In this episode I have an impromptu conversation with Celia Oakley of Opener. We had been hearing about their electric STOL aircraft but hadn’t planned on doing a feature on it until my crew took a spin in their 3D simulator and we found the evolution and the atypical flight characteristics of the BlackFly interesting…so we started asking some questions, and with the permission of Celia, got a bit of the conversation here. This is also a video episode should you find that interesting. The video can be found in the video podcast feed or on our brand-new YouTube Channel here: https://youtu.be/ci ..read more

We finally make it to Showlow the morning after our diversion to Payson. I categorized this flight as a grateful nod to aviation and I dive into how I was feeling at this point in my flying career. I hope you enjoy this flight ..read more

CORRECTION and UPDATE: I had published the episode 55 audio as episode 56 in error. On July 6th, 2022, I realized the mistake, and have updated this episode release with the correct file. Sorry for the inconvenience. Episode Description: Back to a cockpit audio episode this week, but you may be asking what it is since I finished my primary training episodes. Well, this is an Oshkosh arrival, the part two to the departure we did last week in episode 55. More explanation when we get into the episode…but I hope you enjoy ..read more

Today we talk about legacy, and legends of aviation. I recently found some old audio in the SPC archives from OSH 2011, and it brought me back, got me thinking about the legacy of some of the people we sometimes get to cross paths with. Some are important to the world and some are important more to us and a few others. In any case, I wanted to let you guys hear this audio, too. I hope you like it. Some notes from the show. Jo Hunter’s Video of her Breezy Flight: #OSH11 Breezy Flight “There I was” AOPA podcast of Gabrielle’s Mid-Air (Choose Episode 20): https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/podc ..read more

Welcome back, SPC listeners.  I’m super happy to bring you a chat with Dan Justman from the airplane Owners and Pilots Association, or AOPA, about their program designed to help part 61 students and instructors with their training. AOPA is trying to tackle what is likely part of the reason so many people quit pilot training before achieving their certificate by organizing the flight training process and making it more transparent and predictable, even in a part 61 setting.  With their AOPA Flight Training Advantage program, or AFTA, they are hoping to make flight training more enjoya ..read more

This episode is an interview with Stu Stevenson, Co-Owner of Thrust Flight, an ab initio flight school in the Dallas area with additional locations on the horizon. Stu is also one of the co-hosts and the creator of A Pilot’s Journey Podcast, and is a CFI, ATP, and generally great guy. In this discussion with Stu we will cover all sorts of cool topics from Stu’s own training to how he and his business partner are running their flight and mechanic school today. We’ll talk about their Zero Time to Airline program, the pilot shortage, and a lot of other great hangar flying. Links: Thrust Flight (h ..read more

For this episode I got a chance to talk to Nick Smith from Part Time Pilot, an online private pilot ground school that packs a lot of personalized value into a rather inexpensive service. Learn about how he’s taking a more personal approach to online training and also learn how to get a discounted price on Part Time Pilot which will last a lifetime. For the tricks on discounts check this out from Nick: If just getting started and wondering how to do it we have the step by step 5 day challenge to get started as a student pilot:  https://bit.ly/3dJH5sX If already started and getting into y ..read more

This is the audio version of the Student Pilot Cast audio Episode 63. The video version of this can be found in the video feed of this podcast, or in highest resolution on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/-GhDPNoQcj4 In this episode I get to talk to Mark Palm, the CEO and Co-Founder of Samaritan Aviation, a humanitarian organization who help people out in Papua New Guinea. Mark gives us a bit of the history or the org, the operations, and a quick tour of the aircraft they are using. Samaritan Aviation can be found on the web here: https://samaritanaviation.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com ..read more

Back to my training, we’ll be doing the second half of my makeup flight.  This is the continuation of the flight from Episode 50.  Enjoy episode 52, “Am I Ready Yet?” I was only a few days from me rescheduled check ride, and I was getting even more nervous and excited. Glad you can join me for this one ..read more

The state of Oklahoma has gotten serious about aviation, STEM education, and the whole aeronautics industry. I talk here briefly with Grayson Ardies, Director of the Oklahoma Aeronautical Commision, about what the state is doing to further aviation education and aeronautics in general in the state. This is the audio version of podcast episode 62, but there is a video version as well in the video feed as episode 6B. The video can also (and at higher quality) be found on our YouTube Channel here: https://youtu.be/FhNjxBVpZU4 The State of Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission website is here: https://o ..read more