The Student Pilot Cast

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 »

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 »

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 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 »