From ATC modernization to the new MOSAIC rule to unleaded avgas, AOPA is involved in all the key issues for pilots. New President Darren Pleasance shares his opinion on each of these topics and explains what role his organization is playing. Darren is a longtime pilot, flying everything from aerobatic airplanes to warbirds, so he also shares many lessons learned from his 8000+ hours. In the Ready to Copy segment, Darren talks about flying a P-51 solo, pursuing innovation at Google, and kiteboarding.

- AOPA advocacy: https://aopa.org/advocacy

- Darren’s book: https://darrenpleasance.com/book/

- PilotWorkshops Mastery: https://pilotworkshop.com/products/vfr-mastery/

- New Air Facts podcast: https://airfactsjournal.com/podcast/

Breaking the sound barrier isn’t like the movies, and Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg would know: he’s done it both as a Navy F/A-18 fighter pilot and as a test pilot in Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 demonstrator aircraft. He talks about Boom’s plans for supersonic airline travel, learning to fly an all-new design, and the aerodynamics of flight at Mach 1.1 Tristan also talks about his Navy career, including what it was like to make his first carrier landing. In the Ready to Copy segment, you’ll hear what it was like to fly the F-104 Starfighter, what flutter is, and tips for better landings in a Mooney.

SHOW LINKS:

* Boom Supersonic: https://boomsupersonic.com

* XB-1 test flight videos: https://boomsupersonic.com/xb-1

* PilotWorkshops Mastery: https://pilotworkshop.com/products/vfr-mastery/

* New Air Facts podcast: https://airfactsjournal.com/podcast/

As the first CEO of Robinson Helicopter not named Robinson, David Smith has combined the company’s old fashioned manufacturing philosophy with a new focus on innovation. He talks about the result of that work, including the launch of the new R88 turbine helicopter and the first flight of a hydrogen-powered Robinson. David is also an experienced engineer, so he dives into the details of mast bumping and explains why many eVTOL aircraft will never succeed. In the Ready to Copy segment, David talks about the helicopter job market, heli-camping, and flight simulator myths.