The spotted cow tradition lives on as the crew discusses building instrument flows (Wendy's "source-morse-course" wisdom), why updating flows is harder than you think (law of primacy), and the great EFB pricing debate (Sky Demon €120 vs ForeFlight $370+ in Europe). Plus: celebrating no-go decisions as bigger accomplishments than completing flights, Ted's minimalist wedding where the Uber driver waited outside, and why being in aviation has made Ted realize there's a countable number of summers left in his life—a perspective his 18-year-old brain never understood.

In this episode:

• "Source-Morse-Course" - Wendy's instrument flow (identify source, check morse code, set course)
• "I need more flow, not more to-do lists" - Brian's IFR struggles
• Law of primacy: How hard is it to update flows once you've learned them?
• Ben's multi flow stuck in his head: "Mixers forward, props forward, throttles forward, identify, feather, verify"
• Building the helmet fire muscle through repeated exposure
• Sky Demon €120 vs ForeFlight $370+ in Germany (3 more hours of flying time difference)
• Richard Yankee88: Flew to New Orleans, drove to Texas instead of flying - "That's a bigger accomplishment"
• Doug F: "I loved my private checkride. Someone wanted to ask me aviation questions!"
• "Maybe I'm overthinking this" - The most midlife phrase in Discord

Great moments:

• Ted's minimalist wedding: "The Uber driver was waiting. That's how long my ceremony took" (5 people total)
• "We have a 50% success rate for anything we talk about" / "We're like a broken clock—right twice a day"
• Notice of Disapproval pads: New merch idea
• Garmin sponsorship dreams: "Everybody has a price" / "Refurb 430s for everybody!"
• Alternative sponsors: "Icy Hot? That's more realistic"

Thaden Invasion: March 13-15, 2026 at VBT, Bentonville, Arkansas - RSVP at midlifepilotpodcast.com (parking limited!)

Mentioned on the Show:

• Midlife Pilot Podcast - Thaden Invasion 2026
• Checkmate Aviation - IFR checklists and flows
• Sky Demon Flight Planning
• ForeFlight
• Garmin Pilot
• New Glarus Spotted Cow Beer
• Google My Maps

Support the Show:

• Patreon.com/MidlifePilotPodcast - Discord access & checkride debriefs
• MidlifePilotPodcast.com - Merch & Thaden Invasion RSVP
• youtube.com/@midlifepilotpodcast - Live Mondays 8PM ET

10% of Patreon proceeds support Freedom Aviation Network's anti-human trafficking efforts

Closing wisdom: "A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures."