By: Meghann Witthoft
If you are anything like me, you find it difficult to make time solely devoted to personal and professional development. Between meetings, traveling, and training, moments where you are able to sit down and read a book or watch a video can be few and far between. That is why I love podcasts. Podcasts are quickly gaining popularity across the board and, I have found, are some of the best ways to stay informed on topics important to me. The best part is that I can have a podcast playing in the background while I am driving, cooking, or cleaning; all of the development with none of the guilt of shirking my tasks. Here are the top five aviation podcasts on the JETPUBS “radar” (pun intended).
NBAA Flight Plan
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), based in Washington D.C., presents a great deal of information on topics such as general aviation, business aviation, safety, and advocacy in the industry. One of the ways that you can take advantage of this wealth of information quickly and easily is through their weekly podcast NBAA Flight Plan. This podcast offers you bite sized (normally about five minutes long) updates on safety, trends, and industry interest. From things to consider when purchasing an aircraft to how to integrate drones into your operation, this podcast offers professional insight into the aviation industry. You can find this podcast in the iTunes Store.
The Pilotcast
The result of a relationship between three individuals who met via online aviation forums, this podcast offers a unique perspective on the industry and its many components. The Pilotcast spans four areas of interest: medical, instructional, events, and, what they call, “Hangar Talk.” The medical episodes of the podcast cover everything from eye health to hypertension and their effects on the aviation community. By drawing on the expertise of several guest instructors and department heads, the instructional area of the podcast is a great resource for learning more about the art of flying and flight safety.
The “Hangar Talk” segment of the podcast is particularly entertaining for listeners as they hear stories and tips and tricks from the hosts and special guests. Though the hosts haven’t created any new episodes since 2012, each one still offers an informative and entertaining view into the industry relevant today. Find episodes from The Pilotcast on iTunes.
Stuck Mic AvCast
A true wealth of knowledge on aviation history, events, and health topics, Stuck Mic AvCast is a one-stop-shop to satisfy your professional development. This podcast offers a professional look at the more serious topics in aviation while also providing entertaining insight on several events such as the Sun N Fun Fly In & Expo. Stuck Mic AvCast features several hosts from all walks of aviation including flight instructors, program directors, and one aviation children’s book author. Typically an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes long, episodes of this podcast can be found on iTunes.
Airplane Geeks Podcast
As if the name wasn’t cool enough, the Airplane Geeks Podcast presents an eclectic mix of commercial, military, and general aviation topics. Started in 2008, this podcast focuses on aviation news, events, and history through the contributions of writers all over the globe. From host explained narratives to interviews with prominent industry guests like Matt Knapp, founder of Zunum Aero, this podcast keeps all sorts of “airplane geeks” coming back for more. Some topics of interest include new aircraft releases, novelty items like an aviation-themed playground, and advanced avionic technologies. You can find episodes of Airplane Geeks Podcast on iTunes and Google Play.
EAA’s The Green Dot
Another whimsically named podcast, EAA’s The Green Dot is growing on us as it continues to expand. Started only in March of this year, The Green Dot has debuted several episodes highlighting the stories we already know and love from many years of attending EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The “pilot” (pun very much intended) episode of the podcast featured two of EAA’s staff and a look into how they got their start in flying. Since the first episode the podcast has interviewed guests such as Mikey McBryan from the TV Show Ice Pilots NWT and NASA Astronaut Charlie Precourt. We look forward to seeing the podcast continue to grow and put out more interesting information. Check out EAA’s The Green Dot on iTunes or Google Play.
Whether you are on your morning commute, a catching flight (if that is not your immediate ride home), or cooking dinner, there is always time to enjoy aviation industry news, events and history.
Do you have a favorite aviation podcast? Share it with us in the comments below.