In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down once again with Carolynn from PilotResumes.com to break down the current state of airline hiring, why qualified pilots still aren’t getting calls, and the factors recruiters evaluate long before an interview ever happens. As the hiring market shifts and competition increases, Carolynn explains why flight time alone is no longer enough to stand out. From networking and professionalism to resume mistakes and reputation within the industry, this...

In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down with Halsey Schider, CEO of Sellacopter and North American Aircraft Brokerage, to explore one of the most visible and most overlooked corners of aviation. Halsey shares what he’s learned from both flying and brokering helicopters, how deals really come together, and where buyers and sellers consistently get it wrong. From pricing psychology to market timing, to the people and equipment that quietly impact every part of the US economy. In thi...

In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down with Preston Holland to break down the economics behind private aviation and why so many pilots, owners, and even high-net-worth individuals completely misunderstand how it actually works. Preston shares how he built one of the most valuable audiences in aviation by sharing a peek behind the curtain of aircraft ownership, operating costs, and charter. From NetJets and fractional ownership to the psychology behind why people choose to fly pri...

In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down with former NASA engineer and Test Pilot School graduate Kate Gunderson to talk about what it actually takes to break into (and succeed in) one of the most competitive and misunderstood fields in aviation. Kate shares her journey from student to engineer, the surprising culture of NASA, the challenges that test pilots face, and why the stereotype of what a career in engineering looks like is completely wrong. This conversation gives a behind-...

In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down with Vanesa Miksa, a Human Factors engineer at Boeing and pilot, to break down the hidden science behind how pilots interact with aircraft and why many aviation accidents aren’t just “pilot error,” but systematic failures in disguise. Vanesa shares how cockpit design, automation, and airspace systems are all built around human limitations, and what happens when those systems fail to account for how people actually think, process information, ...

In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down with Russ Torgerson, a retired Coast Guard helicopter pilot and rescue swimmer whose career spanned decades of search and rescue missions at sea. Russ shares what it’s really like operating in environments where the weather, the ocean, and the mission itself can all push a crew to the limit. From ship-based helicopter operations to moments where seconds meant the difference between disaster and survival, Russ walks through the realities of Co...

Health decline in aviation is common, and most pilots don't notice until it becomes an issue during their medical. In this episode, I sit down with commercial pilot and pilot fitness coach Josh Ageeb to talk about the biggest health risks facing aviation professionals today. We break down the slow creep of fatigue, weight gain, and burnout, and why losing your medical is often the result of small habits compounded over time, not one catastrophic event. We talk about: - Why 8 hours of slee...

Airline hiring has shifted and a lot of pilots haven’t caught up. In this episode, I sit down with resume expert and aviation recruiter Carolynn from pilotresumes.com to talk about what’s really happening behind the scenes in today’s hiring market. We break down the difference between being qualified on paper and being hireable in practice, and why those are not the same thing. We talk about: - Why we’re in a company hiring market, not a candidate market - How airlines actually evaluate c...

Austin is back. After his first appearance became the most-watched full-length episode on The Aerpod, we went straight to the comments and brought him back to answer them. Austin is a Boeing 777 First Officer at Atlas Air and a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE). In this Q&A episode, we dig into checkride pass rates, common DPE myths, Atlas Air schedules and pay, gateway commuting, and more. In this episode: - Why the private pilot checkride now has the lowest pass rate - What DPEs reall...

In this episode of The Aerpod, Mitchell sits down with Creighton Johannes, an A&P mechanic and Director of Maintenance who’s worked on everything from light GA aircraft to King Airs, Gulfstreams, and helicopters. Creighton breaks down what aviation maintenance really looks like day to day, what pilots often misunderstand about maintenance, and why an A&P license is often described as a license to learn. From training pathways and accelerated programs to corrosion, deferred maintenance...