Welcome to your new weekly podcast from Plane + Pilot. Join host and Editor in Chief, Cayla McLeod as she shares relatable, engaging, and "fresh off the press" general aviation conversations from her work week and beyond.
Episodes
Flying the Turbine Cub: A Deep Dive Into the Carbon Cub ULT With VP Brad Damm
2 Nov 2026 · 26 min
In this episode of the Plane + Pilot Podcast, host Cayla McLeod sits down with CubCrafters VP Brad Damm at Tieton State Airport in Washington after getting a firsthand opportunity to put the new turbine-powered Carbon Cub ULT through its paces. From its surprising throttle response and…
40 Years of Quieter Flying: How Bose Changed the Aviation Headset
2 Oct 2026 · 25 min
Join host Cayla McLeod for the latest episode of the Plane + Pilot podcast as we celebrate 40 years of Bose and look back at the technology, engineering, and the historic flight that helped change what pilots expect from an aviation headset. In This Episode, We Cover: The Origins of Active Noise…
Teaching Pilots, Fighting Bureaucracy, and Flying for a Cause: Meet Master CFI Ken Wittekiend
28 May 2026 · 45 min
Join host Cayla McLeod for the latest episode of the Plane + Pilot podcast featuring longtime pilot, Master CFI, and FAAST Team representative Ken Wittekiend. From learning to fly in a 65-horsepower J-3 Cub to administering nearly 2,500 check rides across the country, Ken’s aviation journey is…
Flying the Alaskan Bush with STOL Champion Denny Serie
21 May 2026 · 34 min
Welcome to the latest episode of the Plane + Pilot podcast! This week, Cayla McLeod comes to you straight from the ramp at the Valdez Pioneer Field (KVDZ) in Valdez, Alaska. McLeod sits down with veteran Alaskan bush pilot Denny Serie to discuss the realities, challenges, and thrills of flying in…
Flying with Purpose: Darren Pleasance on AOPA, What’s Next, and Finding True North
13 May 2026 · 33 min
Join host Cayla McLeod for a chilly episode of the Plane + Pilot podcast, recorded right on flight line in Valdez, Alaska! In this episode, Cayla sits down with general aviation enthusiast, accomplished business leader, and author Darren Pleasance. Darren shares his journey from a 13-year-old kid…
Get to know the Aviat A-1C Husky with VP Matt Hofeldt
7 May 2026 · 24 min
In the latest episode of the Plane + Pilot podcast, Cayla sits down with Aviat Aircraft Vice President of Brand, Matt Hofeldt, for a candid conversation recorded during Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo. Together, they discuss all things Aviat, the iconic Husky, and how backcountry flying can open the…
Surviving the Backcountry: Aviation Medicine, Helmets, & The 6 C's with Dr. Jon Miller
4 May 2026 · 41 min
Welcome back to the Plane & Pilot Podcast! In this episode, Cayla sits down with Dr. Jon Miller, an Idaho-based backcountry pilot and emergency medicine physician, to bridge the critical gap between general aviation and survival medicine. Dr. Miller shares his unique journey from ski bum and raft…
From DC-3s to "American Sky": Meet Aaron Tippin
23 Mar 2026 · 39 min
In this episode of the Plane + Pilot podcast, host Cayla McLeod sits down with country music star and lifelong aviator Aaron Tippin. While many fans know him for his chart-topping hits, aviation has always been at the core of his story. From his early days as a commercial pilot and flight…
Navigating the Future of Aviation Media with Firecrown's Ryan Ewing
19 Mar 2026 · 32 min
In this special episode of the Plane + Pilot podcast, host Cayla McLeod sits down with her boss, Ryan Ewing, who leads the entire aviation division at Firecrown. Ryan shares his lifelong passion for the industry and pulls back the curtain on what it takes to run a large group of legacy aviation…
Meet American Legend Aircraft’s Test Pilot, Danny Goggans
12 Mar 2026 · 30 min
Welcome back to the Plane + Pilot podcast. This week we’re sitting down with Danny Goggans, the official flight instructor and test pilot for American Legend Aircraft out of Sulphur Springs, Texas. Danny walks us through his 46-year aviation journey—from building and flying model airplanes as a…
Sweat Equity, Mentorship, and the Tango 31 Aero Club with Savannah Hunter
4 Mar 2026 · 45 min
Join host Cayla McLeod as she sits down with Savanna Hunter—commercial pilot, flight instructor, and Director of Operations for the Tango 31 Aero Clube in McKinney, Texas.In this episode, Savanna shares her unconventional path into aviation and how she earned her private pilot certificate through…
From Orchard to Airpark: Inside Pecan Plantation with Mike Murphy
25 Feb 2026 · 13 min
In this episode of the Plane and Pilot podcast, host Cayla McLeod flies into one of the country’s most distinctive fly-in communities: The Landings at Pecan Plantation. Joined by Sales Manager Mike Murphy, Cayla tours this expansive 4,200-acre gated airpark situated just southwest of Fort Worth in…
Protecting and Preserving the Backcountry: Meet RAF President Bill McGlynn
10 Feb 2026 · 45 min
On this episode of the Plane & Pilot podcast, Cayla is joined by Bill McGlynn, President of the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF).With over 30 years in the cockpit, Bill shares his deep-rooted passion for the American backcountry and the vital mission to keep it accessible.They discuss the…
Flying, Policy, and Public Service with Shelly deZevallos
9 Feb 2026 · 32 min
In this episode of the Plane and Pilot Podcast, we sit down with Shelly deZevallos, a fifth-generation Texan and third-generation pilot with a deep-rooted passion for aviation and public service. Based at the family-owned West Houston Airport, Shelly shares her unique journey from learning to fly…
From Breakaway to Boomerang: Mike Sasser on Aircraft Brokerage, the CubCrafters lineup, and Transitioning to Helicopters
4 Feb 2026 · 43 min
In this episode of the Plane + Pilot podcast, host Cayla McLeod sits down with aviation entrepreneur Mike Sasser at the Hank Sasser Breakaway Airport outside of Austin, Texas. Fresh off a diverse morning of flying, Mike shares his journey from a wide-eyed thirteen-year-old on an introductory…
STOL Drag Racing with Levi Noguess
12 Jan 2026 · 45 min
In this episode of the Plane + Pilot podcast, host Cayla McLeod sits down with Levi Noguess to recap his debut at the High Sierra Fly-In. Levi shares the story of his journey to the Dead Cow Lakebed in a borrowed Legend Aircraft Nomad, including a cross-country trek through New Mexico and Nevada…
Backbone of the Backcountry with Heart X Outfitters
9 Jan 2026 · 40 min
Join host and Editor in Chief Cayla McLeod for an in-depth conversation with Gus and Courtney Thoreson, the owners of Heart X Outfitters. In this episode, we explore the vital intersection of general aviation and the rugged outfitting lifestyle throughout the remote Idaho backcountry. Gus and…
The High Stakes and High Rewards of Backcountry Aviation
7 Jan 2026 · 43 min
In the first episode of the Plane + Pilot Podcast, Editor in Chief, Cayla McLeod, sits down with seasoned backcountry instructor and tailwheel CFI, Aaron Foster, at the Missoula Montana Airport (KMSO) for a detailed chat on the high stakes and high rewards of backcountry flying. From the critical…