The crew has just released their comprehensive Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Midlife Pilot - a 23-page PDF packed with community wisdom from hundreds of pilots who started flying at 40, 50, 60, and beyond. Download it FREE at midlifepilotpodcast.com!
This is the first episode in a three-part series walking through this game-changing resource that answers the question every aspiring midlife pilot asks: "How do I actually get started?" No more scattered advice - this is your roadmap from dream to checkride.
What's in the Guide:
This Week's Key Insights:
Reality Check Moments:
Pro Tips from the Community:
Coming Up: Parts 2 and 3 will cover training realities, milestone moments, and advanced midlife pilot strategies.
The Ultimate Guide represents two years of community wisdom distilled into one comprehensive resource. Whether you're thinking about starting or helping someone else begin their journey, this PDF eliminates the guesswork and provides a clear path forward.
Download your FREE 23-page guide at https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/#guide
"Midlife is a state of mind, not an age" - and this guide helps you navigate both.
Mentioned on the show:
* Thaden Invasion: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/thadeninvasion
* PDF of the midlife starter kit is on the website, https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/
* Million Air- BHM (cookies, wet bar): https://www.millionair.com/locations/bhm/
* Rev2, student with task saturation video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnQLuGPLHN4
* SISKIND - Nobody Cares. My Creative Manifest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da4I2Y9v1Sk&t=1s
* AOPA's medical resources (call them!): https://www.aopa.org/go-fly/medical-resources
* Killing Zone, third edition, now available: https://asa2fly.com/the-killing-zone/
* Opposing Bases OB418: Ice Chunks and Slam Dunks
Join the gang as they toast to 2025's greatest hits: Ben earning the coveted "you are a badass MF" landing review from his wife, Brian discovering his Cherokee is indeed "the Toyota Camry of the skies" when loaded with three dudes and camera gear, and Ted conquering his first real Rockies crossings. Plus, the moment we've all been waiting for - The Thaden Invasion is officially happening March 13-15, 2026 in Bentonville, Arkansas!
Expect the usual "personal responsibility themed gathering" where "we're all grownups, figure it out," brewery meetups are "a foregone conclusion," and someone will inevitably need a rescue mission. Brian's setting ambitious 2026 goals involving actual instrument training, Ben wants to fly "somebody else's airplane while not incurring the expenses" (relatable), and the crew reflects on why this community has become their "daily sustenance."
Warning: Contains gratitude, aviation wisdom, and Ted admitting he "really needed to smoke" during the Tango 82 live show moment.
Mentioned on the show:
* Stranger Things (TV): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_Things
* George Carlin, Stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rhVQCzF3r0
* Freedom Aviation Network: https://www.freedomaviationnetwork.org/
* M54 - Lebanon Airport: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon_Municipal_Airport_(Tennessee)
* Southwest Georgia Regional Airport (Albany, Georgia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Georgia_Regional_Airport
* Benalla, Victoria, Australia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benalla
* Kangaroo Island, Australia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_Island
* Moontown Airport, Huntsville Ala: https://www.moontownairport.com/
* RYY - Cobb County - Steakhouse: https://www.elevationatlanta.com/
* Checkmate Aviation has a youtube channel now! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GL6_2RZdZU
Join us on Patreon and support the show, give feedback, and more at www.midlifepilotpodcast.com
Ben leads the crew through a heartfelt discussion on the power of aviation community, proving that even "internet pilot buddies who are somehow both extremely wise and definitely unsupervised" can create something meaningful together. While Brian emerges from his five-week "gateway drug situation" of nonstop testing (having "forgotten how to function as a normal human being"), the episode explores how pilot communities support each other through the challenges of midlife aviation.
From anonymous confessionals about night landing requirements to the wisdom of "Fly what you want, log what you need," this episode showcases why the Midlife Pilot community has become "one of the great joys" for pilots navigating their aviation journeys. Ted chimes in from Portlandia while Ben reminds us that aviation community - whether in Discord, at fly-ins, or through podcast connections - provides the essential support network that keeps us all flying safely.
Plus: Why we probably need "at least one service bulletin requiring post-podcast cranial inspections," and Ben's words of wisdom about truth vs. lies in our connected world.
Mentioned on the show:
* AGI: advanced ground instructor
* IGI: instrument ground instructor
* FOI: fundamentals on instruction
* Thaden Invasion: https://midlifepilotpodcast.com/thadeninvasion
* Seth Lake on VBT-Thaden airspace: https://arflightsafety.com/VBT.html
To send feedback, support the show, get merch, and more, visit www.midlifepilotpodcast.com
Like George Costanza pulling a golf ball from a whale's blowhole, Ben emerges from a harrowing 3.5-hour IMC flight through icing conditions with quite the tale to tell. Our intrepid Atlanta pilot finds himself wondering "did I get away with one? This sparks a deep dive into normalization of deviance, expanding personal minimums, and whether Ben just wrote "the first line of his NTSB report."
Brian continues his quest to become qualified to "give bad information for small amounts of money" as an instrument ground instructor, while Ted battles the "Mississippi River pointed at the Northwest" and installs stripped hex screws.
The crew tackles thoughtful listener feedback about pre-flight anxiety and the existential dread of pursuing aviation as what outsiders might call "the Midlife Crisis Podcast." Plus, planning continues for "The Thaden Invasion" fly-in at KVBT - a very GA-friendly airport that's excited to host the podast and community... for now.
Mentioned on the show:
* Wikipedia - List of social generations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation#List_of_social_generations
* Beresford Research - Generations defined by name, birth year, and ages in 2025: https://www.beresfordresearch.com/age-range-by-generation/#:~:text=Generations%20defined%20by%20name%2C%20birth%20year%2C%20and%20ages%20in%202025
* Side view of The Hollywodo Squares: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059995/mediaviewer/rm648494848/?ref_=tt_ov_i
* The Finer Points on the Oscar pattern for IFR flying: https://www.learnthefinerpoints.com/articles/the-oscar-pattern
* Checkmate Aviation IFR, Oscar pattern on back: https://www.checkmateaviation.com/products/checkmate-ifr
* Oscar pattern graphic: https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/comments/13hnvzo/oscar_pattern_graphic/
* Flight Insight, the VOR Flower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm7XxyzZFh0
* EP36 - CFI Jeff Ramsey, Frequency Change Aviation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgaNuf5gCCo
* Seinfeld, "The Sea Was Angry That Day My Friends": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a3TZC69tSg
* Psych Safety - The Challenger Disaster: Normalisation of Deviance: https://psychsafety.com/normalisation-of-deviance/
* Blancolirio on the N2345R Montana fatal icing encounter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkSM531bYzs
* Ben's video, "Pushing the Envelope" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9cvl1LJV1Y
* Big Bird was nearly on the Challenger: https://www.history.com/articles/big-bird-challenger-disaster-nasa-sesame-street
* Performance Pilot by Ross Bentley and Phil Wilkes : https://bookshop.org/p/books/performance-pilot-skills-techniques-and-strategies-to-maximize-your-flying-performance-phil-wilkes/1d2cd7f443b0d5ca
* The Calm Cockpit podcast: https://calmcockpit.com/
* Tammy Barlette's Crosscheck mental performance training course: https://www.crosscheckmentalperformance.com/
* Crosscheck training course and group: https://www.skool.com/crosscheck/about?ref=f15fa026369c49dfaf275891f87f1f26
Join us on Patreon, get event info, merch, and more:
www.midlifepilotpodcast.com
1DullGeek casually announces he's signed a contract for a Czech-built TL Sparker and will spend a month in Prague building it – because apparently "24 cubic feet of cargo space" (more than his compact SUV!) justifies international aircraft construction. The only minor detail? He has absolutely nowhere to hangar this composite beauty that "costs more than his house." Cue the deep dive into "Hangar Hell" – where waiting lists stretch to 2038, car detailing businesses occupy hangars, and Mark realizes he's been "a wholesale menace in every capacity to an airport." Meanwhile, Brian's gone full on into written tests, knocking out instrument ground instructor and fundamentals of instruction in two weeks because "the sponginess of my brain is kind of working at the moment." Plus: heated seats, cup holders, and the eternal question of whether N633K (a.k.a. "N-GEEK") will ever see the inside of an actual hangar.
Upcoming Event:
Support the Show:
Mentioned on the show:
* Mark's new plane, TL Sparker: https://tlsportaircraft.com/sparker/
* Risen Aircraft: https://www.flyrisen.com/
* Roy "Deacon" Qualls, Pilot's Edge: Think, Train, and Fly Like a Pro: https://amazon.com/dp/B0FY26ZJJM
* CGI, Cape Girardeau Regional Airport: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Girardeau_Regional_Airport
* Garmin GNC355: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/689774/
The spotted cow tradition lives on as the crew discusses building instrument flows (Wendy's "source-morse-course" wisdom), why updating flows is harder than you think (law of primacy), and the great EFB pricing debate (Sky Demon €120 vs ForeFlight $370+ in Europe). Plus: celebrating no-go decisions as bigger accomplishments than completing flights, Ted's minimalist wedding where the Uber driver waited outside, and why being in aviation has made Ted realize there's a countable number of summers left in his life—a perspective his 18-year-old brain never understood.
In this episode:
Great moments:
Thaden Invasion: March 13-15, 2026 at VBT, Bentonville, Arkansas - RSVP at midlifepilotpodcast.com (parking limited!)
Mentioned on the Show:
Support the Show:
10% of Patreon proceeds support Freedom Aviation Network's anti-human trafficking efforts
Closing wisdom: "A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures."
Checkride prep reality check with CFII Erica Gilbert! Brian passes his instrument written ("a solid grilled cheese sandwich with slightly better ingredients than Kraft singles"), Ben confesses his multi-engine notice of disapproval after chasing the CDI below the glide slope—then passed two days later—and Erica reveals her 100% initial pass rate secrets: mock orals should be 3-4 hours of pain, Day One starts with defining PIC, and exact FAA phraseology matters on every rating. Plus: 1DullGeek's Thanksgiving rant about flying with friends (the fuel leak meow incident at Clarksburg), why "what are the next two things?" might save your check ride, and the hard truth about midlife pilots—you've forgotten how to study and haven't done anything you suck at in a long time. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
Audio note: Technical difficulties with our guest's audio—it's listenable but not perfect!
Erica Gilbert's check ride prep secrets:
Mentioned on the Show:
Support the Show:
Happy Thanksgiving from the Midlife Pilot Podcast crew. We're thankful for every single one of you who listens, supports, and shares this journey with us.
🎯 THE THADEN INVASION: March 13-15, 2026 | VBT | Bentonville, Arkansas
Pattern predicament! Discord member Dom shares audio and flysto.net data from a close call at an untowered airport—100 feet of separation, spotty ADS-B, garbled radio calls, and the eternal question: turn right to avoid or stay predictable in the pattern? The non-CFI crew looks at 14 CFR 91.113, Wild West untowered airports, and why sometimes you just need to GTFO. Plus: Thaden Invasion updates, icing on the vegetables origin story, and why "show your belly" might not be the best advice.
Mentioned on the Show:
Episode 44 with Bryan of Just Plane Silly - Icing on the vegetables origin
Flysto.net - Track log visualization and analysis (FREE!)
Flying the Overhead Break - AOPA technique
14 CFR 91.113 - Right-of-way rules
BWG - Bowling Green-Warren County Airport, Kentucky - Brian's pattern work airport
M54 - Lebanon Municipal Airport, Tennessee - "Wild West" untowered field
GCC - Gillette-Campbell County Airport, Wyoming - Steve Schofield's home base
Support the Show:
Patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast - Discord access & exclusive content
Special thanks to our 5 longest supporters!: 1DullGeek, Biff B, Chris C, Josh M, and Aero Grizzly!
MidlifePilotPodcast.com - Merch, feedback, Thaden Invasion RSVP
Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts!
youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast - Live Mondays 8PM ET
10% of Patreon proceeds support Freedom Aviation Network's anti-human trafficking efforts
Closing wisdom: "Common sense is like deodorant. The people who need it most never use it."
Send us your pattern predicaments, close calls, or confessions to midlifepilotpodcast@gmail.com - we'll keep you anonymous if you want!
🎯 THE THADEN INVASION: March 13-15, 2026 | VBT | Bentonville, Arkansas
Airplane down! Not a crash—just 65 days and counting of repair purgatory. Special guest 1DullGeek (Mark) joins to talk about what happens when your plane is out of service for months, Keith C's emotional feedback about avoiding aviation altogether, and the reality of airplane ownership. Plus: Brian's IFR long cross-country with C-130s and blown approaches, Ben's icing adventure to Cincinnati, and the Cherokee 235 that "totally spoiled" Mark's wife. The Thaden Invasion details keep rolling in!
Mentioned on the Show:
VBT - Thaden Field - March 2026 fly-in location
Gaston's White River Resort - Arkansas fly-in fishing destination
LUK - Lunken Airport - Cincinnati
Fort Campbell - Brian's airport hopping area
PAH - Barkley Regional Airport - Paducah, KY
IPJ - Lincoln County Airport - North Carolina (Mark's home base)
VUJ - Stanly County Airport - Where Mark's plane was in annual
Josh's Sling TSI Build Playlist - Aviation 101
Midwest Panel Builders YouTube - Avionics videos
Support the Show:
Patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast - 1DullGeek & Son checkride debrief NOW AVAILABLE!
MidlifePilotPodcast.com - Merch, feedback, RSVP for Thaden Invasion
Leave us a 5-star review and get a sticker!
youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast - Live Mondays 8PM ET
10% of Patreon proceeds support Freedom Aviation Network's anti-human trafficking efforts
New Patreon Members: Rich H and James S at the Hershey Bar level - Welcome!
Closing wisdom: "Sometimes it's best to remain silent and look stupid, rather than opening your mouth and removing all doubt." - Drew
Special thanks to Keith C for the honest feedback about stepping away and coming back. We're not taking attendance—this community is here when you need it.
🎯 THE THADEN INVASION: March 13-15, 2026 | VBT | Bentonville, Arkansas
Information Whiskey strikes again!
BIG NEWS: The Thaden Invasion is official—March 13-15, 2026 in Bentonville, Arkansas! Brian confesses his Sheppard Air conversion after weeks of IFR written torture ("The FAA told you to look at figure 71, but you have to memorize it's actually figure 24"), his wife solves compass errors in 8 seconds ("Here, idiot"), and Ted's fuel gauge crisis leads to the ultimate "It's Always Fuel" moment. Plus: Ben kills another twin, navigating without flight following during the shutdown, and why flying different planes makes you better.
In this episode:
Safety talk that actually matters:
Weather nerdery from Erica Gilbert:
Listener feedback gold:
Fly-in essentials:
Mentioned on the Show:
Support the Show:
New Patreon Members: Andy & Babs, Sierra Tango, Patrick L, Michael R, Michael W - Welcome aboard!
("One Fifty Two") Ted celebrates Mosaic Day by breaking free from the "walled garden" of light sport aviation and "soloing" both a purple lightning-bolt Cessna 152 and a 172.
As our friend Dominic eloquently writes, sport pilots are now "loose upon the natural wilds of general aviation," discovering that some planes "require you to hold the yoke one-third to the right just to fly straight and level. It's a feature."
Ted's conclusion: "I buttered almost every landing...they're so easy to land compared to the egg." The bad news? He keeps forgetting carb heat exists.
Ben logs his "maybe second best landing ever" (wife-verified!) at the Gainesville fly-in and surprises her with a short field takeoff. Brian gets Nashville Approach's fastest "stay outta the Class Charlie" dismissal ever, attends a stellar Commemorative Air Force hangar dance, and reminds us that filing IFR doesn't guarantee instant gratification when controllers are slammed.
The crew tackles listener feedback from newly-minted MOSAIC pilots navigating "airframe chaos" (G1000s, steam gauges, and seats "smushed flat" so you "can hardly see over the firewall"), motion sickness solutions featuring Chick-fil-A minis and relief bands, and why even Bob Hoover dealt with air sickness.
Plus community shoutouts including a 60-year-old nailing his commercial checkride with a power-off 180 in 15-gusting-25, and Xyla Foxlin getting her plane back after losing her medical.
Mentioned on the show:
Join the Midlife Pilot Podcast community, support the show on Patreon, and get merch at www.midlifepilotpodcast.com
Listener Chris T. writes in with a powerful story about his WWII pilot grandfather, a 25-year-old discovery flight that ended in motion sickness, and the question: Is it too late to try again at 46? The crew tackles motion sickness remedies, finding the right CFI as a midlifer, and realistic training schedules for busy adults.
Plus: Ben celebrates 28 years of marriage ("She's said 'You Are Right' twice—that's now a thing"), Ted does his first Special VFR, and the fly-in location may be shifting to Bentonville, Arkansas.
In this episode:
Great wisdom:
Fly-in update: Tango 82 is looking tough - considering Bentonville, Arkansas (VBT) with Fly Oz backcountry, grass strip, Frank Lloyd Wright house, and James Beard Award-winning chefs!
Mentioned on the Show:
Support the Show:
10% of Patreon proceeds support Freedom Aviation Network's anti-human trafficking efforts
Closing wisdom: "Simulated engine failures: The only time your instructor smiles and you don't."
Have motion sickness tips or CFI insights? Send us feedback at MidlifePilotPodcast.com
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:
Listener feedback: Louis R. makes the case for getting Mike Busch on the podcast.
Mentioned on the Show:
Support the Show:
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:
Flying wisdom:
Important announcement: If you have fly-in location suggestions, send them NOW. Brian's sounding the alarm.
Mentioned on the Show:
Support the Show:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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: