Episodes

Dec 10

Former Army helicopter pilot and fixed-wing aviator Jim Desmond returns to I Learned About Flying From That to share a harrowing story from March 1973. While attempting a flight from Fort Riley, Kansas, to Colorado Springs, Jim fell victim to a severe case of "get-there-itis."

Nov 26

Spatial disorientation accounts for less than 10% of fixed wing GA accidents; but among those, the fatality rate is 90% - a horrible statistic that hasn’t declined in the past two decades even with significant advancements in avionics. Host Rob Reider chats with Dave Speranza, who at the time was a non-instrument-rated pilot who inadvertently found himself in IMC. He’ll share how it affected him and how he handled the situation. Sponsored by Avemco

Nov 12

A “time-saver” offered by ATC might not have been a good idea for the pilot and his wife en route to the Bahamas, putting them farther over water than they’d like and into weather they didn’t expect. Instrument-rated private pilot Kevin Reick shares that story with host, Rob Reider, and another from his instrument instruction when the cockpit got as dark as the night sky they were flying in. Sponsored by Avemco

Oct 29

If you’ve ever “busted an altitude, inadvertently gone into a restricted area or other controlled airspace or something else that could get you in trouble with the FAA, they’ve offered an “out.” It’s the FAA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System and it could save you some heartburn. It’s more commonly known as the NASA report - if you’re not familiar with it, this episode of ILAFFT will be an eye-opener. Sponsored by Avemco

Oct 15

As pilots, we’re taught to trust our instruments - trusting our feelings can lead to problems. But in an airplane you know very well, if there’s a strange sound or vibration, trusting your feelings might be the right thing to do. One pilot, experiencing this situation, convinced an A&P mechanic to double check a recently completed repair. What he found was a botched job that could have resulted in a catastrophic situation. Sponsored by Avemco Insurance

Oct 1

VFR Traffic Advisories, also known as “flight following,” is a service that is provided by ATC, workload permitting. But it can also be a life saver. In today’s episode, we’ll hear how controllers assisted a pilot who needed help when his engine started running very roughly and he began to lose altitude over terrain that was not at all conducive for a forced landing. The pilot was grateful for the help controllers provided. Sponsored by Avemco Insurance

Sep 17

Join Rob Reider on episode 113 of Flying Magazine's I Learned About Flying from That podcast as we meet a pilot who, fresh off earning his commercial certificate, accepted his very first flight for hire: ferrying an early, "very ragged" Cessna 150 from Connecticut to Florida. What seemed like a straightforward job quickly devolved into a tale of significant lapses in aeronautical decision-making. Bob Kamm shares just how ragged the plane was, what he had to overcome to make the flight, and what he learned about ADM!

Sep 3

Join host Rob Reider for episode 112 of I Learned About Flying From That with John Price, who, nearly 40 years ago, embarked on his first solo flight into Class C airspace as a student pilot. This cross-country journey became an indelible experience, despite challenging conditions like clouds, an unfamiliar airport, and situational confusion. Though family finances prevented John from earning his private pilot's license, his story is packed with invaluable 'back to the basics' lessons for all aviators. Discover how a moment of "right pavement, wrong direction" shaped his understanding of flight, proving that some lessons are learned best through experience. This episode is brought to you by Avemco Insurance.

Aug 20

Join host Rob Reider in Episode 111 of I Learned About Flying From That, featuring acclaimed air show pilot Anna Serbinenko, the "sky dancer". Anna recounts a harrowing incident during her Canadian Arctic Aviation Tour in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. After a successful performance, her routine post-landing 360-degree bow with air show smoke turned into an "oh sh*t moment" due to gusty, shifting winds. Anna shares the critical lessons learned, including the importance of never relaxing too soon and the need for counterintuitive control inputs in unexpected situations. This episode is sponsored by Avemco Insurance.

Aug 6

Host Rob Reider interviews Pete Egan from Ireland about a harrowing flight. Pete was in the backseat of a plane not certified for instrument flight, scud running along the River Shannon from an airport near Dublin to Limerick. Despite a weather briefing recommending against VFR flight and the departing airport reporting less than VFR minimums, they took off. What they almost encountered could have cost them their lives. Discover how this incident taught Pete crucial lessons about aeronautical decision-making and the dangers of "get there-itis". This episode is sponsored by Avemco Aviation Insurance.

Jul 9

In I Learned About Flying from That, Episode 109, host Rob Ryder features experienced pilot Mark Brooke, who recounts a harrowing incident from August 1979 during his air taxi days, when a seemingly easy flight from a grass field near London to Leeds became a "nailbiter". Mark, then an instructor building hours for his commercial license, faced a series of converging "holes in the Swiss cheese lined up scenarios". His predicament stemmed from fuel mismanagement – opting not to take on more fuel initially and later skipping refueling at Leeds due to cost and a belief he had enough for the return trip. This was compounded by deteriorating weathe r , including a warm front with a dropping cloud base and persistent rain that Mark initially underestimated, changing winds that created a strong headwind on the return flight, and a late departure causing darkness to set in quicker than expected. Low on fuel, in worsening weather, and unable to get radar assistance from a closed air force base, Mark found himself "boxed in" with no easy diversion options, lacking an "out". The tense situation culminated in an emergency landing at White Waltham Field, a World War II-era grass airfield with no lighting, where a dedicated club member, Paul, arranged for cars to light the runway with their headlights. Mark's critical takeaways from this experience include the importance of never passing on an opportunity to take on fuel ("with fuel you got time and with time you got options"), being aware of the "dangerous time" for PPL accidents around 500 hours where pilots can become overconfident, always respecting the weather, and crucially, always leaving yourself an out in airmanship. This episode is sponsored by Avemco Insurance

Jun 26

Welcome to episode 108 of Flying Magazine's I Learned About Flying From That podcast, featuring Jose Acevedo, a private pilot and military aircraft mechanic stationed at Travis Air Force Base, who holds high performance, complex, and commercial ratings despite a "circuitous route" to his private pilot ticket due to military deployments and training inconsistencies. Jose shares two critical "I Learned About Flying From That" incidents: the first involved a flight to Lake Tahoe in a TV20 Trinidad where he faced severe density altitude issues at the 6,200+ foot elevation airport on a hot day, resulting in an extremely close takeoff from an 8500-foot runway and teaching him the importance of better planning and avoiding "get-home-itis". The second incident, on a return flight from Monterey in a Piper Archer 3, saw him encounter an isolated, unexpected cloud covering his home airport (Oscar 88) as civil twilight ended, leading to a denied landing request at Travis Air Force Base and his subsequent decision to declare an emergency at a more complex airport, Concord. This experience taught him the vital lesson of being assertive with air traffic control for assistance, an act which, without FAA repercussions, even led to a change in standard operating procedures at Travis AFB allowing aero club aircraft to land there in emergencies. Host Rob Reider emphasizes that changing weather—whether winds, temperature, or clouds—is often the root of such stories, underscoring the necessity for pilots in command to be aware and make informed go/no-go decisions. Sponsored by Avemco

Jun 11

In this episode of Flying Magazine's I learned about flying from that podcast, host Rob Reider speaks with Tom Bevard about a terrifying in-flight incident in his Cessna 140, which had been modified with Cessna 150 seats. Tom recounts how his adjustable pilot's seat, despite a pre-flight check, slid to the full aft position during takeoff just as he was about to rotate, causing the aircraft to shoot up at a high angle of attack and low speed, rapidly approaching a stall. Fortunately, his vernier throttle remained at full power. With the seat all the way back, Tom could no longer reach the rudder pedals, a critical issue, especially in a taildragger. Rather than attempting a ground loop with limited control due to a slight crosswind, he made the quick decision to continue the flight, get to a safe altitude, and then unbuckle, slide over, and re-buckle his seatbelt in the co-pilot's side. Being comfortable flying from the right seat, he was able to safely land the plane. This near-disastrous routine flight underscored the importance of a very good and thorough pre-flight inspection, particularly checking the seat by moving it front-to-back, side-to-side, and up-and-down to ensure the clips are properly over the rail's lip; conducting a solo local flight after any maintenance work before taking passengers or going cross-country; being proficient at flying from both seats (left, right, or tandem) as a crucial skill set in unexpected situations; and understanding Airworthiness Directives (ADs) related to seat rails, given the potential for catastrophic results if seats fail at critical phases of flight.

May 28

In this episode of I Learned About Flying From That, host Rob Reider speaks with Terry Fagg from Queensland, Australia, who shares a compelling story about a significant equipment failure during a solo glider flight in 1979. Terry was just 15 years old at the time, with about 30 total flying hours. He was flying an ASW15, a high-performance competition glider known for being state-of-the-art but also having some quirks that made it "not real easy to fly". While climbing to altitude in a strong thermal, Terry noticed the stick was progressively getting further forward until it became stuck full forward. This left him unable to push forward to descend and flying dangerously close to a stall speed at around 7,000 feet. Finding himself in "deep deep strife" with virtually no pitch control, Terry spent about two hours at altitude, floating in thermals and figuring out how to fly the glider in this precarious state. Standard stall recovery procedures were impossible with the stick stuck forward, and radio assistance was unavailable. He managed to return to his gliding club's field and executed a challenging "long low slow circuit," making a difficult landing by basically "flopping in" close to the ground. Initially criticized by the duty instructor for his landing, the severity of the emergency was revealed when, while examining the stick, the damaged elevator link strut – a metal control rod that had failed due to fatigue – finally snapped off completely, showing the elevator was no longer connected. Terry later learned that he was the only person known to have successfully landed an ASW15 with this specific failure; other instances had resulted in serious crashes. The incident profoundly taught him at a young age that flying, despite being enjoyable, is also a "dangerous business" where unexpected events can occur. He learned the critical importance of trusting his gut feeling when something feels wrong and adhering to aircraft manual procedures. This episode is brought to you by Avemco Insurance.

May 7

In this episode of Flying Magazine's "I learned about flying from that" podcast, host Rob Reider speaks with Tim Kurrek about a truly challenging incident that occurred over 20 years ago. Tim, a longtime instructor with extensive tailwheel and glider experience, was on what should have been a routine flight in IMC in his trusted Cessna 180 when the engine suddenly and unexpectedly quit. With no autopilot and the gyros spooling down, Tim was immediately thrust into a situation requiring proficient hand flying and quick thinking. After declaring the engine failure and contacting NorCal, he began troubleshooting while maintaining his best glide speed. However, battling heavy rain and downdrafts, Tim realized his descent rate was higher than expected, and he wouldn't make the initial airport NorCal vectored him towards, which was surrounded by suburbia. This critical realization forced a rapid decision and a change of course towards what he hoped would be more suitable terrain. Breaking out of the clouds at a low altitude, he faced the daunting task of selecting and landing on an unconventional off-airport site under challenging muddy and crosswind conditions. The landing, while successful in preserving life and aircraft integrity, presented its own immediate set of problems with the aircraft sinking into the mud. What followed involved navigating interactions with a gruff local farmer, law enforcement, and the FAA, all while trying to understand the mysterious engine failure. Ultimately, the cause of the engine issue was identified, and the challenging process of recovering the aircraft from the field, with the farmer's reluctant assistance, became another chapter in the story. Tim shares the powerful lessons learned about the importance of aircraft knowledge, maintaining pilot proficiency, critical situational awareness, and the absolute necessity of pre-planning flights, even IFR ones, with VFR charts to understand the ground below. His experience vividly illustrates astronaut Frank Borman's quote: "A superior pilot uses his superior judgment to avoid situations which require the use of his superior skill".

Apr 30

What sounds inconsequential on the ground can turn deadly in the air. Join Rob Reider on this episode of "I Learned About Flying From That" as he speaks with Philip Harris. Philip recounts a seemingly ordinary taxi out in his Rans S6 with his father, where a familiar thump masked a potentially catastrophic propeller strike. Discover how a post-flight inspection revealed the terrifying truth: a severely damaged propeller that could have failed at any moment during their flight, or worse, while taxiing amongst crowds at an airshow. Philip shares the vital lessons learned that day about trusting your instincts and the importance of a thorough post-flight inspection. This is a chilling reminder that even experienced pilots can be fooled by the familiar, and that a moment of doubt warrants immediate investigation.

Apr 16

Organization is important in every facet of life, especially in aviation. It's why we have checklists, and breaking the flow of those procedures can be hazardous to your health. While preparing for a casual flight to play golf, Dr. Baron Hamman deviated from his preflight routine to call his brother, inadvertently skipping the step of securely latching the aircraft door. Hear what happened in this episode.

Apr 2

A bird strike is a possibility that every pilot has to face, and they happen so quickly it's generally up to the bird to do the avoidance maneuver. In this episode, we'll meet two people who were literally inches from losing their lives when not one but two geese hit their airplane in the dark of night at an altitude of about 3,000 feet. Hear their harrowing story and how quick actions prevented tragedy.

Mar 19

The internet and rise of social media have been a boon for so many around the world. But when there's a disaster, particularly one that involves an airplane, so-called experts are often quick to speculate about the cause and place blame. But there are few people out there whose reporting puts accuracy ahead of the need to be first with a story. Today, we'll meet “Hoover” from Pilot Debrief, a YouTube channel that offers aviation mishap analysis, and hear how it all got started for him.

Mar 5

In this special 100th episode celebration of the ILAFFT podcast, Lisa DeFrees shares her insights and experiences from behind the scenes. We’ll take a nostalgic journey through our Top 10 favorite stories that captivated listeners over the past five years. Each tale resonates with the spirit of flying—be it the thrill of piloting, the challenges faced in the air, or the stories that connect us to the broader aviation community. As we reflect on the journey so far, we’ll also offer listeners a glimpse into future episodes. Join us for a memorable episode full of laughter, learning, and a shared passion for aviation.

Feb 19

Have you ever had problems locating an airport even from a few miles away? Altitude, sun angles, haze, and unfamiliarity with the airport can cause problems. And then there's the issue of which runway you should use. A VFR pilot in a Cessna 182 had a problem locating the field and the right runway and found himself very close to another airplane on approach to the correct runway. Hear what happened on this episode.

Feb 5

There's a phrase used when talking about aircraft incidents that has become popular: “The holes in the Swiss cheese lined up.” And it happened to two pilots who encountered weather that almost brought them down … but not in a way one would expect. Snow-clogged engines, a cigarette lighter, differential pressures—the holes lined up. For the first time, Bob Rutherford shares the full story of what happened when his co-pilot caught fire.

Jan 28

Kevin Capozzi was the proud owner of a pressurized Cessna 337 Skymaster. He flew it a lot and knew its strengths and even its quirks, like fuel gauges that weren't always trustworthy. But he knew the fuel burn and meticulously kept track of it. So when both engines stopped almost simultaneously, the cause was a mystery. Hear what happened in this episode.

Jan 3

On an airliner, one of the flight attendants has the responsibility to make sure the boarding door is closed and locked for the flight. On some much smaller airlines, it's the first officer's job. So what happens if it opens on its own at 8,000 feet? It's a potentially deadly situation for the plane and passengers, and it happened to today’s guest, Lori Cline. Hear her remarkable story.

Dec 27, 2024

Consider this scenario. You're a pilot who has a medical issue that prevents you from being PIC in your own airplane. And as you're waiting for the reinstatement of your medical, you enlist the help of a friend to sit in the right seat, the real PIC, so you can stay proficient even though you can't log it. But what if there's an incident? Who is responsible: you or the buddy in the copilot's seat?

Dec 12, 2024

A ride in a Mustang ignited a dream for Don Wykoff, and he followed that dream into the Air Force, becoming an instructor pilot — an IP — before moving on to Vipers. And in the Air Force, even an instructor has an instructor. So when he and another IP flew together on a long cross-country, and when the weather went below minimums at their destination, get-there-itis left them with few options.

Nov 20, 2024

On a vacation trip with his wife in their Cherokee Arrow, FLYING Magazine columnist Les Abend experienced the dreaded zero charge indication on his panel. He was VFR on top and would have to fly into the clouds to get to an airport. Would his battery have enough juice to keep the panel going? What happened? And why did it happen again on the same trip?

Nov 4, 2024

Aviation is full of acronyms. And over the years, many have been forgotten because of great strides in technology. NDB, MLS, PAR, GCA, even VOR are gone or going away. FSS is seldom used because of the availability of ADS-B weather that can be viewed on an iPad. But in 1979, not having that technology almost cost the life of a pilot.

Oct 16, 2024

NOTAMs are important. And as student pilots, we're taught to check them thoroughly before every flight. Even at our home airports things can change quickly, and NOTAMs can affect flight-planning decisions. But when one student pilot had to land at a different airport and then finally headed home, the pattern was very full. Was there a NOTAM for this congestion? Find out on this episode.

Oct 1, 2024

How well do you know the people you fly with? In corporate flight departments, you get to know the other pilots pretty well, but in the airline world, crews often meet for the first time only hours before a flight. And it’s difficult to know if the other crew member is a good stick, or even if the person is in good physical condition. On this episode, the lack of familiarity with an FO's health led to an in-flight emergency.

Sep 4, 2024

A pilot reacted quickly after the airplane he was flying went into full feather over the Amazon. The outcome was positive, but did he do the right thing?

Aug 21, 2024

After an annual inspection, condition inspection, or even an oil change, the airplane needs to be flown to make sure it’s operating at 100%. And if you’re the owner, you’ve got to do that flying. One pilot did a simple check after factory maintenance, but on his way home, he got a surprise: smoke in the cockpit.

Aug 7, 2024

This week is an amazing tale of a pilot doing something most would never want to do: ferry an airplane across an ocean. Meet the pilot, who in an unfamiliar plane, was forced to put it down in the Pacific and hear what he learned from the experience.

Jul 24, 2024

Dr. Stan Markus is an owner and lover of antique aircraft. And when the engine quit on his Stearman, away from his home airport, he only had a few seconds to find a suitable landing field that would not be a hazard to those on the ground, himself, or his airplane.

Jul 11, 2024

A recent equipment upgrade created an erroneous incompatibility with fuel flow sensing for pilot and social media influencer Kay Hall. Hear how it unfolded in this episode.

Jun 26, 2024

Landing in a parking lot on a private pilot checkride provides a powerful lesson in preparation and humility. Dave Schoen shares a story from his student pilot days.

Jun 12, 2024

Joey and Rachel Brown give their Cessna 150 a workout flying from California to Florida and back. It was all good until the final leg, when headwinds and downdrafts exceeded aircraft performance and they were no longer able to maintain altitude (even in a climb configuration). Fortunately, avoiding get-home-itis made for a happy ending.

May 30, 2024

Flying is unforgiving, soaring even less so. Hear how glider pilot Bob Katz turned a loss of lift out of range of his airport into a picture perfect off airfield landing on a golf course after his Plan A and Plan B didn't work out. But good outcomes of unplanned situations don't happen by chance, every flight is an opportunity to rehearse a "what if" scenario.

May 8, 2024

A low time instrument pilot launches into IMC with a gradually failing vacuum pump and learns a lesson about proficiency and instrument cross-checking. The wisdom to invite another pilot along as a second set of eyes in the cockpit likely changed the outcome of this lesson.

Apr 24, 2024

British pilot Mark Brooke has flown many different airplanes, from light singles and 727s for DHL to the Dassault Falcon 7X and even a Bucker Jungmeister. Hear how he handled a maintenance faux pas in a Beech Baron and his own faux pas on a downwind landing in a Tiger Moth.

Mar 18, 2024

Turbulence and windshear drove CFII Anna Serbinenko and her students to attempt a difficult diversion. Then, a search and rescue crew runs into trouble when they decide to push for their home airport following a hydraulic failure.

Mar 6, 2024

With a failing engine and unforgiving terrain all around, flight instructor Mark Henshall had a decision to make about whether or not to turn back to the runway. Also, picking up a mayday from a fellow pilot comes to a difficult end only to be followed by a surprising revelation.

Feb 20, 2024

Finding the right teacher can be complicated, but when a flight instructor falls asleep on a student’s first-ever lesson it raises red flags. Also, low visibility and a failure to communicate lead to a head-to-head close call in the pattern.

Feb 5, 2024

A pilot faces an instrument failure in the clouds and recalls how a decision to head home in the dark—despite having never flown at night—led to a harrowing experience in the pattern.

Jan 22, 2024

Experienced pilot Al Hewitt was proficient, current, and ready to go for a short IFR trip he’d made many times before, but when he broke out of the clouds on a familiar approach nothing was as expected.

Jan 2, 2024

Wanting to build flight time and under pressure from another pilot, a young aviator decided to take a jump plane up for one last flight in spite of dangerously low fuel indications and the approaching sunset.

Dec 5, 2023

During a night proficiency flight, a pilot was practicing partial panel IFR when he had an emergency he did not expect.

Nov 21, 2023

Pilot Victor Vogel was left with only a flashlight and a pencil following a total electrical system failure in his Beech Sierra—and he was headed straight for the nation's capital region.

Nov 6, 2023

Pilot Scott Tomlinson hopped into his RV-6, ready to take his girlfriend on a flying date to Ocracoke Island. But a skipped part of the preflight just about ruined their day together.

Oct 19, 2023

An Air Force Warthog pilot suffered an engine failure during a training mission, but was his course of action the right one?

Oct 10, 2023

Pilot Charles Turner witnessed an accident and tried to save one of the occupants. It took him 20 years to share the story, and where it led him.

Sep 21, 2023

Sometimes we conduct a careful preflight, and we still don’t find everything that might go wrong under the cowl. This Bonanza pilot discovered fuel all over the engine—after returning to the airport.

Sep 8, 2023

A pilot practicing aerobatics nearly lost a critical part of the airframe of his project Pitts S-1, a problem that couldn't be found during preflight.

Aug 23, 2023

Instructor Josh Harnagel acquired a Beech B36TC Bonanza and was flying on a work trip when the turbocharger failed, leading to an off-airport landing.

Aug 9, 2023

Pilot and instructor Doug Rozendaal recounts stories of flying the Douglas DC-3, Beech 18, and Cessna 402 across the upper Midwest for a freight operation—and key lessons on avoiding or mitigating icing encounters..

Jul 27, 2023

An expert pilot in the airshow and movie business recalls a shoot in Hawaii when a trio of cables appeared where they had not been before, and almost killed him.

Jul 14, 2023

A former flight test pilot for the U.S. Navy had two encounters with icing--in a Piper Seneca and in an Aero Commander--that he'll never forget.

Jun 29, 2023

A former Air Force pilot was taught to always follow the procedures—but a foray into weather almost cost him his life as a student.

Jun 16, 2023

Helping a cousin get to college orientation turned exciting for pilot Ford von Weise, and the ensuing emergency caused a VIP aircraft to break off its approach.

Jun 5, 2023

Pilot Tom Hill heard a loud bang and saw something fly off of the front end of his 1974 Cessna 210, and the closest runway was at one of the busiest airports in the U.S.

May 10, 2023

Pilot Ryan Worley suffered an electrical system problem in the Cessna 172 he was flying, exacerbated by the fact the ammeter wasn't working to clue him into the issue.

Apr 26, 2023

After the photo mission was done, the wake turbulence generated by a PT-19 trainer was enough to upset a Cessna 170, as pilot and photographer Leonardo Correa Luna found out.

Apr 5, 2023

John Jordan shares stories from early in his career flying out of California's wine country, in a Warrior and a 172, that illuminate why preflight planning is crucial.

Mar 22, 2023

Musician and pilot Christine Mortine was flying a mission for the Recreational Aviation Foundation when she had engine trouble and applied her backcountry training to the resulting off-airport landing.

Mar 8, 2023

Al Cerullo transformed his experience flying helicopters in the Vietnam combat zone into a career flying aerial photography for a long list of movies and TV shows in his Eurocopter AS355 Twin Star in New York.

Feb 21, 2023

Instructor Matt Keane found himself over the marine layer with a failed engine and an electrical system on the discovery flight he was conducting. Find out how he managed the emergency.

Feb 7, 2023

When pilot Jim Desmond thought he was ready to fly a two-thirds-scale homebuilt Mustang in which he had no experience, he set himself up for a serious lesson.

Jan 24, 2023

With an F-4 Phantom throttles stuck in full burner—what does a crew do? Pilot Brad Hood tells the story.

Jan 4, 2023

A flight taking a day-VFR-only airplane in the darkness led airshow pro Matt Younkin to re-evaluate how he got there, and consider next time to listen to his gut instincts.

Dec 22, 2022

Air boss, controller, and private pilot Wayne Boggs took the opportunity to ferry a Piper Arrow across the Caribbean, and ended up in an encounter with instrument conditions, without a rating.

Dec 8, 2022

With a career spanning the military, the airlines, and pilot training, Skyborne Airline Academy's Ed Davidson shares key lessons learned in two incidents from his flying experience, including an assist to a light twin ailing over the Caribbean.

Nov 22, 2022

Kevin LaRosa, aerial coordinator for "Devotion" and "Top Gun: Maverick," was flying an Airbus AS350 AStar, near Grants Pass, Oregon, and pressed on into deteriorating visibility. LaRosa came to the "commit point" with fuel and got into a tight spot.

Nov 15, 2022

U.S. Air Force Capt. Aimee Fieldler took a student up for a training mission just before their check ride—and got caught by rapidly changing weather upon landing back at Annapolis, Maryland.

Oct 31, 2022

Pilot Gary Figgins recalls a flight with a colleague flying in the left seat, when the engine in the Cessna 182 they were flying in experienced a total power failure over the hilly terrain of southeastern Missouri.

Oct 14, 2022

Pilot Chris McClure made fast work of a fire in a Cessna 150 towplane, including restrictions to visibility inside the airplane.

Sep 30, 2022

Pilot Jack Henion thought it was bad enough to have an electrical failure in a Cessna 210 over the mountains, until he learned what it would take to fix it.

Sep 13, 2022

What do you do when your emergency isn't covered by the checklist? Texas pilot Stephen Curran found out on two separate occasions about the "diffusion of responsibility."

Aug 30, 2022

Airshow performer, instructor, and corporate pilot Ashley Shelton relates two stories of distraction—in her Cub and hew RV-6—that taught her the importance of preflight checklists.

Aug 16, 2022

A confluence of conditions put pilot Jim Bonsey behind the power curve in the Piper Cherokee Six he was flying in Hawaii, and he almost put the Six into the Pacific Ocean as a result.

Jul 25, 2022

Episode: From Blue Angel to Top Gun Frank Weisser, a real Naval Aviator who worked on Top Gun: Maverick, goes behind-the-scenes for a look at the real flying of the F-18 Super Hornet in the movie, as well as his own lessons learned as a Blue Angels pilot.

Jul 12, 2022

An instructor tells his own tale of why pilots need to get some experience flying in actual IMC while pursuing an instrument rating.

Jun 21, 2022

Fixed-wing pilot Eliot Danner flies with a fellow helicopter pilot on a cross-country flight that turns bumpy—and low on avgas.

Jun 7, 2022

World-renowned cellist and pilot Peter Rejto entered an unexpected snowstorm in his Mooney--and was caught by a missed preflight item. He shares the story of the resulting power loss with us.

May 17, 2022

Pilot Wayne Pinger’s journey to become a pilot took him on a memorable Alaska cross-country—and a crime scene. Learn what lessons he did.

May 3, 2022

When pilot Paul Entrekin got the chance to fly Jim Bede's BD-5 microjet, he encountered an out-of-balance fuel situation that nearly ended in disaster.

Apr 19, 2022

As a young pilot, Andy Gelston ferried a Piper Cub from Virginia to the midwest, and he tried to evade the thunderstorms blocking his way. A grass strip offered a haven--with a few hazards of its own.

Apr 5, 2022

A change of audio cues and a busy ATC environment led pilot Bob Jacobs to land gear up in a Mooney. What other factors contributed to the unfortunate landing?

Mar 22, 2022

A relatively short runway, high temps, and a hefty passenger load lead to a tight POH situation for pilot Bruce Falstein in California.

Mar 8, 2022

An instructor and his commercial student avoid landing on a crowded California street following a loss of power on takeoff because they understood the procedures outlined in the Cessna Cardinal RG's POH. Would you do as well?

Feb 22, 2022

Jerry Gregoire, founder of Redbird Flight Simulations, shares a couple of stories from which he learned the value of CRM—one of them involving a close encounter with a bird (that was not red).

Feb 8, 2022

When John Hull prepared to make a wintertime departure after defrosting the airplane--a Cessna 421--he neglected to check for ice beyond the wings and horizontal stab, much to his chagrin.

Jan 25, 2022

As pilot Brian Lorenz approached 10 hours on a brand-new engine, he looked forward to making a few touch-and-goes. Instead, he lost engine power after takeoff--and survived to tell the tale.

Jan 11, 2022

When aerobatic pilot and Reno winner Vicky Benzing took off behind a C-130 Hercules at an air show in California, the heavy turboprop's wake turbulence caught her by surprise--and almost led to an accident very close to the ground.

Dec 21, 2021

A flight in a Piaggio Avanti takes a dramatic turn for pilot Martin Murat when the windshield in front of him starts to crack. Find out how he and the captain dealt with the impending emergency.

Dec 6, 2021

Airshow ace Rob Holland handles a lot of flight regimes that might cause most pilots to panic. What happens when he faces a catastrophic engine failure in his custom aerobatic airplane?

Nov 18, 2021

A glider pilot has a lot to consider that’s different from the decision-making involved in flying powered aircraft—but weather always presents a challenge, as pilot Paul Chafe found out.

Nov 4, 2021

Sporty's John Zimmerman has been flying airplanes since he was very young. Learning how to make decisions while flying cross-country in a helicopter stretched his way of thinking—and almost landed him in trouble with IFR weather.

Oct 21, 2021

Pilot Dan Bass fell prey to an insidious hazard: carbon monoxide poisoning. A series of flights in his Mooney ended in a disastrous manner.

Oct 7, 2021

Pilot and author Tucker Axum had not one, but two situations on night flights that highlighted the nearly instrument conditions found over featureless terrain.

Sep 16, 2021

Artist and pilot Barry Ross started flying early in life, and it has informed his work, including his illustrations in FLYING. One flight into Portland, Maine, following the lights in, will remain etched in his memory.

Sep 2, 2021

When highly experienced pilot Craig O’Mara signed on to help ferry a Bushmaster to New Mexico, he was careful to take advice from an expert—but when it came to actual operational skill, this “expert” came up short.

Aug 19, 2021

Ferry pilot Kerry McCauley shares a full range of flying that has taken him to every continent except for Antarctica. When he loses the engine on a Mooney flight, he had a thunderstorm to deal with as well.

Jul 29, 2021

Pilots know Michael Goulian for his precision aerobatics and to-the-limits air racing style. But in this episode, Goulian shares the critical lessons he's learned from flying GA that apply to any pilot.

Jul 15, 2021

The pilot of a USAF Lockheed Starlifter C-141 knew he had a problem with an automated system and thought the crew could manage it—until they were approaching an island air base, at night, with few options.

Jul 1, 2021

A student pilot and his instructor find themselves lined up on a runway at a busy international airport—but ATC doesn’t know they are there. Find out why from pilot Mike Thiergartner in this episode of ILAFFT.

Jun 17, 2021

When a passenger experiences a medical emergency during a flight to view the total solar eclipse in Jackson, Wyoming, pilot Paul Tierstein finds he left an important piece of equipment behind.

Jun 3, 2021

An instructor takes a student into a grass strip for real-life short-field training—but the grass is still wet, making for a more critical lesson.

May 20, 2021

As he built up hours towards a flying career, Stan Dunn experienced engine trouble that was hard to quantify—until another unfortunate pilot found Dunn's hunch was correct.

May 6, 2021

Veteran flight instructor Field Morey relates his experience with a power loss that progressed during an IFR flight with a student, and how it ended for the pilots—and the airplane.

Apr 22, 2021

Flying reader and flight instructor Roger Keech was on a medical mission in Mexico—and he found out that using traditional navigation techniques saved the day.

Apr 8, 2021

A nighttime check run down to Charlotte turns into a drama for Flying reader Jon Jackson, with a prop failure striking the Beech Baron he was flying—literally.

Mar 25, 2021

Careful IFR flight planning requires an alternate in case of worse-than-forecast weather. A new aircraft type triggers a chain of events for pilot Jim Fiorito that nearly dashes those plans.

Mar 11, 2021

When pilot Bernhard Wolf—experienced in overwater operations—confronts convective activity over the Pacific, he learns an important lesson about their behavior—and it may not be what you think.

Feb 25, 2021

Pilots often fight the spectre of get-home-itis—but it's especially hazardous when coupled with the assumptions made while flying a familiar airplane. FLYING reader Kenneth Wilson shares his own cross-country lesson on this week’s episode.

Feb 11, 2021

Dan Richard shared his love of flying with his wife throughout their lives together—but his most precious flight with her came with an unexpected gift. Join host Rob Reider as he talks with Dan about his lessons learned from the perspective of time.

Jan 28, 2021

Flying columnist and former pilot examiner/FAA accident investigator Martha Lunken shares her experience regarding fuel exhaustion—and a precautionary landing she made in a Cessna 180 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Jan 14, 2021

Though pilots are supposed to use the common traffic advisory frequency to coordinate with other pilots near an airport, not everyone uses it faithfully, as pilot Chris Watson found out at Mount Pleasant Airport in South Carolina in this episode of I.L.A.F.F.T.

Dec 30, 2020

A pilot sets off on a short mission—and realizes that even a quick flight between airports that he knows well can pose risks that need attention and planning.

Dec 17, 2020

Following an engine failure in his Cessna 421 in icing conditions, pilot Brett Godfrey faces a turn for the worse—failure of the second engine. Host Rob Redier learns from Godfrey what he would have done differently—and what saved him in the end.

Dec 14, 2020

Next up from FLYING, we bring you a new twist on our popular I.L.A.F.F.T. series, in which host Rob Reider interviews those pilots who learned a lesson or two from experience.