In thunderstorms and pouring rain, Air France 358 touches down in Toronto. Nearly half the runway is already behind it. Seconds later, the Airbus A340 is in a ravine, destroyed by fire.

How does a serviceable aircraft, flown by experienced pilots, run out of runway?

In this episode, we look at useful catastrophizing — structured “what if?” thinking — and why risk management is not just about identifying threats.

It is about weighing responses, watching for indicators, and actually executing when the moment arrives.

Because a Plan B only protects you if you actually use it.

We often think of role models as polished success stories. But in aviation, some of the clearest lessons come from people you would never want to become. In this episode, Phil explores how pilots learn by watching the people around them — the captains they admire, the ones they don’t, and the mentors who shape their growth more directly. From flight decks to ski slopes to race tracks, this is a story about role models, mentors, and why good modelling isn’t copying. It’s careful borrowing.

Leadership is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot, but what does good leadership actually look like? And why does it matter at all? We’ve all had bad bosses. The screamer. The idea-stealer. The plain incompetent. The one asking for sacrifice from behind a locked door.

In this episode of Like a Pilot, Phil looks at the damage bad bosses cause and offers an alternative: a practical, no-nonsense guide to leadership that applies just as well in the flight deck, the boardroom, or around the kitchen table.