"There I was..." An Aviation Podcast
70 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 109 ratingsThere I was…, presented by the AOPA Air Safety Institute, invites you into the cockpit with pilots across the aviation community. We fly with them as they encounter unpredictable scenarios and we learn from the knowledge and skills they utilize to fly safely out of them. This podcast honors the tradition and heritage in aviation to leverage “hangar flying” as an avenue to pass along knowledge and experience.
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Episodes
Episode 20: Gabrielle Palmas
April 16, 2020 13:50 - 34 minutesNot many pilots have survived a midair collision. Gabrielle Palmas experienced one in 2012, while working on her instrument rating. Now, years later, as second-in-command on a Lear 60, she joins us to tell her story.
Episode 19: Jeff King
March 19, 2020 14:19 - 28 minutesGA pilot Jeff King shares the story of a 2009 incident in which he experienced an engine failure in his Cherokee Six, and made a forced landing in a nearby Walmart parking lot. To see video and photos from Jeff's incident, click here.
Episode 18: Chuck Cook
February 19, 2020 17:51 - 28 minutesIn this episode, we hear an incredible survival story from Chuck Cook, T-28 warbird pilot. In the summer of 2018, shortly after a warning light in the cockpit caused him to separate from a formation flight and head back to his home airport, Chuck experienced thick billowing smoke and a fire in the cockpit of his T-28. Chuck crash-landed the airplane near the runway threshold and managed to escape from the burning wreckage with his life. Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of ...
Episode 17: Greg Soter
February 12, 2020 15:35 - 39 minutesJoin us as we talk to Greg Soter, a long-time GA pilot based in Utah. In 2013, Greg was flying a Cessna 172 for a company testing radar gear, when the equipment caught fire in the backseat and forced Greg to make an emergency landing off-airport.
Episode 16: Patty Wagstaff
January 21, 2020 21:35 - 28 minutesWe’re delighted to welcome back our inaugural podcast guest - Patty Wagstaff. Patty returns to tell about an incident in September of 2019, in which she and a fellow pilot experienced a runway excursion in Patty’s V-tail Bonanza.
Episode 15: Julie Clark
December 16, 2019 18:55 - 38 minutesIn this episode, we talk to aerobatic airshow performer and Living Legends of Aviation member Julie Clark. Against the backdrop of a distinguished career and her retirement in 2019, Julie shares some interesting experiences and lessons she’s learned over more than 40 years as a solo aerobatic pilot.
Episode 14: Devin Miller
November 21, 2019 18:20 - 35 minutesJoin us as we chat with Devin Miller, GA pilot and creator behind the Youtube channel, Family Pilot. Devin shares the story of a recent flight with his wife and children in a Piper Arrow, in which his throttle cable breaks and leaves the engine stuck at full throttle. To see Devin’s Youtube video of the incident, click here.
Episode 13: Dan Bass
October 17, 2019 19:52 - 57 minutesIn this episode, we talk to Minnesota-based pilot Dan Bass. While flying his Mooney on a return trip from Ontario, Dan experienced carbon monoxide poisoning and lost consciousness while airborne. Hear Dan’s incredible story of survival as he wakes up in a snow-covered field in the bitter February cold. To see photos from Dan's incident, click here.
Episode 12: Air Trek
August 23, 2019 20:40 - 1 hourIn this episode, we talk with Florida-based air ambulance service Air Trek. On a routine transport flight from Naples to Niagara Falls, Captain Bruce Monnier and co-captain Gerald Downs experienced a dual engine flameout in their Cessna Citation II. Strangely, that wasn’t the only jet in Air Trek’s fleet to experience an emergency that day. Join us as we talk to the pilots and hear how they worked together to land safely – and uncover the cause of the incident.
Episode 11: Ed Regensburg and Jillian Harner
June 11, 2019 13:30 - 58 minutesJoin us on an adventure in the Caribbean as we talk to Ed Regensburg, Cirrus SR22 pilot, and Lt. Jillian Harner, commander of a US Coast Guard HC-144. Flying home after a trip to St. Croix, Ed was piloting a Cirrus SR22 with his friend, Dan Tucker, when a drop in oil pressure and subsequent engine failure forced them to pull the plane’s parachute and land in the Atlantic Ocean. Meanwhile, a Coast Guard HC-144, led by Lt. Jillian Harner, heard the distress call and began the search and rescue...
Episode 10: Jim Johnson
April 24, 2019 16:38 - 31 minutes25-year GA pilot Jim Johnson shares the story of a hot Sunday afternoon in Alabama when he set out to practice approaches in his Cessna 177RG, and experienced an engine failure just after takeoff. To see photos from Jim’s incident, click here.
Episode 9: Steve Guetter
February 01, 2019 04:25 - 1 hourIn this episode, we hear a story from Steve Guetter, president of the Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association. Steve experienced a complete electrical failure while flying at night in his 1958 J model Bonanza. Listen in as Steve recounts the event and explains the actions he took to land safely.
Episode 8: Aaron Tippin
August 20, 2018 19:33 - 27 minutesCountry music star Aaron Tippin has been a pilot since he was 16, just like his dad, and he’s keeping that tradition alive through his two sons, both of whom soloed more than one airplane on their 16th birthday. In this episode, Aaron describes the dynamic of being a father & CFI, as well as the joys and challenges that come with getting your kids ready to solo a Stearman, T-6, and J-3 Cub all on the same day.
Episode 7: Mark Levy
May 22, 2018 15:39 - 34 minutesIn this episode, British warbird pilot Mark Levy stops by Richard’s hangar to discuss an engine failure he experienced in a P-51 Mustang during the annual airshow at Duxford, England, in 2017. Levy recorded the entire event with a pair of point-of-view video cameras, and he shared his analysis, along with the video, with the Air Safety Institute. For a condensed video clip of the engine failure, click here - https://youtu.be/jnODYKx5ics For the full video including analysis and breakdown of...
Episode 6: Michael Goulian
April 18, 2018 22:07 - 31 minutesAirshow performer and aerobatic pilot Michael Goulian shares some interesting situations he’s encountered over a lifelong career of flying, and provides a few safety lessons along the way. Listen in as we chat with one of North America’s most recognized aviation professionals.
Episode 5: Mark Baker
January 23, 2018 17:40 - 31 minutesIn this episode, we sit down with AOPA President & CEO, Mark Baker. Mark is an accomplished aviator with almost four decades of flying experience, and he has flown and owned over 100 airplanes throughout the years. Mark shares some of the challenging situations he’s experienced, and he also gives practical advice on how to transition between different airplanes successfully.
Episode 4: Kenny G
December 13, 2017 16:26 - 45 minutesWorld-famous saxophonist Kenny G has been entertaining audiences for decades with his music – and he’s also a very accomplished pilot. As the owner of a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver since 1995, Kenny has flown all over the country in his airplane, and in the process he’s accumulated a few stories! Listen in as he shares some interesting experiences.
Episode 3: Sean D. Tucker
November 02, 2017 15:41 - 50 minutesRenowned aerobatic pilot and airshow performer Sean D. Tucker recalls a life-threatening emergency he faced in 2006, when he lost elevator control in his airplane and was forced to bail out. Listen to Sean’s harrowing tale as he recounts the steps he took to survive.
Episode 2: Lee Lauderback
August 01, 2017 14:56 - 41 minutesIn this episode, we talk to Lee Lauderback - owner, founder, chief instructor and demo pilot for Stallion 51 (a P-51 operation in Orlando), and former chief pilot for Arnold Palmer. Lee recalls a landing gear emergency in a TF-51 Mustang. Tune in to hear how Lee evaluates the situation and takes action.
Episode 1: Patty Wagstaff
May 24, 2017 20:56 - 32 minutesU.S. National Aerobatic Champion Patty Wagstaff recounts a Cessna 185 flight in southwest Alaska, where she loses her bearings and encounters IMC. Learn how Patty keeps her cool under pressure and climbs through ice to get her and her passenger safely to their destination.