EP171 - Bracin' for Thaden with Seth Lake

DPE, airline pilot, C-130 instructor, and VSL Aviation founder Seth Lake drops in from his car outside a North Little Rock hangar to help pilots get ready for the real thing. He previews his enhanced pre-flight safety seminar happening Saturday morning at Thaden Field — think less checklist theater, more popping cowlings and actually looking at stuff — and breaks down the honest threat picture at a busy uncontrolled airport: why flight following isn't optional, why calling traffic "in sight" is a commitment you'd better mean, and why hope is not an arrival strategy.

Plus: the case against the emergency descent maneuver, what midlife pilots actually have going for them on check rides, a surprise Miller's Ale House field recording, and the Bentonville roundabout that has claimed at least one dignity so far.

Seth's enhanced pre-flight seminar is Saturday at 9AM in the exhibition hall. Register at faasafety.gov for WINGS credit.

See you on the ramp.

Mentioned on the show:

* Nashville Bravo reclassification: https://www.reddit.com/r/nashville/comments/1q6ixd5/bna_to_be_upgraded_to_bravo_airspace/

* Erica's Aerosafe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AeroSafe

* Erica's Aerosafe weather briefing checklist: https://www.gilbertaviation.com/aerosafe

* Aviation Weather Handbook: https://www.faa.gov/regulationspolicies/handbooksmanuals/aviation/faa-h-8083-28a-aviation-weather-handbook

* Charles Taylor master mechanic award: https://www.faasafety.gov/content/mastermechanic/default.aspx

* Airline Pilot Guy: https://airlinepilotguy.com/

* Bob Hoover's aileron roll: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9pvG_ZSnCc

* Seth Lake's VSL ACE guide: https://vslaviation.myshopify.com/products/vsl-ace-guide

* Seth's WINGS/EAA seminar on STCs at ORK (N Little Rock): https://www.faasafety.gov/spans/event_details.aspx?eid=141995&caller=/spans/events/eventlist.aspx

* How to fly an emergency descent: https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/aerodynamics/emergency-descent-aerodynamics-how-to-fly-them-safely-high-to-low/

* VBT airspace briefig: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAJldTQ8LhM

* Fayetteville airport: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fayetteville_Regional_Airport

* 2025 DCA crash: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Potomac_River_mid-air_collision

* Seth on setting up Foreflight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFLxF8uciT8

* Crystal Bridges museum: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Bridges_Museum_of_American_Art

* Pinnacle Hills Promenade: https://www.pinnaclehillspromenade.com/en/

* Buffalo National River: https://www.nps.gov/buff/index.htm

* Pinch Hitter course for nonpilots: https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/online-learning/safety-spotlights/pinch-hitter

* Seth/Midlife Pilot Enhanced Preflight WINGS course: https://www.faasafety.gov/SPANS/event_publicregistration.aspx?eid=141537&type=1

* Josh at Free Pilot Training: https://www.youtube.com/c/FreePilotTraining

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