Show Notes
What do British cycling, Formula 1 and modern flight training tell us about the power of making small changes in what we do? In this captivating episode of Like a Pilot, host Phil Wilkes immerses listeners into the high-stakes world of piloting, starting with a dramatic engine failure scenario during takeoff. This intense experience serves as a backdrop for exploring the evolving landscape of modern flight training. Phil delves into the shift from focusing solely on critical scenarios like engine failures to emphasizing core competencies crucial for safe flight and the transformative power of incremental change. With insights from aviation training to elite sports, this episode inspires a mindset of continuous improvement and the pursuit of excellence in any endeavour.
More from Like a Pilot
You've spent hours cramming for exams, only to forget almost everything weeks later. Sound familiar? Pilots have to retain an extraordinary amount of information throughout their careers. So how do they make it stick? In this episode of Like a Pilot, discover the surprising science behind studying less, remembering more, and making knowledge last. Your brain might never be the same again!
How do pilots deal with jet lag? Where do they sleep on an aircraft? Wait! What? Pilots sleep while they’re at work? In this episode of Like a Pilot, Phil takes you behind the scenes of long-haul flying to explore the strange world of crew rest, tactical naps, body clocks and sleeping at all the wrong times. We’ll look at American International Airways Flight 808 and discover what happens to performance when we stay awake too long. We’ll also unpack the two factors that determine when you’re actually ready to sleep. After excursions to London and Laguna Seca Raceway, Phil will leave you with some practical strategies for resetting your own sleep when shift work, travel or life knocks it sideways.
In thunderstorms and pouring rain, Air France 358 touches down in Toronto. Nearly half the runway is already behind it. Seconds later, the Airbus A340 is in a ravine, destroyed by fire. How does a serviceable aircraft, flown by experienced pilots, run out of runway? In this episode, we look at useful catastrophizing — structured “what if?” thinking — and why risk management is not just about identifying threats. It is about weighing responses, watching for indicators, and actually executing when the moment arrives. Because a Plan B only protects you if you actually use it.
We often think of role models as polished success stories. But in aviation, some of the clearest lessons come from people you would never want to become. In this episode, Phil explores how pilots learn by watching the people around them — the captains they admire, the ones they don’t, and the mentors who shape their growth more directly. From flight decks to ski slopes to race tracks, this is a story about role models, mentors, and why good modelling isn’t copying. It’s careful borrowing.
Leadership is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot, but what does good leadership actually look like? And why does it matter at all? We’ve all had bad bosses. The screamer. The idea-stealer. The plain incompetent. The one asking for sacrifice from behind a locked door. In this episode of Like a Pilot, Phil looks at the damage bad bosses cause and offers an alternative: a practical, no-nonsense guide to leadership that applies just as well in the flight deck, the boardroom, or around the kitchen table.