Podcast Episode Summary: Pilots - Part One

Introduction

In Part One of this three-part series, Katherine chats with Marco and Nate—two regional pilots with nearly two decades of collective flight time. From what’s in their fridge (yep, we're going there) to what it’s like inside a flight simulator, this episode covers the nitty-gritty of daily pilot life with warmth, curiosity, and a dash of dry skin talk.

If you’re someone who loves digging into real-world routines, quirky human details, and niche subcultures (especially ones with uniforms and acronyms), you’ll love this one. Katherine brings her signature writerly eye to the flight deck, asking questions that hover between “How does this actually work?” and “What’s the emotional cost of flying 30,000 feet above it all?”

Welcome to the world of pilots—from personality assessments to hangar banter, and everything in between.

Here's the link to this specific podcast episode on my website. Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other major platforms!

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:49 What is in your fridge?

00:04:39 What is in your flight bags?

00:06:24 Do you guys get dry skin?

00:07:43 Is there anything else that you could spot on a pilot on their body where you're like, you're a pilot?

00:08:30 What accolades or credentials do you guys go by?

00:10:37 How did you get into cargo?

00:13:09 You'll go through ground school, and then you'll go through whatever flight portion you need to obtain the certificate, right?

00:13:45 What is it like being in a flight simulator?

00:16:01 What's a typical day for you?

00:18:03 How does it affect your sleep?

00:20:28 How do you go about saying that you're fatigued?

00:25:32 What cargo were you moving?

00:27:47 What makes a great instructor?

00:31:02 What's a personality assessment?

00:34:56 Working as a crew

00:36:44 Fixation.

00:39:23 What is the social culture of being a pilot, an instructor in an aviation scene, whether it's a hangar, whether it's an airport, whether it's just shooting the shit with other pilots, what is the culture that you guys get to share where nobody else understands the stuff that we go through?

00:42:50 Do you struggle in any way with friendships outside?

00:44:45 Your flight hours determine where you live in the country.

00:49:46 Could you guys moonlight as weathermen based on your knowledge?

00:50:25 aviationweather.gov.

00:51:15 What other resources do you guys use to either keep up on your knowledge or to inform you of new stuff that's in the field?

00:53:28 So as far as flying and getting all the credentials needed, is flying a plane in the US about the same or different as flying a plane in the UK versus flying a plane in the Uruguay versus flying a plane and does it vary state by state?

00:57:25 How fast is too fast? How slow is too slow?

01:00:40 So you said difference, that you go by FAA until there's a difference.

01:03:40 What makes [airports] so efficient?

Key Takeaways:

• Flight bags say a lot about a person. They’re like hyperfunctional go-bags filled with essentials, quirks, and FAA-required gear.

• Sleep and fatigue are huge factors. There’s a language and process for calling it out, and it can impact everything—from where you live to how you fly.

• Pilots notice pilots. From dry skin to callouses to quiet eye contact—there are tells other aviators pick up on.

• The culture’s tight. There’s a bond in hangars, airports, and crew lounges that can feel a little opaque from the outside.

• Training never stops. Between simulators, ground school, and constant learning, being a pilot is a life of perpetual upskilling.

• Weather nerds unite. Most pilots can basically moonlight as meteorologists.

Editor's Note:

As a writer, I’m always chasing the "invisible work" behind a role—what people actually carry, feel, say when no one's asking. This episode? It delivers. Pilots Marco and Nate opened up about the culture, rituals, and quiet intensity of flight life, and it reminded me how much language and rhythm shape every job, not just writing.

If you’re building a character who flies, a world that moves at 500 knots, or even just looking for ways to ask better questions—this one’s for you.

References & Links:

1. aviationweather.gov – The site mentioned by Nate and Marco for real-time weather reports and forecasts pilots rely on.

2. FAA Airplane Flying Handbook (PDF) – The actual training manual used by many student pilots.

3. Inside a Flight Simulator – YouTube – Look for a solid explainer or POV video from real training environments.

4. Part Two of this Series

5. Part Three of this Series

From 30,000 feet to the written page,

Katherine Arkady