MAVGEEKS: A Military Aircraft Obsession

Gini takes us back to this year's Duxford Air Show, where she saw the Vampire, the Bristol Blenheim and the fully electric Pipistrel Velis. Listen in as she chats to Master Sergeant Jeremy Hall of the 351st Air Refuelling Squadron, pilot Sam Whatmough, Bristol Blenheim restorer John "Smudge" Smith and Wing Commander Martin "Tin Tin" Tesli of the Norwegian Air Force. Meanwhile, Jamie reminisces abo...

MavGeeks is back! This time we talk the F-4 Phantom, BAE Hawk and Boeing 747 with British Airways' Director of Flight Operations Allister Bridger. With a career spanning both military and civil aviation, Al’s one of the most experienced and enthusiastic guests we’ve ever had. Equally generous with his wisdom and time, he even took Gini for a flying lesson in the British Airways’ Boeing 777 si...

Got an obsession with aircraft that’s impossible to contain? So maniacal about military aviation your friends are concerned for your wellbeing? Stop searching, you’re home! MavGeeks: A Military Aircraft Obsession is back and bigger then ever for series 4! Join Gini Carlin and Jamie Gordon as they get familiar with the most iconic planes in the sky and meet the superheroes who fly them. Listen to M...

Yes! It's the time of the year when our MavGeeks set their eyes on the skies to follow the Big Man himself. Gini and Jamie learn all about what it takes to track the world's most famous aviator and his reindeer as they navigate the globe.  Get in touch. Email us via  mavgeeks@bfbs.com This is an original podcast series from BFBS.  Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Jam...

Join us on a road trip to maybe the coolest RAF station ever, RAF Fylingdales. It's 30 years since those iconic golf balls gave way to the pyramid that sees into space, but the mission remains the same: Vigilamus (Latin for “We Are Watching”). These people are dedicated to keeping the UK safe from ballistic missiles and space junk. Space analyst Lacey Harrison and Flight Lieutenant Richie Weeks ta...

This week's MiniMavs sees Gini and her old mav man Alex Gill stick their toes into the civil aviation world to become CavGeeks! They speak to RAFAC Officer and Airline First Officer Katy Lee MBE all about her work as a human factors specialist, flying instructor, charity trustee and of course, flying the Boeing 737 Max for a living.   Get in touch. Email us via  mavgeeks@bfbs.com...

You may be cool, but are you "a teenager going for a ride in a Harrier flown by your Dad cool?” Nah, thought not. Our guest this week IS that cool! Ian Black is a former Pilot and Navigator on the Phantom and Lightning, and is now an author and photographer. In fact, Ian liked the Lightning so much, he actually bought one. After hearing this, we MavGeeks needed a lie down in a darkened room... ...

This week's MiniMav sees our Gini with her old Mav man Alex Gill talking to Former Royal Navy pilot Andrew Neofytou. Andrew now flies the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and has his own business (flightdeckwingman.com), but there was a time when Andrew flew the mighty Sea Harrier, a plane which, to be honest, could be as stroppy as a teenager with no WiFi. Join our Mavs as they listen like two dweeby kids a...

This week, Gini and Jamie chat with Tom Cruise's bff. No, it's not Maverick, but Jo Salter MBE! Not only is she rubbing shoulders with Hollywood's elite but she's also Britain's first female fast jet pilot, a motivational speaker and Director of Global Transformative Leadership at a massive UK corporation. Join our MavGeeks as they fangirl/fanboy a true British aviation icon. Get in touch. Email u...

Gini's flying solo this week as she brings you a brand new “MiniMav" episode! Speaking to Sqn Ldr Al Spence from 30 Squadron, Gini learns all about the A400 Atlas, how it flies, and how it compares to Al's previous career with fast jets. Then, on the first midair refuelling of an A400, by the RAF, what it's like to when a big old Voyager gets up close and personal and the sky seems a whole lot sma...

Our MavGeeks liftoff Series 3 with something a little out there… that’s right, it’s time for 2022’s MavGeeks Halloween Special! In what’s now an annual tradition, Gini Carlin and her new co-pilot Jamie Gordon welcome brilliant guests for the lowdown on some terrifying tales that defy aviation explanation. Get in touch. Email us via  mavgeeks@bfbs.com This is an original podcast series from BF...

Here at MavGeeks towers, we’re preparing for take off on Series 3 of our weekly aviation geek-out. But, this Friday, we're bringing you tales of haunted hangars and freaky flights - that’s right, we launch Series 3 with MavGeeks’ Halloween Special! From then on, we stick to the fly pro as usual, as we chat with the pilots, air crew and ground crew who flew, fixed, loved and sometimes even loathed...

Attracting weird looks because you're totally nerdy about planes? Come and join your tribe! MavGeeks: A Military Aircraft Obsession is back for a third series. Join Gini Carlin and new boy Jamie Gordon as they get ready to geek out over some iconic military aircraft with some of the people who fly them. Hit follow to join them in the jump seat!

Our Mavgeeks bring you a very special festive episode, as they track the World’s greatest aviator with NORAD and RAF Fylingdales. Join Gini and Alex as they find out about the F-18 escort that Santa gets over North America, How the heat signature of a ballistic missile is the same heat signature that’s in Rudolph’s nose and just how the big man uses OSA (Official Santa Act) technology to get acros...

This week our Mavgeeks are taking it right back to the old school, speaking to Flight Lieutenant Andy Bell of 70 Sqn at RAF Brize Norton about his time on arguably the RAF’s most well-known Maritime patrol aircraft, The Hawker Siddeley Nimrod. The Mavgeeks hear how it was developed from the world’s first commercial jet airliner, the need for a cast iron stomach when the Nimrod was low level cresti...

Our MavGeeks are out of aviation hibernation and ready to be “navgeeked” as aviation and travel vlogger Noel Phillips joins Gini and Alex to kick off series two. Noel spills the beans about landing on the side of a mountain, travelling in a 40 year old Russian airliner around the Soviet block and recreating the Dambusters iconic practice flight over a Derbyshire dam.  SPOILER ALERT: Ther...

Our Mavgeeks get all Scooby Doo on this Halloween Special episode. Gini is trying not to go full Derek Acorah and Alex is geeking out about the King of Bahrain's 747... does it have a gold toilet? Hear a different kind of MavGeeks this week as our intrepid twosome share spooky stories of ghostly flight deck crew, weird goings on at the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum and someone at RAF Cottesmore...

It's the final MavGeeks for this season and there's a definite "End of Summer camp" vibe going on. Alex is taking selfies, crying into a hankie and promising to keep in touch with everyone, while Gini is handing out homemade wristbands to make sure we are all MavGeeks friends forever. Gini and Alex take a look back at some special aircraft from this summer’s Duxford Airshow, including the Catalina...

Our MavGeeks have a truly spiritual experience this week as they speak to Our Sacred Lady of the Fat Albert, Reverend (Sqn Ldr) Alice McDermott – Pilot turned Padre -about her time flying the venerable C130 Hercules. Alex brings up a less than sanctified topic about praying to the Lockheed Martin gods down the big white telephone after a few bumpy trips down route, Gini comes to the confessional t...

This episode we go far back in time to a cold war era aircraft that looks crazy but flew amazingly. We hear about the aircraft that could fly low, fold its wings, land on ships, and carried the ultimate weapon. Group Captain (Retired) Chaz Kennett shares his stories of riding backseat of the mighty Blackburn Buccaneer. Gini and Alex also share their love of air shows, and stories from some of thei...

After having a sit down, big mug of tea and at least six hours on an aircraft tracking app to calm down, our MavGeeks wave goodbye to DSEI and get back to the past. This episode they're over the top excited about the Tornado and speak to their old chum Wing Commander Greg "Vasco" Smith, who spent many an hour in the back seat. They're also geeking out about the runway at RAF Gibraltar and generall...

Gini and Alex hit an all-time MavGeek level 10 this week at the DSEI exhibition. Gini's still trying to work out how you can fly things that haven’t been invented yet and Alex is disappointed there was no flux capacitor. They chat with Wing Commander Col Welsh from Project Tempest and Group Captain Shaun Gee all about Protector. Join them as they get their tiny minds well and truly blown... Get in...

Gini’s been seeing planes in her sleep and Alex has been showing off to his mates about his transponder knowledge. Dick Lawtey from Airtanker pops by to properly fanboy the Lockheed L1011 Tristar from his 216 Sqn days at RAF Brize Norton and takes us down “Penny Lane” on the big white party bus. Some MavGeeks believe this was the inspiration for the Vengaboys biggest hit. Will they Kemble it or ke...

Fasten your seatbelt and prepare for take-off as self-confessed aviation nerds Gini and Alex get completely obsessed with their favourite military aircraft. From Tristars to Tornadoes, VC10s to Buccaneers, they share their passion for planes and geek out on the week’s aviation news. We hope you enjoy this in-flight entertainment! Subscribe now and never miss an episode of this original podcast ser...