Strap in for Hot Topic #7 on the Black Box Aviation Podcast with Tom & Mike! This week, we’re going back to basics with a beginner-friendly walkthrough of a standard traffic pattern—something every pilot in training will experience on their first flight toward earning a Private Pilot License (PPL).
With Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) Mike sharing real-world insights from thousands of instructional hours, we break down the entire first flight experience—from taxiing out, taking off, and entering the pattern to nailing the landing. Learn about:
✈️ Pre-flight mindset & taxiing tips
✈️ Radio calls: who’s handling what
✈️ P-Factor, rudder, and initial climb
✈️ Downwind leg, spacing, and situational awareness
✈️ Final approach, flare, and smooth landings
✈️ And yes—checklists!
Plus, we share two must-have resources for any aspiring aviator:
📘 FAA Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
📕 The ASA Complete Private Pilot by Bob Gardner
📬 Questions or feedback? Reach us at:
📧 Email: theblackbox01@yahoo.com
📱 Instagram/X: @the_black_box01
📞 Hotline: (203) 699-6792 (Leave your name—we might play your question on the show!)
Whether you're just getting curious about flying or you're already deep into your training, this episode will give you a clear picture of what to expect—and how to stay safe and sharp in the sky.
Black Box Aviation: Where aviation meets adventure.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!