The Calm Cockpit Podcast

Season 2 Episode 17

 

 

What happens when a student pilot stops accepting “that’s just the way it is” and starts looking for better solutions? In this episode, you’ll learn how entrepreneur and private pilot DeRonte Craig used his marketing expertise to creatively overcome the financial barriers of flight training, earning his private pilot certificate in just three months.

He shares why flying 5–6 days a week accelerated his learning, how “showing up” created an unexpected opportunity, and what aviation can learn from entrepreneurship about solving problems differently.

DeRonte also takes us inside Check Ride Coach, the AI-powered conversational tool he created to help pilots prepare for the oral portion of their checkride. You’ll learn why verbalizing answers can strengthen knowledge consolidation, how scenario-based questions can move pilots beyond rote memorization, and why practicing concise answers may be just as important as knowing the material.

At its core, this is a conversation about preparing not just to know the answer, but to retrieve and communicate it when the pressure is on.

 

About DeRonte Craig: DeRonte is a private pilot, entrepreneur, educator, mentor, and international speaker. He earned his degree from Bowie State University and studied Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UC Irvine. He is the founder of Nine27 and the creator of Check Ride Coach, and he is the author of Life Lessons from the Left Seat: A Student Pilot’s Guide to Flying and Living Better.

 

 

 

 

Resources
DeRonte Craig: DeRonte Craig's website

Life Lessons from the Left Seat: DeRonte's free pilot guide

Season 2

Bonus Episode

Monday Briefing 14

In this Monday Briefing, you’ll discover three books that offer practical insights into managing self-interference, handling pressure and resistance, sharpening attention, and staying present in the cockpit.

The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey
Learn how to get out of your own way and reduce the mental interference that can undermine performance.

The War of Art  by Steven Pressfield
Explore how fear, procrastination, and self-doubt can show up in training and how to keep doing the work anyway.

Present Moment Wonderful Moment by Thich Nhat Hanh
Discover simple practices for returning your attention to the present moment, especially when stress or distraction takes over.

Three books. Three lessons for pilots: get out of your own way, face the resistance, and come back to the present moment.

 

Links:

 

The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by W. Timothy Gallwey 

“A Zen classic” (The Washington Post) about achieving the state of “relaxed concentration” that’s not only the key to peak performance in tennis but the secret to success in life itself—now in a 50th anniversary edition with an updated epilogue and a foreword by NFL coach Pete Carroll

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
by Steven Pressfield 

A succinct, engaging, and practical guide for succeeding in any creative sphere, The War ofArt is nothing less than Sun-Tzu for the soul. What keeps so many of us from doing what we long to do? Why is there a naysayer within? How can we avoid the roadblocks of any creative endeavor—be it starting up a dream business venture, writing a novel, or painting a masterpiece?

Bestselling novelist Steven Pressfield identifies the enemy that every one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer this internal foe, then pinpoints just how to achieve the greatest success. The War of Art emphasizes the resolve needed to recognize and overcome the obstacles of ambition and then effectively shows how to reach the highest level of creative discipline.

Think of it as tough love . . . for yourself.

 

Present Moment Wonderful Moment: Mindfulness Verses for Daily Living
by Thich Nhat Hanh (Author), Mayumi Oda (Illustrator)  

Developed during a summer retreat at Plum Village, Thich Nhat Hanh's meditation center, these charming short verses were collected to help children and adults practice mindfulness throughout the day. The verses, or gathas, are designed to make everyday activities such as washing the dishes, driving the car, or turning on the television opportunities to return to a state of mindfulness. As exercises in both meditation and poetry, gathas are very much in keeping with the Zen tradition: the gatha helps readers become attuned to each action, and at its conclusion, even the most mundane activity is imbued with heightened awareness. Reciting these poetic yet practical verses helps readers slow down and savor every moment. Nhat Hanh’s warm, thoughtful commentary provides insight and inspiration.

Season 2 Episode 16

 

Learn how professional pilots manage risk before it becomes a problem. In this episode, you'll discover practical Threat and Error Management (TEM) strategies that can improve your decision-making, reduce workload, and strengthen your safety margins. You'll learn how to identify and trap threats before they escalate, create effective personal minimums, use mental rehearsal to stay ahead of fear and stress, manage cognitive bandwidth with automation, and avoid the subtle traps of normalization of deviance. Whether you're a student pilot or a seasoned aviator, these tools can help you make better decisions both in the air and on the ground.

Our guest is Mike Jesch, a senior Boeing 787 captain, flight instructor, and the 2026 National FAA Safety Team Representative. With more than 40 years of aviation experience, Mike has trained pilots at every level, from general aviation to the airlines. He is a passionate advocate for pilot proficiency, recurrent training, and the FAA WINGS program, and shares the lessons, habits, and mindset that help pilots build a lifetime of safe flying.

 

Links:

Mike Jesch’s YouTube Channel:  A great channel that speaks to pilot groups on a range of topics, including: Airspace; Flight Instruments; EFBs; ATC Communications; Emergencies; and more. With all the instrument flying experience he's gathered his favorite subjects are in that realm, including; IFR flight planning, regulations, charts, navigation equipment, and more.

The Schiff Show with Mike Jesch: A World War II Tragedy That Can Save Your Life. WINGS credit available.

Season 2 Bonus Episode

Monday Briefing 13

 

In this week's Monday Brief, discover one of the most memorable lessons ever shared on The Calm Cockpit Podcast: there are only two speeds in aviation—slow and screw up.

This deceptively simple philosophy challenges the instinct to rush and demonstrates why deliberate, methodical action leads to greater safety, fewer errors, and often no loss of time at all. You'll learn why the perception that hurrying saves time is often an illusion, and how adopting a calmer operational tempo can improve both performance and decision-making.

The featured clip comes from Brian Schiff, a seasoned captain for a major U.S. airline with more than 21,000 hours of flight time and experience in over 100 aircraft types. A 40-year Gold Seal Flight Instructor, FAA Safety Team Representative, and former FAA-designated examiner, Brian is widely respected throughout the aviation community for his engaging, practical teaching style and his unwavering commitment to advancing aviation safety for pilots at every level. In this excerpt, Brian shares the fascinating origin story behind his now-famous mantra, explaining how a real-world airline experience forever changed his perspective on operational tempo, time management, and cockpit decision-making.

You'll also explore how this philosophy extends well beyond the flight deck. Learn why the habits you build in everyday life often become the habits you rely on under pressure in the cockpit, how slowing down can reduce stress and improve situational awareness, and simple ways to practice intentionality before your next flight. Whether you're a student pilot or a seasoned aviator, this episode offers one practical mindset shift you can begin using immediately.

 

Link:

Say Again: Communication,Crew Resource Management, and Cockpit Safety with Brian Schiff from Season 2 Episode 8 of The Calm Cockpit Podcast

Season 2 Episode 15

 

Summer flying brings unique challenges that go far beyond comfort. In this episode, we explore how heat and dehydration can quietly erode pilot performance, slow reaction time, impair memory, reduc situational awareness, and increase fatigue.

Small aircraft cockpits can become significantly hotter than the outside air, placing additional stress on the body and triggering a physiological "fight or flight" response that pulls valuable mental resources away from flying the airplane. We discuss why high temperatures should be treated as a legitimate operational risk—just like fatigue or weather—and why pilots and instructors alike need to recognize the signs before performance begins to suffer.

You'll also learn practical, science-backed strategies to stay ahead of the heat, including why hydration starts the day before your flight, how electrolytes help your body absorb water more effectively than water alone, and why sipping consistently beats chugging at the last minute. We share simple ways to keep cooler in the cockpit through clothing choices, cooling techniques, and smarter scheduling, along with the importance of establishing personal temperature minimums to guide go/no-go decisions.

Whether you're a student pilot, flight instructor, or experienced aviator, these tips will help you protect your health, sharpen your performance, and fly more safely during the hottest months of the year.

Links

Monday Briefing: Hydration Strategies for Clear Thinking and Steady Energy

Everything you need to know about hydration, originally aired on the Calm Cockpit Podcast March 2026

 

Free Fly Apparel-Heatwave performance clothing

LMNT-Science Backed Electrolytes 
Super salty! But have nice and portable single serve packs for flight bags; can adjust the salt to your taste. 

Smart Water Bottle- LARQ Bottle