“Captain Midnight,” Greg’s Flying Carpet Podcast #21

Ride along with renowned aviator, writer, and photographer Greg Brown in his light airplane, the Flying Carpet, as he searches behind clouds for the real America, experiencing countless aerial adventures along the way.


Listen to “Captain Midnight” Greg’s Flying Carpet Podcast Flight #21

As you’ve likely heard, the final Learjet was recently delivered following almost 60 years of production. I was a kid when the Lear 23 was first introduced in 1964.

Although a few other corporate jets were flying by then, most companies still motored around in relatively slow, unpressurized piston airplanes, many of them repurposed WWII-era bombers and freighters.

The Lear was so sleek, sexy, and fast in comparison that it seemingly arrived from the future, revolutionizing air travel as evidenced by some 3,000 aircraft delivered over so many years.

Today’s episode is a tribute to the Learjet via “Captain Midnight,” Frank Rosenstein, one of the model’s early captains⸺ the most dashing pilot I’ve ever known, who along the way inspired me and other enthusiastic kids to earn their wings, following in his footsteps.

If you enjoy this podcast, please share with friends!

Greg

See associated photos below! (Photos courtesy Nancy Rosenstein, and by Barry Schiff as noted.)

Podcast music by Hannis Brown.

PS: Find all Greg’s Flying Carpet Podcast episodes here!


Subscribe here to follow Greg’s latest posts, photos, and podcasts!


Listen and subscribe via your favorite podcast directory:

Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsStitcherTuneInPocketCastsCastroPodchaserPodcast AddictDeezerListen NotesRSSiHeartRadioPandoraAmazon Music

Podcast Episode #21 Photos

Click gallery photos to view at full size.


If you enjoyed this story, you’ll love Greg’s book, Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane. Autographed copies available!


Please support Greg’s Flying Carpet Podcast, Blog, & Student Pilot Pep Talk Facebook Group!

Make a one-time donation, or better yet, subscribe your ongoing support. Thank you! Greg



Check out Greg’s Aviation Books, Fine Art Aerial Photo Prints, and Pilot Achievement Plaques!


Greg’s Aviation Books

Greg’s “Views from the Flying Carpet” Aerial Fine Art Prints

Greg’s Pilot Achievement Plaques


“Cloud Wings,” Greg’s March, 2018 Flying Carpet column

Earning your wings requires hand-eye coordination, but instrument flying (IFR) is a brain game.

Yes, mastering flight by tiny needles is tough, but navigation, holds, and approaches are exciting and fun. And while IFR may be the hardest rating, it’s also the most safety-enhancing, rewarding, and practical. When I earned my cloud wings forty years ago this month, my flight-completion rate doubled overnight to over 90%.

Instrument flying, of course, gets you where you’re going without sight of the ground, and “instrument approaches” deliver you safely to landing.

As with VFR cross-countries, instrument flight plans are crafted around checkpoints, but using predefined fixes from an IFR chart. These days, thanks to GPS and moving maps, we can fly great distances and shoot programmed instrument approaches almost as readily as by looking out the window.

But it wasn’t always that easy…

**Read Greg’s entire column, CLOUD WINGS“**

Photo: GPS Runway 3 LPV instrument approach to Flagstaff, Arizona.

(This column first appeared in AOPA Flight Training magazine.)

Greg

©2018 Gregory N. Brown

If you enjoyed this story, you’ll love Greg’s book, Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane. Autographed copies available!