88. Smoke in the Cockpit

In this special 100th episode celebration of the ILAFFT podcast, Lisa DeFrees shares her insights and experiences from behind the scenes. We’ll take a nostalgic journey through our Top 10 favorite stories that captivated listeners over the past five years. Each tale resonates with the spirit of flying—be it the thrill of piloting, the challenges faced in the air, or the stories that connect us to the broader aviation community. As we reflect on the journey so far, we’ll also offer listeners a glimpse into future episodes. Join us for a memorable episode full of laughter, learning, and a shared passion for aviation.

Have you ever had problems locating an airport even from a few miles away? Altitude, sun angles, haze, and unfamiliarity with the airport can cause problems. And then there's the issue of which runway you should use. A VFR pilot in a Cessna 182 had a problem locating the field and the right runway and found himself very close to another airplane on approach to the correct runway. Hear what happened on this episode. 

There's a phrase used when talking about aircraft incidents that has become popular: “The holes in the Swiss cheese lined up.” And it happened to two pilots who encountered weather that almost brought them down … but not in a way one would expect. Snow-clogged engines, a cigarette lighter, differential pressures—the holes lined up. For the first time, Bob Rutherford shares the full story of what happened when his co-pilot caught fire.

Kevin Capozzi was the proud owner of a pressurized Cessna 337 Skymaster. He flew it a lot and knew its strengths and even its quirks, like fuel gauges that weren't always trustworthy. But he knew the fuel burn and meticulously kept track of it. So when both engines stopped almost simultaneously, the cause was a mystery. Hear what happened in this episode. 

On an airliner, one of the flight attendants has the responsibility to make sure the boarding door is closed and locked for the flight. On some much smaller airlines, it's the first officer's job. So what happens if it opens on its own at 8,000 feet? It's a potentially deadly situation for the plane and passengers, and it happened to today’s guest, Lori Cline. Hear her remarkable story.

Consider this scenario. You're a pilot who has a medical issue that prevents you from being PIC in your own airplane. And as you're waiting for the reinstatement of your medical, you enlist the help of a friend to sit in the right seat, the real PIC, so you can stay proficient even though you can't log it. But what if there's an incident? Who is responsible: you or the buddy in the copilot's seat? 

A ride in a Mustang ignited a dream for Don Wykoff, and he followed that dream into the Air Force, becoming an instructor pilot — an IP — before moving on to Vipers. And in the Air Force, even an instructor has an instructor. So when he and another IP flew together on a long cross-country, and when the weather went below minimums at their destination, get-there-itis left them with few options.

On a vacation trip with his wife in their Cherokee Arrow, FLYING Magazine columnist Les Abend experienced the dreaded zero charge indication on his panel. He was VFR on top and would have to fly into the clouds to get to an airport. Would his battery have enough juice to keep the panel going? What happened? And why did it happen again on the same trip?

Aviation is full of acronyms. And over the years, many have been forgotten because of great strides in technology. NDB, MLS, PAR, GCA, even VOR are gone or going away. FSS is seldom used because of the availability of ADS-B weather that can be viewed on an iPad. But in 1979, not having that technology almost cost the life of a pilot. 

NOTAMs are important. And as student pilots, we're taught to check them thoroughly before every flight. Even at our home airports things can change quickly, and NOTAMs can affect flight-planning decisions. But when one student pilot had to land at a different airport and then finally headed home, the pattern was very full. Was there a NOTAM for this congestion? Find out on this episode.