Dwight Robinson is the deputy chief pilot of flight testing at Airbus. Last year, his flying career was almost cut short when he was hospitalized with Atrial Fibrillation. But despite losing his medical, and battling the effects of his condition, Dwight made a decision. One way or another, he told himself, he was going to fly again. Against all odds, he did just that. In roughly a year, Dwight was back to flying, with no further heart complications. His story exemplifies a spirit of of ...

Last March, the US Helicopter Safety Team launched their Peer Pilot Program — an online resource for pilots to seek help with the inner turbulence they might face. Through the program, users can speak with a trained industry “peer” who will listen to the user, and guide them through their concern — personal, professional, and otherwise. These sessions are free, and completely confidential. In this episode, I’m speaking with Chris Baur — industry co-chair of the USHST — about launching t...

Dr. Ivan Pupulidy is an expert on safety in complex systems and high risk environments. He’s been a featured speaker for TEDx, and his new book “Human Organization And Potential” has been called “a roadmap toward a new era in workplace safety.” In this conversation, I’ll speak with Dr. Pupulidy about aviation safety reform; how we can can discard the ideas that have been holding us back, and empower pilots with the skills to think on their feet.

Carl Ockier is the senior expert for flight test engineering at Airbus. Over the last 25 years, Carl has been instrumental in developing some of the most iconic Airbus helicopters, including the H145 and H135. In this conversation, I’ll speak with Carl about his work engineering aircraft; from the nitty-gritty technical details, to his larger ideas about humans and our relationship to the machines we fly.

Nick Sinopoli is the creator ICARUS, a smart view limiting device that is revolutionizing IFR training. With a screen visor mounted to a hat or helmet, ICARUS allows its user to seamlessly move between levels of visibility, with a peripheral range not possible with earlier training tools. I spoke with Nick about ICARUS, and why it’s making such an impact in the industry…but I was just as interested in his story — how a pilot at his lowest point channeled frustration into innovation.

Unintended flight into IMC is one of the most severe risks we face as pilots. If you haven't been there, it's a hard thing to fathom — flying into the clouds, quickly losing all orientation. Our guest today is John Roberts. John is the Senior Training Manager at the Transportation Safety Institute. In a previous career, John flew helicopters in the army, where he retired with the rank of CW 5. In this episode, John will tell the story of a UIMC event he survived while flying in th...

This is the third part of our series exploring the work of psychologist Daniel Kahneman, and how it relates to aviation. In this episode, we’re looking at cognitive ease and our tendency to mistake correlation for causation.

This is the second part of our series exploring the work of psychologist Daniel Kahneman, and how it relates to aviation. In Episode 1, we laid the groundwork by introducing our two modes of thought: System 1 — the fast, instinctive system — and System 2 — the slow, logical one. Today, we’re looking at heuristics; the mental shortcuts our minds use to make quick decisions.

There has been perhaps no greater influence on my views of human behavior than Daniel Kahneman’s 2011 book, Thinking Fast And Slow. In the book, Kahneman — a psychologist — makes the case that human behavior is driven by the interplay of two differing modes of thought: System 1 — the fast, instinctive system — and System 2 — the slow, logical one. If you’ve listened to this podcast, you’ve almost certainly heard me reference this book. I believe that understanding Kahneman will help us better...

Larry Chappell knows more about classic Airbus helicopters than perhaps anyone alive today. Having started with the company in 1983 — before MBB merged with Areospatiale to create Eurocopter — Larry has a remarkable amount of insight about helicopters, and how they work. In this episode, Larry will give us an overview of his extraordinary career, from flying in the the deserts of Iran to the Amazon rainforest. We’ll take a look at the early history and development of the BK1...

As aviation propels into the second quarter of this century, we’re learning more than ever that the best aircraft designs consider the humanity of aviators — their strengths, their shortcomings…their very nature. Raphael Paquin and Fabien Bernard are experts in human factors engineering. They work together at Airbus in France, where they find new ways to bring flying closer to the human experience. In this conversation, I’ll speak with Raphael and Fabien about their work. We’ll look...

Seth Buttner has investigated over 400 accidents in a career spanning 30 years. Formerly with Cessna, Seth works today as the senior investigator for Airbus Helicopters. In this conversation, Seth will trace his career back to the start. How did a boy piecing together a model airplane in his father’s office go on to work accident cases in Chile, Russia, and beyond? Also, we'll talk about the surreal nature of accident sites, what it takes to be a successful investigator, and much more.

In this solo episode, I'm looking back in history to the first fatal heavier-than-air accident, and the insights we can draw from Orville Wright and the death of Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge. Along the way, I’ll look at a few other historical accidents, and how they might apply to those of us flying today.

Perhaps you’ve been here before — flying, not long after takeoff, when you encounter low ceilings. Before departure, your weather app indicated everything was clear...You may have just become a a victim of Green Dot Syndrome, according to our guest today. Matt Johnson flies for Metro Aviation, at an air ambulance program based in Southwestern Ohio. An accomplished pilot and pilot examiner, Matt is one of the industry’s most forward-thinkers when it comes to our working relationship with ...

Lindsay Cunningham is a former accident investigator for Airbus. Today, she works as Managing Director for Helisim in the United States, where she facilitates the cutting-edge of simulation training. In this conversation, I’ll speak with Lindsey about the psychology of accident investigation; how to avoid false starts and misleading conclusions.

Rusty Sloane is a lecturer at Baylor University’s aviation program, where he prepares student pilots for careers in the airlines. A former coast guard helicopter pilot, Rusty spent several years flying with me here at Airbus. In this conversation, I’ll speak with Rusty about finding one's place as a pilot, a student, a leader, and everything in-between. We’ll look at the truth behind the pilot shortage, the importance of camaraderie, and much more.

Chris Baur (US Helicopter Safety Team) returns to the show to speak about the power of volunteer work in aviation — how we can take the lessons we’ve learned at any level of experience, use them to enrich the lives of others, and, in doing so, enrich our own lives as well.

Perhaps nothing today exemplifies the strides our industry is making more than the Airbus RACER , an experimental compound helicopter that made its first flight in April of this year. With reported ability to reach unprecedented speeds while maintaining groundbreaking efficiency, RACER is changing aviation as we know it.As the chief test pilot for Airbus, Herve Jammyrac is front and center in the development of the RACER. In this conversation, I’ll speak with Herve about his work as a test pi...

Jeff Trang is a lifelong test pilot. His flying played a part in certificating some of the most widely-flown airframes today. For several years, Jeff was my boss here at Airbus; today, he’s the head of the National Test Pilot School, a civilian test pilot training institute in the Mojave desert. In this conversation, I’ll speak with Jeff about his life, his work, and what it means to serve as a link between those who develop aircraft, and the pilots who fly them day-to-day.