Fighter Pilot Podcast

Fighter Pilot Podcast

The Fighter Pilot Podcast explores the fascinating world of air combat: the aircraft, the weapons systems, the emerging technologies, and most importantly—the people. Most episodes feature a guest who helps explain military aviation topics such from Vietnam shoot down stories to how AI is changing air combat. If you love the roar of a high-speed flyby or are enamored by the poise and confidence of the brave men and women who fly, fix, and fight these amazing aircraft, then this show is for you!

Episodes

FPP220 - Launching a Satellite From an F-104

August 3, 2026 • 46 mins
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 explore the STARLAUNCH air-launch system, how Starfighters operates the world's only commercial fleet of Mach 2+ F-104 Starfighters, and the advantages of launching rockets from the edge of the atmosphere. Tim also shares insights from his decades of experience in...
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FPP219 - From Wimbledon to Mach 1.58: Louis Skupien’s Wild Ride into Telling Aviation’s Story

July 20, 2026 • 52 mins
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 suit.  Four years after that, he was breaking the sound barrier twice in an F-16D over Edwards Air Force Base, filming a documentary on the 412th Test Wing and the story behind Auto-GCAS — the system that’s saved 13 pilots’ lives.  Louis...
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FPP218 - The Humans Behind Autonomous Air Combat

July 13, 2026 • 53 mins
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: the human-machine interface. Jake shares stories from flying and testing the Warthog, explains why he turned down Test Pilot School before ultimately finding his way into flight test anyway, and reflects on how those experiences shaped his approach to designing co...
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FPP217 - Shot Down, Not Out: Col. Richard "Dog" Brenneman on Service and Survival

June 29, 2026 • 94 mins
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 flying the F-4 Phantom II, Col. Brenneman spent more than 1,900 days as a prisoner of war in the Hanoi Hilton before returning home and was awarded the Silver Star for his extraordinary resilience. Support this podcast at — https://www.patreon.com/c/ftrpltp...
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FPP216 - 300 Vietnam Missions in the F-4: Combat and the Making of a Leader

June 15, 2026 • 64 mins
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 Phantom in over 300 combat missions in Vietnam, dodge a MiG-21 missile by a split second, participate in the rescue of a downed pilot who survived 23 days alone in hostile territory, and command a squadron.  In this episode, Toes brings us into the cockpit...
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FPP215 - U-2s on Aircraft Carriers: A Cold War Gamble

June 1, 2026 • 48 mins
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 Francis Gary Powers shootdown and increasing political pressure on foreign host nations, the CIA faced a growing problem: how do you operate one of the world’s most delicate reconnaissance aircraft when access to overseas bases can disappear overnight? The answer...
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FPP214 - Fighting Falcons: VMF-221 and the Soul of Marine Aviation

May 18, 2026 • 65 mins
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 reveals far more about combat, leadership, and airpower than the history books let on. Retired Marine Lt. Col. and historian Pete Owen joins the show to break down what really happened when Marine aviation was tested at its limits, why Midway was a far darker da...
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FPP213 - Top Gun, Tomcats, and AI Wingmen: "Yank" Cummings on Tomorrow’s War

May 4, 2026 • 81 mins
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 age of autonomous air combat. From war stories over Afghanistan to his work with Shield AI, Yank brings a rare blend of cockpit credibility, command experience, and forward-looking insight. This one is about more than airplanes; it’s about trust, ...
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FPP212 - Four Stars, One Secretary, Zero Ego - Gen. Goldfein & Sec. Wilson on Servant Leadership

April 20, 2026 • 57 mins
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 two of the most consequential figures in modern Air Force history — General (Ret.) David Goldfein, former Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, and Dr. Heather Wilson, former Secretary of the Air Force and current President of UTEP — Air Force ...
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FPP211 - The Last Harrier: Inside the Final AV-8B Squadron

April 6, 2026 • 75 mins
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 remains to carry the torch: VMA-223, the Great American Bulldogs. In this episode, Cinco sits down with the commanding officer (Traper) and executive officer (Porky) of the last AV-8B Harrier squadron to talk about the jet, the mission, the culture, and what it mean...
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Artemis II: Back to the Moon! (Rebroadcast)

April 1, 2026 • 49 mins
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 Reid "Tonto" Wiseman, mission commander. Godspeed, astronauts! Support this podcast at — https://www.patreon.com/cw/ftrpltpdcst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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What Happens After Talent Runs Out: Unlocking the Last 20%

March 20, 2026 • 45 mins
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, resilience, balance, and character decide the outcome. In this episode, Jell-O sits down with Tucker “Cinco” Hamilton to discuss his upcoming book, Unlocking the Last 20%. Through stories from fighter aviation, combat, flight test, leadership, an...
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FPP210 - 600knots Through Chicago: From F-22 Raptor to Reinvention

March 6, 2026 • 73 mins
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 reinvent yourself beyond the cockpit? Josh “Cabo” Gunderson joins Cinco to unpack elite performance, humility under pressure, the dominance of the Raptor at Red Flag, and the deeper question every operator must face: who are you when the afterburn...
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FPP209 - When (and Where) 5th Gen Simulation Meets Reality

February 20, 2026 • 68 mins
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 episode, Doug “Rosie” Rosenstock, a U.S. Marine Corps Harrier-turned-test pilot who helped shape the F-35's mission systems and its simulation backbone, explores how the joint simulation environment was—and is—instrumental in the F-35'...
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FPP208 - The Making of an Astronaut: From Fighter Test to the Edge of Space

February 6, 2026 • 58 mins
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 Canadian fighter test pilot — breaks down the mindset behind elite aviation, how test pilots really think about risk, and what it means to operate at the absolute edge of performance. We follow his path from military flight test to commerci...
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FPP207 - Flying with the Algorithm: AI, Trust, and the F-35

January 23, 2026 • 81 mins
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, squadron commander, and autonomy specialist—breaks down how AI is actually being integrated into 5th-generation fighters. We discuss what “human-machine teaming” looks like from the pilot’s seat, how trust in automation i...
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FPP206 - Delivering the Future: Aviation Acquisition

January 9, 2026 • 75 mins
The future of airpower is not decided in the cockpit—it’s decided by the acquisition process. In this episode, U.S. Air Force Colonel Tim “Ivy” Spaulding joins new FPP host Tucker “Cinco” Hamilton to break down modern aviation acquisition from a fighter pilot’s perspective. They explore why innovation so often struggles to reach the flight line, how risk and incentives become misaligned, a...
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The Fighter Pilot Podcast

January 1, 2026 • 1 min
Welcome to the Fighter Pilot Podcast! This trailer describes who this show is from, who it's for, and what it's all about. Be sure to check out our website and for exclusive content, subscribe to our Patreon Page. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X. To connect with us, email: questions@fighterpilotpodcast.com. Support this podcast at — https://www.patreon.com/cw/ftrpltpdcst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...
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End of Year Recap - 2025

December 28, 2025 • 52 mins
A look back at 2025 and introduction to 2026's new FPP host in this end-of-year wrap up episode. Support this podcast at — https://www.patreon.com/cw/ftrpltpdcst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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NORAD Santa Tracker (Rebroadcast)

December 24, 2025 • 7 mins
Near the end of each year, we feature the hard working men and women of NORAD who tirelessly monitor threats all year long and then, on December 24th, add the mission of tracking Santa. Enjoy this 2022 rebroadcast on the NORAD Santa Tracker program featuring then-U.S. Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck, the Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, and U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. James Porterfield, t...
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