Episode 79: Lost Comms

Episode 79: Lost Comms

Author: AOPA Air Safety Institute January 14, 2025 Duration: 32:29
As a newly minted private pilot, Sara Gagné takes her mother on a sunset flight around the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Not expecting any adverse issues during her very first flight with a passenger, Sara finds herself unable to establish radio communication. NOTE: We realized we omitted a key detail in this episode. When the guest discusses the remedy of shining a phone flashlight against the radio panel to make the display brighter, she is most likely referring to the panel having a faulty light sensor. Some avionics have an auto-dimming feature that uses a light sensor, which adjusts the brightness of the display to coincide with the ambient light level. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

Imagine pulling up a chair in a virtual hangar, surrounded by pilots swapping their most gripping stories. That’s the feeling at the heart of "There I was..." An Aviation Podcast. Produced by the AOPA Air Safety Institute, each episode is a direct flight into real-world cockpit experiences, where seasoned aviators recount moments when weather, mechanics, or sheer chance threw them a curveball. You’ll hear the subtle tension in their voices as they describe navigating a sudden system failure or an unforecast storm, followed by the clear-headed decisions that led to a safe landing. This isn’t about sensationalism; it’s about the nuanced application of skill and training under pressure. The entire podcast is built on aviation’s rich tradition of “hangar flying”-that invaluable, informal passing of wisdom from one pilot to another. By listening, you gain access to a collective library of hard-won lessons, a resource that deepens your understanding of what it truly means to fly safely. Whether you’re a student pilot, a seasoned captain, or simply fascinated by the realities of flight, these narratives offer a profound and practical education, one compelling story at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 95

"There I was..." An Aviation Podcast
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