Fighter Pilot Podcast

The US Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron, better known as the Blue Angels, has amazed audiences with incredible aerial performances since their debut in 1946 flying the propeller-driven F6F Hellcat. In the 73 years since, the team transitioned to the Bearcat and then jets including the Panther, Cougar, Tiger, Phantom II and Skyhawk. For the last 33 years the team has operated the Hornet. With e...

The Sopwith Camel, P-51 Mustang, F-86 Sabre, and F-4 Phantom II may all be the quintessential fighters of their era, from World War I through the Vietnam conflict. And from Desert Storm to today, few would dispute the aircraft that most deserves to join such an esteemed group is none other than the General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) F-16 Fighting Falcon—better known as simply, the Viper. On th...

BRRRRRRTTTTTT!!! The sound of an aircraft cannon firing is simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying, depending on which side of the barrels a person finds themselves. And while most combat aircraft have featured guns and cannons since the dawn of aerial battle, no aircraft is more known for its gun—or respected for it—than the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II and it’s tank-busting 30mm GAU...

We've been cranking out quite a bit of content lately and need to take a little time off while the kids are on spring break. So for this week's episode, Sunshine and Jell-O banter a bit before answering a few listener questions. We end with an edited replay of Jell-O's January 9, 2019 appearance answering yet more listener questions on the show Aircrew Interviews. Support this podcast at — https:/...

Everyone recognizes the F-14 as the star of the 1986 hit movie Top Gun, but few can readily identify the Western fighter that acted as the Tomcat’s nemesis—a role it was perfectly suited for and still performs for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps today. On this episode, retired U.S. Navy Reserve Commander Paco Chierici joins us to describe how the Northrop F-5 began life in the 1950’s as the ‘Freedo...

Of all the fighter planes to ever take to the sky, perhaps none is more recognized, or more revered, than the venerable Grumman F-14 Tomcat. Made popular by movies such as The Final Countdown and, of course, Top Gun—not to mention real world heroics off the coast of Libya in the 1980s and Desert Storm in the early 90s—the F-14 is no stranger to attention. But what was it like to fly? Why is it so...

The SEPECAT Jaguar, Vought F-8 Crusader, Mirage F-1, Mirage 2000, Dassault Étendard, and later the Super Étendard were all remarkable aircraft designed to do one or two missions well. But what may be most noteworthy about these aircraft is that they were all replaced by just one model: the incredibly-capable Dassault Rafale. On this episode, we conduct our first remote interview with Lieutenant Pi...

Few Western aerospace design and manufacturing firms can boast an aircraft so successful that it is flown by every branch of the U.S. military, plus the Coast Guard and dozens of countries, with over 4,000 aircraft being built in dozens of configurations. No, it’s not the Lockheed C-130 Hercules or Bell UH-1 Huey. We’re talking the Sikorsky H-60 helicopter. On this episode, U.S. Navy Commander Jer...

In the early 1960’s, the U.S. Navy began a program for a carrier-based attack aircraft to replace the A-4 Skyhawk. Two requirements were specified to ensure a lethal platform at the lowest possible cost: accurate weapons delivery and a design based on an existing aircraft. The Ling-Temco-Vought team’s winning proposal, based on Vought’s F-8 Crusader, became the LTV A-7 Corsair II. On this episode,...

At the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union fielded a formidable navy—both above and below the surface. In response, the United States Navy required a carrier-based, fixed-wing aircraft with long on-station time and an extensive air-to-surface and -subsurface avionics sweet and weapons capability. The result was the twin-turbofan, high-wing Lockheed S-3 Viking. On this episode, retired U.S. Na...

What was it designed to do? What does it do well? What ordnance does it carry? Why does it look the way it does…? …These are a few of the questions retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Q “BBQ” Sterling answers while explaining the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet on this, our inaugural ‘aircraft series’ episode. These same questions will be posed to guests during future episodes on a variet...

Just as humans are broadly generalized as Baby Boomers, Millennials, etc., so too are fighter aircraft lumped into categories—only it has less to do when they are born (or what we would call, IOC) and more to do with various capabilities such as speed, maneuverability, avionics, and weaponry. And what’s more—with upgrades, some aircraft change generations. On this episode, U.S. Air Force Major Joh...

Convinced we’re alone in the universe? Think everyone who believes in UFOs is a lot like Randy Quaid’s character, Russel, in 20th Century Fox’s original Independence Day? Get ready to entertain doubts after listening to this week’s episode with retired U.S. Navy Commander David “Sex” Fravor who you may recognize from numerous appearances on the 2008 PBS series, Carrier. You’ll be amazed to hear ev...

Join Vincent and special guest Rob Kibbe, host of The Musclecar Place, for an intimate look back at the Fighter Pilot Podcast’s first year and what’s coming in 2019. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some suggest the most difficult job in the military is not the force recon Marine, nuclear reactor officer, fighter pilot, or even Navy SEAL … but rather the humble military spouse. Independent, resilient, and resourceful, military spouses face challenges beyond that of other professions—except without the formal training. Part nurse, part mechanic, occasional therapist, and frequent single parent...

If aviation itself is an inherently unforgiving activity, then how much more naval aviation—which routinely involves formation flying, ship landings, night vision goggle usage and… of course, the enemy? When tragedy strikes—as it frequently does—the U.S. Government cares for family members of the fallen, as well as the parent unit but, inevitably, response times can sometimes be lengthy and expens...

Sweep, point defense, close escort, high-value airborne asset protection… These are just a few of the many air-to-air missions modern U.S. fighter pilots may be required to perform in the course of their duties. Each requires significant pre-mission planning to analyze how various constraints and limitations might affect execution. On this episode, former enlisted U.S. Marine, then naval flight of...

Taken out of context, Stephen Hawking’s comment, “all we need to do is make sure we keep talking,” does not apply to aerial engagements. In complex and dynamic scenarios with multiple opposing fighter elements—closing on each other at well over 1,000 knots—more is decidedly not better. Instead, clear, concise, standardized (and minimal) communications are essential to ensure situational awareness...

Advancements in weapons technology and lethality have spawned countermeasures for as long as humans have been warring: with the broadsword came plate armor. For arrows it was shields. And with the advent of radar, infrared tracking, and active missiles—came chaff, flares, and jammers. On this episode, Utah Air National Guard Major Sean “Bauer” Demeter joins us to discuss the various countermeasure...

Ever wonder why so many astronauts are (and were) former fighter pilots? Could it be that flight training is good preparation for astronaut training and thus acts as a natural selection process? Maybe. Or it could be that flying fighter jets attracts a certain type of person who enjoys challenges, works well under pressure, handles disorienting situations, manages risk, and—most importantly—perfor...

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have the opportunity to fly a high-performance military jet fighter but now anyone can enjoy the incredibly realistic air combat simulation platforms available on the market today. From the astonishingly accurate aircraft recreation to the flawless graphics and imagery, air combat simulation is the next best thing for military aircraft aficionados--without the l...

The Battle of Midway was a decisive U.S. naval victory that turned the tide of World War 2. As a result, the name ‘Midway’ has been assigned to everything from a high school in Texas to an airport in Chicago. It is also the name of the longest serving American aircraft carrier of the 20th century. Today, the USS Midway continues to serve as a museum on the San Diego, Calif. waterfront. Hosting tho...

There may be a no more lethal or effective fighting unit than the Marine Air Ground Task Force. Comprised of combat Marines on land, in the air, and from the sea, the MAGTF is equally capable massing its formidable firepower to overwhelm and defeat an adversary as applying its vast resources and logistics network to assist in disaster relief and humanitarian roles. On this episode, retired U.S. Ma...

Doctors attend medical school. Attorneys go to law school. …Plumbers acquire the skills of their craft at a plumbing trade school. So where do fighter pilots get their start? Duh. At flight school, of course. The U.S. Air Force and Navy maintain discrete flight schools. While they share some aircraft (i.e. the Beechcraft / Raytheon T-6 Texan II) and occasionally exchange students and instructors,...

Troop transport, MEDEVAC, CSAR, ASW, VERTREP, special operations, ground attack… these are but a few of the many missions rotary-wing aircraft perform for militaries the world over, day in and day out. But how do helicopters even fly? How difficult is it to fly them? Why do most have two pilots? In the event of total power loss can they glide to an emergency landing like some airplanes? How and wh...