Fighter Pilot Podcast

FPP224 - The Software Problem

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

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 down with Commander Kevin Be

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. Nearly twenty years later, a C-1

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 distinguished career in the Isra

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 high-performance aircraft. We

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 Skupien was strapped into a jet su

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 aspects of future air combat:

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 his 26th combat mission while f

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. Toes went on to fly the F-4 Pha

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 unreachable. But after the Franc

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 Pacific War — and their story reve

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, and the rapidly approaching

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, Tucker Hamilton sits down with

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 draws to a close, one squadron re

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 189 from April 2024 featuring Re

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—that last 20% where discipline,

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 100,000 people? — and then reinven

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 fielding those aircraft. On this

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 astronaut and former U.S. and

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—F-35 Lightning II test pilot