Best FAA Decoded Podcasts (2025)

1
Mastering Advanced Helicopter Maneuvers 24:41

4d ago24:41

24:41

Send us a text Mastering Advanced Helicopter Maneuvers | FAA Decoded Podcast #28 Join us for Episode 28 of FAA Decoded, a focused 25-minute dive into Chapter 10 of the Helicopter Flying Handbook. We unpack advanced flight maneuvers, guiding pilots through critical techniques like high and low reconnaissance, maximum performance takeoffs, and rapid …

1
Hinge CEO Justin McLeod says dating AI chatbots is 'playing with fire' 1:07:28

10h ago1:07:28

1:07:28

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…

1
Personal Minimums, Risk Management, and 135 Checkrides: What You Need to Know 1:00:59

1d ago1:00:59

1:00:59

In this episode of the VSL Aviation Podcast, Seth dives deep into the often-misunderstood topic of personal minimums—how to build them, stick to them, and apply them on checkride day. Using FAA guidance and practical examples, he outlines real-world risk management techniques, including when to cancel a flight and how to safely mitigate marginal we…

1
Decoding the ACS | Part 5 - Mastering Airspace: Private, Commercial, and CFI-Level Scenarios 1:00:55

5d ago1:00:55

1:00:55

This is Episode 5 in the Decoding the ACS series, where we break down the Airman Certification Standards one task at a time. In this episode, we cover Area of Operation I, Task E: National Airspace System. Whether you're preparing for your Private Pilot, Commercial Pilot, or CFI checkride, this session explains how this task is tested across all th…

1
Monopoly isn’t a game (with Lina Khan) 1:04:36

11d ago1:04:36

1:04:36

Hey everyone, it’s Nilay. Decoder is on a short summer break right now, but we’ll be back starting June 23 with new episodes, and we’re very excited for what we have on the schedule. In the meantime, we have an episode from the excellent podcast Stay Tuned with Preet, with host and former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. Last month, Preet sat down with…

1
Aircraft Construction Uncovered 37:24

11d ago37:24

37:24

Send us a text Aircraft Construction Uncovered | FAA Decoded Podcast #27 In Episode 27 of FAA Decoded, we explore Chapter 3 of the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge in a concise 37-minute session. Discover the fundamentals of aircraft construction, from FAA certification and airworthiness standards to the four forces of flight—lift, thrust…

1
Taskrabbit CEO Ania Smith isn’t afraid of AI robots replacing human labor 1:11:45

14d ago1:11:45

1:11:45

Today, I’m talking with Taskrabbit CEO Ania Smith. Taskrabbit is an interesting company; it’s known best for being a platform for hiring people to put together your furniture, so much so that Ikea acquired it in 2017. But Taskrabbit is still operating as a mostly independent company all these years later, and Ania is now in charge of maneuvering a …

1
IFR Flight Essentials 1:51:43

17d ago1:51:43

1:51:43

Send us a text IFR Flight Essentials | FAA Decoded Podcast #26 Welcome to Episode 26 of FAA Decoded! In this comprehensive 1-hour-and-52-minute episode, we dive deep into Chapter 10 of the Instrument Flying Handbook to break down the essentials of IFR flight. From preflight planning with critical resources like the AIM, A/FD, and NOTAMs, to executi…

1
Why Runway CEO Cris Valenzuela thinks AI filmmaking is the future 56:54

18d ago56:54

56:54

Today, I’m talking with Runway CEO and co-founder Cris Valenzuela. This one’s special: Cris and I were live at an event in New York City last month hosted by Alix Partners, so you’ll hear the audience from time to time. Runway is a leading AI video generation platform, and it’s getting better all the time. That puts Cris and his company on the same…

1
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky wants to build the everything app 1:17:31

21d ago1:17:31

1:17:31

Today, I’m talking with Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky. This is Brian’s fourth time on the show, and he’s one of my favorite guests because he’s so clearly obsessed with things like company structure, design, and decision making. You know, Decoder stuff. This time, Brian came on to talk about the company’s new services product and the full-scale redesign …

1
Helicopter Performance 24:17

22d ago24:17

24:17

Send us a text Helicopter Performance | FAA Decoded Podcast #25 Welcome to Episode 25 of FAA Decoded! In this 24-minute episode, we take off into Chapter 7 of the Helicopter Flying Handbook to explore helicopter performance. Learn the key factors affecting lift, power, and efficiency, including weight, density altitude, wind, and rotor efficiency. …

1
CFI Hour Myths, MEI ROI, and Avoiding Illegal Charter: Live Q&A 1:00:44

25d ago1:00:44

1:00:44

In this live Q&A edition of the VSL Aviation Podcast, host Seth Lake dives into a wide range of topics submitted by the aviation community. From the myths around required CFI ground training hours to advice on whether getting your MEI is worth the investment, Seth provides practical, experience-based insights. He also tackles how to avoid inadverte…

1
How private equity kills companies and communities 49:21

25d ago49:21

49:21

Today, I’m talking with journalist Megan Greenwell about her new book Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream. It comes out June 10th. It's fantastic and maddening in equal measure. I highly recommend it. In this episode, we discussed the genesis of Megan’s interest in the subject and its genesis in media — including her tim…

1
Google CEO Sundar Pichai on the next phase of AI 46:24

27d ago46:24

46:24

In what's become a bit of a Decoder tradition, I spoke with Google CEO Sundar Pichai in person after I/O. The conference this year was all about AI, particularly a slew of actual AI products, not just models and capabilities. To Sundar, this marks the beginning of a new era for search and the web overall. So I had to ask: what happens to the web wh…

1
Aircraft Systems 58:03

28d ago58:03

58:03

Send us a text Aircraft Systems | FAA Decoded Podcast #24 Welcome to Episode 24 of FAA Decoded! In this 58-minute episode, we dive into Chapter 7 of the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge to explore the essential aircraft systems that keep you flying. Discover the workings of the powerplant—reciprocating engines, turbojets, and turbofans—pa…

1
Why Uber's CEO is okay with reinventing the bus 1:01:58

1M ago1:01:58

1:01:58

Today, I’m talking with Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. We recorded this conversation on the same day Uber announced a big set of product updates, including new options for shared rides. Dara was in New York for all that, so he came to our studio and we did this one together, which always makes for a great episode. If you’ve been listening to Decoder r…

1
Risk Management Handbook 25:50

1M ago25:50

25:50

Send us a text Risk Management Handbook | FAA Decoded Podcast #23 Welcome to Episode 23 of FAA Decoded! In this 26-minute episode, we dive into the essentials of risk management for pilots, based on the Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A). Discover how to prioritize safety, build confidence, and enjoy every flight to the fullest. We’ll explore…

1
Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott on how AI can save the web, not destroy it 1:14:38

1M ago1:14:38

1:14:38

Today, I’m talking with Kevin Scott, the chief technology officer of Microsoft, and one of the company’s AI leaders. Kevin is one of my favorite repeat Decoder guests, and he joined the show this time to talk about the future of search. Microsoft just announced an open-source tool for websites to integrate AI powered natural language search with ju…

1
The Air Traffic Control System 30:14

1M ago30:14

30:14

Send us a text The Air Traffic Control System | FAA Decoded Podcast #22 Welcome to Episode 22 of FAA Decoded! In this 30-minute episode, we’re navigating the essentials of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) System for instrument flight rules (IFR) within the National Airspace System (NAS). Based on Chapter 2 of the Instrument Flying Handbook, we’ll expl…

1
Workday's new product head hopes he can make you like Workday 1:12:06

1M ago1:12:06

1:12:06

Today, I’m talking with Gerrit Kazmaier, the brand-new president of product and technology at Workday. Gerrit’s new on the job, maybe a little bit braver than most, and to his credit he came on the show and took the heat. We spent a lot of time talking about what enterprise software really is, what it does and why it has a reputation of being so de…

1
Understanding the Rotorcraft Flight Manual 20:36

1M ago20:36

20:36

Send us a text Understanding the Rotorcraft Flight Manual | FAA Decoded Podcast #21 Welcome to Episode 21 of FAA Decoded! In this 21-minute episode, we’re unpacking the vital role of the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) and how to understand it for safe helicopter operations. Based on Chapter 5 of the Helicopter Flying Handbook, we’ll dive into the l…

1
Did Apple get too big for its own good? 1:23:05

1M ago1:23:05

1:23:05

We’re doing something a little different today — I asked my friend John Gruber of Daring Fireball to come on the show and talk about the future of Apple, and, importantly, the App Store. I wanted to talk about the most recent ruling in the Epic v. Apple legal saga. But I also wanted to talk about the big picture at Apple, and why the company seems …

1
Aircraft Flight Instruments 41:15

1M ago41:15

41:15

Send us a text Aircraft Flight Instruments | FAA Decoded Podcast #20 Welcome to Episode 20 of FAA Decoded! In this 41-minute episode, we’re diving into the critical world of aircraft flight instruments, an essential topic for every pilot. Drawing from Chapter 8 of the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, we’ll explore the instruments that ke…

1
Reuters is ready to stand up for the press — and embrace AI 1:04:38

2M ago1:04:38

1:04:38

Today, I’m talking with Paul Bascobert, who is the president of Reuters, as part of a special Thursday series we’re running this month to explore how leaders at some world’s biggest companies make decisions in such a rapidly changing environment. Reuters is a great company for us to kick off with, because it’s been around since 1851, when the hot t…

1
NYT publisher AG Sulzberger on Trump, OpenAI, and the economy 1:10:43

2M ago1:10:43

1:10:43

Hey everyone, it’s Nilay. We’re off today, but we’ll be back Thursday, so stay tuned. In the meantime, we have an excellent episode from Business Insider Chief Correspondent Peter Kafka, who hosts the media podcast Channels. In this episode, Peter sat down with one of the biggest names in journalism: New York Times publisher AG Sulzberger. It’s a f…

1
Helicopter Basic Flight Maneuvers 25:53

2M ago25:53

25:53

Send us a text Helicopter Basic Flight Maneuvers | FAA Decoded Podcast #19 Welcome to Episode 19 of FAA Decoded! In this 26-minute episode, we’re breaking down the essentials of helicopter basic flight maneuvers, a must-know for every aspiring pilot. Drawing from Chapter 9 of the Helicopter Flying Handbook, we’ll guide you through the foundational …

1
Logging Time, Checkride Tips & Pilot Questions 1:19:31

2M ago1:19:31

1:19:31

In this episode, we celebrate new pilot certifications 🎉, tackle common logbook questions 📘, explain how ForeFlight sources winds aloft 🌬, and clarify cross-country time rules 🗺. We also walk through a real listener landing scenario at KVNY 🛬, give a quick weather symbol refresher 🌦, cover what to do if ADS-B is inoperative 📡, and answer listener q…

1
What Trump has broken in 100 days 52:25

2M ago52:25

52:25

A lot has happened in the first 100 days of Trump's second term. It’s nearly too much to keep up with, really, but we're going to try. Verge policy editor Adi Robertson joins Decoder this week to talk through six of the biggest stories and themes we're covering, from tariffs to TikTok to DOGE. Links: Donald Trump’s first 100 days: all the news affe…

1
Helicopter Aerodynamics 25:24

2M ago25:24

25:24

Send us a text Helicopter Aerodynamics | FAA Decoded Podcast #18 Welcome to Episode 18 of FAA Decoded! In this 25-minute episode, we take a deep dive into helicopter aerodynamics, focusing on the forces and principles unique to rotorcraft flight. While we explored the broader "Principles of Flight Explained" back in Episode 4 using the Pilot’s Hand…

1
Decoder Live: Fired FTC commissioners fight back 58:59

2M ago58:59

58:59

A few days ago, I hosted a panel with FTC commissioners Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit in Washington, DC. We recorded the discussion, and we’re bringing it to you today. Normal Decoder stuff, but these are anything but normal times. Becca and Alvaro were FTC commissioners until very recently, when President Do…

1
Runway Excursions, Non-Standard Climb Gradients, and Weather Radar Tips 1:08:12

2M ago1:08:12

1:08:12

In this week's episode of the VSL Aviation Podcast, we dig into three real-world flying topics pilots must know: Runway Excursion Mitigation: A deep dive into Advisory Circular 91-79B, how to avoid overruns, and a real-world discussion led by Ryan Bow about common landing errors and risk factors. Non-Standard Climb Gradients: Learn how to spot non-…

1
The case for breaking up Google has never been stronger 1:12:18

2M ago1:12:18

1:12:18

Today we’re talking about the very real possibility that Google might be broken up by the United States government. And to do that, I’m talking to Jonathan Kanter, the former assistant attorney general for antitrust under the Biden administration. Kanter left the DOJ after Trump was elected, but he was the architect of the major antitrust cases the…

1
Verizon’s consumer chief: Net neutrality ‘went literally nowhere’ 1:12:39

2M ago1:12:39

1:12:39

As CEO of Verizon's consumer division, Sowmyanarayan Sampath oversees the biggest part of the company, which does business with roughly a third of the entire country. He's a longtime Verge reader, so we talked very directly about whether the huge 5G investment had actually paid off, and whether – whether the “race” we were supposedly in with China …

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