Ep 248 Flight Plan Interrupted: A Midlife Journey from Runway to Recovery
Ready 4 Pushback
Nik Fialka
4.8 • 716 Ratings
🗓️ 26 May 2025
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
GO FUND ME: https://gofund.me/bf973f3f
In this emotional and motivating episode, host Nik Fialka welcomes Trent Dyrsmid—known to many from "Fly With Trent"—to share his remarkable journey from entrepreneur to regional airline pilot. At 53, Trent boldly changed careers, completed an accelerated flight training program, and built a dedicated online following by documenting his aviation transformation. But just as he was on the brink of completing airline training, Trent was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that abruptly grounded his flying. In this candid conversation, Trent reflects on building his aviation career later in life, the mindset needed to tackle accelerated training, and the unexpected health battle that forced him to step away from the flight deck. Trent’s optimism, resilience, and love for aviation shine throughout this powerful story. Whether you're chasing your pilot dreams or facing life’s turbulence, this episode will both inspire and move you.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
How to transition from entrepreneur to airline pilot in under two years Why age isn’t a barrier to starting an aviation career The power of accelerated flight training and how to make it work for you The pros and cons of flight schools vs. independent CFIs How mindset and mental health play critical roles in navigating major life challenges The vital support of family and the aviation community during personal hardship How you can support Trent’s road to recovery
GO FUND ME: https://gofund.me/bf973f3f
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Check us out at www.spitfireelite.com! If you want to recommend someone to guest on the show, email Nik at [email protected], and if you need a professional pilot resume, go to www.spitfireelite.com/podcast/ for FREE templates!
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, pilot, welcome back to Ready for Pushback. It's Nick Fialca. Today's conversation is with Trent Deersmith from Fly with Trent. And if you are a social media person, you do the Instagrams or the YouTube's or whatever, you have probably seen Fly with Trent. And all of the cool content that he puts out, |
| 0:23.2 | the conversations about him going from kind of zero to hero as a 55-year-old guy |
| 0:29.3 | from nothing to the world of regional airline pilot in a short period of time. |
| 0:35.8 | Really cool content, really cool information. But if you do |
| 0:39.1 | follow him, you know that he was recently diagnosed with cancer, and that's what today's conversation |
| 0:44.4 | is about. So please do me a favor and listen to it. There's a go fund me for him in the description |
| 0:50.3 | below. So please click the link, be an awesome pilot, help his family out. I am going to do |
| 0:56.6 | that. And I recommend you do it as well. But I think you should listen to the show because it's so |
| 1:02.5 | interesting. He's such a good dude. And we like good people here. So sit back, relax. Let's get |
| 1:09.2 | ready for pushback. |
| 1:16.6 | Most pilots don't understand what career opportunities are available in the world of aviation. |
| 1:22.6 | They're making career decisions based on advice from friends or posts on internet forums, |
| 1:27.5 | meaning they are taking huge risks with their livelihood without having all the details. |
| 1:33.6 | This podcast was created to help you understand the aviation industry so you can find your dream job. Let's get ready for pushback. Here's your host and my dad, Nick Fialca. |
| 1:42.3 | All right. Well, we're flying with Trent today. |
| 1:45.0 | Hey, buddy. |
| 1:45.4 | How are you? |
| 1:46.5 | I'm doing well, Nick. |
| 1:47.4 | Thank you so much for having me on the show with you. |
| 1:49.1 | It's a real thrilled to be here. |
| 1:51.3 | Dude, it is so good to finally meet you face to face and see you. |
| 1:56.9 | So for those of you that don't know, Trent is a bit of a social media aviation influencer, |
... |
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