Air Facts Podcast: The Story Behind the Story

The Day the Sky Went Silent with Kathleen Thompson

On this episode of the Air Facts Podcast, we’re joined by Kathleen Thompson, winner of the 2026 Richard Collins Writing Prize for Young Pilots, to discuss her powerful story “The Day the Sky Went Silent.” Kathleen’s story takes us along on her very first solo cross-country flight—an early milestone that quickly turns into a real-world test of airmanship and composure. What begins as a routine training flight across North Dakota soon shifts when she discovers her aircraft’s radios have gone silent. With no way to communicate, still early in her training, and approaching controlled airspace, Kathleen is forced to rely on the fundamentals every pilot learns but rarely has to fully depend on in real time: aviate, navigate, communicate. The result is a vivid reminder that calm decision-making and solid training matter most when the cockpit gets quiet—and that even early in a flying career, real lessons often arrive unannounced.

Dad's Logbooks with Gita Brown

In this episode of the Air Facts Podcast, we talk with writer, educator, yoga instructor, and student pilot Gita Brown about her moving story, “Dad’s Logbooks.” Gita shares how growing up around her father’s sailplane flying eventually led her to flight training later in life—after years of being afraid to fly. We discuss the emotional connection between pilots across generations, the meaning hidden inside old logbooks, and how aviation can shape the way we process grief, identity, and personal growth. We also explore Gita’s work as co-host of The Calm Cockpit, where she and professional pilot John Niehaus discuss pilot mindset, stress management, and practical tools for flying with confidence and focus.

The First Passenger Flight You Never Forget

Taking your first passenger is a milestone every pilot remembers—but when that passenger is a family member, the experience takes on a whole new meaning. In this episode of the Air Facts Podcast, we talk with Zachary Sherman, a Boston-area private pilot who began flying in 2022. As a first-generation aviator, Zachary didn’t grow up around airplanes—but he quickly discovered a passion for flight and the desire to share it with the people closest to him. In his article “Very Precious Cargo,” Zachary tells the story of taking his grandfather—his very first passenger—on a scenic flight over Boston shortly after earning his private pilot certificate. What followed was more than just a sightseeing trip; it was a moment of trust, connection, and shared adventure.

When Special VFR Is the Right Call with Adam Boyd

Special VFR is often treated like a footnote in ground school—something you can do, but probably never will. In this episode of the Air Facts Podcast, we talk with Adam Boyd, 2025 National CFI of the Year, about why that mindset may be incomplete. Adam is an ATP, three-time Master CFI, Designated Pilot Examiner, and C-130 Instructor/Evaluator Pilot with the Arkansas Air National Guard. With more than 26 years of flying experience, he’s logged time everywhere from small-town North Carolina to the Pacific and beyond. But it was a recent departure in his RV-4 under a stubborn 900-foot ceiling that reshaped how he thinks about Special VFR.

A Mooney Pilot’s Night IFR Wake-Up Call

On a winter night IFR flight home in his Mooney, fatigue, hunger, and deteriorating weather quietly stacked the odds against pilot Bob Hamilton. As ceilings dropped, icing threatened, and options disappeared, Bob was forced to confront a chain of decisions that led to one of the most intense moments of his flying career—saying “unable” to ATC and trusting his judgment to get the airplane safely on the ground. In this candid conversation, Bob reflects on what went wrong, what he learned, and how that fateful night reshaped his approach to IMSAFE, personal minimums, and risk management.