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Artwork for "There I was..." An Aviation Podcast

"There I was..." An Aviation Podcast

AOPA Air Safety Institute
Engine Failure
Backcountry Flying
Aviation Safety
Emergency Landing
General Aviation
AOPA Air Safety Institute
FAA
Flight Training
Pacific Northwest
Off-Airport Landing
AOPA
Emergency Procedures
Mile Hi Airstrip
Idaho
Flight Control Malfunction
Night Landing
Laser Strike
Alaska
NTSB
Mile Hi

There I was…, presented by the AOPA Air Safety Institute, invites you into the cockpit with pilots across the aviation community. We fly with them as they encounter unpredictable scenarios and we learn from the knowledge and skills they utilize to fly safely out of them. This podcast honors the tradition and heritage in aviation to leverage “hangar flying” as an avenue to pass along knowledge and ... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes94Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
LeisureAviation

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for "There I was..." An Aviation Podcast

Latest Episodes

Arkansas pilot Greg Robbins is flying to lunch with his wife when the front windscreen and side doors of his Aeroprakt A22LS suddenly blow out.

To see the video of the incident, click here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu23j1DsPOU

Newly minted instrument pilot Chris Yalanis launches on a long IFR trip in his Sling TSi. ATC issues a clearance that doesn’t match his plan, and a routine climb turns tense when he begins to pick up ice.

Brad Cohen test flies his homebuilt Zenith Zodiac 601 XL. About 20 hours into testing, while working on departure and accelerated stalls, Brad enters an unexpected spin.

Flight test engineer Joey Brown recounts a New Year’s Eve flight in his Cessna 150 with his wife, when their trip is interrupted by violent engine vibration and power loss.

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Chris Yalanis
GA pilot who flies a Sling aircraft, shares experiences as a relatively new instrument-rated pilot.
Episode: Episode 92: Icing in a Sling
Tony Williams
An experienced pilot with a background in various aircraft, and one of the pilots in command during the flight
Episode: Episode 89: Gear-Up Landing
Ben Taylor
A newly minted pilot currently training for his CFI ticket and part of the Cessna 401 flight crew
Episode: Episode 89: Gear-Up Landing
Doug Tilghman
A pilot with extensive experience in general aviation.
Episode: Episode 88: Bouncing on Empty
Bob Thomason
An 8,000-hour ATP-rated pilot based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Episode: Episode 87: Safety Pilot
Justin Lillie
Active-duty Marine, Chief, and pilot with a private pilot's license
United States Marine Corps
Episode: Episode 86: Engine Failure Over New Mexico
Mel Rushton
An experienced GA pilot with his single and multi-engine ratings, ATP and CFI certified with over 11,000 hours in various aircraft.
Episode: Episode 84: Missing Prop
Mujahid Abdulrahim
Professor of aerospace engineering and GA pilot with 24 years of flying experience.
University of Missouri, Kansas City
Episode: Episode 83: Stuck Controls
Erick Mahle
GA pilot based in South Florida, multi-engine and IFR rated.
Almond Flying Club
Episode: Episode 81: Hard Landing

Host

David O'Leary
Host of There I Was; affiliated with AOPA Air Safety Institute.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 480 ratings
  • Makes safety relatable!

    A lot of what you learn in getting your private ticket is sort of a, “this wouldn’t happen to me”, scenario. Engine and instrument failure, fuel issues, getting caught in unanticipated weather, bad checklist management, etc.

    It’s good not only to hear the solutions people came up with, but to hear about situations that happened to pilots just like me - only with a heck of a lot more experience.

    It’s nice to hear that the solutions that saved people’s lives are often the very basic ones that ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jrjmn9999
    United States5 months ago
  • Asks all the right questions

    David O’Leary asks all the right questions to give us listeners the best takeaways from the experiences of David’s interviewees. I’m especially thinking about his interview with flight test engineer Joey Brown, whose airframe knowledge and CRM usage were inspiring enough, but which was also brought out by David’s pertinent questions. Richard McSpadden had the same skill, and David carries that skill through to continue presenting the best information for listeners. Thanks to the ASI for hosting ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bill the pilot
    United States2 years ago
  • Pure gold content! I'm a post solo student pilot in Germany. Highly recommended!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Henry
    2 years ago
  • Here we are !!

    … listening to all those stories of fellow aviators who have gone through events we all try to avoid.

    Best GA podcast ever!

    Can’t express how thankful I am for you to share and give us the opportunity to learn from you.

    Keep the good work and fy safe - all of you out there.

    Thank you AOPA for reaching out to us helping to improve our skills and instincts!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ankoll
    Germany3 years ago
  • Must listen podcast!

    Great podcast for all kind of pilots and aviation enthusiasts!

    Thanks a lot and keep it up!

    Regards from Stuttgart!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MTU79
    Germany3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Relatable safety lessons with practical takeaways.
Accessible for students yet valuable for seasoned pilots.
High-quality production and compelling aviation stories.
Consistently emphasizes safety and decision-making under pressure.
Questions from the host elevate guest insights and learning points.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#3
United States/Leisure/Aviation
Apple Podcasts
#86
United States/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#6
Canada/Leisure/Aviation
Apple Podcasts
#18
United Kingdom/Leisure/Aviation
Apple Podcasts
#153
Canada/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#7
Australia/Leisure/Aviation

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 89: Gear-Up Landing
Q: Any more about planning for the flight, Ben, that you can add?
It was just eager to do it. I treated this as a huge learning experience that was going to be handed to me for free.
Episode 89: Gear-Up Landing
Q: How does it begin?
The annual took place over many months with the hope being that we're going to get this thing back in the air.
Episode 87: Safety Pilot
Q: What went through your mind?
The situation was surprising and required quick instinctual responses; the experience of trying to take control from a panicked pilot was unexpected.
Episode 86: Engine Failure Over New Mexico
Q: Was there ever any hesitation about declaring an emergency?
Initially, there was a brief hesitation, but Lillie knew he had to declare an emergency due to the engine failure.
Episode 86: Engine Failure Over New Mexico
Q: You didn't even change, you know? And I think that's a direct result of doing an engine out once a month.
Lillie emphasizes the importance of regular practice in maintaining confidence during real emergencies.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About "There I was..." An Aviation Podcast

What is "There I was..." An Aviation Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

There is a strong emphasis on real-world aviation emergencies, safety lessons, and decision-making under pressure. Episodes consistently center on pilots recounting actual in-flight events—from engine issues and icing to gear malfunctions—paired with practical takeaways, checklists, and CRM insights. Production quality and thoughtful questioning help distill lessons for both student and experienced pilots, with occasional focus on corporate and high-performance aviation. A notable strength is the casual hangar-talk style that still delivers rigorous, actionable safety content, making it appealing to listeners who want relatable narratives plus practical guidance.

A standout aspect is the breadth of guest backgrounds, spanning test engineer... more

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Which podcasts are similar to "There I was..." An Aviation Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with "There I was..." An Aviation Podcast:

1. AOPA Never Again
2. I Learned About Flying From That
3. Hangar Talk - An Aviation News Podcast
4. Ask the A&Ps
5. Pilot's Discretion from Sporty's

How many episodes of "There I was..." An Aviation Podcast are there?

"There I was..." An Aviation Podcast launched 9 years ago and published 94 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on "There I was..." An Aviation Podcast?

Recent guests on "There I was..." An Aviation Podcast include:

1. Chris Yalanis
2. Tony Williams
3. Ben Taylor
4. Doug Tilghman
5. Bob Thomason
6. Justin Lillie
7. Mel Rushton
8. Mujahid Abdulrahim

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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