The Student Pilot Cast

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!

I’m back with video!  I’ve been sitting on this footage for almost two years now, so I’m very excited to get this one published.  In this episode I take you on a flight with me over Hana, Hawaii on Maui with Armin from Hang Gliding Maui.  Armin is a CFI, and took me for me first microlight ride, and it couldn’t have been in a better setting.

This flight was one of the experiences that finally got me doing something about my dream of learning to fly.  Within 6 months of this, I was preparing to start my own training.  I hope you enjoy it.  As always, I would love to get feedback from you on this.

NOTE: I have encoded this video at a higher quality than I usually do because the content deserves it, and it is a shorter video, so the file size wouldn’t be too massive.  It could, however, prove problematic on some hardware players.  I have tested on iPhone, both classic and new Zune’s, and Xbox 360, and all work great.  I couldn’t get my hands on a regular iPod to test, but I think it should work.  It may not work on older iPods though (pre G5).  In any case, please let me know if you run into any problems so that I can continue to improve my process.

Direct Feed Link

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 was having a quick chat with David Allen, co-host of the Pilot’s Flight Pod Log, about podcasting, and the difficulty of getting them out on a regular basis.  I said something to the effect of, “I need some podcast fiber to stay regular.”  We laughed, and then it was downhill from there, with David rattling off a few funny quips, which spurred an idea.  The result is a new product (that exists only in my mind).  Introducing Podamucil, daily therapy for staying regular with podcasts.  The secret formula used by Jack and the gang at UCAP is now available for everyone!  I’ll start a daily regimen right away.

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.

Wow.  Brian Terwilliger, the director and producer of the great aviation documentary film One Six Right, has done it again.  This time in a very high quality web vignette about his history and his media ride with the Navy jet demonstration team, the Blue Angels.  I can’t say any more that you won’t get from seeing, so just watch “Flying Full Circle”.

Feel free to watch it here if you’re pressed for time, but if not, do yourself a favor and watch (or download) a higher quality version at Brian’s site.

Hello patient Student Pilot Cast listeners.  I'm back again with a training flight, which happens to be my first night flight...as well as a few other firsts.  We basically to take a tour of the Phoenix Valley at night.  Very cool.

I broke this into two parts because it was a long flight with quite a bit going on.  I hope you enjoy.  Don't forget to give me feedback.

Hello everyone.  I'm still here, and actually in the middle of producing a new episode...but it's taking longer than expected (it's a good one...lot's of firsts in my training).  I just wanted to let everyone know that there is a new episode on the horizon and I haven't forgotten about you.  I'm working on some other stuff as well.

Also, I just had to tell someone.  I took my first cross country as a licensed pilot this past weekend, as well as my first pax (my wife), and we headed up from the dreadful heat of the Phoenix Valley to the nice cool pines of Show Low (with a stop in Payson).  It was great, and I'll tell you all about it in an episode down the road...but I've gotta say...flying is cool.

 Stay tuned...I'll be releasing in the next day or two (I know...promises, promises).  Stay safe.

Here is the last part of Podapalooza 2008 from Oshkosh.  I hope you enjoy.  Thanks for listening, and please don't forget to let me know you're out there.  Leave me some feedback using the contact link near the top of the page.

Hello everyone.  I'm happy to release part 1 of the 2008 edition of Podapalooza, which was recorded in Oshkosh at EAA Airventure.  Podapalooza is the gathering of aviation podcasters in Oshkosh each year.  As well as being released on this and many other feeds, this year it was broadcast live on EAA Radio as well as on the Internet. 

Participating in this year's event was, in the order they were sitting, Uncontrolled Airspace, The Student Pilot Cast, The Finer Points, Airspeed, and the Pilotcast (along with CFI cast).  Remoted in via skype was Will and Dave of the Pilot's Flight Pod Log.  Notably missing this year were new pilot, Greg, from the Student Pilot Journal and student pilot Jerry from VA Student Pilot.  I'm probably forgetting others as well, so forgive me.

 I also want to note that Airventure Today (the daily Airventure newspaper) did an article on the Podapalooza, so check that out if want to.

 I really enjoyed participating this year, and felt honored to be on the stage with so many talented people.  It's a great community of people in aviation.