About this episode
Airplane down! Not a crash—just 65 days and counting of repair purgatory. Special guest 1DullGeek (Mark) joins to talk about what happens when your plane is out of service for months, Keith C's emotional feedback about avoiding aviation altogether, and the reality of airplane ownership. Plus: Brian's IFR long cross-country with C-130s and blown approaches, Ben's icing adventure to Cincinnati, and the Cherokee 235 that "totally spoiled" Mark's wife. The Thaden Invasion details keep rolling in! Mentioned on the Show: VBT - Thaden Field - March 2026 fly-in location Gaston's White River Resort - Arkansas fly-in fishing destination LUK - Lunken Airport - Cincinnati Fort Campbell - Brian's airport hopping area PAH - Barkley Regional Airport - Paducah, KY IPJ - Lincoln County Airport - North Carolina (Mark's home base) VUJ - Stanly County Airport - Where Mark's plane was in annual Josh's Sling TSI Build Playlist - Aviation 101 Midwest Panel Builders YouTube - Avionics videos Support the Show: Patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast - 1DullGeek & Son checkride debrief NOW AVAILABLE! MidlifePilotPodcast.com - Merch, feedback, RSVP for Thaden Invasion Leave us a 5-star review and get a sticker! youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast - Live Mondays 8PM ET 10% of Patreon proceeds support Freedom Aviation Network's anti-human trafficking efforts New Patreon Members: Rich H and James S at the Hershey Bar level - Welcome! Closing wisdom: "Sometimes it's best to remain silent and look stupid, rather than opening your mouth and removing all doubt." - Drew Special thanks to Keith C for the honest feedback about stepping away and coming back. We're not taking attendance—this community is here when you need it. 🎯 THE THADEN INVASION: March 13-15, 2026 | VBT | Bentonville, Arkansas