The Intersection of Gears, Glass, and Ground Truth

Every pilot knows the focused silence of a pre-flight briefing; every driver knows the distinct mechanical rhythm of an engine warming up on a crisp Welsh morning; and every hiker knows the stillness of a summit before the clouds roll in. For me, life happens at the intersection of all three.

I’m Curt, an Aerospace Engineering graduate and current ATPL student based in South Wales. My journey is one of transition: moving from the theoretical world of aerospace design to the practical, high-stakes environment of professional flight training—with a fair amount of grease and mountain air along the way.

Why Pistons & Pitots?

We are living through an era of incredible technological change. In the cockpit, we are moving towards "Glass"—digital primary flight displays and streamlined automation. On the road and on the trail, many of us still gravitate towards the analogue—the tactile feedback of a manual gearbox, the "Pistons" of a heritage engine, and the raw "Ground Truth" of navigating a ridgeline on foot.

I started this site because I’m a firm believer that understanding the 'why' behind the machinery gives you a massive head start in the cockpit. While you certainly don’t need to be a mechanic to be a great pilot, I’ve noticed that having an engineering brain and a touch of mechanical sympathy goes a long way. Whether you are listening for a slight skip in a Lycoming engine, feeling a vibration through a steering column on the A470, or reading the topography of the Brecon Beacons to predict low-level turbulence, the goal is the same: Staying ahead of the environment.

What to Expect

This isn’t just another aviation blog. This is a technical logbook where we explore three distinct altitudes:

• The Runway: The unfiltered reality of ATPL training, aerospace engineering insights, and the transition to modern glass cockpits.
• The Road: Maintaining drivers' cars, the culture of heritage machinery, and the finest driving routes across the UK.
• The Terrain: Applying pilot's navigation and engineering logic to the peaks. Exploring the Welsh landscape on foot to better understand the world we fly over.

Join the Sortie

I’m building this community for those who appreciate the clinical precision of a Garmin G1000 but still love the tactile nature of a manual machine and the grit of a steep climb.

If you’ve ever found yourself checking the METAR before deciding whether to head to the airfield, the garage, or the trailhead, you’re in the right place.

See you at the hold,

Curt Founder, Pistons & Pitots