Skyward Podcast

Pilots spend hours locked in cramped cockpits — and their bodies pay the price. In this episode of Skyward, host Pilot Mercedes sits down with Dr. Jackie White, PT, aviation physical therapist and founder of Skyline Wellness, to talk about what's actually going wrong in pilots' bodies and what to do about it.

Dr. Jackie breaks down the most common complaints she sees — low back pain, neck stiffness, shoulder tension — and why the cockpit itself is part of the problem. She shares simple movement habits you can do between flights, how to stay fueled when food access is unpred...

Cailyx Madensky shares her inspiring journey into aviation, becoming a commercial pilot trainee, and leading the Ninety-Nines Maple Leaf Chapter. We discuss overcoming COVID delays, the power of mentorship, staying motivated through setbacks, and building community with Let’s Discover Aviation Now events.

Chapters

00:57 Introduction to Aviation Dreams
02:59 The Journey Begins: From Curiosity to Training
05:57 Navigating Setbacks: The Impact of COVID-19
09:04 Family Ties: Sibling Support in Aviation
12:04 Mentorship and Guidance: Key Influences
15:03 Lessons Learned: Patience and Persistence
17:55 Future Aspirations: Goals in Aviation
21:07 Advice for Aspiring Pilots
22:53 Community En...

Pilot Mercedes welcomes back Alivia Chanyi, First Officer at Jazz, sharing ALPA’s pilot advocacy, two-crew safety push, mentorship, Dreams Take Flight’s magical Disney trips for kids, and Special Olympics impact. Inspiring aviation + community stories! Subscribe, comment your favorite moment, share with aviation friends.

Chapters

01:03 Introduction to ALPA and Mentorship Programs
02:50 Advocating for Aviation Safety and Security
06:03 Career Development and Community Building in ALPA
08:57 Dreams Take Flight: Creating Magical Experiences for Children
11:49 The Role of Air Canada in Dreams Take Flight
15:10 Planning a Dream Flight: Logistics and Volunteer Efforts
...

Discover how The 99s, Northern Lights Aero Foundation, and Canadian Women in Aviation empower women in Canada's skies! Pilot Mercedes chats with First Officer Alivia Chanyi (Jazz Aviation, CRJ pilot) about scholarships, mentorship, outreach, and building community in an industry where women are still underrepresented.

Key highlights:

The 99s history & global growthNorthern Lights: Elsie MacGill Awards & eventsCWIA conferences & connections

Inspired by women supporting women in flight? Share your thoughts—which org excites you most?

Subscribe, like, comment, and share with aspiring pilots!

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Alivia Chanyi and Women in Av...

9-to-5 drained? Try the reset: quick workout, top-down list, 25-min bursts. No burnout, real results from personal experience.

Chapters
01:07 Transitioning from Work to Study
05:12 Lessons from Past Mistakes
10:52 Effective Study Techniques
15:26 The Importance of Rest and Recovery

Subscribe for more pilot stories, flight training tips, aerospace insights, and aviation career advice. Like if these lessons hit home, comment your biggest training mistake below, and share with a fellow student pilot!

Learn more:
If you want to learn more about aviation or aerospace, reach out to Pilot Mercedes:
...

Pilot Alan Ash shares his first solo nerves, tense Everglades crossings, hailstorm landing as a student, and planes flown. Timeless GA lessons from a lifelong pilot.

Subscribe for more pilot stories, flight training tips, aerospace insights, and aviation career advice. Like if these lessons hit home, comment your biggest training mistake below, and share with a fellow student pilot!

Chapters:
00:44 Early Flying Adventures and First Solo Experience
11:28 Navigating the Everglades and Flight Safety
16:19 Diverse Aircraft Experiences and Lessons Learned

Learn more:
If you want to learn more about aviation...

In this episode, I open up about 4 personal flight training stories that shaped me as a pilot – and mistakes I hope you avoid:

My exhilarating (and hilarious) first solo at just 15 years old – the nerves, bumpy landing, perfect second try, and the mix-up that had my head instructor thinking I stole the plane! The costly lesson of NOT researching regulations when switching from Canada to US flight training – how ignoring FAA vs Transport Canada differences set me back during instrument ground school.How an unhealthy teenage relationship drained my energy and hurt my progress... until I learned the power o...

In this inspiring episode of Skyward, host Pilot Mercedes sits down with aviation legend Lola Reid Allin — one of Canada's earliest female commercial pilots, flight instructor, Twin Otter captain, award-winning author, photographer, and adventurer who's explored over 65 countries.

Lola shares her remarkable journey starting in 1979, when women in the cockpit were rare and often unwelcome. From battling family discouragement and societal expectations, to becoming the first female chief flight instructor at multiple schools, flying bush ops in the North, and facing intense challenges like electrical failures, spins, and outright discrimination — her story is one of resi...

As 2025 comes to a close, join host Pilot Mercedes for a special year-end episode of Skyward — the podcast that takes you behind the scenes of the aviation and aerospace world.
In this “Best of 2025” compilation, we revisit the most powerful, honest, and actionable advice shared by our incredible guests throughout the year. From seasoned airline captains and military pilots to flight attendants, hobby flyers, NASA-funded scientists, and those overcoming unique challenges like diabetes in aviation, this episode packs timeless wisdom for anyone passionate about flying.
You’ll hear standout insights on:

- Cultivating a growth mindset...

In this episode host Pilot Mercedes sits down with Captain Jason McGillis, an 18-year Royal Canadian Air Force maritime helicopter pilot and current CH-148 Cyclone instructor.
Jason takes us from joining the RCAF straight out of high school with ZERO flying experience → flying the legendary Sea King on deployments around the world → transitioning to the modern fly-by-wire Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone → and now teaching the next generation of Canadian naval aviators.
We go deep on:

Joining the Canadian Armed Forces as a pilot with no prior flight time
The intense RCAF pilot training pipeline (Phase 1, 2, 3 explai...

What really happens to living cells in the very first seconds of weightlessness? 

In this episode of Skyward, host Pilot Mercedes sits down with Dr. Rob Ferl – Distinguished Professor and Director of the new Astraeus Space Institute at the University of Florida – and the very first NASA-funded scientist to personally conduct real-time biological experiments during a trip to space on Blue Origin’s New Shepard (flight NS-19). 

This is NOT another tourist story. If you’ve ever wondered what the edge of space actually looks and feels like from a scientist-pilot’s seat, this is the closest...

Struggling with go or no-go decisions in aviation? Join Pilot Mercedes on the Skyward Podcast as she breaks down the critical factors every pilot needs to consider before flying. From regulatory vs. personal minimums to the I'M SAFE checklist, weather challenges, and aircraft capabilities, this episode is packed with practical tools for student pilots, private pilots, and even seasoned aviators preparing for a checkride or routine flight. Learn how to make safe, confident choices and avoid common pitfalls with real-world insights and a personal story of a checkride failure. ✈️

Free Show Notes:

https://docs...

Host Pilot Mercedes welcomes former Air Canada Captain & Lawyer Steve Steele to discuss his diabetes diagnosis that grounded him in 1986, the fight to allow insulin-dependent pilots in Canada (until early 2000s), simulator instruction in Hong Kong, family flexibility, and global aviation health rules. Key insights on pilot training, health barriers, and returning to the cockpit. 

Essential for Canadian pilots, flight training, and aviation podcast fans.

Free Show Notes:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d_R4MKTXpJovr5VAnc511OKv2k2p4wwBtahLf3evr-A/edit?usp=sharing

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