When There's No Runway: Beaches, Golf Courses, and the Huntington Beach Mayday

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday — what really happens when the engine quits and there's no runway in sight? ✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down the real Huntington Beach beach landing that had pilots buzzing, then dig into aviation history to explain why golf courses keep showing up as emergency landing spots. The hosts cover:

The real mayday call and engine failure behind the Huntington Beach beach landing near the 2026 U.S. Open of Surfing
Harrison Ford's 2015 emergency landing at a Venice, California golf course, and the mechanical failure that caused it
Why golf courses sit next to so many airports and what makes them ideal emergency landing zones, including a 2025 Riviera Country Club landing
A former insurance adjuster's take on seatbelts, shoulder harnesses, and why proper installation can be the difference between walking away and not

🚀 Whether you're a student pilot, private pilot, or general aviation enthusiast, this episode is a real-world look at emergency decision-making, aircraft safety equipment, and why staying calm under pressure can turn a crisis into a story you get to tell.

The Fly to Success Scholarship closes August 28th, with the winner announced at the Ascend Flight Training Summit in Dallas, September 8-10.

🌎 New episodes drop every Friday — join us, learn, and stay inspired in aviation.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(237)

From Glider Pilot to Flight Test Engineer: Adriana on Soaring Records, Gulfstream, and the FlyORKA App

✈️ What does it take to flight test a brand-new aircraft before it's ever earned its wings?In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson sit down with flight test engineer and gl...

22 Aug 29min

Can AI Get You Through Your Checkride?

Can an AI really get you through your checkride, or is it setting you up to fail? 🤖✈️In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Carson flies solo to break down the fast-growing wave of AI tools...

8 Aug 19min

Buying or Selling a Plane? Here's the $50,000 Mistake to Watch For

Buying or selling a plane? There's a costly mistake hiding in the logbooks that most people never see coming. ✈️In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down the real ...

25 Jul 23min

What It's Really Like to Fly Into Oshkosh and Camp Under Your Wing

What does it really cost to experience the biggest airshow in the world? ✈️In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down everything pilots need to know about EAA AirVe...

17 Jul 24min

Part 107 Drone Rules Every Pilot Needs to Know in 2026

Flying a drone near an airport? The rules might surprise you. 🛸In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down Part 107 and what every pilot, student, and CFI needs to ...

11 Jul 34min

You Failed Your Checkride. Now What?

🌍 Failed a checkride? You're not alone, and it's not the end of your aviation journey. ✈️In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down what a checkride failure or dis...

3 Jul 21min

What Is the Pentagon's 1260H List and Why Is Cirrus On It?

A Chinese-owned aircraft maker just landed on the Pentagon's radar, and Cirrus pilots want to know what it means for them.In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down...

26 Jun 17min