FPP223 - The Human Factor
If only we treated the human being in the cockpit with the same care and lifecycle management we give the aircraft... In this episode, I sit...
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Fighter Pilot Podcast
The Fighter Pilot Podcast explores the fascinating world of air combat: the aircraft, the weapons systems, and most importantly--the people. Most episodes feature a guest who helps explain t...
Episodes
20 of 351 episodes
FPP222 - Afghanistan: America's Longest War
On October 7, 2001, a US Air Force B-2 Spirit crossed into Afghan airspace as part of the opening campaign of Operation Enduring Freedom. Ne...
FPP221 - The Israeli Ace with 12 MiG Kills
Brigadier General (Ret.) Israel Baharav is one of Israel's most accomplished fighter pilots, credited with twelve MiG-21 kills during his di...
FPP220 - Launching Satellites from F-104s
In this episode, I sit down with Tim Franta, CEO of Starfighters Space, to discuss the company's mission to transform access to space using...
FPP219 - From Wimbledon to Mach 1.58: Louis Skupien’s Wild Ride into Telling Aviation’s Story
He was a national champion tennis player headed for Wimbledon, then COVID and injury ended that dream overnight. Two years later, Louis Skup...
FPP218 - The Humans Behind Autonomous Air Combat
Former US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot turned Autonodyne CEO Steve Jacobson discusses one of the most important and least understood...
FPP217 - Shot Down, Not Out: Col. Richard "Dog" Brenneman on Service and Survival
US Air Force Colonel Richard "Dog" Brenneman describes his incredible story of courage and determination. Shot down over North Vietnam on hi...
FPP216 - 300 Vietnam Missions in the F-4: Combat and the Making of a Leader
Ron "Toes" Cooper grew up silent, insecure, and certain he'd never amount to much. Then four men believed in him — and everything changed. T...
FPP215 - U-2s on Aircraft Carriers: A Cold War Gamble
During the Cold War, the Lockheed U-2 gave the United States the ability to peer deep inside denied territory from altitudes once thought un...
FPP214 - Fighting Falcons: VMF-221 and the Soul of Marine Aviation
From Buffalos at Midway to Corsairs off the deck of Bunker Hill, the Marines of VMF-221 fought, bled, and adapted their way through the Paci...
FPP213 - Top Gun, Tomcats, and AI Wingmen: "Yank" Cummings on Tomorrow’s War
JJ “Yank” Cummings returns to the Fighter Pilot Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on F-14 Tomcats, carrier aviation, Top Gun: Maverick...
FPP212 - Four Stars, One Secretary, Zero Ego - Gen. Goldfein & Sec. Wilson on Servant Leadership
What does it take to lead when the mission is hard, the stakes are life-and-death, and nobody is watching? In this extraordinary episode, Tu...
FPP211 - The Last Harrier: Inside the Final AV-8B Squadron
The AV-8B Harrier is one of the most demanding, iconic, and battle-proven aircraft in military aviation history. Now, as the Harrier era dra...
Artemis II: Back to the Moon! (Rebroadcast)
With the successful launch of Artemis II and NASA's return to the moon six decades later, we thought this a good time to dust off episode 18...
What Happens After Talent Runs Out: Unlocking the Last 20%
At some point, talent is no longer enough. The same is true for preparation, intelligence, and ambition. What remains is the final margin—th...
FPP210 - 600knots Through Chicago: From F-22 Raptor to Reinvention
What does it take to command the F-22 Raptor at the edge of the envelope — and then pull the power to idle in a vertical tailslide over 100,...
FPP209 - When (and Where) 5th Gen Simulation Meets Reality
As software has become the center of gravity for 5th generation fighters, simulation has become increasingly foundational to testing and fie...
FPP208 - The Making of an Astronaut: From Fighter Test to the Edge of Space
What does it take to go from strapping into fighters to leaving Earth's atmosphere? This week, Jameel “Chocolate” Janjua — Virgin Galactic a...
FPP207 - Flying with the Algorithm: AI, Trust, and the F-35
What happens when artificial intelligence starts sharing cockpit responsibilities? On this episode, US Air Force Lt Col Raven “Rost” LeClair...
FPP206 - Delivering the Future: Aviation Acquisition
The future of airpower is not decided in the cockpit—it’s decided by the acquisition process. In this episode, U.S. Air Force Colonel Tim “I...