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  • FPP228 - Returning to the SR-71

    FPP228 - Returning to the SR-71
    2026/10/19
    On October 10, 1997, Bert Garrison piloted the last SR-71 Blackbird flight for the United States Air Force. In this conversation with him, he recounts his time flying one of the most iconic aircraft in aviation history, the SR-71’s brief revival in the 1990s, and the mission that brought its Air Force career to a close. From the expectations of a comeback to the reality of the program’s end, Garrison shares the story of the Blackbird’s final chapter as well as his other experiences in aviation. It's a truly unique experience! Enjoying FPP? Support the show at: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ftrpltpdcst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 16 分
  • FPP227 - Dogfighting Goes Digital

    FPP227 - Dogfighting Goes Digital
    2026/10/12
    Tucker talks with retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel and TOPGUN graduate, Tim "Monk" Miller. He's the founder and CEO of the Strike Fighter League, the world's first professional air combat digital sport, where elite virtual pilots battle through precision, speed, and gunnery trials before facing off in the Dogfight Bracket Finals. It's a fascinating new angle on combat aviation and a new way people are stepping into the space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 2 分
  • FPP226 - A Lifetime in Combat Aviation

    FPP226 - A Lifetime in Combat Aviation
    2026/09/28
    Today, CAPT Jack Ashmore talks through a remarkable combat career spanning Korea and Vietnam, flying the AD Skyraider, A-4 Skyhawk, F-4 Phantom, and A-7 Corsair II. He shares dozens of firsthand stories from the 1968 Tet Offensive, the evolution of naval aviation, carrier operations, and the experience of adapting from piston-powered aircraft to supersonic jets. His perspective on combat aviation is really something special. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    59 分
  • FPP225 - In the Skies Over Iraq

    FPP225 - In the Skies Over Iraq
    2026/09/21
    Rear Admiral Doug "Woody" Beal came on the show having spent 35 years in Navy strike fighters, 13 on active duty and 22 in the reserves. Flying Intruders and Hornets from Whidbey to China Lake to the skies over Iraq. He has experienced everything from a medical disqualification at USAFA to combat ops over Somalia and Iraq as well as the tense 2019 standoff with Iran as Vice Commander of NAVCENT/5th Fleet. Plus, fresh takeaways on EMALS and AAG from a recent Gerald R. Ford strike group debrief. Support the show at: Fighter Pilot Podcast — Creating air combat-related content. | Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 23 分
  • FPP224 - The Software Problem

    FPP224 - The Software Problem
    2026/09/14
    Have you ever thought about how you update your F-22? Probably not, but someone has to. Rob Slaughter, former Air Force officer and co-founder of Defense Unicorns, joins the Fighter Pilot Podcast to discuss fixing how the Department of War builds, delivers, and updates software. From the Pentagon to disconnected battlefields. We talk innovation, air-gapped systems, and what it takes to bring modern software to the fight. Support the show at: Fighter Pilot Podcast — Creating air combat-related content. | Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    49 分
  • FPP223 - The Human Factor

    FPP223 - The Human Factor
    2026/09/07
    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 down with Commander Kevin Bernstein, MD, to explore a new approach to human performance across Naval Aviation. Drawing on his experience in sports medicine and Naval Special Warfare, Kevin explains how physical performance, psychology, recovery, and readiness can be brought together to help aviators perform better, stay healthy, and remain operational for longer. We discuss the Human Performance program being developed across the Navy, what it looks like inside a fighter squadron, the lessons learned from its early implementation, and why preserving experienced aviators may be one of Naval Aviation's most valuable investments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 時間 1 分
  • FPP222 - Afghanistan: America's Longest War

    FPP222 - Afghanistan: America's Longest War
    2026/08/31
    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. Nearly twenty years later, a C-17 Globemaster carrying the final American soldiers lifted off from Kabul as the Taliban returned to power. Between those two very different aircraft lies the story of America's longest war. What began with a remarkably successful military campaign against the Taliban and al-Qaeda evolved into a two-decade multinational effort encompassing counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, nation-building, and the creation of Afghan security forces. On this episode, Dr. Lance “Boil” Lewis, a retired Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet pilot and historian, helps examine how—and why—that transformation occurred. Tracing the conflict from Afghanistan's geography and history, through the opening air campaign and the long years that followed, to the final chaotic weeks of August 2021, the evacuation of more than 120,000 people, and the people and equipment left behind, it becomes evident that no single decision or individual explains the outcome. Instead, this is the story of two decades of consequential decisions—and the enduring difference between winning battles and achieving national objectives. Music by Slater Aiello. Please support the show at: Fighter Pilot Podcast | Creating air combat-related content. | Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    50 分
  • FPP221 - The Israeli Ace with 12 MiG Kills

    FPP221 - The Israeli Ace with 12 MiG Kills
    2026/08/17
    Brigadier General (Ret.) Israel Baharav is one of Israel's most accomplished fighter pilots, credited with twelve MiG-21 kills during his distinguished career in the Israeli Air Force. Over three decades of military service, he flew on the front lines, commanded a fighter squadron, served as Head of Air Force Intelligence, and led strategic planning efforts for the Israel Defense Forces, helping establish the framework for strategic cooperation between Israel and the United States. Following his military career, General Baharav transitioned into the world of technology and entrepreneurship, founding and leading multiple companies at the forefront of digital printing, 3D manufacturing, and healthcare innovation. In this episode, Cinco talks with Israel and he shares lessons from a lifetime of leadership in combat, and strategy, offering unique insights into what it takes to succeed in the world's highest-consequence environments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    50 分