Episode 68 – Cary Robins – Weight and Balance Calculations

Cary Robins - American Aeronautics

Cary Robins – American Aeronautics

Today we’re talking weight and balance. Often something that us pilots of light aircraft forget to do before every flight but obviously a very important component of safe flight.
Cary Robins is the owner of American Aeronautics and his company markets weight and balance calculators. I wanted to find out why weight and balance is so important, about his company’s products and about his flying career too.

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Episode 57 – Chris Walsh – ATCO at Manchester International Airport

Chris Walsh - NATS ATCO at Manchester International

Chris Walsh – NATS ATCO at Manchester International

Today I’m down at Manchester International Airport to interview Chris Walsh one of the Air Traffic Control Officers working in the tower there. Following on from my chat with FISO, Mark at Barton, I’ve been asked by many listeners for a podcast featuring a fully fledged ATCO. So here it is.

I was accompanied on my trip by fellow Barton aviator, Duncan, who also appeared on episode 50 of Flying Podcast. Chris, very generously, gave up a couple of hours of his free time to give us a guided tour of the tower and then settled into one of their meeting rooms, overlooking the apron, to answer all of our ‘ATCO’ type questions.

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Episode 52 – Goodyear Blimp Chief Pilot – Mark Finney

Goodyear Blimp 'Spirit of Safety'

Goodyear Blimp ‘Spirit of Safety’

Today’s Flying Podcast finds me sat on the deck outside of Melvin’s Cafe at Barton Aerodrome.
It was a typically beautiful Spring evening in Manchester, the sun was just beginning to set and the Goodyear Blimp was about to depart. They were off to film a football match from overhead for Sky TV at the Etihad Stadium.
I took the opportunity to grab a few minutes with Chief Pilot Mark Finney before he saw the airship off on its flight.
Although it started out as a quiet night it soon got noisy with the police helicopter arriving and then, believe it or not, an Army Apache helicopter too which never happens at Barton.

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Episode 28 – Thomas Cook Airlines Chief Pilot – Paul Hutchings

Thomas Cook Airlines Boeing 757-200

Thomas Cook Airlines Boeing 757-200

It’s Episode 28 of Flying Podcast and today I’m talking to Paul Hutchings, Chief Pilot for Thomas Cook Airlines.

I’ve had a lot of questions from listeners about becoming a commercial pilot so who better to talk to than the chief pilot of one of the country’s largest charter airline fleets.

I was interested to hear what qualities they look for in potential new recruits and I was particularly interested in their Cadet Training Scheme for ab-initio pilots.

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Episode 23 – Claire Hatton, Commercial and Instrument Rating Instructor with Ravenair

G-RVRB courtesy Paul Tomlin

G-RVRB courtesy Paul Tomlin

This episode of Flying Podcast features an interview with Claire Hatton, a Commercial and Instrument Rating Instructor with Ravenair, based mainly at Liverpool, John Lennon Airport. We discuss what’s involved in more advanced ratings and licenses such as the IMC, Multi engine, IR and CPL. So if you have any interest in improving your flying or want to get into commercial aviation, have a listen to what Claire has to say.

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Episode 15 – Charter Airline Captain Guy Cowper

An interview with Guy Cowper, a captain with the UK’s largest charter airline. We hear how he got into flying commercially, what a typical flying day involves, what it’s like to work for a major airline and hear a couple of funny stories too.

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Episode 12 – Diamond Executive Aviation

Peter Bondar with Diamond DA 42

Peter Bondar with Diamond DA 42

An interview with Peter Bondar who, together with his colleagues, has launched a new air taxi service called Diamond Executive Aviation. Using Diamond DA42 Twin Star aircraft they hope to offer a cost effective and efficient air taxi service from your local airfield.

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