In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr Andrea Ehmke, we dive deeper into the relationship between emotional awareness, human performance, and aviation safety.

Drawing from her research in aviation psychology and human factors, Dr Ehmke explores how emotion, self-awareness, stress, confidence, and psychological safety influence pilot decision-making and performance in high-pressure environments. The discussion touches on topics such as gut feel, leadership, fear of losing medicals, pilot culture, emotional suppression, and the importance of creating psychologically safe environments within aviation.

We also explore the role of confidence versus arrogance, the impact of energy and communication in the cockpit, and whether aviation focuses too heavily on procedures and technology while overlooking the human element behind the controls.

A fascinating and thought-provoking conversation on what it truly means to understand the human behind the pilot seat.

🎙 The Pilot Podcast – Aviation. Unfiltered.

n this episode, we sit down with Dr. Andrea Emhke a Brigadier General in the South African Air Force, qualified air traffic controller, PhD specialist in industrial psychology and is a Aviation Human Factors and Neurological Ergonomic Specialist.

We explore a topic aviation doesn’t always address directly, the psychology of pilots. From emotional awareness and internal state to situational awareness and human error, this conversation challenges traditional thinking around CRM and highlights the importance of understanding the human behind the controls.

Drawing from both operational experience and academic research, Dr. Emhke shares insights into how self-awareness and emotional regulation may influence performance in high-pressure environments and why aviation may need to evolve how it approaches human factors.

Michael is an Aviation Historian, Journalist and Boeing 737 writing for various websites and publications. In this episode of the pilot podcast Michael dives into the South African Airforce''s formative years and their extensive involvement in WW2 From operations in Madagascar to the first photographs of Auschwitz, Michael unpacks how these extraordinary airman punched way above their weight and help to turn the tide of one the worlds greatest conflicts. Coming up next on the Pilot Podcast. Aviation. Unfiltered.

In this episode of the Pilot Podcast, Captain Dennis Spence continues to reflect on his exciting career, from light aircraf, High Performance Aerobatics to landing not only Boeing 737's but Boeing 747'a into Rand Airport,South Africa's oldest airport with a very narrow runway. He takes us through the planning, how this was achieved and more importantly his vision for South African and global aviation, and what needs to be done to ensure the continued success of the aviation sector. This and more up next on the Pilot Podcast.

Aviation.Unfiltered

In this episode a legend in South African aviation , Captain Dennis Spence, shares his journey on how he began his aviation joinery his love for cars, flying various aircraft types throughout his career and touches on his career at South African Airways.

Dennis is known as the founder of the Good Year Eagles Aerobatics team, is a qualified Type Rating Instructor and designated flight examiner, he also commanded a variety of commercial jet transport aircraft both narrow and wide body and has sat numerous interview panels, in addition to this he also services all his own aircraft and is renowned for being part of the flight deck team that landed the famous Boeing 747 "Lebombo" at the historic Rand Airport

Check out part one here on the Pilot Podcast. Aviation.Unfiltered.

In Part 2 of our conversation with Ryan Mitton, we explore his experience training in the Air Force, the journey to earning his pilot wings, and how military training shapes the mindset and discipline of professional aviators.

Ryan also shares the story behind Sky Learner, his online learning platform designed to support PPL and ATPL students in the UK, and how modern digital tools are helping student pilots navigate aviation theory and training more effectively.

An insightful discussion on pilot development, training standards, and the future of aviation education.

In this episode of the Pilot Podcast were speaking Ryan Mitton a Major in the South African Airforce and director and co-founder of SkyLearner a Belfast based UK Aviation Training Organisations specialising in the LAPL,PPL and Airline Pilot Transport License ground schools. In part one of this series Ryan talks about how he became interested in the South African Airforce , the section process to join this organisation, the obstacles he faced in trying to pass selection and ultimately his success of achieving one of his life goals in obtaining his wings.

The Pilot Podcast

Aviation. Unfilterd.

In this Episode Kelly shares some insight into what it take to be able to make that Go-No Go decision , setting hard rules to protect against operational pressures and the challenges she faced in her career and how exactly she overcome those to get her very first break in aviation.

🎙️ The Pilot Podcast

Aviation. Unfiltered.