Ready For Takeoff - Turn Your Aviation Passion Into A Career

On the Ready For Takeoff Podcast web page for free videos, we are offering a great selection of FAA-produced videos, which normally sell for $24.95. These videos are available for free streaming, not just for the duration of the COVID pandemic, but FOREVER! Medical Facts for Pilots Aviation Physiology, Part I Aviation Physiology, Part II Aviation Physiology, Part III Aviation Threats, Part I Aviation Threats, Part II

Steve planned to be a professional baseball officer, but met a navy recruiter and was recruited to be an anti-submarine officer on the P-3 aircraft. After four years as an enlisted crew member, he was commissioned and attended training in Pensacola, flying EA-6Bs. In 2012, Steve was the Chief of Staff of a Naval Strike Group, with 33 years in the navy, and then became a teacher after his retirement. He also remained as a navy instructor in graduate school. He also had two tours of duty in the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) environment, working alongside air force personnel. Steve now serves as an electronic warfare Subject Matter Expert (SME) at Nellis Air Force Base.

This week we continue with our offer of FREE aviation videos. Here you will find videos that will help you prepare for a career in aviation or help you prepare for your airline checkride. These normally sell for $49.95 and, once again, you can stream these for free for the duration of the pandemic. The subjects are How to Get an Airline Job Airline Interview Power Successful Simulator Training Supercharge Your Scan Turbojet Systems Made Easy B737-300 Checkride Maneuvers B727 Practice Oral B727 Checkride Maneuvers On to another subject: the topic of RACE, especially as it applies to African-Americans, is occupying the news. According to OBAP, African-Americans are 13 percent of the American population but only account for 3 percent of professional pilots. Of the approximately 200 aviation professionals interviewed on the Ready For Takeoff Podcast, 18 of my guests have been African-American. That comes out to 9 percent. It’s less than 13 percent, but a LOT more than 3 percent, and I feel really blessed to ha

Having the desire to fly fighter jets since seeing the movie “Top Gun,” Chandra Beckman became part of the elite group of women who have flown United States Air Force fighter jets.  Chandra started her AF career in ROTC in 1993, the same year the Department of Defense lifted the ban on women flying combat missions, which opened the door for women to fly fighter jets. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from Arizona State University in 1998. After a delay due to an unexpected pregnancy, she attended USAF Pilot Training where she earned an assignment to fly the F-15C Eagle, and was the first woman to fly that aircraft as a mother. During her time flying the F-15C, Chandra supported the defense of the homeland through Operation NOBLE EAGLE and flew combat missions during the opening weeks of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.  Following three years flying the F-15C, she was one of only 3 women assigned to fly the first stealth fighter aircraft, the F-117A Nighthawk. During her time flying that aircraft,

After finishing my second combat tour in Vietnam, I left the service to become an airline pilot.  By 1979, I was a Systems Instructor for United Airlines with an underground following for my teaching style. With the introduction of the home VCR and video camera, one of my students approached me with the idea of creating Systems Reviews for pilots to help them through ground school — a first of its kind.  This was the genesis of the Aviation Training Video Industry. What started as a small ad in the back of Air Line Pilot Magazine grew into a million dollar company within the span of a few years. The courses ranged from Systems Reviews, to Test Preparation, to How to Get an Airline Job — all created on the latest video technology from 1979 to 1983. The Nolly Productions Systems Review Courses are now available free of charge during this global pandemic. These courses normally retail for $79.95, but I am offering them for FREE streaming for the duration of this pandemic. You can stream aircraft systems courses

Erik Lindbergh, a commercial pilot and certified flight instructor, is the grandson of Charles and Anne Lindbergh and son of Jon Lindbergh and Barbara Robbins. As 2002 marks the 75th anniversary of his grandfather’s Spirit of St. Louis transatlantic flight, Erik Lindbergh will recreate this 1927 milestone, illustrating the human spirit’s ability to dream, innovate and achieve one’s goals against many odds.   Though he leads an active lifestyle, Erik also suffers from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a progressive autoimmune disease marked by pain, tenderness, and inflammation of the joints, that nearly caused him to give up his passion for aviation when he was diagnosed at the young age of 21. RA crippled Erik for 15 years and only recently has he been active again. During his worst years with RA, Erik was forced to use a cane due to the severe pain that made it almost impossible for him to walk. Today, with the help of a breakthrough biotech drug, Enbrel, Erik has his life back and is in pursuit of his dreams. Usi

Though nothing can bring back the hour Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower; We will grieve not, rather find Strength in what remains behind:   Many of us have faced, or will soon face, employment disruptions, layoffs and job insecurity. No one can forecast what the aviation industry will look like in the future. In the short-term it will undoubtedly be different. It may be that airlines and employers go out of business, and your dream job no longer exists. At this critical juncture, don't lose sight of what is important in your life. Your loved ones will stand by you long after your employer has cast you aside. If you are considering suicide, please call the National Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-8255. If you are a veteran considering suicide, visit here. It takes an entire crew to get an airplane aloft. Don't handle this alone.          

Judy helps coach pilots as they transition in their airline career paths. She has been successfully conducting interview preparation services for 17 years, including 10 years as Lead Interview Preparation Coach and Vice President, Global Strategies at FAPA.aero. For over 40 years Judy has worked as an aviation consultant, writer and speaker specializing in the field of pilot selection and recruitment. Her career started with a American Airlines where she was responsible for facilitating the hiring of over 7,100 airline pilots. From AA, she was employed for six years as the President of a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Air Line Pilots Assn. (Universal Pilot Application Service). Since that time, she has consulted with several major air carriers along with government and industry aviation associations. She has been on two FAA Aviation Rule Making committees on pilot selection and has presented before organizations such as the NTSB, FAA, DOD and DOJ. Author of Expert Witness: Wrongful Death and  Flight Plan to t

Armed Forces Code of Conduct: Article I: I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense. Article II: I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist. Article III: If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy. Article IV: If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way. Article V: When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number and date of birth. I will evade answering further q

Five thousand feet up, pilots are flying some very important cargo across the country. It’s not people or packages these men and women have loaded into the back of their planes: It’s puppies – squirmy, soft and sometimes sad homeless animals who need a new leash on life. In recent years, rescue-pilot programs have taken off in the South and Northeast. Pilots, almost all of them volunteers who give their time and money to the cause on the weekends, shepherd homeless animals from high-kill shelters in states where adoption rates are usually low, like Alabama and South Carolina, and fly them miles away to animal rescues in the northeast or Central Florida. The animals, many of them young dogs, are adopted or fostered in places where more people are looking to find a furry friend to take home.click to enlarge Given their wings and the selfless mission to save lives, it might seem apt to compare these pilots to angels. But Michael Young, an Orlando rescue pilot who’s been transporting dogs via plane for the past s

Many have called her a vanguard as one of the first women fighter pilots for the United States Air Force and the first woman to fly in the elite USAF Air Demonstration Squadron, better known as the “Thunderbirds”. Titles and accolades aside, Nicole Malachowski has lived life according to a simple mantra – “Live an unscripted life.” Throughout her career ranging from combat fighter pilot to commander, to White House Fellow, and duty as a personal advisor to the First Lady concerning military service members, veterans and military families, Nicole sought opportunities that she had passion for, rather than ones that followed the expected progression in her career field. While that passionate, adventurous us spirit yielded a successful military career, Nicole’s flight path was not always smooth. Along the way, she learned how to use undaunted determination to overcome adversity, break some barriers, and live with a higher compassion for humanity. Sometimes you have to yield to a big obstacle in order to be able t

When you apply for a medical certificate, you are required to complete FAA Form 8500-8. Falsifying any information on this form can subject you to a five of $250,000 and five years in prison. If you have concerns about your ability to obtain a medical certificate, I recommend consulting an advisor before applying for your medical. One such advisor is David Hale, who you met in RFT 364. There are several situations in which a pilot can find himself/herself without a medical certificate. One such case could be where the pilot has simply allowed his/her medical certificate to lapse. Another case could be where the pilot applies for a certificate and is denied due to a medical issue that the FAA considers disqualifying. In that case, the pilot may not use any of the other strategies, such as BasicMed or Sport Pilot medical. Even with a denial, the pilot may continue to fly with a certificated pilot acting as Pilot In Command (PIC), as long as the aircraft does not require a copilot. The pilot may operate the co

Captain Pamela Carel, a Dallas, TX, native, graduated from the University of Texas, Austin, in 1986 with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering. Commissioned in December 1986, she was designated a Naval Aviator in 1988. She holds a MBA of Business and Management from Webster University, St. Louis, MO., and a M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from Naval War College, Newport, R.I. She completed Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) I with distinction through the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, 2008, and JPME-II at the Naval War College, 2011.   Captain Carel completed her first assignment as a Selectively Retained Graduate (SERGRAD) Instructor Pilot with Training Squadron (VT) 23. Her next two operational assignments were with Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 34 and Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22, flying the A-7E and F/A-18C, becoming the first female to qualify in combat in the F/A-18C. Operational tours included deployments in USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and USS Kitty Hawk(CV 63)  for

Leeham Co LLC was formed by Scott Hamilton in 1999 after the sale of the company he co-founded, Linkraven Ltd. Linkraven was formed in 1989 and published Commercial Aviation Report and Commercial Aviation Value Report and produced global conferences under the name Commercial Aviation Events. Commercial Aviation Report quickly became a leading source of news in airline and aircraft finance while Value Report brought to the forefront the world of aircraft appraisals. Events produced 60 conferences in 10 years, including the first aviation finance conference in Eastern Europe following the fall of the Iron Curtain; the first in Moscow; and the first in Beijing. Leeham is a globally recognized expert in aerospace issues, focused on the Big Four airframe Original Equipment Manufacturers (Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer) and the engine OEMs. Leeham provides aviation consulting focusing on business strategy, competitive intelligence. Clients seek industry trends and forecast for their strategic planning. The

When Jessica was born, both of her parents were shocked to find out that their baby did not have arms. They had no idea that she would be born differently because the pregnancy tests all showed average results. With the shock and unexpected news, Jessica’s mother Inez had a tough time accepting the truth and became quietly anxious about Jessica’s future. Jessica’s parents decided to integrate her into a regular environment as much as possible. She was enrolled in a public school, not a private or special needs school. Never thinking she was different, she did whatever the other children would do. But on the playground during recess, Jessica felt limited as people around her were overprotective and prevented her from climbing up the slide. In anger and frustration, Jessica sat on the swings dreaming of flying. Jessica graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Psychology and Communication. From the challenges she has overcome, she became an inspiration to many. Jessica realized her words and ex

The aviation environment is now flying in uncharted territory. Many airlines are flying empty airplanes and losing millions of dollars every day. Some will go out of business, and at others may enter bankruptcy. The airline landscape will surely look different this time next year.   During the past year, airline hiring was going gangbusters. Many of these same new-hires will find themselves receiving furlough notices. At the same time, pilots are retiring at record numbers. this will result in numerous upgrades at the airlines that survive.   General Aviation(GA) flight training has dried up as student pilots are either sheltering at home or social distancing, which precludes sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in a GA airplane. Flight Instructors are finding themselves without students, and without anyone to train they have no income.   These are tough times. And it's going to be stressful for a lot of us in the aviation community.   In 1967, Holmes and Rahe developed a Table of Life Stress Values. The table attemp

In 1979, I left the Air Force and was teaching at a major U.S. airline when a student approached me to create a home video ground school. At that time, traditional ground schools cost an arm and a leg and took a month of your time. The release of 727 Systems Review spawned the beginning of the Aviation Video Industry. This current pandemic has forced us to re-evaluate the Aviation industry business model. There will be layoffs. There will be cutbacks. Robust skillsets become valuable commodities for businesses that are forced to take on fewer employees. I have decided to release the entire archive of Nolly Productions training videos at no cost during this crisis. These videos were created between 1979 and 1991. Video technology has changed a lot in the last 40 years, but the fundamentals of Aviation are still the same. I will be releasing three series of courses in the coming weeks at Ready For Takeoff Podcast. Today, I will be releasing our Career Path videos (originally $49.95 each), which will co

Colonel Scott C. Campbell is the Assistant, Manpower and Operations, Headquarters, United States Air Force Academy where he assists in the oversight of aviation and summer programs, cadet assignments and course of instruction development.   Prior to assuming his current assignment, he served as Commander of the 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. He was responsible for one of the largest installations and flying operations in the United States Air Force, with more than 7,500 Airmen, 3,000 civilians, and more than 100 aircraft. He was responsible for organizing, training, and equipping a wing comprised of 20 squadrons, two of which were fighter squadrons. The wing provided A-10C aircraft for close air support and forward air control, combat support, and medical forces for combatant commander requirements worldwide. The 355th Fighter Wing was also responsible for training A-10C pilots for the entire Total Force and was the Air Combat Command executive agent for Intermediate Range Nuclear

If you plan on having a career in Aviation, it would be a wise move to have an alternate way of generating income, a Plan B. In this episode, General Borling shares an aviation story of his Plan B during a challenging overwater flight. One possible avenue of additional income is through the SOS America program of County Chairmen. General Borling explains how the program works and describes the potential for an additional source of income.

Linda Maloney is an award winning author, business owner, leadership development professional, speaker and former military aviator and officer. She spent 20 years in the Navy, first as an enlisted air traffic controller and then as a Naval Flight Officer, flying both the A-6 “Intruder” and EA-6B “Prowler.” She was one of the first women in U.S. history to join a combat military flying squadron and received numerous military awards, including the distinguished air medal for combat, awarded for flights flown over Southern Iraq in support of the no-fly zone during her deployment to the Arabian Gulf. She also was the first woman to eject from a Martin Baker ejection seat from her A-6 aircraft in 1991 over the Atlantic Ocean. Linda speaks throughout the country on topics such as Passing Down a Legacy, Leadership & Women, Women & Non-traditional Careers, Margin & Life Balance, Transitioning from Military Leadership to Business Leadership, and Aviation for K-12 Groups. Linda established Women Veteran Spe