Max talks with ferry pilot Sarah Rovner, founder of Full Throttle Aviation, about her adventures and challenges flying planes across continents. Sarah stumbled into ferry flying when she helped deliver a plane and quickly found herself flying everything from gliders to agricultural aircraft across Central America and even the Atlantic. Her unique edge wasn't just piloting—it was handling the complex international paperwork required for cross-border flights.
Sarah explains the nuances of flying foreign-registered aircraft, using handlers, and dealing with customs and regulatory hurdles in countries like Mexico and Canada. She shares hair-raising tales like flying over the Arctic in winter in a Cessna 210, discovering a failed axle, and performing repairs in subzero temps. She's faced oxygen failures, ferry tank malfunctions, and the infamous "ice bridging" during Atlantic crossings.
Despite the flat-rate pay and frequent mechanical delays, Sarah loves the freedom, camaraderie, and adventure. She also trains and mentors pilots, including retirees and aspiring time-builders, emphasizing the importance of judgment over just stick-and-rudder skills. Her company now provides aircraft imports, paperwork, and check rides, and she encourages others interested in ferry work to learn multiple aircraft types and fly smart.
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There’s always something new happening above the clouds, and Aviation News Talk-Pilot Stories, Safety Tips & General Aviation News is where those stories come together. Host Max Trescott, with four decades of experience flying general aviation aircraft, doesn’t just report the news-he breaks it down from a pilot’s perspective. This podcast serves as a regular hangar session, blending the latest updates with practical knowledge you can use. You’ll hear detailed technical discussions on systems like the G1000 and Perspective glass cockpits, learn the intricacies of flying GPS approaches, and get safety tips that are relevant whether you’re just starting out or have thousands of hours in your logbook.
As an active flight instructor and a Platinum Cirrus CSIP, Max brings his daily experiences straight from the cockpit to each episode. He regularly answers listener questions and hosts interviews that delve into the real-world challenges and joys of flying. The conversation is grounded in a deep commitment to safety and education, aiming to help both current and future pilots navigate the skies with greater confidence. Tune in for a straightforward, informative take on general aviation that feels like getting advice from a trusted mentor. Each episode of this podcast is built on a foundation of real-world experience, designed to inform and engage anyone with a passion for flight.
Author: Max Trescott | Aviation News Talk Network
Language: English
Episodes: 100
Max talks with Dr. Tony Kern about human error, airmanship, and the hidden threats pilots pose to themselves. Tony shares how his passion for understanding error began with the tragic loss of two of his former B-1 bomber…
Max talks with Adam Broun of PALS SkyHope, a volunteer pilot organization that provides free air transportation for medical patients, veterans, and others in need. Founded in 2010 by three pilots in the Northeast, PALS S…
Max talks about the NTSB's final report on the fatal crash of a Piper PA-28-140 in Moab, Utah, in October 2023. The crash killed a North Dakota State Senator, his wife, and their two children. The probable cause was spat…
The NTSB held a press conference to provide preliminary findings from the flight Max talks about new findings from the NTSB Preliminary Report on the midair collision over the Potomac River involving a U.S. Army Black Ha…
Max talks with Ranferi Denova about what pilots need to know about flying small planes to Mexico, though the advice applies broadly to international flights from the U.S., including to Canada and the Caribbean. Ranferi a…
Max gives and update on the Learjet crash in Scottsdale and the crash of a Cirrus SR22 in Santa Barbara. He also analyzes the crash of N2UZ, a Bonanza B35B, which suffered an engine failure at 7,500 feet while flying ove…
Max talks with Connor Hailey from ForeFlight about their new aircraft insurance comparison tool, designed to help aircraft owners evaluate their insurance policies. The tool allows users to upload their current policy, w…
Rachael Webster recounts the surreal experience of having her airplane stolen from Palo Alto Airport. Initially mistaking the tampered aircraft for a kind gesture, she later received a call from the club informing her th…
The NTSB held a press conference to provide preliminary findings from the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) related to the January 29 midair collision near Reagan National Airport between a U.S.…
Max interviews Jeff Guzzetti, a former NTSB investigator, to discuss the accident investigation process, in relation to the DC midair collision. Jeff explains ICAO Annex 13, the international standard that guides acciden…
