Pilot's Discretion from Sporty's – Details, episodes & analysis

Paul Harding bought a seaplane before he was even a pilot, but went on to log 14,000 hours flying on floats all around the Bahamas. In this fun episode, he shares the details of that fascinating career, with tips on flying seaplanes, learning to fly later in life, and exploring the Out Islands. In the Ready to Copy segment, Paul talks about flying with celebrities, how to determine wind direction without a windsock, and the best food to eat in the Bahamas.

LINKS:

• Paul’s articles at Air Facts: https://airfactsjournal.com/author/paulharding/

• Paul’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Sharks-Runway-Seaplane-Fifty-Year-Bahamian/dp/1911525239

• Sporty’s Pilot Training+ membership: https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/online-learning/real-pilot-stories/no-go-around

• Podcast survey: ⁠https://sportys.survey.fm/pilot-s-discretion-survey⁠

A quarter of Cirrus customers are not pilots when they buy their airplane. Todd Simmons explains how the company succeeds with these non-pilots, including their focus on enabling a lifestyle instead of just selling specs, providing a complete ownership solution, and tackling safety head-on. Todd is also a passionate backcountry pilot, so he talks about the risks and rewards of that type of flying, including what he learned from being involved in a serious accident. In the Ready to Copy segment, Todd talks about the power of social media, the most important skill for safe taildragger flying, and which college football team in Georgia is best.

LINKS:

- The Cirrus Life: https://cirrusaircraft.com/cirrus-life/

- Todd’s Real Pilot Story: https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/online-learning/real-pilot-stories/no-go-around

- Recreational Aviation Foundation: https://theraf.org

- Sporty’s Pilot Training+ membership: https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/online-learning/real-pilot-stories/no-go-around


Having flown everything from aerobatic airplanes to airliners to seaplanes, Patrick Carter loves to apply the lessons from one part of aviation to another. In this episode, he takes us inside the world of Alaskan bush pilots to explain the skills they need to stay safe, how to evaluate off-airport landing sites, and how to manage changing weather. Patrick also talks about handling emergencies far from airports, as he learned first hand on a recent flight in a Super Cub. Patrick is an advocate for flying with video cameras, so he shares practical advice for mounting cameras externally and capturing audio. In the Ready to Copy segment, Patrick shares a helpful airline travel tip, his favorite aerobatic maneuver, and what he looks for on test flights after maintenance.

LINKS:

• Patrick’s article on Air Facts: https://airfactsjournal.com/2024/04/quick-land-to-quicksand/
• NFlight camera gear: https://www.nflightcam.com
• Pilot Training+ membership: https://www.sportys.com/sportys-pilot-training-plus.html

New aerospace businesses seem to be launching every month, including electric ultralights, eVTOL air taxis, drone delivery services, and private space flight. As a longtime pilot and venture capitalist, Ben Marcus is the perfect person to sort through the hype. He explains which business models will work first, why Walmart is finding success with drone delivery, and what benefits GA pilots might see as a result of this investment boom. Ben also founded JetAviva, a popular airplane broker, so he talks about the light jet boom of the last 25 years and what it takes to transition from a piston airplane to a single pilot turbine. In the Ready to Copy segment, you’ll hear about common charging standards for eVTOLs, the best light jet on the market, and Ben’s favorite backcountry strip in Arkansas.

SHOW LINKS:

• The Moving World Report: https://up.partners/movingworld/
• The GameBird: https://youtu.be/pnFFyjkvDEg
• Pilot Training+ membership: https://www.sportys.com/sportys-pilot-training-plus.html

A spur-of-the-moment airplane purchase presented David Tulis with the adventure of a lifetime: flying a 1953 Tri-Pacer across the country. He tells the story of this fun and challenging trip in this episode, including what it was like to cross the Rockies with a 135-horsepower engine, the value of mentors, and the appeal of vintage airplanes. David is also a highly accomplished photographer, so he explains why photos still matter in a world of videos and offers some practical tips for taking better in-flight photos. In the Ready to Copy segment, David tells us his favorite photo of all time, his best best tip for podcasters, and his opinion about famous Atlanta drinks.

SHOW LINKS:

• Tri-Pacer story
• Flying with reluctant passengers
• Pilot Training+ membership

Airports are missing out on $35 billion in economic impact because they're not well run - that's according to pilot and airport management expert Michael Jones. He explains the cause of this underperformance and why the structure of an airport management team is so important. Mike is also a longtime Cessna 210 owner, so he shares stories about this do-everything piston single, including the time he took one to 27,000 feet. In the Ready to Copy segment you'll hear tips for successful Young Eagles flights, what skills Mike learned as an air traffic controller in Vietnam, and the best golf course in the Carolinas.

SHOW LINKS:

- Mike's article at Air Facts: https://airfactsjournal.com/2023/12/g-a-airports-suffer-from-costly-mismanagement/

- PilotWorkshops at Sporty's: https://sportys.com/pilotworkshops

Earning an instrument rating can unlock new flying adventures, but only if you keep your skills sharp. In this episode, CFII Ryan Koch offers some tips for doing that, including: staying mentally engaged when you can’t fly, using scenarios instead of maneuvers, and simple techniques for improving your instrument scan. Ryan also talks about delivering remote flight instruction with flight simulators, including for avionics training and high school classes. In the Ready to Copy segment, you’ll hear how Ryan uses checklists during IFR flight, what he likes best about the Stearman, and his favorite guitarist. 

SHOW LINKS:

- IFR Procedures Manual: https://www.sportys.com/pilot-workshops-ifr-procedures-manual-digital-copy.html

- PilotWorkshops IFR Mastery Membership: https://pilotworkshop.com/products/ifr-mastery/?disc=36

When you go on tour with Frank Sinatra at age 21, it’s hard to be intimidated—so it’s no surprise Randy Waldman jumped into the exciting world of helicopters with both feet. In this episode he shares his unique aviation journey, from model airplanes to owning a Mooney to setting a speed record in a Bell OH-58. As one of LA’s most experienced studio musicians and an active helicopter CFI, Randy talks about the similarities between music and flying, including how pilots can develop feel, whether having a career plan B makes sense, and how to use all your senses. In the Ready to Copy segment, Randy shares the most challenging part of flying in LA, his favorite turbine helicopter, and the most underrated jazz musician.

SHOW LINKS:

- Randy’s website: https://www.jazzpilot.com

- Randy playing live: https://youtu.be/CrQStTecDk4

- Sporty’s Pilot Training+ membership: https://www.sportys.com/sportys-pilot-training-plus.html

On his way to Sun ’n Fun 2023, the engine on Josh Harnagel’s Bonanza quit, leading to a forced landing in a cow pasture. While no one was hurt, Josh learned a lot from this harrowing experience. He shares those lessons in this episode, including why partial engine failures are hard to diagnose, why hope can kill you in an emergency, and what he has changed about his habits since the incident. Josh works at Redbird, so he also offers plenty of practical tips for using flight simulators to maintain proficiency, whether at the airport or at home. In the Ready to Copy Segment, you’ll hear the biggest marketing mistake flight schools make, the best Bonanza model, and Josh’s favorite Texas barbecue.

SHOW LINKS:

• Video of Josh's landing: https://www.redbirdflight.com/landing/its-the-hope-that-kills-you
• Redbird flight simulators: https://www.sportys.com/flight-simulator/redbird.html
• AeroWear: http://aerowear.co

How much of the recent boom in private aviation will last now that the pandemic is over? Aviation analyst Brian Foley says about 10%, which is good for the industry but not enough to sustain some overly optimistic business models. In this episode, he talks about the current state of the market, the fate of Wheels Up, and Cirrus Aircraft’s plan to go public. Brian is also getting current as a pilot after 15 years, and he offers some realistic advice for other rusty pilots. In the Ready to Copy segment, Brian shares his famously blunt opinion about Sustainable Aviation Fuel, electric airplanes, hydrogen power, and the best-looking Falcon jets. SHOW LINKS: - Brian Foley Associates: https://www.brifo.com - Brian on private aviation trends: https://www.brifo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Private-Aviation-Popularity-Falls-Back-To-Earth.pdf - AeroWear: http://aerowear.co