Could You Fly a Plane?

Patrick Chovanec never imagined he could, until the Covid-19 pandemic pushed him in an unexpected direction. Climb into the cockpit with him and find out what it’s like to go, step by step, from passenger to pilot.

Find Out More

Aviation

If you've come here looking for even more on aviation, this is the place. You'll find pages devoted to historical aircraft, videos that further illustrate topics I discuss in my book, and a collection of links to helpful resources for pilots and students.

Read More

Adventures

Travel and history are two of my favorite things in life. Here you'll find links to my travel stories from around the world, as well as in-depth perspectives on historical events such as World War I and the Apollo Moon Landing.

Read More

Economy

Click here to check out my regularly-updated "dashboard" of the go-to data points I look to for an indication which way the U.S economy is heading, as well as my recent articles and media appearances focused on markets and the economy.

Read More

China

I've spent much of my life traveling, working, and teaching in China, since my first visit there in 1986. This is where you'll find my articles, insights, and media appearances focused on China, past and present.

Read More

About

Patrick Chovanec is an economic advisor and former chief strategist at Silvercrest Asset Managment, based in New York City. He has spent much of his life in China, and taught at Tsinghua University in Beijing and at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). He has appeared regularly in the media on these topics.  Patrick began learning to fly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and earned his Private Pilot's License in September 2021. He wrote Cleared for the Option for readers who share the curiosity he had – about what pilots actually learn and do to become pilots.