All episodes

In this 38th episode of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above, host Jürgen Reis welcomes Commander Joshua Rannenberg, Hurricane Aircraft Commander and Instructor Pilot at the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center.

Recorded in April 2026, this conversation provides a structured and professional overview of one of the most unique operational environments in aviation: airborne hurricane research missions in direct support of forecasting models and public safety.

Commander Rannenberg begins by outlining the mission and role of the Aircraft Operations Center and how its crews contribute to the broader system of atmospheric data collection. A key distinction throughout the discussion is the role...

Episode 37 of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above

In this episode of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above, Airbus A320 First Officer and co-host Stefan Lorenz welcomes Captain Josefine Schuhmann for a detailed and highly personal conversation about her unusual and inspiring aviation career.

Recorded on May 17th, 2026, this episode follows Captain Schuhmann’s path from the airline ground environment into the cockpit—showing how determination, curiosity, and persistence can gradually open doors within aviation.

The conversation begins with her early years after school and international studies in London before entering the aviation world through ground operations in Munich at the age...

Episode 36 of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above features Aaryan Malik, a 20-year-old aspiring commercial pilot from Great Britain currently combining university studies, PPL training, and aviation-focused leadership development through the Oxford University Air Squadron.

Recorded in May 2026, host Jürgen Reis sits down with Aaryan for an open and highly authentic conversation about building an aviation career step by step — not only through flying itself, but also through discipline, structure, teamwork, and long-term commitment.

Together, they explore:
· What daily life currently looks like between university, flying training, and aviation-focused development
· His experiences within the RAF Air...

Episode 35 of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above

In this episode of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above, host Jürgen Reis welcomes Jason Miller, flight instructor and founder of The Finer Points.

Recorded in April 2026, this conversation explores Jason’s path into aviation teaching, the instructional philosophy behind his work, and the role of communication in shaping thoughtful pilots. What begins with his own early career direction soon opens into a broader discussion about what strong flight instruction really looks like, what is still often missing, and why aviation teaching must go beyond mere repetition without ever dismissing the value of...

Episode 34 of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above
In this episode of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above, host Jürgen Reis welcomes Captain Guido Mezzera, an experienced long-haul pilot and type rating instructor (TRI), with a career spanning airline operations, advanced flight instruction, and pilot evaluation.

Recorded on April 9th, 2026, this conversation offers a structured and realistic perspective on the professional standards that define a pilot’s career—both in the cockpit and in training environments.

The episode begins with Captain Mezzera’s current professional setup, balancing active line flying with responsibilities as an instructor and examiner. A central theme is the shift...

Episode 33 of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above features a very special guest: Adrian Roko Hinkelmann, a 16-year-old glider pilot from Germany who is already deep into his flight training journey — combining real-world aviation with advanced flight simulation.

Recording this episode just days before Easter 2026, host Jürgen Reis sits down with Adrian to explore what it means to pursue aviation at such an early stage — with determination, honesty, and a clear long-term vision.

Together, they dive into:
- His early inspiration — from sitting in the captain’s seat of an Airbus A320 as a child
- A...

Episode 32 of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above

In this episode of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above, host Jürgen Reis welcomes Captain Guillaume Debauchez, a former British Airways and Emirates long-haul pilot and today the founder of Airline Selection Programme (ASP).

Recorded on April 7th, 2026, shortly after the Easter period, this conversation offers a structured and realistic look at one of the most critical—and often underestimated—steps in a pilot’s career: airline selections.

Drawing on both cockpit and recruitment experience, Captain Debauchez provides detailed insight into how modern airline selection processes are structured and what they are truly designed to...

Episode 31 of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above

In this special episode of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above, the usual interview structure changes direction: this time, A320 First Officer and FSClips creator Stefan Lorenz takes the lead and speaks with co-host Jürgen Reis about the background, experiences, and performance philosophy that shaped his current work in aviation mental performance coaching.

What begins as the story of a physically weak and initially sport-uninterested teenager gradually develops into a long-term journey through elite sport, mental training, structured performance systems, podcasting, coaching, and finally aviation-focused performance work.

Together, they discuss:
- How Jürgen...

Episode 30 of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above

In this episode of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above, host Jürgen Reis welcomes airline pilot, interview coach, and podcast host Nik Fialka.

Known to many pilots as the voice behind the aviation career podcast Ready 4 Pushback and as an interview consultant with Spitfire Elite Consulting, Nik combines airline flying with mentoring aspiring pilots navigating today’s hiring environment.

At the beginning of the conversation, Nik gives a glimpse into his busy weekly routine — balancing airline flying, interview consulting, podcast production, and family life. He also takes listeners back to the early...

Episode 29 of Aviation-Quest.cc – Stories from Above takes us to South Carolina — and into the cockpit of one of aviation’s most seasoned professionals.

When this conversation was recorded on February 28, 2026, John Pipkin was 81 years old — on the threshold of his 82nd birthday — and still actively flying law enforcement missions for a sheriff’s department, supporting people on the ground with the same discipline that has defined his 30,000-hour career.

Predominantly a fixed-wing pilot across decades of airline, mission, and corporate aviation, his path also included significant professional helicopter operations — among them flying the...