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.

In this episode of Like a Pilot, Phil answers a question from Miss Seven that’s crossed every passenger’s mind: "What do pilots actually do up there when the autopilot is flying?" (Apart from drinking coffee and chilling, of course.)

We’ll step inside the cockpit to unpack workload — the finite mental capacity we all have, how overload creeps in quietly, and why too little workload can be risky too. Along the way, we’ll revisit two devastating reminders of how quickly margins can disappear: American Airlines 965 and Swissair 111.

And you’ll leave with a simple, practical workload management framework you can use immediately — whether you’re flying an approach, running a shift, leading a team, or drowning in emails.