Flight Training - May 2013 - 72
DEBRIEF
A pilot's perspective
PONTS was a stunt
double in the movie
Lords of Dogtown (2005).
WHO: John Ponts
OCCUPATION:
Pilot, Era Alaska
HOURS: 4,500
EXTRA: Ponts can be
seen skating on Season
Two of Flying Wild
Alaska, when he and
members of the
Creature Skate Team
put on a demo for the
residents of Unalakleet.
EARLY CHALLENGES…
Paying for my flight lessons. I
was working, skating, traveling, and trying to pay for my
training out of pocket, and
sometimes my lessons would
be spread out. I soon realized
that was costing more in the
long run. So, instead of taking a
lesson once in a while, I would
save up enough to where I
would be able to focus on the
ground work, evaluate each
lesson afterwards, and knock
out a rating real quick.
HARDEST LESSONS TO
LEARN… Patience. I may not
show it when I’m teaching or
flying with a new first officer,
but deep down I’m trying to
crawl out of my skin.
AVIATION ACTIVITY… I
have always loved road trips
and adventures. If an airplane
is involved, I’m stoked! I’ve
had the opportunity to make
a couple cross-the-country
flights where we just hopped
in, opened up the charts, and
figured it out. Wherever you
end up along the way is where
you lay your head.
JOHN PONTS
SKATER TURNED BUSH PILOT
The long hair is history, but John Ponts still has a skater’s soul. The pilot for Era
Alaska arrived in America’s living rooms courtesy of the Discovery Channel’s
Flying Wild Alaska, but he has a back story—he learned to fly between trips and
appearances in skateboarding competitions. In fact, Ponts says he took up flying
so that he could search for empty swimming pools to skate in, but also as a back-up
plan for when he could no longer earn money on the pro skateboard circuit.
72 /
FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG
ADVICE FOR STUDENTS…
Challenges are the best part of
learning. If there weren’t any,
it would be boring. Giving up
can be deadly in an airplane,
so train yourself early to never
give up and find a way to make
it work.
CLARK MISHLER
PLUS Watch Ponts give Ariel Tweto a flying lesson.
FAVORITE AIRPLANE… My
favorite airplane is the one I’m
flying at any given moment.
When I started out, I decided
I wanted to fly as many different airframes as possible
and obtain as many ratings as
I could. I would have to say,
though, I think airplanes with
radial engines are damn sexy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeZ0ImVDq8k&list=PL7F19F5E73175CEF5
http://FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG
Flight Training - May 2013
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - May 2013
Flight Training - April 2013
Contents
Right Seat
Centerline
Letters
Soaring in New Zealand
News Success Story
How It Works
Since You Asked
After the Checkride
ASI News
Final Exam
Flight Training Excellence Award Winner AOPA Action
News
Member Products
News
Flying Carpet
Flight Lesson
Checkride
North to Alaska
Make Order Out of Chaos
Time Is Money
Technique
Weather
Fortune Teller
Career Advisor
Tech Talk
A Real Workout
Great Influence, Great Responsibility
Time for a Change
Advertiser Index
Debrief
Flight Training - May 2013 - Flight Training - April 2013
Flight Training - May 2013 - Cover2
Flight Training - May 2013 - Contents
Flight Training - May 2013 - 2
Flight Training - May 2013 - 3
Flight Training - May 2013 - Right Seat
Flight Training - May 2013 - 5
Flight Training - May 2013 - Centerline
Flight Training - May 2013 - 7
Flight Training - May 2013 - Letters
Flight Training - May 2013 - 9
Flight Training - May 2013 - Soaring in New Zealand
Flight Training - May 2013 - 11
Flight Training - May 2013 - News Success Story
Flight Training - May 2013 - How It Works
Flight Training - May 2013 - Since You Asked
Flight Training - May 2013 - After the Checkride
Flight Training - May 2013 - ASI News
Flight Training - May 2013 - Flight Training Excellence Award Winner AOPA Action
Flight Training - May 2013 - Final Exam
Flight Training - May 2013 - 19
Flight Training - May 2013 - News
Flight Training - May 2013 - 21
Flight Training - May 2013 - 22
Flight Training - May 2013 - 23
Flight Training - May 2013 - Member Products
Flight Training - May 2013 - News
Flight Training - May 2013 - 26
Flight Training - May 2013 - 27
Flight Training - May 2013 - Flying Carpet
Flight Training - May 2013 - 29
Flight Training - May 2013 - Flight Lesson
Flight Training - May 2013 - 31
Flight Training - May 2013 - Checkride
Flight Training - May 2013 - 33
Flight Training - May 2013 - North to Alaska
Flight Training - May 2013 - 35
Flight Training - May 2013 - 36
Flight Training - May 2013 - 37
Flight Training - May 2013 - 38
Flight Training - May 2013 - 39
Flight Training - May 2013 - Make Order Out of Chaos
Flight Training - May 2013 - 41
Flight Training - May 2013 - 42
Flight Training - May 2013 - 43
Flight Training - May 2013 - Time Is Money
Flight Training - May 2013 - 45
Flight Training - May 2013 - 46
Flight Training - May 2013 - 47
Flight Training - May 2013 - Technique
Flight Training - May 2013 - 49
Flight Training - May 2013 - Weather
Flight Training - May 2013 - 51
Flight Training - May 2013 - 52
Flight Training - May 2013 - Fortune Teller
Flight Training - May 2013 - Career Advisor
Flight Training - May 2013 - 55
Flight Training - May 2013 - Tech Talk
Flight Training - May 2013 - A Real Workout
Flight Training - May 2013 - Great Influence, Great Responsibility
Flight Training - May 2013 - Time for a Change
Flight Training - May 2013 - Advertiser Index
Flight Training - May 2013 - 61
Flight Training - May 2013 - 62
Flight Training - May 2013 - 63
Flight Training - May 2013 - 64
Flight Training - May 2013 - 65
Flight Training - May 2013 - 66
Flight Training - May 2013 - 67
Flight Training - May 2013 - 68
Flight Training - May 2013 - 69
Flight Training - May 2013 - 70
Flight Training - May 2013 - 71
Flight Training - May 2013 - Debrief
Flight Training - May 2013 - Cover3
Flight Training - May 2013 - Cover4
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