The Pilot Project Podcast

Every military aviator carries stories that stay with them long after the aircraft shuts down. To mark the milestone of 100 episodes, we're looking back at the moments that revealed the true weight of military aviation. This second retrospective shifts from learning to fly to learning what comes after. A pilot's first time facing enemy fire, split-second decisions under pressure, devastating loss,...

New listener? Start here! For 100 episodes, The Pilot Project Podcast has explored the world of military and mission aviation through the people who have lived it. In Part 1 of our retrospective series, The Climb, we look back at the making of military aviators. From the first moments that sparked the dream, to the grind of training, the edge of high-performance flying, and the toll service can ta...

Retired Lieutenant-Colonel Maryse Carmichael returns to discuss the Snowbirds, the retirement of the CT-114 Tutor, the planned operational pause, and the future of one of Canada’s most recognizable aviation teams. In Part 2 of this conversation, Maryse explains what Canadians do not see behind a Snowbirds performance, from months of training and preparation to the trust, discipline, teamwork, and...

Before she commanded the Snowbirds, Maryse Carmichael was a young Air Cadet from Quebec City with a dream of becoming a military pilot. That dream would eventually make her the first woman to fly with the Snowbirds - and the first woman to fly with any jet aerobatic demonstration team in the world. In Part 1, Maryse shares her journey through Air Cadets, flight training in Moose Jaw, instructional...

In Part 3, Captain Troy Clarke discusses flight instruction, standards flying, STARS Air Ambulance operations, and his decision to return to the RCAF after leaving military service. 

Captain Troy Clarke shares incredible stories from his time flying the CH-149 Cormorant with 103 Search and Rescue Squadron, including North Atlantic rescues, fatigue lessons, operational pressure, and the realities of SAR flying. 

Captain Troy Clarke shares his unconventional path into aviation, from growing up in rural Newfoundland to navigating early flight training struggles, 9/11’s impact on the industry, and joining the RCAF. After earning his wings on fast jets, a serious in-flight decompression incident forced him to rethink his career and ultimately transition to helicopters. This episode is all about persistence, s...

After his time on the Sea King, Niels Olson moved into instructing at 3 CFFTS. In Part 3, he shares what it’s like teaching new pilots, working in Standards, and supporting wildfire operations during Op Lentus. From coaching students through complex flying to landing in smoke so thick it turns day into night, this episode shows a different side of military aviation.

As the first woman to command the Royal Canadian Air Force, Lieutenant-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet is leading the service through one of the most significant periods of transformation in its history. In this special 100th episode of The Pilot Project Podcast, Jamie discusses the challenges and opportunities facing today's RCAF, from recruitment and retention to NORAD modernization, fifth-genera...

In Part 2 of this conversation, Captain Niels Olson takes us inside his first deployment as a CH-124 Sea King pilot with 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron - and the reality of life at sea that no one fully prepares you for. After completing his training, Niels went almost straight from the Operational Training Unit to deploying aboard HMCS Ottawa.  Niels opens up about the moment he realized he mig...

Captain Niels Olson didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a military pilot. In fact, while living next to CFB Chilliwack as a kid, he remembers watching soldiers train and thinking, “I’m never doing that.” In Part 1, we cover his early life, joining under CEOTP, the long training pipeline, and his first exposure to maritime helicopter operations before even starting flight training. Then we'll get i...

In Part 2, Capt Dylan Gilje-Allan and Capt Matt Chretien take listeners inside Canada's P-8 Poseidon SEEDCORN program and their transition from the CP-140 Aurora to operational flying with the Royal Air Force. They discuss P-8 training, automation, crew coordination, and the differences between the Aurora and Poseidon.  The conversation also covers tracking Russian submarines in the Atlantic, flyi...

Canadian SEEDCORN pilots Capt Dylan Gilje-Allan and Capt Matt Chretien join us to share their journey from military flight training to operational flying on the CP-140 Aurora. They discuss the CEOTP/SEEDCORN training pipeline, earning their wings during COVID, and life in the Long Range Patrol community. The conversation also explores Operation NEON deployments, anti-submarine warfare, the Titan s...

Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson conclude the story of the MSC Baltic III rescue, one of the most remarkable search and rescue missions in recent Canadian history. After battling through severe winter weather and discovering the vessel hard aground on Newfoundland's west coast, the crew of Rescue 901 faced a critical decision: evacuate the injured sailors as originally planned, or...

Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson take us inside the opening hours of the MSC Baltic III rescue, one of the most challenging search and rescue missions in recent Canadian history. On the morning of February 15, 2025, the cargo ship MSC Baltic III lost power in a violent winter storm off Newfoundland's west coast. With winds exceeding 120 km/h, massive waves, and reports of multiple...

Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson were part of the crew that helped rescue all 20 sailors from the grounded cargo ship MSC Baltic III during one of the most dramatic search and rescue missions in recent Canadian history. Before the mayday call, the winter storm, and the race against time off Newfoundland's west coast, there were years of training, operational experience, and lesson...

In Part 2 of this series, Major Sam Behm shares what it was like to command the first Canadian CC-130J Hercules mission tasked with evacuating personnel during the 2021 Kabul Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation. She reflects on preparing her crew, making decisions under pressure, and leading in an environment defined by uncertainty and risk. Sam also speaks candidly about serving as the only female...

Major Sam Behm's path to the CC-130J Hercules wasn’t straightforward.  As we mark International Women's Day and Women in Aviation Worldwide Week, Sam shares how she joined the Canadian Armed Forces under ROTP as a MARS Officer (now Naval Warfare Officer), and determinedly pursued a transfer to the Royal Canadian Air Force when the opportunity to become a pilot reopened.  We walk through her flight...

 Part two of our chat with Captain Rock Veilleux follows his evolution from recovery to instructor pilot, overseas flying, and ultimately search and rescue operations. It's a powerful story about adaptation, leadership, and staying passionate about aviation. 

Captain Rock Veilleux shares how a passion for flying led to fast jets - and how a dramatic ejection forced him to rebuild both his career and confidence. A gripping Canadian military aviation story about resilience, identity, and staying in the fight. 

In part 3 of 3, Major Ian Wookey concludes his Afghanistan story. He describes the execution of evacuation operations in Kabul, the pressure faced by aircrews and planners, and the emotional toll of operating in a collapsing environment. As the final flights departed, Ian reflects on the limits of military power, the people left behind, and how those final days continue to resonate long after leav...

In part 2 of 3, Major Ian Wookey returns to continue his account of Afghanistan’s final days. He describes the shift from a controlled drawdown to the sudden collapse of Afghan security forces, the rapidly deteriorating situation in Kabul, and the mounting pressure on the small coalition force that remained behind. 

In part 1 of a 3-part conversation on the fall of Afghanistan, Major Ian Wookey shares his first-hand account of the Afghanistan drawdown, from closing Kandahar Airfield to becoming the last Canadian on the ground.

Major Matt Neri returns for Part 2 to discuss the Outcast 903 accident, lessons learned, recovery, and leadership as CO of 103 SAR Squadron. He also shares how Mattfrom103 became an unexpected platform for education, transparency, and trust in the SAR community. 

Major Matt Neri joins Bryan Morrison for Part 1 of a two-part interview exploring his career in Search and Rescue. Matt shares his early aviation influences, flight training experiences, and first operational tours on the CH-149 Cormorant. From earning his wings to coordinating SAR missions at JRCC Halifax, this episode offers an inside look at the realities of rescue flying and what it takes to l...