Having flown everything from aerobatic airplanes to airliners to seaplanes, Patrick Carter loves to apply the lessons from one part of aviation to another. In this episode, he takes us inside the world of Alaskan bush pilots to explain the skills they need to stay safe, how to evaluate off-airport landing sites, and how to manage changing weather. Patrick also talks about handling emergencies far from airports, as he learned first hand on a recent flight in a Super Cub. Patrick is an advocate for flying with video cameras, so he shares practical advice for mounting cameras externally and capturing audio. In the Ready to Copy segment, Patrick shares a helpful airline travel tip, his favorite aerobatic maneuver, and what he looks for on test flights after maintenance.

New aerospace businesses seem to be launching every month, including electric ultralights, eVTOL air taxis, drone delivery services, and private space flight. As a longtime pilot and venture capitalist, Ben Marcus is the perfect person to sort through the hype. He explains which business models will work first, why Walmart is finding success with drone delivery, and what benefits GA pilots might see as a result of this investment boom. Ben also founded JetAviva, a popular airplane broker, so he talks about the light jet boom of the last 25 years and what it takes to transition from a piston airplane to a single pilot turbine. In the Ready to Copy segment, you’ll hear about common charging standards for eVTOLs, the best light jet on the market, and Ben’s favorite backcountry strip in Arkansas.

A spur-of-the-moment airplane purchase presented David Tulis with the adventure of a lifetime: flying a 1953 Tri-Pacer across the country. He tells the story of this fun and challenging trip in this episode, including what it was like to cross the Rockies with a 135-horsepower engine, the value of mentors, and the appeal of vintage airplanes. David is also a highly accomplished photographer, so he explains why photos still matter in a world of videos and offers some practical tips for taking better in-flight photos. In the Ready to Copy segment, David tells us his favorite photo of all time, his best best tip for podcasters, and his opinion about famous Atlanta drinks.

Airports are missing out on $35 billion in economic impact because they're not well run - that's according to pilot and airport management expert Michael Jones. He explains the cause of this underperformance and why the structure of an airport management team is so important. Mike is also a longtime Cessna 210 owner, so he shares stories about this do-everything piston single, including the time he took one to 27,000 feet. In the Ready to Copy segment you'll hear tips for successful Young Eagles flights, what skills Mike learned as an air traffic controller in Vietnam, and the best golf course in the Carolinas.  

Earning an instrument rating can unlock new flying adventures, but only if you keep your skills sharp. In this episode, CFII Ryan Koch offers some tips for doing that, including: staying mentally engaged when you can’t fly, using scenarios instead of maneuvers, and simple techniques for improving your instrument scan. Ryan also talks about delivering remote flight instruction with flight simulators, including for avionics training and high school classes. In the Ready to Copy segment, you’ll hear how Ryan uses checklists during IFR flight, what he likes best about the Stearman, and his favorite guitarist. 

When you go on tour with Frank Sinatra at age 21, it’s hard to be intimidated—so it’s no surprise Randy Waldman jumped into the exciting world of helicopters with both feet. In this episode he shares his unique aviation journey, from model airplanes to owning a Mooney to setting a speed record in a Bell OH-58. As one of LA’s most experienced studio musicians and an active helicopter CFI, Randy talks about the similarities between music and flying, including how pilots can develop feel, whether having a career plan B makes sense, and how to use all your senses. In the Ready to Copy segment, Randy shares the most challenging part of flying in LA, his favorite turbine helicopter, and the most underrated jazz musician.

On his way to Sun ’n Fun 2023, the engine on Josh Harnagel’s Bonanza quit, leading to a forced landing in a cow pasture. While no one was hurt, Josh learned a lot from this harrowing experience. He shares those lessons in this episode, including why partial engine failures are hard to diagnose, why hope can kill you in an emergency, and what he has changed about his habits since the incident. Josh works at Redbird, so he also offers plenty of practical tips for using flight simulators to maintain proficiency, whether at the airport or at home. In the Ready to Copy Segment, you’ll hear the biggest marketing mistake flight schools make, the best Bonanza model, and Josh’s favorite Texas barbecue.

How much of the recent boom in private aviation will last now that the pandemic is over? Aviation analyst Brian Foley says about 10%, which is good for the industry but not enough to sustain some overly optimistic business models. In this episode, he talks about the current state of the market, the fate of Wheels Up, and Cirrus Aircraft’s plan to go public. Brian is also getting current as a pilot after 15 years, and he offers some realistic advice for other rusty pilots. In the Ready to Copy segment, Brian shares his famously blunt opinion about Sustainable Aviation Fuel, electric airplanes, hydrogen power, and the best-looking Falcon jets.

In this special year-end episode, host John Zimmerman sits down with producer Rob Reider for a behind-the-scenes look at Pilot’s Discretion. They talk about what traits make for a good guest, the two rules for podcast hosts, and tips for getting better audio. You’ll also learn the most popular Pilot’s Discretion episodes of 2023, what John and Rob’s favorite episodes are, and what lessons they have learned about flying after 66 interviews. In the back-and-forth Ready to Copy segment, they share the most famous pilots they’ve flown with, their nominee for most underrated airplane, and their favorite airports.

From F-16 to 737 to Citation to Bonanza, Don Wykoff has flown a lot of different airplanes in his 50-year flying career. In this episode he explains how he stayed safe by approaching every flight with professionalism, using checklists the right way, and building training into simple trips. He also talks about losing the engine in his F-16, why pilot rest rules matter, and how to transition back to GA after a career flying jets. In the Ready to Copy segment, Don explains why he doesn’t like the GUMPS checklist, why he liked to hand-fly Cat III approaches in the 737, and what flight instructors can learn from airline pilots.