Pilots Say What?

What do donuts have to do with becoming an airline pilot? For Thrust Flight graduate Steven Johnson, quite a lot. In this episode of Pilots Say What?, Zach sits down with Steven, the founder of Touch and Go Donuts, an aviation-inspired donut business he started to help support his family, fund future flight training, and build connections in the aviation industry.

What really changes when you go from student pilot to certified flight instructor (CFI)? Ian returns to Pilots Say What? to share his experience becoming a flight instructor at Thrust Flight and why teaching someone to fly is a completely different challenge from learning to fly yourself.

What does it actually take to go from flight school student to airline captain? Tanner shares his journey from starting flight training at Thrust Flight to becoming a professional airline pilot, including the challenges of earning his ratings, building flight hours, joining an airline cadet program, and transitioning from a CFI to flying commercial jets.

Can pilots go to therapy without risking their FAA medical certificate? Mental health in aviation has been a difficult topic for years, and many pilots still hesitate to seek help. In Episode 132 of Pilots Say What?, Zach sits down with Dr. Abigail Powell, also known as The Aviation Therapist, to discuss mental health in aviation, FAA medical concerns, checkride anxiety, and the psychological challenges of becoming a professional pilot.

Can someone who's afraid of flying actually become a pilot? In this episode of Pilots Say What?, Zach sits down with Thrust Flight student Troy Kirk to talk about his unexpected journey into aviation. After pursuing hockey and graduating from Purdue University, Troy decided to follow a completely different career path.

In this episode of Pilots Say What?, we sit down with aerobatic national champion and Thrust Flight aerobatic instructor Kurt Richmond to talk about what aerobatic flying can actually teach a pilot.

Becoming a CFI requires a completely different mindset than being a flight student. In this episode, we sit down with a Thrust Flight student who recently completed her CFI training to talk about learning to fly from the right seat, preparing for the CFI checkride, and making the transition from student to instructor.

Landon Haynes started flight training part-time while finishing high school and beginning college. After spending about nine months earning his Private Pilot License, he realized he wanted to take aviation seriously and move through his ratings faster.

In this episode of Pilots Say What?, Ashley and Cheyenne look back on their paths into aviation and talk about why they didn’t start flying sooner. From college degrees and working as a flight attendant to finally taking the leap into flight training, they share why starting later may have actually helped them succeed.

Can you use VA benefits for flight training? In this episode of Pilots Say What?, we sit down with Thrust Flight’s Tracy Copeland to break down how veterans may be able to use their benefits toward flight training.

Between aircraft availability, maintenance cancellations, instructor availability, finances, and inconsistent flying, nearly a year went by without earning his Private Pilot Certificate. In this episode of Pilots Say What?, Amin talks about why he eventually switched to Part 141 flight training, what changed once he had a structured training environment, and why he wishes he had made the move sooner.

Falling behind in flight school can make you question whether you’re cut out for it at all. In this episode of Pilots Say What, Matthew talks about struggling through private pilot training, failing stage checks, watching classmates move ahead, and learning how to stop comparing his progress to everyone else.

Zach sits down with new Thrust Flight CFI Guy Bassett to talk about what actually changes when you go from being the student to being the instructor.

Guy shares what surprised him most about teaching, the added responsibility of being the safety net in the airplane, how he manages different students, and what he’s learning during his first few weeks as a CFI. They also get into instrument training, multi-engine flying, and what it takes to keep improving after earning your instructor certificates.

Caleb went from working at Apple to completely changing careers and becoming a flight instructor at Thrust Flight.

In this episode of Pilots Say What, Caleb talks about what pushed him toward aviation, completing his flight training in 13 months, getting hired as a CFI, and the challenges that come with accelerated flight training. He also shares advice on staying motivated, avoiding comparisons with other students, instrument training, paying for flight school, and what it really takes to work toward an airline career.

Lan returned to aviation after spending 13 years away from flying, completed his CFI training at Thrust Flight, and later became a flight instructor at the school. Today, he is flying for SkyWest Airlines and making the transition from first officer to captain.

In this episode, Lan shares what it takes to go from instructing in a Piper Archer to flying a regional jet, how he overcame checkride and airline training failures, and why community is so important throughout flight training. He also explains what future airline pilots should expect when moving from student to CFI, first officer...

Brock went from working 90-hour weeks as a band director to completing his professional pilot training in roughly nine months. Along the way, he became the student other Thrust Flight students turned to for tutoring, encouragement, and help understanding difficult aviation concepts.

Melanie Hill joins us from Australia to discuss how Air Cadets helped launch her lifelong aviation journey, the wide range of careers available throughout the industry, and why exposing young people to aviation matters. She also shares how her experience inspired her middle-grade aviation novel, Jett Cooper, and what parents can do when their child begins showing an interest in flight.

In this episode of Pilots Say What?, Halley Bowers is back, this time, we’re going beyond her story and getting into practical flight training advice from her first few months as a CFI. Halley shares what she has learned from teaching instrument and commercial students, why backseating can be one of the most underrated tools in flight training, how students can handle critiques without losing confidence, and what CFIs are really watching as students progress through their ratings.

Julie Cable recently joined Thrust Flight as our Career Services Liaison, helping students and CFIs better understand what comes after flight training. In this episode of Pilots Say What?, Julie shares her experience from Delta, American Airlines, and airline hiring to explain what future airline pilots should be thinking about long before they hit 1,500 hours.

In this episode of Pilots Say What?, Zach sits down with Andrew Sowers at Thrust Flight’s Mesa location on Falcon Field Airport to talk about training in Arizona, the advantages of flying in the Phoenix area, and what it’s like going through an accelerated Zero Time to Airline program. Andrew shares why Arizona’s weather, terrain, and flying environment make Mesa such a unique place to train.

In this episode of Pilots Say What?, we sit down with John Duluth, a board member at the National Transportation Safety Board, retired American Airlines pilot, former 787 captain, and former Air Force C-130 pilot. John explains what the NTSB really does, how it differs from the FAA, and why accident reports can be one of the most valuable learning tools for student pilots, CFIs, airline pilots, mechanics, and anyone pursuing a career in aviation.

Will Garrison started at Thrust Flight with zero time, worked his way through flight training, became a CFI, later became an Assistant Chief Instructor, joined the Envoy cadet program, and now flies the Embraer 175 as a First Officer at Envoy.

In this episode of Pilots Say What, Tim sits down with Zach to talk about what it was really like starting flight training from zero time, moving across the country, taking on the financial risk, and learning how to handle the pressure that comes with becoming a pilot.

In this episode of Pilots Say What, Zach sits down with Jackson, a brand-new CFI at Thrust Flight, to talk about his path from Part 61 training, medical delays, and the uncertainty of whether aviation would actually work out, all the way to finishing his ratings and becoming a flight instructor.

In this episode of Pilots Say What, we sit down with Joe Johnson, an active American Airlines 777 Captain, check airman, DPE, and founder of the Ashton Johnson Memorial CloudDancer Scholarship. Joe shares what he has learned from decades in aviation, including what student pilots often get wrong during checkrides, why nerves can lead to bad decisions, and how pilots should handle high-pressure moments in the airplane. He also breaks down the difference between reacting and acting, why “slow is accurate, accurate is fast,” and what check airmen are really looking for when evaluating pilots.

Halley Bowers didn’t grow up around aviation. She was a first-generation pilot, originally pursuing college and marketing, until one discovery flight changed the direction of her life. In this episode of Pilots Say What, Halley shares how she went from testing the waters at a Part 61 flight school to moving seven hours away from home to continue her training at Thrust Flight. She talks about the transition into full-time flight training, what it was like switching from traditional six-pack instruments to G1000 avionics, and how she eventually became a Certified Flight Instructor.

Connor Emmett spent years chasing baseball at a high level, playing through college and eventually professionally in Detroit, Missoula, Montana, and Colorado Springs. But after stepping away from pro baseball, he realized he was still looking for a new challenge, a stronger sense of purpose, and a career path that pushed him to grow. In this episode of Pilots Say What?, Connor shares how he went from professional baseball to flight training, what drew him to aviation, and why becoming a pilot felt like an investment in himself.

Nick Bowman started out working as a welder in the Texas heat. After years in blue collar construction, he realized he wanted a different future and decided to give aviation a chance. In this episode of Pilots Say What, Nick returns to the podcast as a brand-new CFI at Thrust Flight. He talks about what it was like transitioning from student to instructor, why he switched flight schools during his training, how he finished the rest of his ratings at Thrust Flight, and what it feels like to now teach the next generation of pilots.

In this episode of Pilots Say What, Zach talks with Jackson Howard about becoming a CFI at just 20 years old, what the transition from student to instructor was really like, and how he navigated the competitive CFI job market after training. Jackson shares what made private pilot training the hardest rating for him, why he failed his first commercial checkride, what he learned from instructing outside of Thrust, and the advice he would give to anyone trying to land their first CFI job.

Jeremiah grew up around pilots, but for years he still had a fear of flying. In this episode of Pilots Say What, he shares how one discovery flight changed everything and set him on the path to becoming a CFI. He talks about switching careers, overcoming self-doubt in flight training, struggling through delays and setbacks in his private pilot journey, and what finally helped him break through. Jeremiah also shares honest thoughts on paying for flight school, building backup plans, and what it really takes to keep moving toward an aviation career.

In this episode of Pilots Say What, Cole Collins shares what it was like to start flight training, deal with the stress of checkrides, push through tough days, and eventually become a CFI at Thrust Flight. He talks about why slowing down matters, how chair flying can make a huge difference, what helped him get through plateaus, and what changed when he went from being a student to teaching others.

In this episode of Pilots Say What, Zach talks with Wil Black about becoming an Envoy Cadet Instructor while still working as a CFI at Thrust Flight. One of the biggest surprises in the episode is that he already has flight benefits before even reaching the airlines. They break down how the Envoy cadet pathway works, what it means to build time as an instructor, how airline partnerships can help open doors, and why this kind of opportunity can make the path to the airlines feel a lot more real.

In this episode of Pilots Say What, Travis shares how he left the corporate world and committed to becoming a pilot. He talks about what pushed him to finally make the change, what flight training was really like in the beginning, the setbacks he faced during private pilot training, and how those lessons helped shape his path from student to assistant chief pilot.

What happens when the path to becoming a pilot gets way harder than expected? In this episode of Pilots Say What?, Zach talks with Mike, a Thrust Flight student who went from working as a pilot scheduler at American Airlines to pursuing flight training full time. Mike shares how a past DUI led to a brutal FAA medical process that took over two years and cost him around $25,000, why he still refused to quit, what private pilot training was really like for him, and how faith, pressure, setbacks, and stage checks shaped his journey. This is a powerful episode...

In this episode of Pilots Say What, we talk with Adrian, a student pilot at Thrust Flight who recently completed his Private Pilot License (PPL) and is now starting instrument training. Adrian’s aviation journey started on the maintenance side. After working as an A&P aircraft mechanic, he decided to pursue flying and eventually made the leap into full-time flight training. In this conversation, he shares what pushed him to start training and what the private pilot experience is really like from a student perspective.

What does a 38-year career at American Airlines actually teach you about becoming a pilot? In this special 100th episode of Pilots Say What, we sit down with Bill Peterson, a retired American Airlines pilot who now mentors students and instructors at Thrust Flight. Bill shares insights from decades in aviation including airline hiring cycles, the realities of pilot lifestyle, how new pilots should approach their careers, and the biggest mistakes aspiring airline pilots make. Whether you're considering flight training, working toward the airlines, or just curious about aviation careers, this episode offers rare perspective from someone who spent...

What does it actually look like to start flight training later than most students? In Episode 99 of Pilots Say What?, we sit down with Tim — a newly minted CFI who made the decision to leave a stable tech career and pursue aviation full-time.

Ashley didn’t grow up planning to be a pilot. She was on track for a business and healthcare degree — until one discovery flight completely changed her life. In this episode of Pilots Say What?, Ashley shares what it’s really like transitioning from a Part 61 flight school to an accelerated Part 141 program, overcoming comparison, surviving commercial checkride pressure, and preparing for CFI training.

What if high school wasn’t just about checking boxes… but actually launching careers? In this episode of Pilots Say What?, we sit down with Scott Meehan, founder of Rising Aviation High School at Addison Airport. Scott shares how he built an aviation-focused high school from scratch — and why putting teenagers in real airplanes can be life-changing.

Jordan shares her journey from college classrooms to the cockpit as she works through commercial pilot training. In this episode, we talk honestly about choosing aviation over a traditional 9–5, what flight training actually feels like as a new student, and the mental challenges that come with private, instrument, and commercial training. This episode is perfect for anyone considering flight training, feeling overwhelmed early on, or wondering if aviation is really for them.