The Student Pilot Cast
This is a podcast for anyone interested in aviation. While it started as a podcast to follow Bill's primary training, it has evolved into a podcast about how all of us can continually improve our flying. This is the audio only feed. The audio podcasts are not necessarily the same content as the video podcasts, so if you want all the content, please check out both. The video feed is mostly available on Youtube, now (inlcuding the back catalog), and you can find it by searching for "Student Pilot Cast" there or use this link: https://www.youtube.com/@studentpilotcast.
Episodes
In episode 94 of the Student Pilot Cast, Bill recounts an unplanned start to AirVenture 2026 after the engine in his Jabiru quit over far southeastern Colorado on July 18, forcing an off-airport landing in a cornfield with his son Trey; both were unhurt and the airplane remains repairable with minor gear damage and an unresolved engine issue. Rather than a debrief, Bill focuses on gratitude for the “rings” of people who...
It's Thursday night at Camp Scholler, day four of days not mattering, and Kent and I sat down with one goal: be smart-asses about a few things we'd seen at AirVenture.
So we get into it. Textron had us all convinced this was the year the Pipistrel Panthera would finally get certified under MOSAIC — and instead we got another two-seat trainer. The Camp Scholler bathhouse has quietly relocated the towel hooks inside the shower. ...
In Episode 92, we join Bill and Trey talking briefly about their upcoming trip to OSH in a light sport aircraft, Lil' Rue. B
Get the free Go or No-Go guide: https://studentpilotcast.com/three-questions
Get the Friday Flight Brief: https://studentpilotcast.com/flightbrief
Links:
Hope you enjoy the episode and thanks for listening! Visit the SPC website at https://studentpilotcast.com. Please keep the feedback coming. You can use the con...
In Episode 91, Bill teaches a simple aeronautical decision-making framework for go/no-go and continue/divert decisions built around three simple questions: can the airplane do it? Can I do it? And is it legal? He breaks each question into three lenses—aircraft performance/envelopes/condition; pilot proficiency/physiology/capability under pressure; and legal airworthiness/mission-specific regs/paperwork—highlighting how ...
In Episode 90, Beyond the Checkride, Bill and Kent reflect on the 2009 Colgan Air 3407 crash near Buffalo and how it drove regulatory changes including the 1,500-hour rule and the FAA-required ATP Certification Training Program (ATP-CTP). They discuss what ATP-CTP is, how provider and instructor quality can vary, and what Kent experienced taking it independently (about $4,000) with nearly 3,000 hours and single-engine turbine Part ...
In Episode 89, we join Bill as he introduces everyone to his airplane, a 2008 Jabiru J230. Come along on a flight with him and he'll tell you all about the plane, but also dive into some of the interesting things from the flight. This is part of the Cockpit Series where we go on a flight together, learn what we can, and have a little fun.
Get the free Go or No-Go guide: https://studentpilotcast.com/three-questions
In Episode 88, Bill welcomes Jason Miller, two-time FAA Western Pacific CFI of the Year and founder of The Finer Points, to discuss how his platform evolved into an flight training app that models real-world lessons with briefings, flights, and debriefs across five courses. They talk about uneven student preparation, the 2015–2023 “explosive growth” period that left inexperienced CFIs training newer pilots, and si...
In Episode 87, we join Bill and Kent as they discuss forced induction in general aviation, contrasting normally aspirated engines with superchargers, turbochargers, and turbo-normalizers, and explaining how turbos use exhaust-driven turbines and wastegates (automatic, manual—separate or throttle-linked—and fixed) to manage boost. They cover turbocharged vs turbo-normalized manifold pressure, the role of intercoolers in ...
In Episode 86, we join Bill as he relaunches the podcast. Four distinct series, a new look, and more bad puns. I do a Briefing Room episode to launch things back off, and explain how things are changing, how they're staying the same, and what we want to focus on.
Get the free Go or No-Go guide: https://studentpilotcast.com/three-questions
Get the Friday Flight Brief: https://studentpilotcast.com/flightbrief
Links:
In Episode 85, we join Bill and Kent as they talk about how to expand the envelope of your flying. In other words, how to fly good and not suck...or at least get better and reduce your personal minimums.
Links:
Hope you enjoy the episode and thanks for listening! Visit the SPC website at https://studentpilotcast.com. Please keep the feedback coming. You can use the contact form on the website or send email to bill at student pilot ...
In Episode 84, we join Bill and Kent again for another Beyond the Checkride segment. In this one we talk about getting out there on the proverbial open road, and going places with GA, in whatever airplane you have access to. Hope you enjoy our discussion on cross country flying and expanding your comfort zone a bit.
Links:
- Video of this Episode - Video version of Episode of SPC #84.
In Episode 83, we go back to the days of the Pilotcast. Due to the tragic events of the past weekend, we wanted to re-release a Pilotcast Episode from 2018 where Kent, Tiffany, and Bill interview Aerobatic Champion and Airshow start Rob Holland. Rob tragically was killed this in an aviation accident a few days ago and since the Pilotcast is no longer hosted anywhere, we wanted to get this content back out and available to the worl...
Welcome back SPC listeners and Merry Christmas! In this special Christmas day episode, hosts Bill and Kent delve into the pilot's lifeline – checklists. Episode 82 of the Student Pilot Cast titled 'Making a List and Checking it Twice...or Never' brings forth a comprehensive discussion on the importance of good checklist habits beyond the checkride. They debate the utility and design of checklists, discuss personal anecdotes, ...
In Episode 81 Bill goes on location to interview some of the guys who started a new flight school recently. Legion Air wants to teach people to be the best aviators they can be, so let's find out what makes them tick, what their approach is, and how to turn a large fortune into a small fortune in aviation.
Links:
- Private Pilot ACS - Mentioned in the episode, this is the Airman Certification Standards document that is the ro...
In Episode 80 of the Student Pilot Cast we reunite with Nick Smith from Part Time Pilot to discuss the latest developments in his online ground school platform. We explore the addition of new features, such as an IFR ground school and a mobile app, and delve into the challenges of aviation training. Host Bill shares his journey to becoming a Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI), offering insights and updates along the way. Tune in ...
In Episode 79, we join Bill and guest host Tiffany Wolf as they navigate the flight path of AI with an interview with Alex List of FlyShirley.com. Fly Shirley is a tech startup dedicated to using AI for aviation. While we are in the infancy of this technology as it pertains to aviation, the conversation with Alex is very interesting as we dive into the possibilities, where they are currently at with their product, and what's to co...
In Episode 78, we go back in time a bit. Back when Bill was a brand new pilot and was transitioning into a couple of new airplanes. The Cessna 182 has become one of my favorites and because it's coming up again for me right now, it got me thinking about my original transition into the 182 and my High Performance endorsement. I explain in the episode why, but I wanted to revisit that training during my transition for a couple of epi...
Join us in this 'Beyond the Checkride' only episode of the Student Pilot Cast with hosts Kent Shook and Bill Williams as they delve into the intricacies of logging Pilot in Command (PIC) time. They discuss the nuances of FAA regulations, personal flying experiences, and scenarios like instructor flights, safety pilot roles, and questions around cross-country time. Learn how to navigate the complex rules and ensure your logbook entr...
In Episode 76 of The Student Pilot Cast, host Bill recounts a challenging
instrument training flight under the guidance of instructor Eddie. The flight
proved difficult due to busier-than-usual airport conditions, turbulence, and
Bill's struggle to stay ahead of the airplane. Flying under the hood, Bill
faced issues with altitude management and task saturation, emphasizing the
importance of staying current and proficient. Despite the he...
In Episode 75, we join Bill as he does another instrument training flight, more instrument pattern flying for practice, and an all new Beyond the Checkride Segment about buttoning up the airplane when doing cross country flying, or even at home. Enjoy.
Links:
Hope you enjoy the episode and thanks for listening! Visit the SPC website at https://studentpilotcast.com. Please keep the feedback coming. You can use the contact fo...
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