Got my PPL last week at KBUY on 9/23! Probably the youngest of my demographic in the area lol. First in my family so it meant alot to me.

Today I had my very own worst nightmare / hardly believable moment as a 120hr PPL holder with 35 hours in my new-to-me Grumman AA-1C.

Airplane was in maintenance for an AD that was due, specifically, AD 98-02-08. This is for an inspection of the inner crank diameter, to confirm there is no pitting or corrosion developing. This AD involves removing the plug from the front of the motor after the prop is removed, completing the inspection, and putting a new plug back in. Simple!

I picked the airplane up today from the shop, two days after dropping it off, and completed my preflight walk around as I would any other time. Things were all in order.

On departure from KLUK, I was cleared for a right turnout from 21R and knew I needed to stay clear of the class B shelf (KCVG) down to 2100 just to my west. With my destination only 20 miles away, I figured I would just stay low under the Bravo all the way there, which opens up to 3000 and then 4000 closer to where I was headed.

I get 10 miles out, well clear of the class D airspace, and very quickly lose all forward visibility, the windscreen becoming rapidly covered with something.

First thought - icing?! No, not today. Very low humidity and over 70 degree air temp. Impossible. This also means it can only be one of two other things - oil, or fuel.

I opened the canopy and put my hand out on the windshield to sample it. It was engine oil.

Immediately whipped a 180 and got back on frequency declaring mayday and that I needed to return immediately for landing. As I make this call, I see the stream of oil become even thicker and it begins dripping into the cockpit. I have 9 miles to go, losing oil fast, over a densely populated area (Cincinnati metro) with no good place to land other than interstates if I lose the engine.

I opted to continue flying for the field and nursing the engine, knowing there was finite life and oil left, but desiring more altitude and speed.

I entered a visual approach for 21R, the closest runway, into my GNX 375 which would at least give me glide slope and extended centerline info on my GI 275, but I wouldn’t be needing it.

ATC vectored me to final as I had no visibility outward and no ability to identify the field. After turning on a two mile final with the airport directly ahead, I could see none of it and knew time was not on my side. I then did the only thing I could to save myself.

I unbuckled my lap belt and shoulder harness, made a final call that I was taking my headset off, then fully opened the canopy, and stood up with my head above the top of the obscured windshield.

I flew the airplane by feel and with zero instrument or airspeed reference (I was standing up, right hand supporting me on windscreen and left hand on yoke) until I knew I had it made, hot oil covering my face, all the way down to the ground. Dumped full flaps at an unknown airspeed, and put it down as smooth as I ever have.

I pulled the mixture as I landed and brought it to a stop as emergency personnel rolled up. There was fortunately no fire to extinguish. I got out of the airplane and just sat down on the runway in silence, wondering if what I just lived was real.

I am simply happy to be alive to tell this story.

Preliminarily, I believe the plug replaced as a part of the AD inspection process either had a material failure or installation error. It survived 8 minutes of flight.

Was doing an instrument xc from KCMA to KWJF. Happen to look down and stumble upon this. Cool experience!

I have wanted to fly for years. However, life has gotten in the way, building my business, chasing kids around the state for sports etc. I have gone up 3 times with a buddy. I bought a hanger lot, 3 min away from my house. Traded some engineering for flight lessons I never cashed in on (the cfi I excited I am finally doing it). Anyway this was on an auction site and buyer backed out. My buddy called me and let me know it is an estate deal widow selling. 40 hours on the engine, in current annual really nice interior. Paint is what it is. It just so happens my son (16) is taking a flight elective at his high school and wants to fly also (and now my wife and daughter 13 want to also). Tomorrow we are going to run it up with the cfi, check for leaks etc. he wants to take it up by himself after that to double check everything. Fired up.

TL;DR: Student, who isn't keen on me, pulled the mixture mid-flight. I saved it. We landed. He will never fly with me nor with anyone else in my flight school, possibly in all of Canada as well.

Apologies for the click-baity title but I couldn't think of a better one.

Yesterday I was flying a routine circuit with a student I’d been working with for a few weeks, one who had made it fairly clear through attitude and body language that I wasn’t his favorite instructor. Still, I approached every lesson with the same professionalism, hoping to build trust through consistency and safety.

We were on the downwind leg for the runway as usual, abeam the numbers, just beginning to discuss the pre-landing checklist just like we did before many times in preparation for his solo flight. I was mid-sentence about configuring for landing when I noticed his hand abruptly go for the mixture and said "I'd like to see you recover from this!" and before I could react, he pulled it all the way out.

The engine sputtered instantly. I took control immediately and pushed the mixture back in while simultaneously verifying throttle and carb heat. The engine caught again, thankfully without issue. I stayed calm, kept the aircraft flying, and executed a quick approach to land.

I asked him, calmly but firmly, “Why did you pull the mixture?”

He shrugged and muttered something about “wanting to see what would happen.” I knew better it wasn’t curiosity; it was deliberate!

After we landed and taxied back, and I quickly got out of the airplane and fast walked to our chief pilot's office. A colleague met me halfway because he saw us having engine issues, I briefly explained what happened and he confronted the student. Obviously he denied everything.

After we all cooled down, the student, our CFI, my colleague and I sat down in his office and while at first he denied everything, it didn't take long to confess that he did do it on purpose because he was tired of being instructed what do to, and I kid you not, especially from a woman.

He was promptly dismissed from the school and flagged as well. Never in my life would I have though something like this happen. I'm OK now and fortunately the weather is awful today and will be for tomorrow as well so it will give me a chance to decompress and regroup. I'm just venting a bit here because I know most of you will understand.

Edit: Thank you for all of your responses. I've read through all of them and I am considering my options. Right now, I'm OK and at peace of what happened. The aforementioned student has been expelled from our flight school and new safety measures are in place. For now, a report has been made to CADORS. Our CFI and owner told me to take a couple of weeks off but I think one week it'll be enough. Thanks again for your comments, I'll take this as an experience and will move forward on it.

i bought an airplane a couple years ago (beechcraft skipper) to finish my training in that ran great - until it didn’t. this summer i lost compressions on all four cylinders on takeoff on a solo xc. got the plane back down on the runway somehow (ended up doing an owner assisted full top overhaul at the airport i was stranded at), then the mixture shaft on the carburetor broke (my “tell” was engine surging and fluctuating RPMs on my cylinder break-in flights. i had to order a refurb carb, then the throttle cable got stuck (no clue how, pulled it and it was fine- replaced with another one) and THEN i had oil coming out of the mags. so those had to be sent off to be rebuilt. all the while, i ended up switching planes to a rental cherokee 140 at a flight school. had to relearn how to trust the plane (still have a genuine fear of another engine issue especially on takeoff) and i refuse to solo. BUT I GOT THE DAMN THING DONE.

Instrument rated private pilot and we were flying down the shoreline of Chicago tonight and got lasered above North Chicago. Couldn't see anything as it reflected across all glass inside the plane - C172

This is not a shitpost I promise.

So I was practicing some landings after sundown at an untowered airport in florida on Friday. Everything goes smoothly, completely standard flight. I get out of the plane and start tying down after the flight, and after walking inside I see a man in a uniform asking if I had just been landing in a white plane. At first I thought I might be getting ramp checked, and said I was. I asked if he was an ASI.

Turns out it's a normal street cop. He asks how I'm doing and if everything is OK. I reply that yes, everything was fine, and ask if something was wrong?

He replies that he saw me landing since he was parked near the approach end of the runway outside the airport, and saw me land even though there were red lights to the left of the runway. He admits that he doesn't know much about this kind of thing, but says that he'd imagine that seeing red lights on a runway wasn't good.

I'm super confused because I didn't see any red lights, and don't even know of any lights that would stop me from landing other than a light gun, which this airport doesn't have on account if it being UNTOWERED. After asking him exactly what he thinks happens, followed by a bit of back and forth I realized what the problem was.

He saw the PAPI lights, and since he was on the ground they looked red...

I explain this to him, show him the PHAK diagram and tell him how it works, and tell him that everything was fine. After a bit of convincing he admitted that he was outside of his domain and apologized, then he left.

TLDR: Cop sees papi lights and thinks it works like a red light at an intersection.

That’s it. Just wanted to share lol. Quick story time:

Took my first checkride in September, I was in such a rush to do my nav log that I didn’t notice that one leg went through restricted airspace. Was issued a discontinuance. Passed the rest of the oral luckily.

Flash forward to today, had to wake up at 4am to fly from PHNL-PHKO because my DPE wasn’t coming to HNL before my discontinuance date was up. Buttered all my landings, maneuvers were great, oral portion took all of 15min. Super happy to finally be done with my ppl. Onto Instrument!

Pic was from this morning flying over to HKO, treated with an awesome sunrise

That is all. Carry on.

My first real emergency in 800 hours. After departing for a routine training flight, my student practiced the “ABCD” checklist for an engine failure. Gave him back the power and we headed for a nearby field to practice ground reference maneuvers. Enroute the engine started running rough. Adrenaline immediately caused training patterns to kick in. My student opened up the engine restart and forced landing checklists and went through each item line-by-line while I diverted to the nearest airport. We managed to climb slightly before the engine started running rough again, then eventually fully quit. We climbed enough to be within glide range of the airport should we experience complete power loss. By the time landing was assured, the engine had quit completely. We made the runway and had enough momentum to taxi clear of it. My student thought the whole thing was a nasty joke until I called my supervisor. No training beats the real thing, but it was good enough to keep us out of the news. Happy memorial day!

Took about 4 1/2 hours and covered over 400 miles!

Hello again strangers of the internet,

When we last talked we discussed how I almost blue myself. I pretty much accidentally outed myself last post (but long live my burner accounts). So here goes nothing.

I’m so tired. But it’s done. What a blast. I must preface that YMWV in this career, it’s lots of luck and timing and all those other bullshit lawyer disclaimers.

Dropped out of college in 2014 after 1 semester because I wasn’t happy. Got a job working the ramp for almost 2 years. Decided to fully go after this whole pilot thing at age 19. Had a great set of mentors who helped me with this long gamble. Finished all of my written exams while I was still working the ramp. (highly advise)

Don’t dilly dally, there’s no time like the present. We are in the best time for our generation when it comes to hiring. Make a plan and stick to it. Readjust when things get out of wack. This industry will throw you around like a shaken baby.

I was privileged to do and see lots of things I never planned on doing in life. Stay flexible but keep on moving. Throw those apps out. You’re gonna fail, you’re also gonna get back up and do better the next time.

Became a sim instructor, helped start a Union at a “seriously nice” startup airline, got threatened to be blackmailed by said “seriously nice” airline for speaking out, went to a yellow LCC I’d never imagine myself going to, accidentally went viral for a picture with a cone (IYKYK), and finally got to fly and eventually become Captain on one of my bucket list airplanes at my bucket list air line.

None of these things were planned when I started years back. But I’m glad I tried it all. Don’t be afraid to seek discomfort.

Best of luck aviators.

Timeline:

PPL Checkride: 3/22/17

CFI/CFII/MEI complete: 9/3/17

1500 TT: 10/29/18

Started at RPA: 11/28/18

ATP/Type Ride (training delays): 5/30/19

1000 Turbine: 10/30/20

Started as an ATP/CTP sim instructor: 7/1/21

Hired at MX: 8/9/21

2 week notice at MX (see last post): 1/17/22

Invite to interview at DL: 1/18/22 (Lol @ the timing)

Started at NK: 2/28/22 (you can see how things got weird in my life)

CJO at DL: 3/10/22

320 Type Ride @ NK: 4/14/22

Started at DL: 5/10/22

757/767 FO IOE complete: 10/3/22

Upgrade awarded: 1/6/23

Completion of 757/767 CA Upgrade: 8/27/23

Turned 18 and got my PPL in the same month!!

I coded a program to 3D print my first discovery flight. The yellow line is the flight path and altitude layered over a topographical map. I think it’s pretty cool so I thought I’d share.

Stopped by KFFA with some friends while we were at Kitty Hawk and saw this on the door of the FBO. Pretty cool feeling telling my friends “i know the code” and opening the door and sitting in the tiny room they have set up. Felt like a true pilot without even being in a plane.

Made a huge jump in aircraft ownership as of yesterday. I’m now the owner/operator of a 1979 Cessna 340A.

As I continue to build flight time and multi time, we were looking to upgrade to an aircraft that my mother and sister (both of whom are not very fond of flying) would feel more comfortable in, as well as something that had a good chunk of useful load with full fuel. The 2004 Turbo 182T that we had was fine for just me, and it got me through my CSEL and across the country, but it wasn’t something the rest of my family was comfortable flying in, nor did it even have the useful load to support them with any significant amount of fuel.

Fast-forward to mid-2025, and we started exploring various other options, including single engine turboprops like the Meridian, Malibu Jetprop, or 210 Silver Eagle. We decided we eventually wanted something with two engines for added safety when flying over the Rockies, the Sierra Nevadas, and the Cascades, as well as pressurization and known icing capability. King Airs were out of our price range and operating cost, as were the larger piston twins like the Cessna 421. Nor did we even need something with that much excess capacity.

We then looked at the Cessna 414, Baron 58P, and the Cessna 340A. 414 was great, but again, still a bit much access capacity that I know I would never use, plus an expensive repetitive wing spar AD. The P-Baron was also cool, but cramped (and the airframes and wings are life-limited to 10,000 hours). Eventually, we decided the 340A would be perfect.

After a lot of searching, we ended up finding an opportunity with a fantastically well-kept 1979 340A. Just over 6000TT on the airframe, RAM VI 335hp engines and MT 4-blade composite props with <300 hours on both, vortex generators, a refurbished interior, new deicing boots, and a full glass panel - Dual G600TXI’s, GTN 750NXi/GNS 430 backup, GFC600 autopilot with rudder bias, GI 275 standby attitude indicator, BFG Stormscope, Keith electric air conditioning, and a new set of CiES fuel senders. This aircraft was also selling with a fresh annual.

As to be expected from someone who is hovering at just under 600TT and 28 multi, insurance is, for the time being, eye-wateringly, soul-crushingly expensive. I also have to do 50 dual with a qualified instructor. However, we all knew going into it that twins are money pits.

I absolutely love how this aircraft flies, and managing the fuel system as well as the temperamental TSIO-520-NBs isn’t that bad at all once you get used to it. My instructor is very impressed with my ability to handle the plane thus far, and he’s looking forward to completing my insurance requirements. I’m making sure to be a complete sponge and soak up as much knowledge as I can about operating this aircraft, because I absolutely do not want to become a statistic.