The Student Pilot Cast: Recent Episodes
Bill Williams
Learning to fly…in front of the world. A Podcast about flight training. Follow Bill as he progresses in his quest to be a private pilot.
From the folks at the Student Pilot Cast, here is a demo of AOPA’s Flight Training Advantage, or AFTA. This is video episode 9 of the Student Pilot Cast. This episode is also published in higher resolution on our YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg5YQ6CoeUM In audio episode 65 I had a... Read more »
Today we talk about legacy, and legends of aviation. I recently found some old audio in the SPC archives from OSH 2011, and it brought me back, got me thinking about the legacy of some of the people we sometimes get to cross paths with. Some are important to the... Read more »
Today we talk about legacy, and legends of aviation. I recently found some old audio in the SPC archives from OSH 2011, and it brought me back, got me thinking about the legacy of some of the people we sometimes get to cross paths with. Some are important to the... Read more »
The famous Bell 47 helicopter ride at Oshkosh brought to you in its full, 4-minute glory by the folks at the Student Pilot Cast. Here’s a quick bonus feature from OSH22. This is video episode 8 of the Student Pilot Cast. This episode is also published in 4K on our... Read more »
The famous Bell 47 helicopter ride at Oshkosh brought to you in its full, 4-minute glory by the folks at the Student Pilot Cast. Here’s a quick bonus feature from OSH22. This is video episode 8 of the Student Pilot Cast. This episode is also published in 4K on our... Read more »
Welcome back, SPC listeners. I’m super happy to bring you a chat with Dan Justman from the airplane Owners and Pilots Association, or AOPA, about their program designed to help part 61 students and instructors with their training. AOPA is trying to tackle what is likely part of the reason... Read more »
Welcome back, SPC listeners. I’m super happy to bring you a chat with Dan Justman from the airplane Owners and Pilots Association, or AOPA, about their program designed to help part 61 students and instructors with their training. AOPA is trying to tackle what is likely part of the reason... Read more »
For this episode I got a chance to talk to Nick Smith from Part Time Pilot, an online private pilot ground school that packs a lot of personalized value into a rather inexpensive service. Learn about how he’s taking a more personal approach to online training and also learn how... Read more »
For this episode I got a chance to talk to Nick Smith from Part Time Pilot, an online private pilot ground school that packs a lot of personalized value into a rather inexpensive service. Learn about how he’s taking a more personal approach to online training and also learn how... Read more »
In this episode we get a quick demo of Infinite Flight from Jay during our chat at Airventure 2022. The video can also be found in higher resolution on our brand-new YouTube Channel here: https://youtu.be/qK2fmjvJdxo Infinite Flight can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store... Read more »
This is the video version of the Student Pilot Cast Audio Episode 63 which can be found here: https://studentpilotcast.com/spc63/. A high-resolution version can be found on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/-GhDPNoQcj4 In this episode I get to talk to Mark Palm, the CEO and Co-Founder of Samaritan Aviation, a humanitarian organization who... Read more »
This is the audio version of the Student Pilot Cast audio Episode 63. The video version of this can be found in the video feed of this podcast, or in highest resolution on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/-GhDPNoQcj4 In this episode I get to talk to Mark Palm, the CEO and Co-Founder... Read more »
The state of Oklahoma has gotten serious about aviation, STEM education, and the whole aeronautics industry. I talk here briefly with Grayson Ardies, Director of the Oklahoma Aeronautical Commision, about what the state is doing to further aviation education and aeronautics in general in the state. This is the video... Read more »
The state of Oklahoma has gotten serious about aviation, STEM education, and the whole aeronautics industry. I talk here briefly with Grayson Ardies, Director of the Oklahoma Aeronautical Commision, about what the state is doing to further aviation education and aeronautics in general in the state. This is the audio... Read more »
The state of Oklahoma has gotten serious about aviation, STEM education, and the whole aeronautics industry. I caught up with a High School teacher in Oklahoma, Chris Eckler, to talk about what he’s doing in his school district with regard to Aviation Education and how he fell in love with... Read more »
The state of Oklahoma has gotten serious about aviation, STEM education, and the whole aeronautics industry. I caught up with a High School teacher in Oklahoma, Chris Eckler, to talk about what he’s doing in his school district with regard to Aviation Education and how he fell in love with... Read more »
In this episode I have an impromptu conversation with Celia Oakley of Opener. We had been hearing about their electric STOL aircraft but hadn’t planned on doing a feature on it until my crew took a spin in their 3D simulator and we found the evolution and the atypical flight... Read more »
In this episode I have an impromptu conversation with Celia Oakley of Opener. We had been hearing about their electric STOL aircraft but hadn’t planned on doing a feature on it until my crew took a spin in their 3D simulator and we found the evolution and the atypical flight... Read more »
In this episode I catch up with Laura and Jay of Infinite Flight to talk about their flight simulator. We cover what it is, how it started, is it a tool or a game, and what’s coming next. This is a fun discussion about something I hadn’t really been keeping... Read more »
In this episode I catch up with Laura and Jay of Infinite Flight to talk about their flight simulator. We cover what it is, how it started, is it a tool or a game, and what’s coming next. This is a fun discussion about something I hadn’t really been keeping... Read more »
We finally make it to Showlow the morning after our diversion to Payson. I categorized this flight as a grateful nod to aviation and I dive into how I was feeling at this point in my flying career. I hope you enjoy this flight.
This one is awesome for me. I got to take my wife on our first mission together to the high country of Arizona for a weekend away with friends. Being the PIC on these flights was teaching me a lot, and on this day I had some weather decisions to... Read more »
CORRECTION and UPDATE: I had published the episode 55 audio as episode 56 in error. On July 6th, 2022, I realized the mistake, and have updated this episode release with the correct file. Sorry for the inconvenience. Episode Description: Back to a cockpit audio episode this week, but you may... Read more »
Back to a cockpit audio episode this week, but you may be asking what it is since I finished my primary training episodes. Well, this is an Oshkosh arrival, the part two to the departure we did last week in episode 55. More explanation when we get into the episode…but... Read more »
Back to a cockpit audio episode this week, but you may be asking what it is since I finished my primary training episodes. Well, this is an Oshkosh departure and next week we’ll do an arrival…and yes, in that order. More explanation when we get into the episode…but I hope... Read more »
This episode is an interview with Stu Stevenson, Co-Owner of Thrust Flight, an ab initio flight school in the Dallas area with additional locations on the horizon. Stu is also one of the co-hosts and the creator of A Pilot’s Journey Podcast, and is a CFI, ATP, and generally great... Read more »
Welcome back SPC listeners. Big day today…time for my check ride. It’s finally here…and after all these years, we’ll finally figure out if I made it or not. Hope you enjoy Episode 53, “Checking my Ride.” Yup, the time had finally come to see if I had learned what I... Read more »
Back to my training, we’ll be doing the second half of my makeup flight. This is the continuation of the flight from Episode 50. Enjoy episode 52, “Am I Ready Yet?” I was only a few days from me rescheduled check ride, and I was getting even more nervous and... Read more »
This week week’s episode is something a little different. We’ll get back to part two of my Instrument make-up flight next week, but I wanted to throw in the audio from a sit-down I had with an old friend and colleague, Tim Omta, when we recently re-connected after several years... Read more »
This is episode 50, where you may have been expecting an episode about my check ride, but alas, there was a bit of a snag, so you can get all of the information in this week’s episode. This episode will include part one of some makeup flying and we even... Read more »
In this episode we’ll cover a quick flight to get the additional .3 hours I needed to be ready for my check ride. The previous day I had 3 flights (see episodes 46, 47, and 48 for those). Today I would do this one flight, and be studying like crazy... Read more »
For this episode we’ll be doing a dual flight with Lary, getting some of that hood time I needed, and practicing a takeoff under the hood. We’d be flying in N81658. Keep in mind this is now my 3rd training flight of the day and the fourth in the past... Read more »
In this episode I’ll be taking you along for my fourth and final stage check with one of the chief pilots. This stage check, if successfully completed, would mark the end of my primary training and I would then be ready for my check ride with an examiner. Of course,... Read more »
Welcome back SPC listeners…this flight was the day after my dual flight with Lary from the last episode, episode 45, and I would be some solo practice on the same things, short and soft takeoffs and landings. I’d be staying in the pattern for this solo. Hope you enjoy Episode... Read more »
In this episode, just three days after my last solo covered in episode 44, I was back in the cockpit with my instructor, Lary, and along for the ride on this one was my oldest Son who was around 10 at the time. We would stay in the pattern for... Read more »
Today I’d be flying in 2148Y on a solo flight to practice ground reference maneuvers as well as practicing some short and soft field landings. In fact, according to my part 141 training curriculum, this would just be my second to last solo flight before my check ride. We will... Read more »
Dropping episode 43 today, where I take you a long on a dual flight with Lary, my instructor, but I have two small visitors today as well. This episode is a bit nostalgic for me as I had my two youngest kids with me; ages 8 and 6. Of course,... Read more »
Wow…what is this? Another episode of the Student Pilot Cast?!?! After all this time? Well, yes…let’s at least get through my primary training before another hiatus, shall we? Actually, I’ve got some plans even after that, so let’s see how it goes. In this episode I’ll take you along on... Read more »
Hello, everyone. This is episode 40 of the Student Pilot Cast, The Anonymous CFI. This is a bit more brief than most episodes because I never got permission from the CFI I flew with this day to publish the content, so I’m sorry to say that any cockpit audio with... Read more »
Look! Less than a week and another episode! This is my return flight on my long solo cross country flight from Prescott (KPRC) to Chandler (KCHD) via Wickenburg (E25). I transition a bit of the southern portion of the PHX Class B airspace as well. This was a great flight.... Read more »
I’m back releasing podcast after my much too long hiatus. Sorry for the delay, everyone. This is the first part of my long solo cross country flight which followed my stage III check. I fly from Chandler (KCHD) west and north through the PHX class B airspace, and then on... Read more »
Welcome back, SPC listeners. I’m glad to be back with you for another experience on my road to becoming a private pilot. Today you’ll be coming along as I complete my 3rd stage check out of four. As you know from my previous few episodes, I’d been preparing for this. ... Read more »
This is episode 37 of the Student Pilot Cast. Join me as I take a solo makup flight in some windy conditions the morning of my Stage III Check. In this flight I stay in the pattern and practice performance landings and takeoffs. As the flight went on, the wind kept... Read more »
It’s that time again…now that we’re home from Oshkosh, it’s time to share this year’s edition of Podapalooza. This was recorded live on EAA Radio on Friday, July 30th, 2010. Enjoy.
Welcome to episode 35, finally, of the Student Pilot Cast, “Stage III Check Prep, Hijacked”. I’m Bill Williams, and I’m learning to fly in front of the world. Come join me as I prepare for my Stage III Check with a different instructor. This has been updated to point to... Read more »
Hello again SPC listeners. Today’s episode takes us on a solo training flight on a very busy day to practice performance landings and takeoffs (shorts and softs). We have everything from FOD to go-arounds in this episode, so enjoy. I was nearing the end of stage III in my training,... Read more »
This is part II of my night dual cross country flight. This part takes us from Marana Airport in the far northern part of Tucson back to Chandler. [KAVQ-KCHD] I mentioned the Remos GX LSA flight from Oshkosh in this episode. Here is the link to the Airspeed episode that... Read more »
This is part II of Podapalooza 2009, the part of the show that was not broadcast live on EAA Radio. This took place at Oshkosh, July 31st, 2009. If you are thinking about learning to fly, check out Air Freddy’s Learning to Fly Guide, an e-book that will answer many... Read more »
Hello, everyone! Here is the first part of the audio from Podapalooza 2009 from Airventure in Oshkosh, July 31st, 2009. This part contains the audio from the show that was broadcast live on EAA Radio. After the radio station had to cut away, we continued Podapalooza and I will bring... Read more »
We continue my coverage of EAA Airventure with episode 30. Today I present an interview with David Fetherston of Nexair Avionics about their new airplane, the Saratoga NX. The NX is a rebuild from spinner to tail of Piper’s Saratoga, but with all new avionics, speed mods, etc. It’s a... Read more »
Okay everyone. I’m finally releasing a quick video covering how I record cockpit audio. This is my most frequently asked question. The video does not tell the whole story, so I’m doing that here on the website as well in this post. I may make it a permanent feature on... Read more »
Airventure 2009 is over, but I’ve got a bit of good material from Oshkosh that I’ll be publishing. This is the first of it. In this episode, I confirm why everyone loves Oshkosh so much with a quick discussion with John and Christine Halbrook around the campsite one evening. Obviously,... Read more »
Hello SPC listeners! Today we will follow my outbound leg of my dual night cross country. I had to take a couple of weeks off because of extensive travel, including some family vacations. I’m back now, though, but headed to Oshkosh this week. This means lots of content coming up... Read more »
This episode chronicles my return flight to Chandler from Tucson international, and is the second part of my first solo cross-country flight during my training. There’s some interesting things that happen, and another bonehead move on my part with the radio. Please enjoy this flight as I learn to fly... Read more »
Today’s episode is a very special one as we’ll cover my first solo cross country. It was a simple flight from Chandler to Tucson International, but a giant step for me in my training. Join me as a learn to fly in front of the world in podcast episode 26... Read more »
This episode is the conclusion of my long dual cross-country training flight, or the last two legs. We went from Prescott (KPRC) to Sedona (KSEZ) and shut it down to go have a late breakfast at the excellent restaurant. Then it was on home to Chandler (KCHD). I hope you... Read more »
Hello, everyone. I’m pleased to release audio episode 24 of the Student Pilot Cast, Across the Hills. Follow me on the first leg of my long dual cross country from KCHD to KPRC right through the middle of Phoenix. We’ve got a busy airspace in Phoenix and a really busy... Read more »
I’m back with video! I’ve been sitting on this footage for almost two years now, so I’m very excited to get this one published. In this episode I take you on a flight with me over Hana, Hawaii on Maui with Armin from Hang Gliding Maui. Armin is a CFI,... Read more »
In episode 23 we cover the return flight from Tucson International Airport (KTUS) to Chandler (KCHD) as part of my first dual cross country. Leaving a class C airport was a bit different than working in my usual class B airport. Busier airspace, bigger airplanes, departure controllers, approach controllers, and clearance... Read more »
Hello again, everyone. I’m back with episode 22 about my first dual cross country flight during my primary training. It was fantastic as I hope you’ll be able to tell from this episode. I went from KCHD to KTUS, or Tucson International. I also mentioned Scenario Based Training in this... Read more »
I’m back SPC listeners! I’ve had no time to produce new episodes for a while, but I forced myself tonight…and put off some other stuff. So what we have is another training episode, Episode 21, “Good Freakin’ Flight”. This is a solo flight that I took after returning from my... Read more »
I’m back, after an exclusive one month tour of Europe, Scandinavia, and…no, that’s not true. In fact, I’ve just been really busy, and haven’t had a chance to finish this episode up and send it out on the feed. Bad me, I know. So, we skipped September in the podcast…I’ll... Read more »
Hello patient Student Pilot Cast listeners. I’m back again with a training flight, which happens to be my first night flight…as well as a few other firsts. We basically to take a tour of the Phoenix Valley at night. Very cool. I broke this into two parts because it was... Read more »
Here is the last part of Podapalooza 2008 from Oshkosh. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for listening, and please don’t forget to let me know you’re out there. Leave me some feedback using the contact link near the top of the page.
Hello everyone. I’m happy to release part 1 of the 2008 edition of Podapalooza, which was recorded in Oshkosh at EAA Airventure. Podapalooza is the gathering of aviation podcasters in Oshkosh each year. As well as being released on this and many other feeds, this year it was broadcast live... Read more »
Hello everyone. I’m reposting this as I just discovered that it was lost somehow. My episode 16 from Oshkosh 2008 where I announced that I had achieved my private pilot.
Shooting ’em out rapid-fire, now, folks. Here’s another episode of the Student Pilot Cast, number 15, about a flight in which we focused on VORs and Simulated Instrument Conditions (The Hood). I had passed my Phase II Check, and I was starting on Phase III. I hope you enjoy.
Episode 14 is here! Today we’ll follow a dual lesson that I had to prep for the Stage II Stage Check. Now that I had been introduced to shorts and softs, and had some time to practice, it was time to finish stage II. Before I could do this stage... Read more »
It’s time for another video episode, episode 3, Reference This. In this episode, I take a solo practice flight to the practice area to go over Ground Reference Maneuvers. I’m including the smaller version again in this feed (320×240) because of the sheer size of the 640×480 versions (400 MB). ... Read more »
This is an episode about a solo flight I took to practice ground reference maneuvers. I also take the opportunity to share portions of an email I received from David Allen, a future pilot who’s email summarized in an eloquent way what several people have said to me since I... Read more »
Okay, we’re back to the lessons. As you can see from the title, at this point in my training I have started learning the performance takeoffs and landings sometimes referred to as “Shorts” and “Softs”. Within 4 day’s time I had three dual lessons on these performance landings and takeoffs. ... Read more »
We have a very special episode of the audio cast today. Yesterday, Jerry O’Sullivan from the Virginia Student Pilot podcast completed his first solo flight! Well, we had a chance to talk today while it was fresh in his mind, and that’s the cast we have today. The second big... Read more »
Hey…look at this. Finally a video episode! It’s been a long time coming, I know. I hope you enjoy it. There are some problems with the video which I explain a bit about in this episode, but I decided to use some of the video anyway as I think it... Read more »
Hello, everyone. I’ve just returned from my little vacation Scuba Diving with my buddies in the Channel Islands, and I’m releasing episode 10. This episode documents a very memorable flight for me; a flight that helped me remember why I’m doing this. This flight may end up being even more... Read more »
Episode 9 is completely different. We’ll get back to the regular podcasts momentarily, but for this episode, we have the pleasure of hearing from Pilot PJ, a relatively new pilot who shares his wisdom with us. PJ and I talk about everything from multiple “discovery flights” to finally taking passengers... Read more »
Here is Episode 8 of the Student Pilot Cast, “Movin’ on Up”. Join me as I document a dual flight I had where we worked on partial panel instrument flying, ground reference maneuvers, and crosswind landing. I’ve got a lot of good stuff coming up, and I’m going to start... Read more »
Another episode. This week I get to finish up recounting the story of my first solo, and then the very next day, my second solo. There was a lot of good experience to be had, and I try to sum it up in this episode. Enjoy, and let me know... Read more »
In this episode we catch up in my training through my phase 1 phase check, a change of my CFI, and of course, my first solo. This is a big episode, and includes an event that I will always remember. I’m including a couple of pictures from the big event that I asked my instructor to take.
This is just seconds before my first ever touchdown as PIC.
This one is on rollout for my full stop/taxi back. See, I’m alone.
This is after my three landings back at the ramp. That’s a happy pilot.
I hope you enjoy the episode. Thanks for listening, and please give me any feedback by clicking on the “contact” link on the top/right of the homepage.
Another episode in the cast is released! In Episode 5 I start to include much more in cockpit audio, by popular demand. This makes the cast a bit longer than usual, so I hope you don’t mind. We cover several lessons, up to but not including my Phase 1 Stage Check.
There’s a couple of interesting tidbits, and some good information on some changes in my training…or at least my trainer. As for the title, you’ll have to listen to find out.
I mentioned an accident that happened here locally in this episode, and promised to post a link to the NTSB preliminary report. The fatal crash referenced is here. I mentioned a previous accident from which the student pilot and CFI walked away. That link is here.
Thanks for listening. Please leave feedback or click “contact” in the upper right corner of this page to send me an email.
In episode 4 we talk about the continuation of training after my vacation, some things my wife and I saw in Seattle. We also cover recording in cockpit, landings, and where I’m at with training. I’ve got 6.6 hours now.
I apologize for the long delay of over two weeks, but I was on vacation, and then work had me slammed. My wife and I went to Seattle, and I wanted to include a couple of pics from that…some of this is discussed in this episode.
First, one of my favorites. Look at the little guy in front of the brand new 777 before a test flight out of Paine Field. The scary thing is…compared to what I’m flying, that little plane is big…and in this photo is a good 300 feet or so closer to the camera, so its really even smaller than it looks relative to the jumbo.
Here is the same 777 on its takeoff roll, and lifting off.
Here is a giant freighter being loaded…that was quite a site.
And a nice shot of the Seattle skyline from the water.
Thanks for listening. Please leave feedback or click “contact” in the upper right corner of this page to send me an email.
In episode 3 we talk about my first week of training. Two flights and some ground work. I’ve got 2.2 hours, and two more flights this week before I have to go out of town. I also talk abou a B-17 that came to our local airport.
Thanks for listening. Please leave feedback or click “contact” in the upper right corner of this page to send me an email.
…or, How to Choose a Flight School or CFI
Okay, on to the second episode. Its been over ten days since my last episode because I had a snag starting my training. Because the school I chose was so busy, I had some scheduling issues, but we’ve worked those out, and I have my first lesson tomorrow. So before I formally start my training, I wanted to do an episode on how I chose my flight school, and what criteria I used. This is that episode.
I mentioned in episode 002 several of the sources of information that I used to develop my criteria for selecting a school, and some of those are listed here. First, two podcasts were very influential…and those were the Finer Points, by Jason Miller, and the CFICast, produced by the PilotCast guys (which unfortunately doesn’t seem to work well with at least the latest version of Internet Explorer, but the link directly to the feed is here). Also, the AOPA forums were helpful as well.
Once again, music in this episode is from Uncle Seth.
Enjoy…and please leave feedback as comments on this episode, or click “contact” above to send me an email.
Here is Trent on his first single engine plane ride…and low and behold, he’s at the controls. Trent may be a regular on the site going forward. We’ll see. Give him some encouragement, folks!
Here it is…the first real episode…you know, with planes involved. Listen to a bit of our first flight, some funny stuff from my friend, Trent, and more.
As promised in the audio, here are the links to another show from the student’s perspective, the Student Pilot Flight PodLog by Will Hawkins. And here is his latest efforts, since becoming a pilot, the Pilot’s Flight PodLog.
Again, music in this episode is from Uncle Seth.
Enjoy…and please leave feedback as comments on this post, or click “contact” above to send me an email.
This is the first episode in the endeavors of a regular guy getting his private pilot certificate. I’m starting flight training next week, and I’ve decided to chronicle this thing for the enjoyment of anyone who cares…and me. Take a listen to the introduction, Episode Zero.
Music for this episode is provided by Uncle Seth.