Is the DPE shortage getting worse? Designated Pilot Examiner and Major Airliner Line Check Airman Joey Johnson joins Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy for a talk about life as a DPE and as a Line Check Airman. Joey also talks about his non-profit foundation to help veterans transition into the aviation field.

Dan and Christy talk with Bryan Turn @JustPlaneSilly about his leaving the IT field and in his middle-age, making a career shift to airlines.  But what is his path?  What are his struggles?  Is the Pilot Shortage over or did it even exist?

Learn to Fly US when International join Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotCHristy for this weeks Taking off podcast.

On this episode of The Taking Off Podcast, we talk to the creator of the Aviation Accidents / This Day in History Facebook page.

From the ARCHIVES Flying Clubs with Bryan Turner Are Flying Clubs a possible answer to the high cost of purchasing an airplane? How do Flying Clubs work? Bryan Turner from @JustPlaneSilly sits in the Host chair and asks the questions from two different Flight Club organizers, Christy Wong (@PilotChristy) of the Aerovalley Flying Club and […]

Updated Dan (@TakingOffDan) and Christy (@PilotChristy) talk about the struggles, victories and defeats in their battle with weight loss.  In flying General Aviation, weight is an important issue on these airplanes, and besides the obvious of being more healthy, weight can make a difference in the cockpit

Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy play the game of posing certain situations for Christy to advise on best possible paths to become an airline pilot.  If you would like Christy to possibly address your own situation, go to the YouTube page for this podcast and leave a comment with your scenario.

Dan @TakingOffDan is joined by Joe Casey and Robert Johnson to investigate the theory that twin engines are better than one. Is it safer? Do two engines double what you can carry?

Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy reminisce about their favourite and most memorable episodes fo the aviation talk show “In The Hangar.”

From the Archives, Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy talk to Chandra Patey and Suzy Patey about being married to aviation superstars Mike and Mark Patey. Captured on location at Stearman Field in Kansas.

It was the deadliest US crash with the Boeing 727 collided with a small Cessna 172 in San Diego and resulted in some big changes in air travel and in the way air space is controlled.  Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotCHristy talk about the crash the its aftermath.

LONG: Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy talk about Christy’s extraordinary chance to be the first officer on an Envoy test flight to a Jamaica Airport that has never had an airliner land on it! Sounds like the perfect job for the Embraer E-175.

Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy talk about EAA Airventure 2024 of what to see and what to do AND they have a pair of weeklong passes to give away.  Just leave a comment below answering why you’re deserving.  The team will read and vote on who receives them and announce it this Sunday evening (July […]

Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy update the listeners to whats happening at the TakingOff Channel — and what’s going on in each others life.

Small airports are the backbone of General Aviation, but what kind of obstacles and problems do they face?  And are they dying?  Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy talk with Sharlette Wright of the Cleburne Municipal Airport and Brad Stanford of the Dublin, Texas airport to learned more about what drives small airports in the United […]

Listen in as Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy talk about what life is like during the holidays for airline pilots.

Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy talk about the back story on her Envoy E-145 video about the venerable regional jet’s last flight for Envoy and retirement to the desert. She takes a look at how groundbreaking the jet was. Watch the YouTube video here

Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy talk with James Spearman of Spearman Aircraft to talk about the shortage of airplane mechanics for General Aviation and also the benefit of the electronic ignition.

Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy sit down with Charles Cook, the founder of a new aviation video network, Aeroverse.  The new network will have over 300 aviation titles covering everything flying from lighter than air to the trip to the moon.

LONG: Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy talk about what’s going on at the TakingOff YouTube chanel and Christy talks strategy as to why she’s delaying as long as possible the move to the Captains seat.  Also, a new sponsor is testing out the channel to see if it would be a good partnership—so check out […]

Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy talk to Seth @CommercialPilotinCommand who is a Commercial Pilot in Florida and makes his living from his certificate.  From ag flying to banner towing, there are a lot of jobs for pilots in which to make a living these days without necessarily going to the airlines.

October 20, 1977, a Convair crashed while transporting the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Lead singer Ronnie Van Zandt and 5 others were killed while 20 survived. Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy talk about the crash and what led to the plane going down.

Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy, are joined by aviation funnyman Bryan Turner @JustPlaneSilly to talk about career changes, or “second acts.”  Bryan has worked in IT all his adult life and is considering the change to becoming a professional pilot.

From the archive, one of the very first episodes of In The Hangar, Christy hosts some OshKosh veterans about their best advice for attending EAA Airventure whether you’re a first-timer or an experienced Osh-goer, something for everyone!

Many pilots find it intimidating to talk over the radio with ATC. Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy talk with Center Controller Scott Pinkerton and Tower Controller Matt Wells about the issue and how best to communicate with ATC and get over the fear factor.

Dan (@TakingOffDan) and Christy (@PilotChristy) talk about the recent rash of general aviation crashes, including the gut punch of the Richard McSpadden accident in the Cardinal out of Lake Placid, NY. The two also talk about what’s coming next for the channel.

The Pros and Cons of the Airline Pilot Schedule—Christy @PilotChristy talks to Dan @TakingOffDan about the good and the bad of the schedule airline pilots have to keep in order to get the job done, balancing work and home for the best possible mix.

An Air Canada 767 experiences fuel exhaustion due to paperwork mistakes at over 40,000 feet.  The airplane has to glide to a safe landing and the only place in reach is an old shut down military base that the first officer used to fly out of.  Unfortunately, this day, it was being used for go-karts.  […]

AviatorAir in Grand Prairie, Texas, providing their Baron multi engine plane and instructor Reagan so that Dan Millican @TakingOffDan, Bryan Turner @JustPlaneSilly, and Colten Mortgage owner Brant Phillips could try a full immersive week of multi engine training culminating in their checkride. Starting late on Monday, with checkrides scheduled for Thursday and Friday, the trio […]

FAA Regional Administrator Rob Lowe joins Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy for an indepth talk about the FAA and its role in General Aviation today. Is the FAA truly a kindler/gentler agency than in the past?

From the Archives!  The head engineer from Superior Cylinders joins A&P’s John Efinger and Bill Goebels to discuss airplane piston engine overhauls with Dan MIllican (@TakingOffDan).

Dan (@TakingOffDan) and Christy (@PilotChristy) talk about the struggles, victories and defeats in their battle with weight loss.  In flying General Aviation, weight is an important issue on these airplanes, and besides the obvious of being more healthy, weight can make a difference in the cockpit.

In 1999, famed golfer Payne Stewart was at the top of his game and third on the money list. He and his team boarded a Learjet 35 in Orlando, Florida for a flight to Dallas Love Field. On the climb, ATC lost communication with the jet and it continued to climb erratically before eventually running […]

Dan and Christy welcome via phone Josh Flowers from Aviation101 to talk about the best tips and tricks for arriving and enjoying EAA Airventure, held at Whitman Field in OshKosh, Wisconsin.  If you’re flying in, make sure you read the NOTAM (NOTICE)!  Josh’s video on flying in to OSH: https://youtu.be/rAvONg32TEg

Dan @TakingOffDan and Christy @PilotChristy sit down for a debrief of the much anticipated skydiving jump in honor of the 100,000 subscribers achievement.  Did Christy freeze at the door?  Did she pull the chute or did her instructor?  Let’s find out what went right and what went wrong.

Dan (@TakingOffDan) and Christy (@PilotChristy) sit down for a conversation about the roller coaster life of an airline pilot.  What can be so hard about a life of bus driving in the skies?  Christy breaks down the lifestyle and the impact pilot life has on a person’s quality of living.

Dan Millican @TakingOffDan and Josh Minze, founder of Fort Worth Flight Schoolhttps://fortworthflightschool.com/ talk about first steps to learning how to fly. Fro taking thatdiscovery flight to trying to find the right instructor or school for you and the differencebetween FAA’s part 61 and part 141 flight training.

Long: Dan (@TakingOffDan) and Christy (@PilotChristy) call up their friend Bryan Turner (@JUstPlaneSilly) to talk about his videos and a discussion into his commercial pilot training.  The group also discusses the upcoming EAA Airventure in OshKosh at the end of July.

(@TakingOffDan) and Christy (@PilotChristy) bring Josh Flowers (@Aviation101), Martin Pauly (@martinpauly) and Cory Robin (@FlyCory) onto the set of a live IN The Hangar to answer questions from the audience in studio and at home watching. https://www.instagram.com/takingoffdan/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/pilotchristy/?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKALXb2rTLNwVgH9DHVVPLw https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQsRTIfBJkC4TGa3FBVaGSw https://www.youtube.com/@flycory

Dan (@TakingOffDan) and Christy (@PilotChristy) discuss the Worst Accident that NEVER Happened!  In 2017, around midnight, Air Canada 759 misstook the taxiway for the runway, in which 4 airliners, all loaded with passengers waited their turn to the runway.  Only at the last moment, with feet to spare, did Air Canada realize their mistake and […]

Dan (@TakingOffDan) and Christy (@PilotChristy) talk to EAA’s Director of Communications Dick Knapinski about the upcoming EAA Airventure July 24-30, 2023.  They discuss the Notice (or NOTAM) for flying in, what’s new this year and what can be expected at this year’s fly-in. https://www.instagram.com/takingoffdan/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/pilotchristy/?hl=en

Dan Millican (@TakingOffDan) and Christy Wong (@PilotChristy) host In The Hangar with Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) Joe Casey.  He answers Dan and Christy’s questions, gives tips and techniques, and then they open it to questions and answers from the studio audience.  If you have a checkride in your future, this is a “must listen” podcast.

Dan (@TakingOffDan) and Christy (@PilotChristy) discuss the darkest day ever for commercial aviation—March 27, 1977.  On the Canary Island of Tenerife, a KLM 747 and a Pan Am 747 had been diverted to the Los Rodeos airport after a bomb went off at the intended airport on Gran Canarais.  After sitting at the airport for […]

From the In The Hangar series, Dan Millican hosts Cameron Morrison, less than a week after his emergency landing in his Piper Comanche, with his wife and baby on board.  With nerves of steel, Cameron keeps his head cool when his engine suddenly stops working.  He declares a mayday and tries to make an airport […]

Brad Herbert (@bradvr4) has worked with Dan (@TakingOffDan) for over 20 years. And he’s always wanted to learn to fly. Brad has started taking flying lessons and recently solo’d. While on a trip from North Carolina to Texas in Dan’s Cessna 210, they take a few minutes out of the flight training to chat about […]

It’s T-Minus Two Days before the big jump.  Two years ago, Dan and Kerry ambushed Christy on camera at Airventure and Christy declared she would jump when the channel hit 100K in subscribers.  That has now happened and Christy is getting ready to depart a perfectly good airplane.  How does she feel about?  Let’s find […]

Dan (@TakingOffDan) and Christy (@PilotChristy) talk about the deadliest airplane crash in the United States—the crash of American Airlines Flight 191 at Chicago O’Hare on May 25, 1979.  The fully loaded jumbo jet experienced the separation and loss of the left engine right as the plane rotated on takeoff.  The pilots did everything correctly by […]

In one of our first In The Hangar shows, Dan Millican sat down with F-4 Phantom pilot Gary Pfleiger and F-18 fighter pilot Jason Gustin.  Hear their stories about raids over the jungles, tricky carrier takeoffs and landings, and how Gary moved from fighter pilot to the CIA. From our In The Hangar shows https://youtu.be/vVSDXcJ5n08 […]

@TakingOffDan is in the plane for this podcast with @JustPlaneSilly doing the flying and his wife Eren in the back.  They catch up on happenings at SUN’nFUN, the journey there and back, and most importantly, where Bryans best ideas actually come from.  There will be Air Traffic Control chatter going on the background as it […]

Christy (@PilotChristy) and Dan (@TakingOffDan) talk about how the new series “Pilot Life” came about and how long it took to get permission from Envoy and why Christy was reticent to film it. Christy talks about how hard it is to shoot video while being an airline pilot and what’s planned for the future with […]