Exploring the Overlap: Pilots Who Ride Motorcycles

Throttle & Roast

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The podcast episode explores the surprising overlap between pilots and motorcyclists. Host Niels Meersschaert shares his personal experiences with flying and motorcycling, discussing the similarities between aircraft and motorcycles in terms of controls and dynamics. He also highlights the results of surveys showing that up to 85% of pilots also ride motorcycles. The episode delves into the reasons behind this overlap and encourages listeners to share their own experiences as pilots and motorcyclists.

Survey on Backcountry pilot https://backcountrypilot.org/forum/do-you-have-a-motorcycle-license-please-respond-9817

Ride Apart article referencing the survey and highlighting the synergies https://www.rideapart.com/news/254972/why-your-next-motorcycle-may-be-an-airplane/

Article about flying and riding from Motorcyclist in 2016 https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/control-and-consequences-on-motorcycles-and-planes/

It’s not unusual for events to combine the two passions. Here are a few still to come in 2024:

There is a Vintage Motorcycle Festival in Maine where they also share some of the vintage aircraft in the Owl Head collection: https://owlshead.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1824567&group=

The Glen Curtiss Museum also hosts a classic motorcycle show & swap meet: https://glennhcurtissmuseum.org/events/curtiss-classic-motorcycle-show-and-swap-meet/

Mansfield Airport hosts the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Show, British Classic Car Show & aircraft fly-in https://www.tri-townchamber.org/events/details/the-vintage-japanese-motorcycle-show-classic-british-car-show-aircraft-fly-in-7879

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Chapter

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. My first love was flying (00:01:01)

3. Up to 85% of pilots are motorcyclists (00:02:04)

4. Similarities between aircraft & motorcycles (00:03:08)

5. Controls (00:03:22)

6. Dynamics (00:04:46)

7. Coordinating controls (00:09:33)

8. Traffic (00:12:51)

9. A balance of forces (00:14:38)

10. Differences (00:17:32)

11. Wrap up (00:21:52)