Skyward Podcast
Hi, I’m so happy you’re here! I’m Mercedes the host of Skyward, the podcast that's here to inspire and educate you in everything aviation and aerospace!
In each episode, I talk about exciting things like how to become a pilot from personal experience, and chat with others who are pilots, engineers, flight attendants who love what they're doing and want to share their experiences you!
Hit the Subscribe button to join in the adventure and learn with me on Skyward!
Episodes
18 episodes
General Aviation Stories: First Solo, Everglades Flights & Hailstorm Survival | Pilot Alan Ash
Pilot Alan Ash shares his first solo nerves, tense Everglades crossings, hailstorm landing as a student, and planes flown. Timeless GA lessons from a lifelong pilot.Subscribe for more pilot stories, flight training tips, aerospace insigh...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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21:58
4 Flight Training Stories Every Pilot Needs
In this episode, I open up about 4 personal flight training stories that shaped me as a pilot – and mistakes I hope you avoid:My exhilarating (and hilarious) first solo at just 15 years old – the nerves, bumpy landing, perfect secon...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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14:01
Breaking Barriers | Lola Reid Allin's Unstoppable Story
In this inspiring episode of Skyward, host Pilot Mercedes sits down with aviation legend Lola Reid Allin — one of Canada's earliest female commercial pilots, flight instructor, Twin Otter captain, award-winning author, photographer, and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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1:52:10
Best Aviation & Aerospace Advice from 2025 | Pilots, Flight Attendants, NASA Scientists and more
As 2025 comes to a close, join host Pilot Mercedes for a special year-end episode of Skyward — the podcast that takes you behind the scenes of the aviation and aerospace world.In this “Best of 2025” compilation, we revisit the most powerful...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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28:36
Can you join the RCAF with NO flight experience? | RCAF Maritime Helicopter Pilot From Zero Experience to CH-148 Cyclone Instructor
In this episode host Pilot Mercedes sits down with Captain Jason McGillis, an 18-year Royal Canadian Air Force maritime helicopter pilot and current CH-148 Cyclone instructor.Jason takes us from joining the RCAF straight out of high school ...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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1:43:17
The First NASA-Funded Scientist to Run Experiments During Suborbital Spaceflight | Dr. Rob Ferl
What really happens to living cells in the very first seconds of weightlessness? In this episode of Skyward, host Pilot Mercedes sits down with Dr. Rob Ferl – Distinguished Professor and Director of the new Astraeus Space Institute ...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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1:26:36
Go or No-Go? Essential Pilot Decision-Making Tips for Student Pilots
Struggling with go or no-go decisions in aviation? Join Pilot Mercedes on the Skyward Podcast as she breaks down the critical factors every pilot needs to consider before flying. From regulatory vs. personal minimums to the I'M SAFE checklist, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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18:33
Canadian Pilot Overcomes Diabetes Barrier | Air Canada Captain's Return & Flight Training Journey
Host Pilot Mercedes welcomes former Air Canada Captain & Lawyer Steve Steele to discuss his diabetes diagnosis that grounded him in 1986, the fight to allow insulin-dependent pilots in Canada (until early 2000s), simulator instruction in Ho...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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1:26:17
5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting Flight Training | Pilot Mercedes’ Tips for Aspiring Pilots
In this episode of Skyward Podcast, Pilot Mercedes shares the 5 things she wish she knew before starting flight training. Discover how to build an aviation community, prepare for transitions, balance well-being, stay resilient, and tackl...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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26:48
Dini Petty's Pink Helicopter News and Aviation Adventures
Pilot Mercedes chats with Dini Petty, legendary Canadian Pink Helicopter Pilot, beloved talkshow host, and author, about reporting breaking news mid-flight, her rise as a live TV star, and decades of aviation adventures.Dive into inspiri...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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46:10
From Dream to Sky: Pilot Mercedes’ Aviation Story
In this engaging episode of Skyward, host Pilot Mercedes is interviewed by her sister, Trinity Celeste, a fine art musician. Discover how Mercedes’ passion for aviation took flight, leading her from a childhood dream to earning her pil...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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34:06
David Cottrill’s Aviation Lessons & Flying Tips
Part 2 of Skyward Podcast features David Cottrill diving into aviation’s challenges, from navigating US and Canadian airspace to a high-speed Cessna Mustang test flight. Packed with pilot training tips, aviation safety insights, and stories fro...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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57:38
David Cottrill’s First Flights & Pilot Journey
In Part 1 of David Cottrill's story he shares his journey from a small-town dreamer to a licensed pilot. Hear gripping tales of his first flight in a Cessna 172, rigorous university training, and cross-country adventures with his wife and frien...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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38:18
Angel Flights & Mercy Missions: Soaring to Save Lives with Volunteer Pilots
Embark on an inspiring journey into the heart of Angel Flights and mercy missions, where volunteer pilots transform lives by providing free air transportation for patients seeking critical medical care. In this episode, we dive into gripping, r...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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26:36
Sky Queen of the '70s: An Air Canada Flight Attendant's Untold Story! Part 2
Skyward - Episode 4: Sky Queen - Janice Ward Part 2A former Air Canada stewardess who shares her thrilling journey from the 1970s to the 2000s. From navigating strict appearance rules to forging a sisterhood in the skies, her stories re...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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39:13
Sky Queen of the '70s: An Air Canada Flight Attendant's Untold Story! Part 1
Skyward - Episode 3: Stewardess Stories with Janice Ward. A former Air Canada stewardess who shares her thrilling journey from the 1970s to the 2000s. From navigating strict appearance rules to forging a sisterhood in the skies, her stories rev...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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38:01
Heritage, Friends, and Lessons | Alan Ash
Skyward - Episode 2: Heritage, Friends, and Lessons with Alan AshOn this episode of Skyward, Pilot Mercedes welcomes Alan Ash, an FAA commercial licensed and instrument-rated pilot from Florida. From his father’s passion for flying...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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1:02:24
Challenges And Triumphs | Alivia Chanyi
Join host Pilot Mercedes for the inaugural episode of Skyward, the podcast that lifts the curtain on aviation’s most captivating personal stories. In this episode, Mercedes welcomes, Alivia Chanyi, a First Officer at Jazz, a regional a...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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46:44