Ep 19: Spirit Merger Predictions, ATC and the Shutdown, Balancing work-life, and more.

In this episode of the Autopilot On Podcast, Scott and John discuss the latest developments surrounding Spirit Airlines, including its financial struggles and potential acquisition by Frontier. They also delve into the impact of the government shutdown on air traffic control operations, emphasizing the importance of understanding the realities of the aviation industry. The hosts share personal experiences related to time management and the challenges of balancing work and life in aviation. Additionally, they explore various career paths for new pilots and introduce the Ford Method as a tool for building connections in the cockpit.

Recorded 10/13/2025

Disclaimer: Any opinions and advice given are our own. We do not represent any company, airline, or organization. We are not licensed career or financial advisors.

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Notes:

FORD method

https://careerservices.fas.harvard.edu/blog/2024/01/22/learn-the-ford-method-and-youll-never-struggle-to-make-small-talk-again/

Cranky flier article on spirit

https://crankyflier.com/2025/10/06/spirit-shrinks-by-more-than-half-may-have-hope-of-survival/

*The 150 million in cash to spirit was cut in a deal between the airline and AerCap, in exchange for returns on 27 leased aircraft, and letting Spirit out of 36 aircraft that have not been delivered. AerCap also gets a a large BK claim over $635 million from NK.

Yahoo article on Spirit

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/spirit-airlines-wins-475-million-195846986.html

FAA Staffing Problem Articles

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/29112/chapter/14#24

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/afn/offices/finance/offices/office-financial-labor-analysis/plans/controller-workforce.pdf

Living the Dream! By balroc12

https://youtu.be/rNxz2hhSXuY?si=po220ZYvYld-A8fD

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:17 Spirit Airlines Update

12:43 Future of Spirit Airlines

21:12 Understanding Air Traffic Control During Government Shutdowns

34:19 Time Management and Life Balance in Aviation

41:07 Career Paths for New Commercial Pilots

49:53 Connecting with Colleagues: The Ford Method