Cleared for Takeoff

Every trip I fly on offers me a unique opportunity to learn something new from flying techniques, to leadership traits among many other aspects of this profession. One of the latest trips I flew on I witnessed true mastery of aircraft where the captain flew with less automation than most other pilots (myself included). So in this episode, I dive into one automated system – the autothrottles – and review moments where they are helpful, and other times where they can become a hindrance.

With winter in full swing, it brings not only snow and ice, but also gusty winds. The cold front season poses many challenges including low level wind shear and hefty crosswinds. We are often in for a bumpy ride!

This is just a quick announcement! I am migrating my content to a new feed, therefor it will take a week to get things moved around. I'll be back next week to talk about crosswind landings!

Have you ever heard of bleed air and what it's used for? What about if it or any other equipment is inoperative? Well, in this episode I talk about how bleed air works and what we do if a bleed source is inoperative.

Have you ever had to get off the plane before you even left the gate? Well, that happened to us. It was due to an IRS failure that could not be remedied. In this episode, I break down what the IRS is, and talk about some other navigational equipment as well.

A unique aspect of flying in the airlines is that each company has its own specific fleet of aircraft. And within that fleet, pilots will only fly one at a time. This requires a specific type rating to operate that aircraft, and my friend Kelan shares his experience of recently completing his type rating for the Boeing 737!

December brings a busy schedule for me, and with it, an importance for adequate rest. In this episode (recorded in Burlington, VT), I break down rest rules and flight time and duty time limitations per the Federal Aviation Regulations. While regs can seem bland, these ones are vital – ensuring pilots are well rested, and safe flight operations are conducted.

Thanksgiving is the busiest time of year for travel in the airlines here in the United States, and this year, passenger number records were set! In this episode, I break down the 2023 Thanksgiving travel numbers and talk a little bit about my holiday schedule and how it all works.

Another guest is finally on the show! Trevor, a friend of mine from airline training joins me to talk about what it takes to be an airline captain. It's no easy feat – requiring a lot of patience, knowledge, and quick decision making. Trevor sure does make it sound easy, and he embodies what it takes to be a good captain. Enjoy!

Who would have thought that in descent planning, we bring back some high school geometry! In this episode, I explain a couple techniques we use to calculate and plan our descents towards the destination airport.

From an airplane tipping onto its tail on the ramp, to a jumpseater endangering the lives of everyone on board, this episode is unique, like a newscast.

Brakes – they are very powerful, so how do they work? Hydraulics. And what are hydraulics? In this episode I go over the basics of how hydraulics work and what other systems they also power to help us slow down upon landing.

This past week was a breeze in comparison to last week. So after a quick recap of a simple two-day trip, I bring in some recordings from this past summer. ATC was messing up our callsign on the arrival into DCA airport, so I just have to share!

On the outside, sometimes a trip looks like it'll go swimmingly. But other times a 3-day trip turns into an exhausting week. From almost a diversion, to delays in the Northeast, I unpack a busy 3 days.

How are we able to travel in a metal tube at 30,000 feet and still breathe? We pressurize it of course! But have you ever wondered how that works and what pilots do if the system malfunctions? Well, you're in luck because in this episode that's exactly what I go over!

I am so thrilled to be back home and back to the show! Training is complete, and it's time to get back into the grind. In this episode, I recount a little bit about my training and identify some differences between the Embraer E-170 and E-190.

I know I said I'd make an episode about pressurization, but unfortunately pressure hit my sinuses and gave me a cold instead! So this is just a hello, and temporary farewell. I'm off to training for my new job and I'll be back at the end of summer/early fall. Have a great summer and you'll be hearing from me in a couple months!

When an EDCT (estimated departure clearance time) hits you with a 90-minute delay on go-home leg, it can be very frustrating. Is there any remedy to this? Find out in this episode! I also talk about a first time flying into some neat smaller outstations, Nantucket and White Plains. Enjoy!

By golly, what was I thinking to work 8 days over a span of 9? It's been an incredibly busy couple of weeks with flying, so I thought I would share the latest things going on up in the flight deck. From autopilot aural alarms not canceling, to scheduling changes, and a soft go-around, this episode is packed with some excitement.

Last episode I breezed over the term “Zulu Time” when talking about logbook entries. So in this one, I just simply explain how we use it!

Becoming an airline pilot doesn't happen over night. We have many milestones to reach, one of which is logging the magical 1500 hours of flight time (1000 if done at a college aviation program), so how do we log that flight time? In this episode I explain all of that and more!

Have you ever wondered why it takes so long to push off the gate and takeoff? Well, in this episode I'll give you a picture of what it's like behind the scenes specifically during the morning rush hour at DCA airport. Once we finally pushed back and took off, we headed to New Orleans and had a great time downtown!

Amid a busy week with back-to-back 3-day trips, an interview, and another day trip, I sadly lost a family member. In this episode I share a little bit about processing that grief while still flying a lot, and also relive the excitement of a go-around at LaGuardia Airport.

Sometimes life flips right around doesn't it? I'll admit, I've gotten used to the reserve life, where I am called infrequently, but that switched up quite drastically. I went from not flying for 7 weeks to flying back-to-back 3-day trips, one day for an interview, and followed by a day trip. I'm happy to stay busy, but oh my, this became a bit overwhelming!

There was so much to cover with Brandon about airline training, that we had to cut this into two episodes!

Fasten your seatbelts, because this is going to be a wild ride! Brandon and I catch up and discuss what it's like to go through airline training. From application, to the interview, to completing the final checkride, we highlight all the key moments of initial airline training.

Although airline training was challenging and included a difficult checkride at the end, it wasn't the toughest checkride I've had. Primary flight training had its challenging moments too, and my commercial single-engine checkride was one of those moments. In fact, it was the toughest checkride to date.

Sometimes things don't go as planned…but hey that's part of life right? Well, here is a story of an unplanned encounter with a wet and muddy grass landing strip. Although we got stuck, it's fun to look back on, and my student and I sure learned a lot that day.

Are you interested in becoming an airline pilot? Well, here's the podcast episode to listen to! I go over the various ways to get there; whether via a flight school, college program, pilot academy, or military career. There's no wrong way to get to into this career, and it's never too late to think about it either! The key is doing your research, and this episode will get you pointed in the right direction.

During the fall and spring semesters at many universities and colleges, they will host a career expo. This year, on behalf of the company I work for, I got to attend and chat with pilots aspiring to go to the airlines. I remember just a few years ago as a student I attended these events to network and see who I wanted to work for. It has now come full circle!

It wasn't until high school when it clicked for me that I wanted to be a pilot. And furthermore, it wasn't until finishing my college degree that I decided to go into the airlines. In this episode, I talk about my journey to where I am today as an airline pilot.

This March has been the busiest month that I can remember since initial airline training almost a year and a half ago, and we're not even halfway through the month yet! This is just a quick update of the latest that's going on, but enough to tell a quick story of relocating a Mooney from Pennsylvania to Florida. Enjoy!

If it isn't obvious from the title, this episode features my first guest on the show! Kelan and I talk about how we met in airline training, how he caught the “aviation bug,” and a surprising encounter with wildlife.

The last episode left you on a cliff hanger…so here I finish it up and complete the entire flight!

Before I became an airline pilot, I always wondered what things were like behind the scenes. What happens when the flight deck door closes? What's going on up there? Well, now you get to find out!

Have you wondered what the difference between the pilot sitting in the left seat versus right seat is? In this episode I help clarify the differences and duties between each pilot.

As a newer First Officer, I am still learning new things on every trip I go on. In this episode, I talk about my encounter with a captain who was not happy with something I did…

One of the most fulfilling moments in my piloting career thus far was sending a student off for their first solo flight in an airplane. In this episode I recount that story and bring back some memories of my first solo.

Welcome to episode 3 of Cleared for Takeoff! I am your host, Gavan, and I want to share what I have learned in aviation both on the job, off the job, and what I've encountered everywhere in-between. I am all about exciting people for a career in aviation, and inspiring and giving advice to future aviators! Head to my website www.pilotgavan.com to find more info, and feel free to contact me!Follow me on Instagram too! And as always, Fly Safe!

Welcome to episode 2 of Cleared for Takeoff! I am your host, Gavan, and I want to share what I have learned in aviation both on the job, off the job, and what I've encountered everywhere in-between. I am all about exciting people for a career in aviation, and inspiring and giving advice to future aviators! Head to my website www.pilotgavan.com to find more info, and feel free to contact me!Follow me on Instagram too! And as always, Fly Safe!

Welcome to the very first episode of my new series Cleared for Takeoff! I am your host, Gavan, and I want to share what I have learned in aviation both on the job, off the job, and what I've encountered everywhere in-between. I am all about exciting people for a career in aviation, and inspiring and giving advice to future aviators! Head to my website www.pilotgavan.com to find more info, and feel free to contact me!Follow me on Instagram too! And as always, Fly Safe!