Cockpits & Cocktails

We are recapping Oshkosh, custom airplanes, bad song choices, stalking, IG surprises, and more!

"Learning To Fly" in all endeavors! We are discussing THE tips every individual needs for success inside the cockpit and in other (scary, challenging) endeavors. This is a unique episode with some great advice. Don't miss it!

We are discussing ATC shenanigans and other shenanigans that you don't want to miss! Learn dos and don'ts with ATC (among other things).

We have heard some stories! True stories of female and male cockpit interactions...What else can we say?? 

Did you listen to Part 1?!?! What's next?? Why are you still stuck? What does fear do to us? We continue discussing the tools you need and knowledge you need to change your course/change your life! 

Part One: How To Take Flight! Change Your Course. Change Your Life. This episode digs deep down into how we should use fear to propel (pun intended) us to make the changes our hearts desire. What are the things you already have that can push you that extra step to take action towards a goal, a dream, a change? Find out the 3 things I used to get me through the very first steps. How do you know, with certainty, that you want to change your course?? This episode is exactly what everyone needs to hear to get you to take that first step successfully. 

Yum Yum! We're talking about our favorite $100 hamburger fly-in destinations! We also have the best business idea for someone-not us, but someone else. :) 

Stephanie gives the scoop on her personal Sun N Fun week. Hey! Sun N Fun isn't just about airplanes! There's socializing, golf carts, Amazon Prime, and pool time too! And, we're on the hunt for the renters who already snagged next year's Lakeland VRBO...

We are all guilty of a little FOMO now and then, aren't we? This episode discusses why we have it and what to do about it to keep it from plaguing your life. Whether it's an airshow, or a rating, it needs to be gone so you can be yourself and live your life!

Scholarships, Making It All Work, & More! This episode offers advice on scholarship applications, including the flyGIRL scholarship! I discuss how to make time for your flight training, or goals, in general. How do you change your course? Sun N Fun is around the corner-here's what you need to know!

We're Baaaack! Let's talk Instagram Harassment, PPL ground school, Beauty Pageants, Puppies, Alaska flying, Emily in Paris, & our Sex In The City characters! We are catching up on everything on this episode! We discuss aviation, social media battles, flying goals and so much more. Tune in and catch up on the Season 4 premiere!

SEASON FINALE! Check rides, check rides, check rides. Stephanie and Natalie discuss all things related to check rides, including the FEAR of check rides. How to prepare and get ready to ace your check ride. What's the number one piece of advice?!? Listen to find out!

The author Dr Mica Endsley has studied endless aviation topics during her career as an associate professor, Chief Scientist with the Air Force, and with the FAA. On this episode we discuss Air Rage, automation, situational awareness, decision-making, and her latest endeavor as an airline passenger advocate! You will learn something on this episode!

Aloha! Cessna Contessa has an amazing, heartfelt story. She is living the Hawaiian way and her generosity is contagious. Hear her story from shelter to philanthropist extraordinaire! 

Natalie's dad discusses his aviation career which started out in the wake of Vietnam. He didn't want to be fighting in the jungle, so he signed on to be a naval aviator. After a successful military career, he spent time at Northwest Airlink, and then FedEx.  He's an Airbus lover! What was his favorite airport, scariest flight, favorite airplane? Find out!

We are introducing Dianna Klein: Mom, Airline Captain, Air Force Reservist, Mentor, Speaker, and Beauty Pageant Winner! Did we mention she was also a former Zero Gravity pilot? You will hear about that unique adventure! There are many parallels between motherhood and being a pilot. This episode is chock full of advice for everyone.  Dianna shares tidbits and fun facts from her broad array of experiences.  We discuss the benefits of having a backup plan and how each course can lead to new adventures you never imagined possible!

Joe Costanza is an airline Airbus pilot AND Piper Cub owner.  We chose him to be our first male guest because he loves sharing his love of aviation with his daughters.  He is best known for his beautiful J3 Cub images and videos on Instagram and YouTube.  He also loves to dote on his wife and daughters. He often shares his hangar as an inviting second home to his family and friends. Cheers!

The family and producers of Invisible Sky Film join us to discuss the April 2006 GA airplane crash of rising star Georgina Joshi.  The family continues to look for answers, unsatisfied with the NTSB's investigation.  Are general aviation accidents investigated as thoroughly as larger, commercial operations? Where are the holes in these investigations? How can they be improved? It is recommended that you get the accident's full story and Georgina's history at InvisibleSkyFilm.com.

Let's go to Alaska! Alaska is the perfect spot for a thriving aviation business. Our guest, Missy Lee, from Alaska Floats and Skis shares how she went from being a teacher to the Alaskan pilot life.  Missy works with her dad to support aviation across the world by offering floatplane scholarships, and several courses: bush pilot, floatplane, and mountain flying.  Adding a variety of airplanes and courses, the students become all-around better pilots.  When it's cocktail hour, you can never have too many olives! 

Join us as we catch up and prepare for Oshkosh, the world's largest airshow! What are our "can't miss" items? We aren't just talking about the airshow! We are also discussing our travels this summer. Why we are more than pilots-we are adventure seekers! Let's share Cooper's milestone (her first peak), our survival kits (and instincts), FREE pilot courses, our personal favorite flight bags, and much more (maybe some things you didn't know)! 

Emily has been around aviation her entire life. She flies around in her family's 1946 Piper Cub. They just celebrated its 75 year old "birthday." She loves taildraggers..and has found the perfect job that incorporates all of the things she enjoys. She made a big career change in her late 30's and is now managing an FBO. This is a perfect fit for her lifestyle, but it took some time figuring out what she would do with her Private Pilot's License. 

Stacy Sheard has had quite the career flying helicopters. Her journey began in the military but extended from there to fly for news stations, sightseeing tours, Sikorsky test pilot, and big time LA (she's a member of the Screen Actors Guild)! She flies on the east coast now, mainly over the NYC skyline as a corporate helicopter pilot.  Not only is she a badass helicopter pilot, she has also been instrumental in mentoring those transitioning from the military world to the civilian life in this aviation career field.  You would be surprised what the dress code is….

We are welcoming Andrea this week who will discuss what it's like bouncing from country to country, flying helicopters! Andrea has a huge presence all over the world. She is an entrepreneur and helicopter pilot who spends most of her time in the U.S. and Germany.  This episode gives us a perspective on what it's like to fly helicopters in Europe, as well as the U.S.  Andrea has her own special wisdom to share!

Natalie is joined by her new cohosts Stephannniiiieeeee and Cooper the Pilot! Who are the new female pilots joining the podcast? Our new season has begun and we want you to call all of these women your friends in aviation! Cheers to the new chapter and new season!

New season, new cohosts, new guests, new topics! Season 3 has officially started! In Season 3's first episode, Natalie "flyGIRL Kelley" updates everyone on her new life as a corporate contract pilot. What do I like about this new position as a contract corporate SIC? What is contract flying or corporate flying all about? How did I get into it? Is it right for you? I am laying it all out there so that you know the ins and outs of this flying career!

USAF Brigadier General Cartier! Your ticket to a limitless life & unimaginable opportunities! YES! Brig Gen Brenda shares her story and her love of the military career she has built with the Air Force.  She did not have big dreams of a military life when she started out but life had a way of presenting opportunities and experiences that she could not ignore.  This commitment turned into something she had not planned and it has allowed unforeseen growth and possibility.  The wisdom she has gained compels her to demonstrate to others how big of a career they can have, no matter what their individual circumstances may be.  There are no limits!

Jolie Lucas has managed to combine all of her loves.  Her career as a therapist allows her to help those in another passion of hers, aviation. She is a private pilot with the unique ability to use her psychology knowledge and background to help others understand and use their mentality to be better pilots. She comes from an aviation family with many fond memories of travel. She began flying later in life and now expertly hosts and leads talks through AOPA, EAA, etc., and contributes to an AOPA blog.  She began the well-known course "Right Seat Ready" for copilots and family members of pilots with friend Jan Maxwell. She also co-founded Mooney Girls for dedicated and proud Mooney aircraft owners. Listen in on her story that includes a hair-raising, pivotal moment as a pilot. Lots of lessons to learn here! 

Erin comes from the famous Lear Jet family. Her grandfather may have been the original founder of the world-famous Lear Jet but she is also building her own aviation legacy. She leads many STEM programs, serves as a mentor for pilots and pilots-to-be. She also has a passion for helping minorities and females. She demonstrates and believes in the eFlyer and loves to educate people on its progress and future as a truly viable option in air travel. We discuss her "AHA!" moment in her own flight training, which has helped lead her to the creation of pop-up schools for aviation and flight training.

Airline flight attendant: Lessons in Life! Former flight attendant and career changer, Lynda Bouchard talks about all the things she learned as a flight attendant and what life is like as a flight attendant.  She lost flight attendant friends on 9/11 and that catapulted her to a new life where she used all of the tools and insights she had learned as a FA to soar into a new life! We discuss ignoring naysayers, breaking past comfort zones, pushing past your fears, and reinvention.  Flight attendants and pilots have many things in common!!

DID YOU KNOW that pilots are needed as volunteers? Help others & build time in a variety of ways! Carley Walker talks about all of the many, many organizations that need your skills as a pilot to help others. Love animals? There's a job for you. Have a heart for medical patients? This is perfect. Love wildlife? Yes! There are opportunities for pilots that can help and build time! It's a win-win. We talk about the Air Care Alliance and how they help those in need and match your interests. STEM has become a huge focus for younger people and rightfully so! Carley teaches us about the non-profit that her dad started that matches pilots with school-aged kids who may need a little encouragement and guidance into the cockpit! HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?? Listen up!

Female Apache Pilot with GRIT! Shannon H Polson: Helicopters, Denali, doubt, change, failure, overcoming failure...There are so many lessons and insights Shannon provides from her personal journey as a military Apache helicopter pilot with some key lessons and words of wisdom for anyone on their own journey within aviation and beyond. We also get to hear some quirky WASP history while we get the inside scoop on her Denali climb. You will walk away with a renewed understanding and belief that adaptability is key in fulfilling your own purpose (whether it's passing a check ride or starting all over).

Jessica Cox, World's first armless pilot! Pilots with disabilities: Her journey and future! She doesn't let anything stop her. Her mission is to help inspire others, especially those with disabilities, that they can "fly" too! We discuss her memorable Oshkosh cross-country journey, her first experiences in an airplane. We also talk about why the Ercoupe was her airplane of choice and her newest airplane project! She's working towards that RV grin. Want inspiration? Want to support Jessica? Listen and find out how you or your aviation community could help her realize her goal of encouraging other pilots with disabilities to keep aiming for the sky! Find Jessica Cox here: Facebook: @JCMSofficial Instagram: @rightfooted Website: www.jessicacox.com

Christy (@pilotchristy) is well-known for her inspirational aviation posts on Instagram.  She is beaming with positivity! There's a whole lot you probably don't know about Christy.  She hasn't always been in aviation and she has had her share of struggles! She's made all sorts of sacrifices to get where she is.  Her path has been riddled with lots of unexpected twists and turns.  Her wildest dreams have come true and she's been able to put herself in the perfect position as a pilot with lots of aviation education, knowledge, and an array of experiences.  She is not only a recent pilot but also a popular cohost on YouTube! We love her! 

Aerobatic pilot with sweet King Air gig! One dream at a time-Montana girl competes for the U.S.?! Britt Lincoln went from student pilot to aerobatic competitions in no time! She keeps moving up in the aerobat pilot world and traveling the country for prizes! She hasn't always been a pilot. In fact, it's been less than 5 years. She jumped right in, full speed ahead. She trains several times a week while also maintaining her career as a professional King Air pilot. What motivated her to change course in her life? Circumstances and opportunities started popping up and she jumped in to a totally different way of life!!

We did it! We teamed up for the BIG AIR RACE CLASSIC! What's the ARC? Why compete? How'd we do…? Yes, Allyssa and I joined forces to compete in the historic female pilot air race: THE Air Race Classic! This race dates back to 1929.  So much to talk about!!! OUR RACE: How did it go? What did we do wrong? The entire event is filled with fun, confusion, planning, exhaustion, and, in our particular case, heat and lots of hand-flying!  Why do this!?!? Who can compete? All the things: ins and outs of joining the race, the process, the history, etc. It is such a great event for all aviatrices and female pilots-to-be! 

How do big airshow events and flyovers happen?  Who organizes these things? Lyndse's company, FundAv Consulting, LLC. That's who! Learn about the ins and outs of this unique line of work and why she loves it so much! She has her heart and hand in a myriad of aviation events and activities across the globe.  Lyndse organizes corporate travel, airshow events, personal and national fly-overs, film production, aircraft sales, talent management…the list goes on and on.  If you want to know anything about aviation, she probably knows the answer! This career is like no other.  It is possible to combine a philanthropic passion with history, aviation greats, and fun!   

She parachutes to keep history alive! Kat Healey is a round canopy static line parachutist and World War II re-enactor who sometimes dresses as a spy. Her D-Day birthday fuels her love for veterans and has sparked her own interest in becoming a pilot! She is currently working on her private pilot's license. Learn about how she got into the world of performing in a parachute, where she trained, and how any civilian could do it too. Maybe you could check out her team's performance at your next air show!

News anchor turned jet pilot! This MEI runs her consulting business, and donates her twin Comanche to help others. Sounds like a dream life! What are the challenges? What does she want others to learn from her? After changing careers from the news desk to consultant, Stephanie has sky-rocketed from private pilot to jet pilot in a matter of months! Aviation has allowed her to do more of what she loves: to give. She and her husband use their MEI ratings and their twin Comanche to train others who need the rating to further their careers. They offer scholarships and often donate their time and airplane to help those that would struggle to finance the training themselves. Her heart is in multi-engine training! Stephanie also helps numerous aviation organizations including Women in Aviation, F.A.S.T., and OBAP (Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals). Her background as an anchor has provided excellent communications skills as an instructor. How could your background allow you to live your dream? On a personal note, Stephanie is the ultimate "mover and shaker", a great roommate

It's been said to be one of the most dangerous aviation jobs out there.  We've both done it and have our own stories to share (yikes)!  We are talking about ferry flying!  What is it?  A great way to use those flying skills, build time, and requires constant, critical decision-making.  Be cautious before getting in that plane and ALWAYS ready for surprises!   Part 2: Scholarship winning tips!  How do we choose who wins a scholarship?  What are we looking for in the perfect candidate?  We are going to help YOU win that next scholarship you're applying for! 

Alaska Bush Pilot! What's flying like in Alaska? Female pilot & videographer shares Alaska life! Danika Baldwin has flown in places most of us have dreamed of. The terrain and conditions in Alaska are unlike any other. She recently earned her private pilot's license after years of dreaming and training. She is a true Alaskan. She loves to share her life experiences and shares her unique journey through her fun videos on Instagram and Tik Tok. Make sure you are following her! @Girl.In.Alaska

Military A-10 Female Pilot! HEAVY FIRE-THE biggest moment of her career & Why she is Killer Chick! We are talking with Air Force Senior Pilot Kim "KC" Campbell about her big aviation dreams as a child and how she planned her path to flying the A-10! She had been trained for all the scenarios she may encounter while on a mission. While in aerial combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, she took heavy anti-aircraft artillery damage. It took all of her skill, training, and muscle to land safely an hour later. She was promoted to Major in 2006 and received the Distinguished Flying Cross for her actions. Listen to her story and share it with others! Please subscribe for more heroic stories & aviation-related topics.

SHE'S A JET BROKER! (What's more badass than that??) How do you become a jet broker? Is this a good money-making aviation career? Join us on this episode of Cockpits & Cocktails with Jade Hofeldt and Kandi Spangler from JetAviva. These two women will discuss their backgrounds in aviation, how they got into being a jet broker, how much money can be made as a broker, and what the pros and cons are of being a jet broker. There is lots of information in this episode that might leave you wanting to change careers and/or send in your resume to get started in this exciting business.

Join us on this conversation with Emily Daniel @AgPilotChick! We find out how she got into being an ag pilot (aka crop-duster) in this episode.  Emily shares some insight into her life and profession.  We are always curious about the various aviation careers and love to hear what women do in their aviation jobs. This one is really unique! Check it out!

Season 2 will offer more great guests, giveaways, and events! Make sure you're subscribed and pay attention!

The first season of Cockpits & Cocktails is in the books, and "flyGIRL" Kelley and "Fly” Allyssa put the finishing touches on it with a wrap up episode. The two discuss favorite moments from the year, recap the previous episode featuring guest Patty Wagstaff, and discuss plans for Season Two.

Patty Wagstaff is an aviator, flight instructor, and U.S. national aerobatic champion. She talks with "flyGIRL" Kelley and "Fly” Allyssa about what inspired her as a young girl to want to become a pilot, her favorite plane, how the book Fate is the Hunter influenced her, and more.

Macie Dann is the East Regional Account Manager for Avidyne, an avionics equipment firm. She talks to Natalie "flyGIRL" Kelley and "Fly” Allyssa about what her job entails, getting her commercial license, living on a boat in Alaska, working at a fly-fishing lodge, travelling across Australia after high school, and her hobby; cowboy-mounted shooting.

Natalie "flyGIRL" Kelley and "Fly” Allyssa recap the previous two episodes that featured Alaina Lewis and Mindy Lindeheim. Our hosts also discuss the virtues of buying a plane versus renting, what kind to buy if you do that route, and there's a preview of the next season of Cockpits & Cocktails.

Culver Props is a family owned and operated business. The company was established in 1999 and specializes in the custom design and building of wooden props for aircraft. Alaina Lewis sits down for a chat with Natalie "flyGIRL" Kelley and "Fly” Allyssa to discuss the making of wooden props, judging aircraft at the Oshkosh air show, taking flying lessons after a 13-year break, honoring her grandfather's legacy, and more.

Mindy Lindeheim is a regional sales director for Textron Aviation. She chats with Natalie "flyGIRL" Kelley and "Fly” Allyssa  about how people buy aircraft, living in an air park community, visiting the very beautiful Heaven's Landing, Oshkosh, and more.

Live, on tape, Natalie "flyGIRL" Kelley and "Fly” Allyssa host a live version of the podcast on Instagram live. If you missed it, or wanted to hear it again, it's all here. The two hosts took audience questions and give you another peak behind the curtain of Cockpits and Cocktails.