24. Safety trends and life as a Thunderbird, with AOPA's Richard McSpadden

Why do good pilots make bad decisions? The AOPA Air Safety Institute’s Richard McSpadden says it’s because the human brain wasn't made to work well at 100 knots. He offers some practical tips for managing that limitation, explains why VFR-into-IMC accidents persist, and describes the right approach to aircraft transitions. Richard also talks about his time as leader of the US Air Force Thunderbirds, the joy of backcountry flying, and what it was like to teach his kids to fly. From practical safety tips to great flying stories, this podcast is loaded with insight for pilots. AOPA Air Safety Institute - https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/air-safety-institute General Aviation Joint Safety Committee - https://www.gajsc.org Sporty's PJ2 radio: https://www.sportys.com/pj2-handheld-com-radio.html