Pilot's Discretion from Sporty's

• 100. Celebrating 100 podcast episodes, with John Zimmerman

  In this special episode, we turn the tables on host John Zimmerman and put him in the guest chair to reflect on a Pilot’s Discretion milestone. Sporty’s Eric Radtke asks John about his favorite episodes, what he’s learned about the aviation community by talking to 99 pilots, and his predictions for the industry’s future. You’ll also learn about John’s background, including why he learned to fly in high school and why he thinks writing is so important. In the Ready to Copy segment, John talks about live music, baseball rule changes, and his favorite aviation book.SHOW LINKS:* Pilot’s Discretion Archives: https://www.sportys.com/podcast* John’s articles at Air Facts: https://airfactsjournal.com/author/johnz/* Fast Five: http://sportys.com/fastfive

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• 99. Pursuing excellence in aviation and business, with Chuck Surack

  After building a billion-dollar music business, Chuck Surack is applying the lessons he learned to save an aviation icon. He talks about his passion for flying helicopters, why he decided to buy Enstrom, and the challenge of restarting production. Chuck also offers plenty of tips for growing a business and creating a culture of excellence, with some peeks behind the scenes at Sweetwater. In the Ready to Copy segment, Chuck shares his favorite place to land a helicopter, what he looks for when hiring an employee, and what it was like to work with Stevie Wonder.SHOW LINKS: Enstrom Helicopter: https://enstromhelicopter.com/ Sweetwater: https://www.sweetwater.com/ PilotWorkshops Mastery: https://pilotworkshop.com/products/vfr-mastery/

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• 98. From taildragger to Cirrus, with Shane Vande Voort

  Whether it’s an open cockpit biplane or a brand new Cirrus, Shane Vande Voort says “good stick and rudder skills carry through into every airplane.” He explains why the Cirrus accident record has improved so much, how to teach modern avionics to new pilots, and why systems knowledge still matters. Shane also loves flying with family, so he talks about going up in an open cockpit biplane with his kids and taking a memorable flight to Kitty Hawk with his father in a Cessna 120. In the Ready to Copy segment, Shane shares his advice for taking checkrides, how taildragger flying helps jet pilots, and whether shock cooling is a myth.SHOW LINKS Shane’s articles on Air Facts: https://airfactsjournal.com/author/shanevandevoort/ Shane’s flight school: https://flyclassicaviation.com PilotWorkshops Mastery: https://pilotworkshop.com/products/vfr-mastery/

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• 97. DC-3s, warbird pilots, and the art of flying, with Martha Lunken

  Few pilots have lived as interesting a life as Martha Lunken: from giving checkrides in DC-3s to teaching Neil Armstrong’s wife to fly, she has met some of aviation’s most colorful characters and flown some of aviation’s most iconic machines. She tells plenty of those fascinating stories in this episode—and shares some controversial opinions along the way. In the Ready to Copy section, Martha talks about what she would do as FAA administrator, flying the Lockheed Lodestar, and life as an accident investigator.SHOW LINKS:Martha on warbirds: https://www.flyingmag.com/pilots-places-pilots-adventures-more-unusual-attitudes-warbirds/Martha’s book: https://www.sportys.com/unusual-attitudes-by-martha-lunken-paperback.htmlPilotWorkshops: https://pilotworkshop.com/

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• 96. What young pilots want, with Clay Simmons

  Over 40% of active student pilots are under age 30 and Clay Simmons is one of them (he even built a Carbon Cub at age 22). He explains the unique expectations this new generation of pilots has, how the GA industry can be more successful in reaching out, and why mentors are so important. Clay is also an active backcountry pilot, so he shares advice for pilots who want to fly taildraggers and explore off-airport destinations. In the Ready to Copy segment, Clay talks about homebuilding tips, campfire cooking, and great architecture. SHOW LINKS: Richard Collins Writing for Young Pilots: https://airfactsjournal.com/2025/01/announcing-the-2025-richard-collins-writing-prize-for-young-pilots/ Clay’s winning article from 2024: https://airfactsjournal.com/2024/04/2024-collins-writing-prize-winner-blister-flight-six-pilots-and-an-angel/ Sporty’s 2025 Pilot Training Courses: http://sportys.com/discover

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