5. Tom, the all-new private pilot

In episode 5, we go back to the European general aviation and speak with Tom, a newly-certificated private pilot in the Arcachon region around Bordeaux. This episode was recorded in late August, the same month Tom completed his checkride.

We talk about:

• How taking to pilots at a local bar sparked his interest in aviation
• How he discovered piloting after a scenic aerial tour of the bassin d'Arcachon
• Why made aviation different from what he was studying at the time
• The rather unique way they celebrate a first solo at his aéroclub
• What his training and his PPL checkrire were like and what he found most challenging
• Why you shouldn't hold the nose up too long on a Robin DR-400 after touchdown
• What his plans are, now that he's officially a pilot
• His message to student pilots and those aspiring to take up flying

Links to some things we mention in this episode:

• Tom's Instagram account: aviation.tom
• His home base of Arcachon (LFCH, La Teste de Buch)
• SDVFR, a free application for air navigation for iOS and Android
• Matt Guthmiller, who circumnavigated the globe on his single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza
• TheCandourist, who embarked with a friend on a round-the-world trip on a Cessna 210 (and who was joined for the Atlantic crossing by Matt).

We hope you enjoy the episode and wish Tom all the best in his journey to join the big guys! If you have any thoughts, ideas or suggestions for us, or you want to be a guest in the podcast, we'd love to hear from you! You can get in touch with us either by email (groundeffect[@]neustadt[.]fr), via Twitter (@thegroundeffect) or Instagram (groundeffectpodcast).

Host: Parimal Satyal
Support and Original Artwork: Maggie Oran
Podcast Music: Getting It All Together by RockitMaxx