FAQ

By Martin Pauly ✈ June 24, 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

What headset does Martin wear?

Yes, that is indeed the most frequently asked question on Martin’s YouTube channel – by far. Martin uses an in-ear headset with foam ear tips; those do not have active noise canceling but their noise attenuation is very good as long as the ear plugs are replaced every now and then.

More importantly, though: The headset is very lightweight and puts no pressure on the ears or the head. And it is small enough to not take up any space between the head and the headliner.

In mid-2021, Martin switched over to the new AXIS Headset, while in older videos you can see him wearing the Halo from Quiet Technologies. These headsets are similar in style, though the AXIS has some nice improvements over the Halo in terms of fit and stability (the microphone stays in place better) and product quality.

What does Martin do for a living?

Martin works for Collins Aerospace, an avionics company in Cedar Rapids, IA. They don’t make equipment for his Bonanza, though – their equipment goes on King Airs and A380s and anything in between.

Martin joined Collins in 1998 as a software engineer. Since 2008, he has been a program manager, working with different OEM customers in the aerospace industry.

How tall is Martin?

Online, people ask about the headset; when they meet Martin in person, a typical first comment is: “You are taller than I thought”.

So how tall is Martin? He’s 6′ 3″, or 192cm if you prefer metric measurements.

What iPad mount does Martin use?

Martin uses an iPad Mini in the cockpit, large enough to read charts and data easily but small enough to fit into the cockpit easily without hiding the panel or getting in the way.

The cockpit has the Beechcraft “throw over” yoke, i.e. a single yoke which can be moved from left to right as needed. The iPad mount is from RAM, who makes a hose clamp mount which fits perfectly on the dual yoke assembly.

Can I see Martin’s checklist?

You sure can. Martin’s approach to checklists is to make them short and concise – cover the really essential items that matter, but not overload the checklists with too many items. The latter would simply result in the checklist remaining in the side pocket during the flight.

You can download the Microsoft Word document for Martin’s checklist here, to use as a starting point for making your own checklist (at your own risk). Note that this checklist for N70TB will likely not be complete or applicable to other Bonanzas with different equipment. Also note that this checklist does not include any abnormal or emergency items, only the normal checks and flows – so it is not meant to completely replace other checklists.