Simpleflight Radio

Aviation insurance is a confusing and sometimes complex subject.  Whether your looking to acquire insurance, or "use" it after an incident, aligning yourself with good people is critical to successfully navigating the path ahead of you. Join us this week, as we speak with Ryan Konrath of Wings Insurance (www.wingsinsurance.com), who not only acts as an aviation insurance broker, but brings with him the experience of being a GA pilot, as well as a member of a "121" flight crew.  His path from pilot to broker, was not what one would expect, including himself. Listen in as Ryan takes us through the path he followed, and helps us all to understand the players, roles, and process associated with obtaining and using (gulp) your insurance coverage.  The SimpleFlight crew found it educational and relevant.  We know you will too. ​​​                            =============== ​We hope you enjoy listening as much as we love talking to others who share our passion for aviation.  Please subscribe to the Podcast via i

Last week, we talked about the small world we live in and Marc had a couple of proof points that demonstrated the concept.  As it turns out, the small world theme continues.... only not in a positive way. So we ask again... WHAT ARE THE ODDS.  What are the odds that during an oil change, you'll get a call from the maintenance shop that they accidently had a prop strike with your plane?  That's what happened to Marc's plane, as the mechanic taxied the SR-22 to the maintenance hangar.  The prop actually hit a "traffic cone", which damaged the prop and now calls for an engine teardown for an inspection.  The inspection is being scheduled some 6 weeks out, so the story doesn't get much better.  Tune in and listen to hear first hand how the whole thing happened and the resulting actions and decisions that come into play.  Bring your Kleenex!!!  ;-) ​​​                              =============== ​We hope you enjoy listening as much as we love talking to others who share our passion for aviation.  Please subsc

What are the odds?  That's the question Marc was asking a lot this week.  For instance, what are the odds that he would sit down to dinner in a hotel ballroom in Oshkosh and talk to a table mate that is a neighbor of Marc's CEO on the other side of the world?  And what are the odds that Marc would receive two unrelated calls on one morning from pilots vising the U.S from "across the pond" to meet him at the same time at the same hangar on the same day.  The odds of Rhonda bumping into someone (literally) in Hawaii that is one of a few pilots that can fly a helicopter and then hang from the skids to trim trees and run high wires is probably in the same ballpark as Marc's.  Indeed, this was a magical week.  Let's just call it Oshkosh.  Listen in as you hear about these chance events, as well as some of the goings on at Osh18.  We know you'll echo Rhonda and Marc's sentiments about this show being a "fun one" This was also a special date in SimpleFlight history.  6 years ago, SimpleFlight Radio was born.  We ar

With Rhonda's and Marc's Atchison, KS trip being canceled, Marc had our good friend Tim Rylko stop by Hangar 5 to talk Oshkosh and all things aviation.   Topics included the unusual experiences Marc encountered with his Saturday flying with low ceilings and high traffic volume heading to KOSH, causing a disruption to the normal weekend flying processes.  In the end, it's a learning opportunity.  The bottom line is it's OSHKOSH week, and that makes us happy. The show was recorded just prior to Marc grabbing the back seat in one of his pilot buddy's SR-22, to enjoy the ride to Fond du Lac, WI (KFLD).  He'll have plenty to talk about next week. Of special note, today is the 6th anniversary of SimpleFlight.  Thanks for making it possible.     ​​​                            =============== ​We hope you enjoy listening as much as we love talking to others who share our passion for aviation.  Please subscribe to the Podcast via iTunes or your favorite broadcast source, and rate, review, and let us know what you t

Whether it's stated or not, getting to log a flight to KOSH during Airventure is a dream for many GA pilots.  With some 14,000 pilots making it happen every year, the proof is there that it is not an unreachable dream. Kent Shook (of Pilotcast fame) joined the SimpleFlight crew to discuss best practices, tips, tricks, and the nuances of making the trek.  Marc also joined in the conversation as he speaks yearly with pilots about the keys to a successful experience.   So listen in and get your questions answered and learn a few tips and tricks along the way.  OSH18 - Let the goosebumps begin!!! Find the 2018 Airventure NOTAM here =>  https://www.eaa.org/~/media/files/airventure/flyingin/2018-notam.pdf Marc talked about a "cheat sheet' he uses for his trip from KPWK to KOSH.  You will find it at www.simpleflight.net/podcast in the show notes.  Feel free to use it as a template for your own planning and flying checklist.  It is shown as an example and not meant to replace proper planning and familiarization

Coming off our June 24th show, there was a lot of feedback about the controller / pilot relationship.  Or more appropriately, it's about the partnership.  Please join us as we welcome DeShondra Strickland to the show.  DeShondra is an air traffic specialist in the Chicago Executive  (KPWK) control tower. She was somewhat anxious to arrive at KPWK as the only female controller in the cab, but soon found the "guys" to be like family.  Listen in to hear her perspective on the challenges of working traffic at one of the busiest airports in Illinois and why there aren't more women in the tower.  Aviation is struggling to find the next generation of pilots, controllers, etc. and the female population is an untapped source of resources.  So listen and learn from the ATC side of the "house". ​​​                            =============== ​We hope you enjoy listening as much as we love talking to others who share our passion for aviation.  Please subscribe to the Podcast via iTunes or your favorite broadcast source

When tonight's guest called in sick, Marc and Rhonda took the opportunity to discuss what was fresh on their minds.... that being risk assessment, risk profiles, and mentor roles.  It turned into an hour conversation that we all can identify with.  Does your risk profile change as you get older?  Does it change with aviation experience?  Whom do you trust as your advisor and how much will you let it affect your decision making? These are the questions we all deal with in the course of applying aeronautical decision making to real life scenarios.  The stakes are high, but the return in the form of becoming a better, safer pilot is there for the taking.  We'd love to hear your thoughts about this topic.  Use the contact us form on the radio page and Rhonda and Marc will discuss on next week's show.  Until then, Blue Skies and Tailwinds!!!                       ====================== We hope you enjoy listening as much as we love talking to others who share our passion for aviation.  Please subscribe to the Pod

With Rhonda nursing an illness, Marc joined with Joby to discuss a topic that is near and dear to his heart... the pilot/controller relationship. Just like a marriage, business partnership, or a friendship, the path to an effective partnership is through open and direct communication.  But that's only half the puzzle.  It also needs to be built on a foundation of knowledge that comes from focused training on both situational awareness and an understanding of the other person's point of view.  That sounds relatively straight forward, but now add an environment with ATC trainees and student pilots, as well as a diverse set of aircraft types and speeds, and you find yourself  with a mixed bag of inputs and outputs that can change quickly with potentially catastrophic results. Listen in as Marc discusses his experience and thoughts live from Hangar 5.  We know you'll enjoy it.  Send us your thoughts on the CONTACT FORM found on the Radio page of the SimpleFlight Web site (www.simpleflight.net/radio) ​​​      

The SimpleFlight crew has learned a lot over the last 5 plus years.  One of those items is that our listeners match our guests when it comes to interesting stories and experiences in general aviation. This week's guest is no exception.  Michael Baraz owns a Mooney Rocket 305 and loves to use the plane to explore many destinations.  His recent trip to Canada sparked interest for Marc and Rhonda on how to navigate the border crossing.  Not just the flight itself, but the paperwork and process necessary to make it a stress free flight. So that's where the conversation started, but soon dovetailed into a great conversation about some of the great airports Michael has been able to add to his log book.  Sounds like Catalina ought to be on everyone's bucket list. ​​​                            =============== ​We hope you enjoy listening as much as we love talking to others who share our passion for aviation.  Please subscribe to the Podcast via iTunes or your favorite broadcast source, and rate, review, and let

When SimpleFlight Radio was founded, it was based on the wonderful things happening in General Aviation.  We always felt that things were "looking up" for GA.  Tonight, that description couldn't be more appropriate. With so much energy and innovation in the industry, we are constantly amazed with the enabling technology that is being brought into the cockpit.  The ease and sophistication of flying has changed significantly in the last few years. The glass cockpit proved to be a disruptive technology, as the industry moved away from "steam gauges".  Now comes the next generation of aviation: The Heads Up Display (HUD). The benefits of flying with a HUD is similar to the revolution in improved Situational Awareness (SA) that came with flying an aircraft with a “glass" cockpit. Ray Bracy, VP of Sales and Marketing for Epic Optix (www.epicoptix.com) joins the SimpleFlight crew this week to discuss their GA HUD solution, "The Epic Eagle".  It provides visually enhanced flight information without forcing you to br

Most of our listeners don't know Greg Willard, and for good reason.  Like many of us, Greg flies a bit under the radar, leveraging General Aviation as a wonderful enabler of so many non-aviation goals.  Whether it is for business or pleasure, Greg sees the real value of using GA as a time machine.  However, Greg's a little different than your average private pilot, as he has earned the good fortune to own and fly two beautiful planes, a Cessna Corvallis TT and an Aviat Husky.  How he came to own these two planes and his experiences flying them is a fun story and raises several questions.  How does he decide which one to fly?  Does he let one mechanic work on both planes, or does he split the work based on familiarity and experience with each model?  Does his spouse prefer one over the other?  Does he?    Marc had the same questions and Greg was happy to answer them with the passion and candor we expect from a fellow aviator.  Listen and learn what it's like to own and fly two very different planes.  As for h

Rick Herter (www.rickherter.com) is an artist with a pilot's soul.  Born in southwestern Michigan, Rick grew up with a sketch pad in hand and took his first airplane ride on his thirteenth birthday. That first air adventure with a former W.W.II bomber pilot at the controls would make a lasting impression on the young artist. After graduating from Spring Arbor University with a BA in art in 1984, he took his artistic skills and began working in the commercial art and illustration arena. Herter's interest in aviation was never far away. Rick approached the air show director of an annual Michigan air show offering to create a commemorative air show poster. That first poster went on to win a national award and the following season, the artist was commissioned to create work for shows in Pittsburgh, Denver and Cleveland.  And the rest is history.  Tune in and listen as Rick retells that history lesson to Rhonda and Marc, and all of our listening audience.  There's a story behind every painting, and his travels and

Happy Mother's Day!!!! Tonight's show is a real treat, and we're not just talking raspberry pie.  Some of you may know that raspberry pie actually refers to Raspberry Pi, a small single board computer.  Our guest, Sean Chuplis, owner of Crew Dog Electronics (crewdogelectronics.com), has produced an easy to assemble ADS-B receiver, which includes all necessary parts and software to bring ADS-B weather and traffic to your cockpit.  The "Stratux" is compatible with most Electronic Flight Bags (EFB).  Sean's story doesn't stop there.  As a matter of fact, that's just the tip of the iceberg.  As an active reservist in the Air Force, he splits time between being a pilot for a major airline, flying the KC-10 refueler in the military, flying a G4, helping people realize their dream of flight as a CFI, and continuing his education through the military to understand the history of combat and how it can show us the future.    The SimpleFlight crew touched on all of his areas of expertise, including an interesting proble

Listen in to this week's episode as the SimpleFlight crew welcomes back Janine Iannarelli to talk about the state of the aviation marketplace.  As founder and president of Par Avion Ltd., which is based in Houston, Texas. she specializes in the exclusive representation and acquisition of business aircraft.   Beyond aviation brokerage, Janine was reappointed and named presiding officer by Governor Greg Abbott to the Texas Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee.  And on the heels of that appointment, she was one of three inductees into the Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey.  The crew learned Janine is also involved with women and youth organizations regarding career development and life skill sets necessary to navigate the business world, which includes reaching out to people from economically disadvantaged areas to educate them about the great opportunities that exist in many science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) fields.  Education is the key.  ​​​                                   ====

If you're not from the Midwest, you may not know about Midwest Flyer Magazine, but then again, you may be a huge fan, as so many people are across the country.  For this week's show, Marc and Rhonda traveled to KMSN (Madison, WI) to broadcast live from Wisconsin Aviation to introduce you to Dave Weiman, editor-in-chief of this wonderful magazine. Dave brings his readers hard-hitting editorials and columns from experts in aviation law, pilot health, flight training, aircraft maintenance, and airport development, to feature stories about pilots, planes, airport restaurants and travel destinations, and the most complete and current calendar of aviation events in the Midwest,  Dave and his wife, Peggy founded “Wisconsin Flyer” magazine in 1978, renamed the publication “Midwest Flyer Magazine” in 1980, and expanded the area served from one to 12 Midwestern states and has grown from 12 black and white pages in 1978 to 64 color pages today!  But as its readers already know, its not about quantity, but rather quality

You may not know it, but Austin Meyer (www.austinmeyer.com) may have found his way into your home.  Certainly it happens a lot.  How you ask?  Well as  founder and developer of X-Plane Flight Simulator, Xavion Glass Cockpit, and as Filmmaker of The Patent Scam Documentary,  and as an avid aviation enthusiast that built his own custom airplane, you may have brought him on your own via X-Plane, YouTube, or maybe just his blog.  Certainly, the SimpleFlight crew made him part of our family as Rhonda and Marc talked to him about all things aviation and the impact he has had on all of us.  And it's not just about X-Plane.  When you listen to this week's show, you'll hear about Xavion, and wonder why anyone would fly without it.  There's a lot more and we're excited to share the story behind his aviation successes, and excited to have you join in on the conversation, through your comments and follow on questions.  Tune in this week to hear the rest of the story. ​​​                                   ==============

Doug Gust, who made a name for himself as one of the most accomplished ATV Motocross racing stars competing around the world for team Suzuki since the 1980s, took note of crop dusters when he would compete at races being held in the Midwest.  It was then he knew what he would do when retirement came around.  And that he did, "Digger' Doug grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, and now combines his background of farming and his passion for power sports in his new career, Crop Dusting. An excavator by trade, Gust built a private runway on his property, purchased a plane, took flying lessons, obtained his license and began flying himself to each of his races.  How many people do you know that builds a runway and buys a plane, before he even has his license?  It's quite a story, and one that you will enjoy.  So push the PLAY button and listen to Doug himself speak to the highs and lows associated with the very challenging aspects of flying within feet of the ground at high speeds and steep maneuvers.  AWESOME!!! ​

If you haven't heard of Able Flight (www.ableflight.org), you're going to want to listen in this week!!!  Able Flight’s mission is to offer people with disabilities a unique way to challenge themselves through flight and aviation career training, and by doing so, to gain greater self-confidence and self-reliance. Executive Director, Charles Stites, created the organization because he and his team believe that the life-changing experience of learning to fly is best shared, and therefore designed the Able Flight Scholarships to enable people with disabilities to pursue that experience. In addition to Charles, we are joined by Justin Falls a 2016 graduate of the Able Flight program.  Since an accident that resulted in Justin becoming  a quadriplegic (with limited use of his hands), he has earned his doctorate, works as a pharmacist, and oh yes, he earned his sport pilot certificate at Purdue University (Purdue is a partner with Able Flight).  Awe inspiring!!! Each year, Able Flight provides scholarships to deser

On this week's show, the SimpleFlight crew welcomes Dirk Braun, who is digging into the history of the Grumman Albatross flying boats and the curious cast of characters who fly and preserve them today. Dirk regards The Albatross as the ultimate adventure machine, and has set out to tell the story via a documentary.  Now in production, "Flying Boat" (https://www.facebook.com/flyingboatfilm/) will be Braun's feature debut. It will profile the pilots, history buffs and surfers who use them today while also exploring the aircraft's history. The Albatross was in its heyday in the 1930s, when its popularity coincided with the elegance and adventure of early aviation.  Braun says these are relics from the golden age of aviation.  They're like flying yachts." What really came through to Rhonda and Marc is the sincere passion Dirk has for this endeavor.  As he said, it touched his soul.  So listen in and catch Dirk's contagious enthusiasm for what truly is a special mission for him.  We know you'll enjoy the show.

Rod Rakic returns to visit with the SimpleFlight Crew.  But this time, it has nothing to do with his entrepreneurial endeavors with Open Airplane and Fly Otto.  Rather this time, we focus on his work with the Civil Air Patrol (www.gocivilairpatrol.com).  The C.A.P. has one of the largest single-engine piston aircraft fleets in the world, operating 560 powered planes that fly about 100,000 hours annually in support of search and rescue, disaster relief,  air defense, cadet orientation flights and Air Force-assigned missions. Its mission is often misunderstood, so listen in as Rod educates us on it's history and how its 58,000 members selflessly devote their time, energy and expertise toward the well-being of their communities, while also promoting aviation and related fields through aerospace education and helping shape future leaders through C.A.P.’s cadet program.  We know you'll enjoy the show, so take a listen and provide us feedback on what you liked best. ​​​                             =============