The Student Pilot Cast

Hello again SPC listeners.  Today’s episode takes us on a solo training flight on a very busy day to practice performance landings and takeoffs (shorts and softs).  We have everything from FOD to go-arounds in this episode, so enjoy.

I was nearing the end of stage III in my training, so I was almost in the home stretch.  I also explain in this episode the cramming of flights I had to do over just a few days to finish stage III.  This flight was the first of them.

As mentioned, If you are thinking about learning to fly, check out Air Freddy’s Learning to Fly Guide, an e-book that will answer many of your questions beforehand, and do it in an entertaining way.

Lastly, don’t forget to go check out the newly released (out of beta) myTransponder.  This aviation oriented social networking site is great.  To commemorate the recent full release and the fact that it is now open to anyone to join, I’ve created a group on myTransponder called, “Fans of the Student Pilot Cast.”  Please head over to the site and sign up if you haven’t already, and by all means, join my new group!

Thanks again for listening, and enjoy the episode.  Then, get out and fly!

This is part II of my night dual cross country flight.  This part takes us from Marana Airport in the far northern part of Tucson back to Chandler. 

[KAVQ-KCHD]

I mentioned the Remos GX LSA flight from Oshkosh in this episode.  Here is the link to the Airspeed episode that covered this.  My flight video from this will be coming in the future.

Also, feel free to follow me on Twitter for the latest news from Student Pilot Cast land at http://twitter.com/billwil. 

If you are thinking about learning to fly, check out Air Freddy’s Learning to Fly Guide, an e-book that will answer many of your questions beforehand, and do it in an entertaining way.

I hope you all enjoy the episode.  Please send comments and feedback.

This is part II of Podapalooza 2009, the part of the show that was not broadcast live on EAA Radio.  This took place at Oshkosh, July 31st, 2009.

If you are thinking about learning to fly, check out Air Freddy’s Learning to Fly Guide, an e-book that will answer many of your questions beforehand, and do it in an entertaining way. 

Enjoy the episode.

Hello, everyone! Here is the first part of the audio from Podapalooza 2009 from Airventure in Oshkosh, July 31st, 2009.  This part contains the audio from the show that was broadcast live on EAA Radio.  After the radio station had to cut away, we continued Podapalooza and I will bring you that audio in the next episode.  By then, I’m hoping to have my Remos flight video completed, and I will release that shortly thereafter.  Here are a couple of photos from this years show.

Getting ready to start	The Pavillion filling up as we get started
Stu talks about his first impressions of Oshkosh	Stephen Force cracks wise, I’m sure
Jack getting a comment from Rod	Threw in a pic of the Terrafugia for good measure :)

Don’t forget, if you are thinking about learning to fly, check out Air Freddy’s Learning to Fly Guide, an e-book that will answer many of your questions beforehand, and do it in an entertaining way.  Freddy has included many stories from his over 9000 hours of dual given time that help you learn what to expect and how to make decisions as you start your training, perfect for the beginning pilot.  Air Freddy sponsors this podcast through these e-book sales, so you’ll be supporting The Student Pilot Cast as well with a purchase, and I appreciate that.

Let me know what you think of Podapalooza 2009!  I hope you enjoy it.  Now, get out there an fly!

We continue my coverage of EAA Airventure with episode 30.  Today I present an interview with David Fetherston of Nexair Avionics about their new airplane, the Saratoga NX.  The NX is a rebuild from spinner to tail of Piper’s Saratoga, but with all new avionics, speed mods, etc.  It’s a very interesting value in a travelling six-seater mini-van.

Along with the interview, I want to share several pictures with you of their first product of this program, a 1982 fixed gear Saratoga.  Enjoy.

I hope you enjoy the interview, and I want to once again thank the folks at Nexair.  I’m impressed with what they’ve done.  I’d love to hear from you on what you think.

Airventure 2009 is over, but I’ve got a bit of good material from Oshkosh that I’ll be publishing.  This is the first of it.  In this episode, I confirm why everyone loves Oshkosh so much with a quick discussion with John and Christine Halbrook around the campsite one evening.

Obviously, this is a small break from the normal episodes of my training, but I think you’ll find these quick podcasts interesting and worthwhile…at least I hope you do.  Please let me know what you think.  As usual, I’d love to hear from you.

I have a few more things to share from Oshkosh, as well as a short video about recording cockpit audio that is ready to go, and will be published in the next couple of days.  After that, we’ll resume normal programming and finish up my training.  Enjoy.

Hello SPC listeners! Today we will follow my outbound leg of my dual night cross country.  I had to take a couple of weeks off because of extensive travel, including some family vacations.  I’m back now, though, but headed to Oshkosh this week.  This means lots of content coming up hopefully.  For most of it, follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/billwil, and I’ll keep you updated.

In this episode, we did a dual night cross country from KCHD (Chandler) to KAVQ (Marana) which is in north Tucson.

KCHD-KAVQ (around Eloy)

Thanks again for listening, everyone.  I hope to see you at OSH!

This episode chronicles my return flight to Chandler from Tucson international, and is the second part of my first solo cross-country flight during my training.  There’s some interesting things that happen, and another bonehead move on my part with the radio.  Please enjoy this flight as I learn to fly in front of the world.

The route home was only slightly different than when I went to Tucson.  I needed to do a touch and go at Ryan Field down in Tucson, so that changed the route slightly.  Here is the return.

NavMonster, KTUS-KRYN-TOTEC-KCHD

Remember, If you are thinking of learning to fly, find out everything you need to know to get started and what to expect during your training with Air Freddy’s Learning to Fly Guide.  You help support this podcast by using my link here, so if you consider purchasing this e-book, please click above.

Today’s episode is a very special one as we’ll cover my first solo cross country.  It was a simple flight from Chandler to Tucson International, but a giant step for me in my training.  Join me as a learn to fly in front of the world in podcast episode 26 of the Student Pilot Cast, Out of the Nest, Part I.

I’ve included a couple of pictures.  First is the route I took on this leg from Chandler (KCHD) to Tucson (KTUS).

[Cross Country Route, Courtesy of Navmonster.com]

The next photo is of Pinal Airpark and all of the mothballed airplanes.

[Pinal Airpark From Above-Showing some of the big iron]

As usual, I hope you enjoy this episode.  Please send me feedback through email or via the contact link above.  Also, feel free to leave comments below.  My training was getting hot and heavy now…I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Tailwinds.

This episode is the conclusion of my long dual cross-country training flight, or the last two legs.  We went from Prescott (KPRC) to Sedona (KSEZ) and shut it down to go have a late breakfast at the excellent restaurant.  Then it was on home to Chandler (KCHD).

I hope you enjoy the episode.  As usual, take a few minutes and let me know what you think.  Also, remember to check out Air Freddy’s Learning to Fly Guide eBook to help support the Student Pilot Cast.  As I mentioned before, Air Freddy has over 9000 hours of dual given, so he’s been around the block a few times.  If you’re thinking about becoming a pilot, his guide may certainly help you prepare, so check it out.  If you use the link above to purchase, the Student Pilot Cast will get credit, and it is much appreciated.

During this flight my instructor, Lary, grabbed my camera and took some shots.  I’ll include a few of them here. 

The first two are approaching Sedona.

These next three are approaching the Phoenix valley from the northeast over Mesa, including a shot of Red Mountain.

This last one is our long straight-in approach to Chandler’s (KCHD) 22R.

Hello, everyone.  I'm pleased to release audio episode 24 of the Student Pilot Cast, Across the Hills.  Follow me on the first leg of my long dual cross country from KCHD to KPRC right through the middle of Phoenix.  We've got a busy airspace in Phoenix and a really busy airspace in Prescott in this episode.  I hope you enjoy it, and as always, let me know what you think.

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter HERE to see what I'm up to now.  Thanks again, everyone.  Have a great flying day!

In episode 23 we cover the return flight from Tucson International Airport (KTUS) to Chandler (KCHD) as part of my first dual cross country.  Leaving a class C airport was a bit different than working in my usual class B airport.  Busier airspace, bigger airplanes, departure controllers, approach controllers, and clearance delivery.  All together, it kept me busy, but I learned a lot on this flight and enjoyed it very much.

I mentioned in this episode our new sponser, Air Feddy's Learning to Fly Guide.  Air Freddy has around 9000 hours of dual given and has written an e-book that really helps lay out the process of learning to fly; what to expect, what equipment is needed, how to figure the costs accurately, etc.  He also tells a few personal stories as part of the book which helps keep it all interesting and personal.  Fred's experience can be very helpful to prospective and current student pilots.  If you want to know more about it, or purchase the e-book, please use the link above.

Thanks again, SPC listeners.  I hope you enjoy this episode.  As usual, please provide any feedback that you may have.

Hello again, everyone.  I’m back with episode 22 about my first dual cross country flight during my primary training.  It was fantastic as I hope you’ll be able to tell from this episode.  I went from KCHD to KTUS, or Tucson International. 

I also mentioned Scenario Based Training in this episode as well.  Linked here is an ASA book on the subject.

Finally, Picacho Peak is used as landmark in this episode.  I wanted to include a picture I took of it during one of my flights…it is quite spectacular (and this picture does not do it justice).

I hope you all enjoy the episode.  Please leave feedback for me.

I'm back SPC listeners!  I've had no time to produce new episodes for a while, but I forced myself tonight...and put off some other stuff.  So what we have is another training episode, Episode 21, "Good Freakin' Flight".  This is a solo flight that I took after returning from my Dive trip, and this was the next flight in my training after the night flight that was covered in episodes 19 and 20.

I hope you enjoy this episode, and I'll try to be more consistant with the releases going forward.  Please give me feedback as always.  Also, I'm working on a couple of videos, including the video from the flight covered in this episode as well as a tutorial on how to record in cockpit audio, as this is my most frequently asked question from listeners.  This is in addition to a start that I've got on the next audio episode as well.

As usual, for up to date information on flights, feel free to follow me on twitter.  Thanks again, everyone.  Get out there and fly!

I’m back, after an exclusive one month tour of Europe, Scandinavia, and…no, that’s not true.  In fact, I’ve just been really busy, and haven’t had a chance to finish this episode up and send it out on the feed.  Bad me, I know.  So, we skipped September in the podcast…I’ll try to make it up to you all.

Here is episode 20, the second and final part of my first night flight around the Phoenix area.  As I said in the audio, I really enjoyed this flight a lot.  Now that I have my license, I need to do some more night flying.

Enjoy the episode, and by all means, let me know what you think of the podcast.