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Every episode
Aviation News Talk – Pilot Stories, Safety Tips & General Aviation News
30 episodes
424 The Savvy Flight Instructor: Greg Brown on CFI Jobs, Getting Hired, and Finding Students
Ep 424 · Aug 15, 2026 · 1 hr 22 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with Greg Brown about one of the most important—and often underestimated—roles in aviation: the flight instructor. Greg is one of aviation's most respected CFIs, writers, and pilot mentors. A pilot since 1972 and a flight instructor since 1979, he was named the 2000 Industry/FAA National Flight Instructor of the Year, became the first-ever Master Flight Instructor, and was inducted into the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame in 2021. Many pilots…
423 How Pilots Can Avoid Turbulence and Find Smoother Air with SkyPath
Ep 423 · Aug 3, 2026 · 57 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with Maya Shpak, CEO of SkyPath, about how pilots can avoid turbulence and find smoother air by combining crowdsourced observations, aircraft data, and machine-learning predictions. <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"linkDestination":"custom"} --> <!-- /wp:image --><!-- wp:paragraph --> The idea for SkyPath came from an airline captain and check airman who encountered turbulence and realized that the iPad already carried in the cockpit contained accelerometers…
422 N249CP King Air Crash: GPS Jamming, Dark Night, and a Fatal Visual Approach + GA News
Ep 422 · Jul 4, 2026 · 46 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks about the fatal crash of Beech C90 King Air N249CP, an air ambulance flight that departed Roswell Air Center in New Mexico shortly before midnight on May 13, 2026. The aircraft was headed for Sierra Blanca Regional Airport near Ruidoso to pick up a patient for transport to Albuquerque. It was a short flight—only about 51 nautical miles—but it ended in tragedy when the King Air struck terrain near the Capitan Mountains. Both pilots and both flight nurses were kille…
421 New Zealand Mountain Flying in a CTLS: Fiordland, Microlights, and Safety Lessons
Ep 421 · Jun 21, 2026 · 1 hr 10 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with New Zealand pilot Keith Froude during a scenic flight in Keith's Flight Design CTLS over Fiordland, one of the most dramatic flying environments in the world. Departing from a grass runway near Lake Te Anau, they discuss CTLS operations, RAANZ microlight flying, parachute-equipped aircraft, personal flotation gear, ADS-B, electronic flight bags, and the realities of flying a light aircraft among steep mountains, lakes, fog, and changing winds. <!-- /wp:paragr…
420 Cirrus SR22T CAPS Pull: N39VF Power Loss and Parachute Drag Survival
Ep 420 · May 26, 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with Troy Duck and John Von Fange about their dramatic Cirrus SR22T CAPS parachute deployment in N39VF after a power loss near Chanute, Kansas. What began as a routine flight quickly turned into an emergency when they heard a loud banging noise and lost engine power. Faced with a rapidly developing situation, they attempted to divert toward the airport, declared an emergency, and ultimately pulled the CAPS parachute. The event was unique in that they were able to…
419 LaGuardia Runway Collision: Why the Runway Lights Turned Off Before Impact + GA News
Ep 419 · May 5, 2026 · 54 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> LaGuardia Runway Collision and the NTSB Preliminary Report Max talks about the fatal LaGuardia Airport runway collision involving Jazz Flight 646 and an ARFF fire truck responding to an emergency near Terminal B. The accident occurred at night, in rain and reduced visibility, as multiple airport rescue firefighting vehicles were moving toward an emergency scene and needed to cross Runway 4 at Taxiway D. <!-- /wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph --> Dr. Victor Vogel Max also g…
418 New Zealand Flying: Aero Clubs, Milford Sound, and Glowworm Caves + GA News
Ep 418 · Apr 7, 2026 · 1 hr 13 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with Russell Ladbrook about a chance meeting in New Zealand that turned into one of the most delightful episodes of Aviation News Talk. Max was taking a glowworm cave tour when Russell noticed his Cirrus jacket, struck up a conversation, and soon realized he was talking to the host of a podcast he had followed for years. By the end of the day, the two were sitting down at the Fjordland Aero Club near Manapouri Airport for a conversation about…
417 Cirrus SR22, Vision Jet and SR20 Design with Mike VanStaagen
Ep 417 · Mar 11, 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with Mike VanStaagen about the design philosophy behind the Cirrus SR20, SR22, and SF50 Vision Jet, and how Cirrus rethought what pilots and passengers should experience inside an airplane. Mike explains how his architectural mindset helped him bring together competing ideas at Cirrus and turn them into aircraft that felt modern, spacious, intuitive, and comfortable. <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"linkDestination":"custom"} --> <!-- /wp:image --><!-- wp:pa…
416 Airline Pilot Career Path: Part 61 vs Part 141, R-ATP & Getting Hired (Jason Blair)
Ep 416 · Mar 5, 2026 · 58 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Airline pilot career path roadmap with Jason Blair: Part 61 vs Part 141, R-ATP, and what matters most for getting hired. Max talks with Jason Blair about building an airline pilot career path that gets you to the right seat faster—without expensive detours. If you're comparing Part 61 vs Part 141, wondering whether R-ATP changes your strategy, or trying to figure out what actually helps with getting hired, this episode is a practical roadmap. <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:…
415 Log IFR Instrument Currency in an FAA-Approved Simulator + Redbird Factory Tour
Ep 415 · Feb 27, 2026 · 56 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with Josh Harnagel, COO of Redbird Flight, about a practical use-case that matters to almost every instrument pilot: logging IFR instrument currency and staying proficient in an FAA-approved simulator. Josh explains why many pilots buy Redbird's FAA-approved tabletop devices specifically for currency—especially to knock out the holding requirement—and why he likes shooting an approach in the simulator before flying it in the airplane. Max shares why he does the sa…
414 Epic E1000 N98FK Crash at Steamboat Springs: LNAV+V Advisory Glidepath Trap
Ep 414 · Feb 17, 2026 · 40 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> An Epic E1000, N98FK, crashed near Steamboat Springs, Colorado during a night RNAV (GPS) approach. The lateral track was almost perfect, but the vertical profile was fatal: the airplane remained on an LNAV+V "advisory glide slope" and descended below the 9,100-foot MDA into terrain. <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"linkDestination":"custom"} --> <!-- /wp:image --><!-- wp:paragraph --> Max explains what Garmin calls Advisory Vertical Guidance, why LNAV+V can look nearl…
413 Cirrus G3 Vision Jet: CPDLC Datalink + 6-Adult Cabin (Matt Bergwall) — AOPA President Job + GA News
Ep 413 · Feb 10, 2026 · 53 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with Matt Bergwall, Executive Director of the Vision Jet Product Line at Cirrus, about the just-announced Cirrus SF50 G3 Vision Jet—and before that, he offers an unusually personal look at what the AOPA President's job actually requires. <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"linkDestination":"custom"} --> <!-- /wp:image --><!-- wp:paragraph --> Max opens by explaining that he interviewed for the AOPA President role twice and uses that experience to outline what m…
412 Cirrus SR22T N17DT Stall Crash: Flaps Retracted on Low-Power Approach + GA News
Ep 412 · Feb 1, 2026 · 1 hr 13 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with Rob Mark about the fatal crash of Cirrus SR22T N17DT near Shelbyville, Indiana, and why this accident is so instructive for any pilot who flies approaches at low altitude with high workload. The NTSB's probable cause centers on inadequate airspeed and an aerodynamic stall, but the real value is in the flight data that shows how the airplane got there: low power held for an extended period, repeated stall warnings, multiple ESP interventions, and flaps that ul…
411 Vision Jet SF50 Landing Gear Collapse: Wrong Lever After Touchdown +GA News
Ep 411 · Jan 24, 2026 · 53 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with Rob Mark about a classic "simple mistake with big consequences" scenario: a pilot who possibly raised the landing gear handle instead of selecting flaps up during the landing roll in a Cirrus Vision Jet. The event looks minor on the surface—no injuries and the airplane stayed on the runway—but it exposes a human-factors trap that can bite any retractable-gear pilot, especially when you're trying to be quick and efficient right after touchdown. <!-- /wp:paragr…
410 Cirrus SR22 Safety: Stabilized Approaches and Go-Around Accident Lessons
Ep 410 · Jan 11, 2026 · 1 hr 10 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with Mark Waddell of the Cirrus Owner and Pilots Association (COPA) about how Cirrus pilots can reduce accidents by focusing on the places where the accident chain most often begins: unstable approaches, indecisive go-arounds, and delayed choices during power-loss events. They discuss what pilots are doing in the cockpit that turns routine flights into incidents, and what specific habits and training standards reduce that risk. <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image…
409 Statesville Citation 550 Crash (Greg Biffle): New ADS-B Clue & Rain-Induced Illusions
Ep 409 · Dec 30, 2025 · 41 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with host Scott Hamilton of WBT, Charlotte's News Talk radio, about the Statesville, North Carolina Citation 550 crash that killed NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and six others, then expands the conversation with a fresh technical finding and a practical training takeaway for pilots. While preparing for the short radio interview, Max revisited the ADS-B track and noticed something he hadn't seen anyone else write about: the altitude anomaly isn't merely a "jump," it's…
408 Aerobatic Training for Pilots: How Upset Recovery Prevents Loss of Control — Dr. Catherine Cavagnaro
Ep 408 · Dec 20, 2025 · 57 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with Dr. Catherine Cavagnaro about how aerobatic training builds safer, more confident pilots by reducing loss of control, improving stall and spin awareness, and shortening the startle response. Although many pilots associate aerobatics with airshows or extreme flying, this conversation reframes aerobatic training as a practical safety tool that directly applies to everyday general aviation operations. <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":4661,"sizeSlug":"f…
407 Starting a Flight School with The Flight Academy
Ep 407 · Dec 12, 2025 · 54 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with John Fiscus, co-founder of The Flight Academy, and Director of Operations Jordan Ming to break down how one of the country's most respected Cirrus-focused training organizations was created, expanded, and refined over more than two decades. Whether you're an instructor considering the entrepreneurial leap, a pilot curious about how flight training businesses operate, or someone fascinated by the evolution of modern GA training, this conversation delivers clea…
406 Flying Tails: Ken Wayne's Amazing Animal Rescue Flights with Bears, Eagles & Wildlife
Ep 406 · Dec 2, 2025 · 53 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> Max talks with former KTVU 2 and KRON 4 anchor Ken Wayne, founder of Flying Tails, about his extraordinary animal rescue flights involving bear cubs, bald eagles, coyotes, and dozens of shelter animals across California. Drawing on his past experience as a Navy journalist, Ken describes the path that led him from military broadcasting to a major-market news career—and ultimately to a mission that blends aviation with wildlife rescue. <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"i…
405 Aviation Safety Lessons from Todd Conklin: Human Factors, Margin & Mistakes
Ep 405 · Nov 23, 2025 · 59 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> In this episode of Aviation News Talk, we begin with the developing details In this episode of Aviation News Talk, Max sits down with renowned safety expert Dr. Todd Conklin to explore some of the most important aviation safety lessons pilots can learn from Human & Organizational Performance (HOP)—a framework rooted in human factors, systems thinking, and the realities of how people actually perform in complex environments. Todd's work has shaped safety programs across mult…
404 VFR into IMC: Why GA Pilots Crash in Weather and How to Stay VFR + GA News
Ep 404 · Nov 15, 2025 · 55 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> In this episode of Aviation News Talk, we begin with the developing details Weather accidents in general aviation often happen to pilots who genuinely believe they're cautious about flying in marginal conditions. But when you look closely at the chain of decisions that lead up to VFR-into-IMC crashes, a consistent pattern emerges—fatigue, long flights, pressure to complete a trip, weakening visibility, and the belief that "I can stay just under this." In Episode 404 of Avia…
403 UPS MD-11 Crash Analysis + Dr. Catherine Cavagnaro on How to Make Better Landings
Ep 403 · Nov 7, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min
<!-- wp:paragraph --> In this episode of Aviation News Talk, we begin with the developing details surrounding the crash of UPS Airlines Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F cargo aircraft that crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville, Kentucky. The aircraft, tail number N259UP, was a 34-year-old MD-11F powered by three General Electric CF6-80 engines. <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":4661,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"custom"} --> <!-- /wp:image --><!-- wp:paragraph -->…
402 Flying the Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet Before the Type Rating: 5 Days with Ken Ansin
Ep 402 · Nov 1, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Vision Jet owner Ken joins Max Trescott to recount an unforgettable five-day training adventure that bridged the gap between piston flying and turbine jet proficiency. As a longtime Cirrus SR22 pilot from the Boston area, Ken had spent nearly a decade flying for both business and family trips, rarely exceeding 300 nautical miles from home. When he decided to upgrade to a 2019 G2 Vision Jet, he wanted more than a checkout—he wanted a head start on mastering the airplane before tackling the Cirrus…
401 Cirrus Crash Lessons: CAPS Parachute Save vs. Deadly Go-Around + GA News
Ep 401 · Oct 23, 2025 · 1 hr 7 min
Max talks with John Fiscus of The Flight Academy to break down two Cirrus SR22 accidents that highlight the extremes of safety outcomes in general aviation: one a dramatic survival story, the other a heartbreaking tragedy. <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"linkDestination":"custom"} --> <!-- /wp:image --><!-- wp:paragraph --> Accident 1: CAPS Parachute Save over Lake Michigan The first accident involved a Cirrus SR22 (N121JB) that suffered engine failure shortly after reaching 7,500 feet on…
400 Starlink Internet for Pilots: Safety, Costs, and Future Tech with Sporty's Bret Koebbe
Ep 400 · Oct 1, 2025 · 1 hr 10 min
Max talks with Bret Koebbe, Vice President of Sporty's Pilot Shop, about how Starlink internet access is entering general aviation cockpits and what that means for pilots today and in the future. For decades, cockpit connectivity was mostly reserved for the airlines. Systems like Gogo provided limited bandwidth, required expensive antennas, and were impractical for piston aircraft. GA pilots relied on ADS-B weather, portable receivers, or Iridium text messaging to stay connected. That landscape…
399 Crash Survival: How Pilots Can Be Found Faster with Cyriel Kronenberg + GA News
Ep 399 · Sep 8, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
Max talks with Cyriel Kronenberg, Vice President of Airports and Air Traffic Management at uAvionix and a volunteer with the Civil Air Patrol's National Radar Analysis Team (NRAT), about one of aviation's most overlooked safety questions: if you survive a crash, how quickly will you be found? <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"linkDestination":"custom"} --> <!-- /wp:image --><!-- wp:paragraph --> How Long Searches Take Cyriel explains that while ADS-B has shortened search times, the reality…
398 9/11 from the Air: NYPD Chief Pilot Ken Solosky Remembers + GA News
Ep 398 · Aug 25, 2025 · 1 hr 14 min
Max Trescott talks with Ken Solosky, the NYPD's Chief Pilot on 9/11, about his experiences managing helicopter operations on one of the most catastrophic days in American history. Though Ken wasn't flying at the moment of the attacks, he was on the ground coordinating the NYPD's aviation response. He recounts how what began as a seemingly routine aircraft accident quickly escalated into a full-blown national emergency. The aviation unit scrambled a standard rescue package—Bell 412s with divers a…
397 APR Key Explained: GPS Approach & Autopilot Errors to Avoid with DPE Jim Pitman
Ep 397 · Aug 15, 2025 · 1 hr 17 min
Max talks with airline pilot and Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) Jim Pitman to clear up a persistent avionics myth: that pressing the APR (Approach) key activates a GPS approach. In reality, APR is part of the automatic flight control system (AFCS)—not the GPS navigator. Its function is to arm the flight director's lateral and vertical capture modes so the autopilot (if engaged) can follow the approach path. You can also view a video version of this episode. Just look on the page for August 15,…
396 How All Pilots Benefit from New MOSAIC Sport Pilot and LSA Rules with Sean Elliott + GA News
Ep 396 · Aug 8, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
In this episode of the Aviation News Talk podcast, Max Trescott talks with Sean Elliott, Vice President of Advocacy and Safety at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), about the FAA's groundbreaking MOSAIC final rule—and how it benefits all pilots, not just sport pilots or Light-Sport Aircraft owners. <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"linkDestination":"custom"} --> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> Sean explains that MOSAIC replaces the old, restrictive Light-Sport Aircraft de…
395 NYPD Pilot Ken Solosky on 9/11 — Listen Now on the Rotary Wing Show
Ep 395 · Aug 7, 2025 · 3 min
Ken Solosky was the NYPD's Chief Pilot on 9/11, responsible for coordinating helicopter operations during the most devastating day in modern American history. In this short teaser, you'll hear a preview of our in-depth interview with Ken, including why rooftop rescues at the World Trade Center weren't attempted and how the team coped with confusion, misinformation, and tragic loss. The full episode is available now on our new podcast: Rotary Wing Show. Listen and subscribe in your favorite podca…
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