EP168 - How The Turn Tables... Brian's Turn to Checkride Debrief

Episode 168 of the Midlife Pilot Podcast podcast, hosted by Midlife Pilot Podcast, titled "EP168 - How The Turn Tables... Brian's Turn to Checkride Debrief" was published on February 18, 2026 and runs 62 minutes.

February 18, 2026 ·62m · Midlife Pilot Podcast

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Summary

You've watched our Patreon community members sit down with 1DullGeek after their checkrides and lay it all bare — the nerves, the near misses, the lessons learned the hard way. Private, instrument, commercial, glider, ATP. We've heard it all.This week, one of us is in that chair.Brian Siskind — your co-host, 800-hour VFR pilot, and the guy who just knocked out five FAA written exams in 32 days — just passed his instrument rating. Ben and Ted give him the questions 1DG usually asks, and the answers are honest. How did he handle the DPE systematically failing his instruments one by one? What happened when the WAAS dropped and he had to revert to LNAV minimums mid-approach? And why did the oral run longer than expected? Brian watched every single one of our community debriefs to prepare for this moment — and now it's his turn to answer the questions.But the episode doesn't stop there. Jacqui, spouse of RV-10 pilot Ryan K, sent in the most honest and moving voice message we've ever received about what this aviation obsession actually looks like from the other side. And new member John W. — 57 years old, 0.9 hours, and a copy of The Killing Zone in hand — wrote in to say the community convinced him to finally stop watching from the sidelines and go all in.This is exactly what this community is built for.Mentioned on the show:* Piper Apache: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_PA-23* Louise Thaden: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Thaden* Erica Gilbert's IFR course: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/ifr* Gallatin/Music City Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/XNX* Peachtree-Dekalb Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/PDK* Lebanon Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/M54* Pilot's Cafe IFR study guide: https://www.pilotscafe.com/IFR-quick-review-guide/* ASA Instrument Pilot Oral Exam Guide: https://asa2fly.com/instrument-pilot-oral-exam-guide-eleventh-edition/* Brian's CFI Ben Lehman: https://www.driftaviation.com/

Episode Description

This week, one of us is in that chair.

Brian Siskind — your co-host, 800-hour VFR pilot, and the guy who just knocked out five FAA written exams in 32 days — just passed his instrument rating. Ben and Ted give him the questions 1DG usually asks, and the answers are honest. How did he handle the DPE systematically failing his instruments one by one? What happened when the WAAS dropped and he had to revert to LNAV minimums mid-approach? And why did the oral run longer than expected? Brian watched every single one of our community debriefs to prepare for this moment — and now it's his turn to answer the questions.

But the episode doesn't stop there. Jacqui, spouse of RV-10 pilot Ryan K, sent in the most honest and moving voice message we've ever received about what this aviation obsession actually looks like from the other side. And new member John W. — 57 years old, 0.9 hours, and a copy of The Killing Zone in hand — wrote in to say the community convinced him to finally stop watching from the sidelines and go all in.

This is exactly what this community is built for.

Mentioned on the show:

* Piper Apache: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_PA-23

* Louise Thaden: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Thaden

* Erica Gilbert's IFR course: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/ifr

* Gallatin/Music City Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/XNX

* Peachtree-Dekalb Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/PDK

* Lebanon Airport: https://www.airnav.com/airport/M54

* Pilot's Cafe IFR study guide: https://www.pilotscafe.com/IFR-quick-review-guide/

* ASA Instrument Pilot Oral Exam Guide: https://asa2fly.com/instrument-pilot-oral-exam-guide-eleventh-edition/

* Brian's CFI Ben Lehman: https://www.driftaviation.com/