REMEMBERING EPISODE 100: A Very Special Non-Event
Episode 100: Back Where It All Started
How We All Got Here (Eventually)
The day kicked off with Ted taking the airlines (we'll let him live that one down - that is a long flight in a Flight Design CTLS) into Atlanta, where Ben scooped him up in the Beast (C182). The master plan? Head to Charleston for lunch near Chuck Yeager International. Because let's be honest - when Ben discovered Chuck Yeager's airport was an option, nothing else would do. "Chuck Yeager happens to be like the top of the heap of the people I admire the most," he gushed.
Then came the plot twist. There we were, cruising at 9,000 feet over the Appalachians, when 1DullGeek (Mark) texts that his pitot tube's acting up. One look at 42911's flight track tells the story - a right turn that Ben swears went through "Albuquerque" on the way to Stanley County for the rescue mission. Chuck Yeager's airport would have to wait. Because in aviation, you don't leave a fellow pilot stranded. Even if it means sacrificing lunch.
The Great Radio Show
The radio calls today? Pure entertainment. Picture Mark accidentally inventing aviation's newest aircraft - the "Cherokee 182." Or Ben's creative interpretation of pattern entry with his now-famous "seven-mile left base," which prompted Brian's diplomatic reminder about "more traditional pattern entries."
But the highlight? We're on final, dodging a Caravan doing survey work, when Luke casually mentions from the back seat: "Guys... you're losing fuel." As he put it later, we were "skywriting." Then he adds, "there might've been somebody down in the parking lot smoking a cigarette that had a really, really bad day." Pro tip: those fuel caps? They work better when they're tight.
The Non-Event Event
Chris's hangar turned out to be the perfect spot for our "non-event event." Sharing the space where this whole journey began made it extra special. And hey, we got to experience some true West Virginia cuisine - those pepperoni rolls are something else! Not to mention our stop at Woody's for their legendary spicy chili dogs. If you're ever in Fairmont, you've got to try them. As Ben put it, "It's totally legit."
We loved West Virginia, but
…us Southern people, we're getting a little cold right now…
The Aviation Community Showed Up (And Made Us Blush)
The messages we received were pretty special. Nathan Ballard nailed it when he talked about how "the pilot in midlife finally has a community of supportive and kind pilots." Though Ben couldn't resist noting that "kind" was "probably a little too generous with all the grief that I get."
We were especially touched to hear from RH of Opposing Bases - these guys have cranked out over 350 episodes without missing a week (talk about Iron Man status). When RH mentioned that whether you're "wondering what to say on the radio or how to join a traffic pattern" or trying to "figure out how to log on to CPDLC," we're all in this together - well, coming from someone who flies the big iron internationally, that meant something special.
BadgerPilot took us on a trip down memory lane, reminding us how this "community first mentality" has been our thing since the early days. And wouldn't you know it, Rescue Rat joined our Patreon family right during the show after finding us while researching Cessna 140s. Talk about perfect timing!
Then there's 1DullGeek with one of his legendary rants about aviation pronunciations. His take? Anyone who says "tree zero one fife" on the radio is "probably incredibly annoying at a party." The irony of making this observation in a five-minute rant about numbers? Chef's kiss
About That Discord Server...
If you haven't joined our Discord yet (available through Patreon for a buck a month - or as Brian puts it, "you can feed a midlifer for a month"), you're missing out on some grade-A aviation banter. We're talking endless debates about engine leaning (Geek's favorite topic).
The Next 100
Let's be real - none of us knew exactly what we were doing when this started. Chris and Brian got the ball rolling, then Ted and Ben jumped in with zero broadcast experience (which explains a few things). But somehow it worked. Maybe because we're all just figuring out this whole aviation thing, and podcast thing - together.
Want to join our corner of the aviation world? Hop into Discord through Patreon, catch us live on YouTube every Monday at 8 PM Eastern (where we make mistakes in real-time!), or drop us a line at midlifepilotpodcast@gmail.com.
