Alex MacPhail Podcast

I’m joined by Senior Training Captain Nigel Hopkins. Nigel is a World Champion in precision flying. He's is also National Champion 13 times over. He was Head of Training Airbus A320 at South African Airways. He was instrumental in forming Team Xtreme, the 4-ship formation aerobatic team that operates globally. Our conversation will cover topics including:  dedication, hard work, passion, dili...

In this episode my guest is Red Bull Air Race pilot, Patrick Davidson. Patrick grew up in Port Elizabeth in and around flying. His father Stewart is also a world-class pilot, and exposed Patrick to flying from a very young age. At 12 years old, Patrick won his first contest, flying with a safety pilot. He later competed solo on his 17th birthday. Patrick is a five-time South African Aerobatic Cham...

The Patrouille de France is the oldest formation aerobatic team in the world! Today I am joined by Athos 1, the Leader of the Patrouille de France, Major Samuel Lanos.  The Patrouille de France has a mesmerising show with 9 Alpha jets and coloured smoke, representing the National Flag. They are made up of highly experienced Fast Jet pilots, who have successfully passed the selection criteria of th...

I am super excited to have my great friend and ‘big brother” on the show. Gideon Langeveld is one of those gems, who has impacted so many lives, through giving of himself. As a leader, an instructor, a colleague and a friend. He is a talented pilot, with a wealth of knowledge in Military, civilian, airline, instruction, airshow, filming and amphibian flying. Gideon has more float plane hours in So...

I have a wonderful gentleman on the show, Colonel (Ret) Cobus Toerien, a man who has recently retired from South African Airways after an illustrious 44 years in aviation. Cobus qualified as a fighter pilot on Aermacchi MB326 and served on the front lines. He later qualified as a Mirage F1 pilot and continued to serve his country. With more than 160 operational sorties and 10 years of operational...

Richard Browning is the Founder and Chief Test Pilot at Gravity Industries Ltd. If you have ever wondered what it must be like to simply, jump up and fly, Richard is the man to talk to. Richard continually asks the question, “what if?”  The team at Gravity Industries challenge assumptions. They have demonstrated human flight at more than 100 events in more than 30 countries. Richard Browning: http...

In this episode I was joined by Lt Marko Novkovic, number 6 in the Croatian Krila Oluje - ‘Wings of Storm’.  Tragically, two weeks after our interview, Marko was killed in a training accident, unrelated to the aerobatic team. This jovial and enthusiastic conversation is now recorded as a summary of Marko's background and achievements.   The Krila Oluje is the Croatian National Aerobatic Displ...

In this episode I had a great conversation with Francois Allison. We spoke about the discipline required in Air Force training, basic military training and flying training. How Air Forces around the world train their pilots in a similar fashion. We talked about the techniques of being a flying instructor and the relationships that build and grow as you pass on the "guild of flying" He te...

How do High Performance Teams maintain optimal wellness for peak performance?  Dr Anton will give you that answer. Dr Anton Janse van Rensburg is the Chief Medical Officer at Exec Care, an executive wellness facility in Johannesburg.  We had a conversation about his team of medical professionals, whose job it is to look after the captains of industry across South Africa. This interdisciplinary app...

In this episode I am joined by Pierre-Henri Chuet, callsign "Ate". He served on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, operating the Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft. Ate has an interesting story, both operating in the US Air Force and the French Navy. He is also a stroke survivor at a young age and has managed to regain his flying medical.  Ate now flies Boeing B737 for Air Canada. He...

In this episode I am talking with Thomas Wilhelm, the Chief Test Pilot of Airbus Toulouse. Thomas is a former German Air Force Test Pilot and was involved in the Airbus A400M project for 10 years. On completion of high school Thomas initially spent his compulsory military service in the parachute division of the German military. After a distinguished career of flight testing with the German Air Fo...

This was a fascinating conversation with the Deputy Commanding Officer of the Snowbirds, Canadian Forces aerobatic display team, Lt Col Denis Bandet. The 9-ship aerobatic team are flown by Royal Canadian Air Force pilots while the ground and support staff come from all arms of service. Denis has recently stepped down as leader, after spending several years with the Snowbirds. Join me for this exci...

Hi and welcome to this brand new podcast, High Performance Teams , a show where we interview world-class guests from across the globe. High Performance Teams consistently deliver in the greatest arenas using the principle called "Incremental gains." Subscribe to this podcast and listen to the new episodes to find out how the following individuals all use a similar principle to reach the...