Aviation Mentors

⛽ What happens when the fuel burn you were promised isn't the fuel burn you get?

In this episode, Brandon Martini and Carson Vasquez break down part one of Brandon's ferry flight in an ICP Savannah S, a light sport airplane he had never flown, from Georgetown, Texas toward California. Brandon walks through how he planned fuel for an unfamiliar aircraft, why he didn't trust the owner's numbers, and the moment over the Arizona desert ...

✈️ Flight review coming up? Brandon walks through his 2-year flight review in a twin, from stalls to steep turns to one very human radio mistake.

Co-host Carson Vasquez is out this week, so Brandon Martini takes the mic solo for an episode built around his own flight review. He covers what he practiced, what felt rusty, and what it taught him about staying proficient.

• What a 2-year flight review looked like in a twin: power-on an...

Fuel starvation kills more pilots than mechanical failure ever will, so why do so many still skip the fuel stop? ⛽

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down real fuel exhaustion accidents pulled straight from recent aviation news, then share a personal story of nearly running dry over the desert in an Icon A5. They unpack the exact planning mistakes that turn a routine cross country into a fuel e...

✈️ What does it take to plan a cross-country flight when almost nothing is certain?

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon shares his in-progress cross-country trip to Austin, Texas to pick up a brand-new-to-him ICP Savannah light sport aircraft, flying it home to California with his friend Herb. Brandon and Carson break down the real-time decision-making that goes into a flight like this, including:

• Route optio...

Should you switch flight schools if your rates just went up? Is 45 hours without a checkride sign-off normal, or a red flag? ✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson tackle four listener questions that hit close to home for every student pilot working through primary training. From navigating rising flight school costs to knowing when a CFI's caution is protecting you (not stalling you), the hosts break...

✈️ What does it take to flight test a brand-new aircraft before it's ever earned its wings?

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson sit down with flight test engineer and glider champion Adriana, who holds 34 soaring records and built the FlyORKA app. She shares her path from reading test pilot biographies as a teenager to flight testing prototypes for Gulfstream, plus why gliders make pilots sharper and ...

Can an AI really get you through your checkride, or is it setting you up to fail? 🤖✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Carson flies solo to break down the fast-growing wave of AI tools built for checkride and ground school prep. He walks through what's actually useful, what's overhyped, and where trusting the wrong answer could cost you more than a bad grade.

• How Sporty's new AI suite (ChatCFI, ChatFAR, and an or...

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday — what really happens when the engine quits and there's no runway in sight? ✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down the real Huntington Beach beach landing that had pilots buzzing, then dig into aviation history to explain why golf courses keep showing up as emergency landing spots. The hosts cover:

• The real mayday call and engine failure behind the Huntington...

Buying or selling a plane? There's a costly mistake hiding in the logbooks that most people never see coming. ✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down the real process behind buying and selling an airplane, using Carson's recent sale of his Icon A5 as a live example. They cover:

• Why a pre-buy inspection is non-negotiable, even on a $20,000 airplane, and what mechanics actually look for
• How ...

What does it really cost to experience the biggest airshow in the world? ✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down everything pilots need to know about EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, from ticket and membership costs to what it's really like to fly in and camp under your wing. With this year's event just days away, the hosts share firsthand stories and answer the questions most first-timers have:

• W...

Flying a drone near an airport? The rules might surprise you. 🛸

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down Part 107 and what every pilot, student, and CFI needs to know about sharing the airspace with drones. From personal drone stories to real FAA enforcement cases, the hosts cover:

• The difference between recreational (TRUST test) and commercial (Part 107) drone rules
• Registration, weight limi...

🌍 Failed a checkride? You're not alone, and it's not the end of your aviation journey. ✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down what a checkride failure or discontinuance actually means for student pilots, plus dig into the differences between Part 61 and Part 141 flight schools, why general aviation airports keep shutting down, and why fewer people are flying just for fun these days. The ho...

A Chinese-owned aircraft maker just landed on the Pentagon's radar, and Cirrus pilots want to know what it means for them.

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down the news that Cirrus's parent company, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), has been added to the Pentagon's list of Chinese military-linked companies operating in the US. The hosts walk through what the designation actually...

Is Cirrus secretly owned by a Chinese company, and could carbon monoxide be hiding in your training aircraft right now? ✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson tackle a stacked listener Q&A covering the biggest questions general aviation pilots are asking right now. Carson also catches Brandon off guard with breaking news about Cirrus. They cover:

• Carson asks Brandon if he's heard the news: the ...

Flight training in 2026 — is it still worth it, and what do the numbers actually say? ✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Carson delivers a data-driven state of the union for flight training in 2026. Real numbers pulled from FAA records, industry surveys, and airline hiring reports. Carson breaks down:

• The real state of airline hiring in 2026, with actual numbers from American, United, and Delta
• Why 2025 was ...

Can you fly without aviation insurance and what happens if you do? ✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson sit down with Tomer Kashi, CEO and co-founder of Skywatch, and Stephanie Kleeberg, head of sales and customer service, to break down everything pilots need to know about aviation insurance. They discuss:

• What renters insurance actually covers and why every student pilot needs it before their fi...

Putting all your squawks into Claude and comparing it with flight data and seeing who's breaking the planes. ✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson just got back from AeroSummit 2025 in Miami and break down everything that happened, from a heated on-stage FAA debate to a live $10,000 scholarship announcement. The hosts discuss:

• How AI is now being used in flight schools to identify which instructor...

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down everything you need to know about AeroSummit 2026, happening May 20 through 22 at the JW Marriott Turnberry in Aventura, Florida. From the session lineup to networking opportunities, here's what's in store:

• Dedicated tracks for student pilots, CFIs, and flight school owners
• Keynote speaker Stephanie Goats and panels on the future of flight training
• Sess...

Runway incursions, airline bankruptcies, and what it all means for your future in the cockpit. ✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down the latest aviation headlines and what student pilots and aspiring airline professionals need to understand about a rapidly shifting industry. From a shocking runway collision at LaGuardia to Spirit Airlines ceasing operations, the hosts cover:

• The LaGuard...