showdown

  "If you're tired of doing your yoga classes every morning, just buy a low wing." In this episode, the crew kicks off a playful aviation civil war, pitting high-wing and low-wing aircraft against each other. Ben, Brian, and Ted debate the merits of each design, from the hanging sensation of high wings to the "sportiness" of low wings. Plus, updates on the Big Texas Send meetup, memories of a fallen aviation friend, and Ted's philosophical reflection on how "there's a countable number of summers" to fly.Mentioned on the show:* TAC Aero- Fredericksburg: https://www.tacaero.com/* UOS- Franklin County/Suwanee TN: https://www.airnav.com/airport/UOS* University of the South: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewanee:_The_University_of_the_South* M02- Dickson Municipal: https://www.airnav.com/airport/M02* Aviation101- High wing vs low wing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WlVCz8E84w* Ted's new video, "busy ground: dueling aircraft": https://youtube.com/watch?v=sN3BBw3RZDw

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