Welcome to FAA Decoded, the channel where aviation comes to life! Whether you're a pilot, an aviation enthusiast, or simply curious about how the skies work, we’re here to break down the complex world of flight into clear, engaging, and insightful content. From airspace regulations and FAA policies to operational know-how and the science of aviation, our podcast-style episodes dive deep into the topics that matter. Join us as we decode the rules, explore the systems, and share practical know ...
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FAA Decoded Podcasts
A podcast on all things General Aviation from the team at VSL Aviation.
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Decoder is a show from The Verge about big ideas — and other problems. Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to a diverse cast of innovators and policymakers at the frontiers of business and technology to reveal how they’re navigating an ever-changing landscape, what keeps them up at night, and what it all means for our shared future.
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Decoding ATC: The Art of Radio Communications
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Send us a text Decoding ATC: The Art of Radio Communications | FAA Decoded Podcast #35 Welcome back to FAA Decoded! In Episode 35, a concise 26-minute session, we’re continuing our new series, “Behind the Cockpit,” by tackling one of the most critical skills a pilot can master: radio communications with Air Traffic Control (ATC). Drawing from the o…
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Rewind: Bookshop CEO's crusade to save books from Amazon
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Hello, and welcome to Decoder! This is Senior Producer Nick Statt. We’re on a small break for the end of summer, and, sadly, Nilay will still be out a little while longer when we come back. But we have an excellent slate of guest host episodes starting up next month, so stay tuned for those. In the meantime, we wanted to bring back one of our favor…
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Hello! Decoder senior producer Kate Cox here. I’m afraid I’m still not Nilay, but I hope you’ve been enjoying our series of guest hosts this summer while he’s out on parental leave. We have a few more really great guest episodes coming up, before Nilay returns to the host chair later this fall, so stay tuned. The production team is taking our own b…
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Bird Strikes: Lessons, Tools, and Survival Strategies
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In this episode of the VSL Aviation Podcast, host Seth Lake shares a live seminar from the North Little Rock Airport on the realities of bird and wildlife strikes. Drawing from Arkansas accident cases, military and airline experience, and FAA safety resources, Seth explores the history of bird strikes, why Arkansas sees higher numbers than average,…
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Amazon is betting on agents to win the AI race
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This is Alex Heath, your Thursday episode guest host and deputy editor at The Verge. One of the biggest topics in AI these days is agents — the idea that AI is going to move from chatbots to reliably completing tasks for us in the real world. But the problem with agents is that they really aren’t all that reliable right now. There’s a lot of work h…
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How the head of Obsidian went from superfan to CEO
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Obsidian is a note-taking and productivity app that occupies the same "second brain" space as competitors like Notion — but in a lot of ways, it's also startlingly different. Obsidian's files are Markdown-based, stored locally on your own devices, and completely free to use. Steph Ango, the CEO, is also different in a lot of ways: He's not an Obsid…
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ChatGPT chief Nick Turley doesn't want you too attached to AI
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This is Alex Heath, your Thursday episode guest host and deputy editor at The Verge. Today, I’m talking to a very special guest: Nick Turley, OpenAI’s head of ChatGPT. While Sam Altman is definitely the public face of OpenAI, Nick has been leading ChatGPT’s development since the very beginning, and it’s now the fastest-growing software product of a…
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Notion's CEO wants you to demand better from your tools
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This is Casey Newton, founder and editor of Platformer and cohost of the Hard Fork podcast. This is the second episode of my productivity-focused Decoder series I’m doing while Nilay is out on parental leave. Today, I’m talking with Notion cofounder and CEO Ivan Zhao. I’ve followed Notion for quite some time now — I’m a big fan, and I use Notion as…
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GitHub's CEO says AI coding is ‘here to stay’
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This is Alex Heath, deputy editor at The Verge. My guest today is GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke. In many ways, GitHub Copilot set off the current AI coding boom. But since Thomas was on the show a year ago, the rise of vibe coding has shifted the buzz to newer platforms like Cursor and Windsurf. As you’ll hear in our conversation, Thomas is thinking a l…
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More Than Skin Deep: Enhanced Preflight Inspection for GA Pilots | Seth Lake Safety Seminar
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In this detailed safety seminar, DPE and CFI Seth Lake walks pilots through an enhanced preflight inspection process—going beyond the surface-level checks most pilots perform. Using real NTSB accidents from Arkansas, Seth highlights how minor oversights—like frayed throttle cables, loose spark plugs, or degraded exhaust components—can result in cat…
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This is Casey Newton, founder and editor of the Platformer newsletter and cohost of the Hard Fork podcast. I’ll be guest hosting the next few episodes of Decoder while Nilay is out on parental leave. For the next three weeks, I’ll be talking to leaders in the productivity space about what they’re building, and how they can help us get things done. …
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Live Q&A: CFI Renewals, MEI Training Tips, Wet vs Dry Leases, Aircraft Ownership & More
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In this live Q&A session of the VSL Aviation Podcast, Seth Lake tackles a wide range of pilot questions from Discord, Instagram, and YouTube. Topics include: CFI Gold Seal renewals and FISDO processing Understanding static pressure and pitot systems Preparing for Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI) training Teaching depth for CFIs and avoiding informatio…
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Checkride Insights Ep. 4 — Jeremy Lashbrook on Airworthiness, Checkride Errors, and CFI Rolls
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In this episode, Seth sits down with Jeremy Lashbrook, a seasoned pilot and Designated Pilot Examiner with over 26 years of U.S. Army aviation experience. Jeremy brings unique insight from his extensive background flying both rotorcraft and fixed-wing aircraft, EMS helicopter operations, and type ratings in multiple complex aircraft. Together, they…
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Why AI researchers are getting paid like NBA All-Stars
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This is Alex Heath, your Thursday episode guest host and deputy editor at The Verge. Today I'm joined by Hayden Field, The Verge’s new senior AI reporter to talk about the AI talent wars and why some researchers are suddenly getting traded like their NBA superstars. Both Hayden and I have been reporting on this for the past several weeks to get a s…
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This is CNBC journalist Jon Fortt. This is the last episode I’ll be guest-hosting for Nilay while he’s out on parental leave. My guest today is Richard Robinson, who is the cofounder and CEO of legal tech startup Robin AI. Richard is a corporate lawyer-turned-startup founder working on AI tools for the legal profession. But law and AI have not mixe…
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High Altitude Ops: Oxygen Systems & Pressurization Explained
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In this episode of the VSL Aviation Podcast, Seth takes a deep dive into high altitude operations, breaking down FAA requirements, oxygen systems, and cabin pressurization from both a technical and checkride prep perspective. Whether you're a Commercial, CFI, or ATP applicant, you'll gain practical insight on: • The types of oxygen systems you’ll e…
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FAA Medical Certificate: A Pilot's Health Check
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Send us a text FAA Medical Certificate: A Pilot's Health Check | FAA Decoded Podcast #34 Welcome back to FAA Decoded! In Episode 34, a critical 9-minute session, we're launching a new series, "Behind the Cockpit," by diving into the essential topic of the FAA Medical Certificate. Drawing from the official FAA medical regulations in 14 CFR Part 67 a…
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This is Alex Heath, your Thursday episode guest host. Today I'm talking with Gaurav Misra, the CEO of Captions. You may not have heard of Captions yet, but by now, you’ve probably seen a video that was generated using its AI models. The company’s Mirage Studio platform lets anyone generate AI versions of real people, and the results are alarmingly …
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Send us a text Night Operations Decoded | FAA Decoded Podcast #33 Welcome back to FAA Decoded! In Episode 33, a concise 23-minute session, we dive into the critical world of night operations, a topic that’s both challenging and essential for pilots. Drawing from the Helicopter Flying Handbook, we'll break down the unique physiological and environme…
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Why tech billionaires want a ‘corporate dictatorship’
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This is Jon Fortt, CNBC journalist. I’m guest-hosting for a couple more episodes of Decoder this summer while Nilay is out on parental leave. Today, I’m talking with a very special guest: Gil Duran, an old friend, journalist, and author of The Nerd Reich, a newsletter and forthcoming book about the shifting politics of Silicon Valley and the rise o…
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Perplexity CEO on why the browser is AI's killer app
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This is Alex Heath, deputy editor at The Verge. Nilay’s out on parental leave for the next few months, so I’ll be stepping in to host our Thursday episodes while he’s out. My guest today is Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas, who is betting that the browser is where more useful AI will get built. Perplexity just released Comet, an AI web browser for t…
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How decision making will change when AI answers are cheap and (too) easy
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This is Jon Fortt, CNBC journalist, co-host of Closing Bell Overtime, and creator and host of the Fortt Knox podcast. I’m stepping in to guest host a few episodes of Decoder this summer while he’s out on parental leave, and I’m very excited for what we’ve been working on. For my first episode of Decoder, a show about how people make decisions, I wa…
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Plane vs. Helicopter: Choosing Your Aviation Path
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Send us a text Plane vs. Helicopter: Choosing Your Aviation Path | FAA Decoded Podcast #32 Welcome to FAA Decoded! In Episode 32, a concise 15-minute session, we tackle a fundamental question for aspiring aviators: "Should I fly airplanes or helicopters?" Drawing from our recent deep dive, we'll quickly break down the core considerations for choosi…
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Inside the AI startup frenzy: ‘Everyone’s pivoting, then pivoting again’
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On this episode of Decoder, Ellis Hamburger — former journalist at The Verge, early Snap employee, and founder of the brand strategy studio Meaning — joins guest host Alex Heath to share why many AI founders are missing the bigger picture. Links: Meaning | Ellis Hamburger Social media is doomed to die | Verge I used the ‘cheat on everything’ AI too…
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It’s summertime, which means it’s time for our annual grilling episode. In years past we’ve talked to the leaders of Big Green Egg, Traeger, and Blackstone, and it’s always fascinating how those companies have all the same kinds of problems and ideas as any of the tech companies we have on the show. This time, I finally had the opportunity to sit d…
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Decoding VFR Navigation: Charts, Compasses, and GPS Essentials
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Send us a text Decoding VFR Navigation: Charts, Compasses, and GPS Essentials | FAA Decoded Podcast #31 Welcome back to FAA Decoded! In Episode 31, we embark on a comprehensive 60-minute journey through Chapter 16 of the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, where we unravel the critical art of VFR navigation. Whether you're planning your fir…
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Checkride Insights Ep. 3 — Nick Adcock on Preparation, Common Pitfalls, and Checkride Mindset
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In this episode of the VSL Aviation Podcast, host Seth Lake interviews Nick Adcock, a designated pilot examiner (DPE) with a rich background in military and commercial aviation. They discuss common pitfalls applicants face during checkrides, including logbook issues, airworthiness checks, and the importance of preparation. Nick shares insights on t…
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Mastering Helicopter Emergencies: Autorotation & Beyond
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Send us a text Mastering Helicopter Emergencies: Autorotation & Beyond | FAA Decoded Podcast #30 In Episode 30 of FAA Decoded, join us for an in-depth 44-minute discussion on Chapter 11 of the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, focusing on helicopter emergencies and hazards. We'll demystify autorotation, explaining this critical power-off …
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Why Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg went to war over WordPress
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Today, I’m talking with Matt Mullenweg, the founder and CEO of Automattic and the public face of WordPress. Last year, Matt essentially went to war, publicly and in the courts, against a hosting company called WP Engine, and there’s been significant fallout at Automattic and the broader WordPress community. It’s been a long, drawn-out saga. That sa…
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Checkride Insights Ep. 2 — Adam Boyd on Airworthiness, Instruction, and Checkride Readiness
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In this episode of the VSL Aviation Podcast, host Seth interviews Adam Boyd, a designated pilot examiner (DPE) with extensive experience in aviation. They discuss the importance of preparation for check rides, common pitfalls applicants face, and the significance of briefings and debriefings. Adam shares insights on airworthiness, endorsements, and…
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Send us a text Airport Operations Simplified | FAA Decoded Podcast #29 In Episode 29 of FAA Decoded, we dive into Chapter 14 of the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge for a focused 26-minute session on Airport Operations. Learn the essentials of navigating airport environments, from understanding runway markings and taxiway signs to masteri…
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Checkride Insights Ep. 1 — Tom Guillebeau on Setting Expectations and Avoiding Pitfalls
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In the premiere episode of Checkride Insights, Seth sits down with Tom Guillebeau, a seasoned Designated Pilot Examiner and C-130 instructor pilot with the Arkansas Air National Guard. Tom shares his journey from mowing lawns for flying lessons to becoming a military evaluator, and gives practical advice for checkride applicants—from setting expect…
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Hinge CEO Justin McLeod says dating AI chatbots is 'playing with fire'
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Today, I’m talking with Hinge founder and CEO Justin McLeod. Hinge is one of the biggest dating apps in the United States — it’s rivaled only by Tinder, and both are owned by the massive conglomerate Match Group, which has consolidated a huge chunk of the online dating ecosystem. Justin and I dug into that here, and we also explored some of the tho…
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