Aviation Podcasts

"The world is constantly changing and in the process is creating new ways to enjoy learning about and staying in touch with aviation.” That’s the beginning of an article I wrote on podcasts, the latest way to download and listen to audio on virtually any topic, in the Fall/Winter issue of my free online Pilot Safety News journal.

I've just updated my Max Trescott on General Aviation blog with a new section where you can listen to several of my podcast interviews. The new “My Podcasts” section is in the left column of the blog, just below my photograph. The most recent podcast, released by the Aero News Network on Friday, is an interview they conducted at Sun ‘n Fun a couple of weeks ago.

For the past six months, my daily routine has included...

listening to podcasts produced by the host, Paul Plack. I’ve always enjoyed his work—particularly the odd or funny story that usually ends each podcast—and it was truly a pleasure to meet Paul in person. He’s just as friendly and personable as he sounds on the podcasts and we had a great time talking before the interview. I found out that we have a common background in broadcasting, which explains the high quality of the podcasts he produces (the microphone photo in this post is the type once used by CBS, for whom I worked in the late 1970's).

In this latest podcast, Paul interviewed me about the National GA Awards program, under which I was selected as the 2008 National CFI of the Year. We also talked about the current flight instructor shortage and why pilots interested in stepping up their game a notch should consider getting their CFI rating. We closed it out with a discussion on what it will take to improve the general aviation accident rate and a brief mention of this blog. To subscribe to these podcasts, click on “Aero-Casts” in the upper left corner of the Aero News Network website.

I've also posted a February, 2008 podcast interview from The Finer Points. Host Jason Miller first replied to listener email and then jumped into a discussion with me about the Garmin G1000, the user fee threat that general aviation faces, and the need to regrow the pilot population. In addition to being a CFI, Jason is a musician and I always enjoy the intro music on his podcast. Jason had previously interviewed me in March, 2006, shortly after the first edition of my Max Trescott’s G1000 Glass Cockpit Handbook was introduced. Hard to believe but, just two years later, the third edition of the book is now shipping.

I hope you enjoy these podcasts. If you’re new to podcasting, consider making them part of your daily routine. You can either listen to them from the websites, subscribe to them through iTunes and listen to them on an iPod, or listen to them through WingX, my favorite flight planning tool, on your SmartPhone.