A single engine, an endless Pacific, and a decision no pilot wants to make. That’s where Heidi Porch found herself eleven hours into a ferry flight to Hawaii when the oil pressure began to fall and the nearest runway was more than a thousand miles away. Heidi has flown everything from gliders to 747s and Gulfstream jets, but nothing demanded more focus than the moment she chose to prepare for a ditching, built a plan that fit her cockpit constraints, and committed to it.
We talk through the building blocks that made her calm under pressure: learning to fly in gliders where you cannot go around, methodically breaking in brand‑new engines on high‑power ferry legs, and practising failures mid‑ocean to cut panic down to size. When the Navy P‑3 and the Coast Guard joined the picture, precise position fixes, smart use of HF radio, and prearranged signals with her wingman created a lifeline of information for family and rescuers. Then the engine quit.
What follows is a survival masterclass: escaping inverted with eyes closed against the burn, flipping a raft mid‑inflation, cutting a lanyard that threatened to shred her only shelter, and refusing to swim for a larger raft drifting the wrong way. She calculates ship speeds, accepts a night alone, and rides swells that build from gentle to threatening. Along the way, we explore the psychology of acceptance, the physics that govern low‑speed water impacts, and the small choices that keep you alive when gear fails and fatigue whispers bad ideas. It’s raw, practical, and unforgettable.
This is part one of Heidi’s story; next week we pick up as darkness falls, weather turns, and an unexpected rescuer appears. If this moved you, follow the show, share it with someone who loves aviation or true survival stories, and leave a quick five‑star review—your support helps us bring more extraordinary voices to your queue.

Episode Links:

Heidi’s Book "Ditching the Sky" - https://www.amazon.com/Ditching-Sky-memoir-triumph-against/dp/B0DM73M8CL

"Ditching the Sky" on Audible (narrated by Heidi) - https://www.audible.com/pd/Ditching-the-Sky-Audiobook/B0DPXXKZRB?srsltid=AfmBOopT7XrmdYwbr5HzOxP-7f_DYeW2nANyDaiafPUS_KD89X8mTD9s

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-porch-09783a89

Speaker Profile - https://www.aviationspeakers.com/heidi-porch

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