Hangar Talk

Running a flight school is hard work. Doing it in Alaska is even harder. Doing it as a woman in Alaska? That’s practically unheard of. But Jamie Patterson-Simes isn’t just running a school in Alaska, she’s crushing it. Patterson-Simes is the owner of SkyTrek Alaska, AOPA’s Best Flight School of 2017. AOPA Hangar Talk co-host David Tulis sat down with Patterson-Simes to discuss what it’s like to run a school, working at Wal-Mart to support herself when she first started instructing, and the challenges of being a woman running a business in a man’s world. This conversation is part of the Flight Time series from Hangar Talk, where we revisit some of the most popular interviews for the Flight Training audience.

Dean Greenblatt is a leader of Operation Good Cheer, an organization that uses general aviation aircraft to deliver tens of thousands of presents to children in the Michigan foster care system every year.

Learn how aviation can lead to a variety of career opportunities during a candid conversation with California Aeronautical University President Matt Johnston and JSfirm.com Executive Director Abbey Hutter.

"Citizen of the World" pilot Robert DeLaurentis shares the lessons he learned, the people he met, and the experiments he performed during a polar circumnavigation in a Gulfstream Twin Commander 900.

Sporty's Pilot Shop's John Zimmerman is at the forefront of aviation technology and products, and he has his pulse on the market. Hangar Talk sat down with Zimmerman to talk about Sporty’s, the best products on the horizon, and what Zimmerman wishes we had in our cockpits that isn’t yet available.      This conversation is part of the Flight Time series from Hangar Talk, where we revisit some of the most popular interviews for the Flight Training audience.

Mathematician, aerobatics instructor, and spin specialist Catherine Cavagnaro of Ace Aerobatic School talks about mentorship, spin awareness, wing vortices, performance charts, and more.

Future and Active Pilot Advisors founder and career coach Louis Smith has ridden the aviation industry's ups and downs and he advises career pilots to weather the storm and prepare for new flying opportunities when they become available.

Max Trescott is a highly accomplished flight instructor and author. As a previous FAA Flight Instructor of the Year, Trescott has shaped countless pilots through his work as a Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot in the SR20, SR22, and SF50 Vision Jet. Trescott is also the host of the Aviation News Talk podcast. This conversation is part of the Flight Time series from Hangar Talk, where we revisit some of the most popular interviews for the Flight Training audience.

Reno air race unlimited class champion Dennis Sanders describes how he flew the Hawker Sea Fury ‘Dreadnought’ to victory at an average speed of 403.274 mph during the 2019 Stihl National Championship Air Races.

If you’ve viewed a film featuring aviation scenes, then you’ve most likely witnessed Hollywood pilot J.W. “Corkey” Fornof performing flying stunts on camera.

What makes a great instructor? We ask the winner of AOPA's Best Flight Instructor of the Year, Zoan Harclerode. As a longtime flight instructor at a military flying club Harclerode discusses her love of night flying and the joys of instructing. This is one of a series of shows in the Flight Time series brought to you by Flight Training magazine. 

From the tattoos that share a story about his love of flying, to his passion for jumping out of airplanes, pilot Jerome Stanislaus is on a mission to share aviation with inner-city youth.

Bye Aerospace founder George Bye talks about the future of aviation and the efficiency of electric aircraft including the eFlyer line of aircraft in development for flight training and personal transportation roles.

Flight Instructor Jason Miller is a busy guy. Between his normal flight instructing work, Miller also teaches remotely through his company, The Finer Points of Flying. There's a website, instructional material, a podcast, and more. In this episode of Flight Time he sits down with AOPA Technical Editor Jill Tallman to discuss a mountain flying adventure. This is one of a series of shows in the Flight Time series brought to you by Flight Training magazine. 

Motivational speaker and pilot Jessica Cox, who was born without arms and uses her feet and toes in place of hands, talks about flying an Ercoupe across the U.S. to help celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the American with Disabilities Act.

Fly8MA.com’s Jon Kotwicki talks about flying to all 50 states in an Avipro Bearhawk Patrol, and discusses his approach to flight training which includes a free ground school and an instructional spin awareness video.

AOPA President Mark Baker provides insight on his favorite airplane, the state of aviation, and how to attract more people to the sky during an Aviation Podcast for Hangar Talk Episode 100.

In this episode we revisit a chat with flight training legends John and Martha King about their beginnings, how they fly safely together, and Martha's status as an aviation pioneer. This is a show in the Flight Time series, brought to you by Flight Training magazine, where we revisit popular Hangar Talk interviews. 

Canadian pilot Dimitri Neonakis explains how he uses GPS and his Cirrus SR22 to create flight path images of causes that are close to his heart; and to introduce physically, mentally, and emotionally challenged young people to the joy of flight.

Maryland Air National Guard Capt. Nick “Rock” Sand pilots a Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II ‘Warthog’ close air attack jet, a commercial jetliner, and an aerobatic American Champion Super Decathlon and describes their flying differences; plus he offers tips for those pursuing aviation.