June 21, 2025 • 26 mins
In this episode, Adam and Matt join forces live from TPNx 2025! Slim Morgan joins the guys to talk Metrea, TPNx, and the world outside of Part 121 flying. The discussion centers around networking at TPNx and conference takeaways. Insights from Metrea cover their operations in defense and firefighting, with details on fleet size and working benefits, including home basing options. The episode dives into aircraft certifications, operational categories, and advanced technology partnerships. Opportunities for tanker, aerial firefighting, and tactical pilots are highlighted, alongside roles for helicopter pilots. The conversation touches on transitioning service members and mentorship, offering guidance on connecting with Metrea for career opportunities. https://www.metrea.aero
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Episode Transcript
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(00:07):
What is up, network?
Episode two, bonus episode two of the TPNxseries.
This episode is Matt and I getting to talk toan old friend from Metrea.
And for those of you who don't know, Metrea isthey're a huge government, contractor, and they
stood up, they have a few different arms.
(00:28):
We get into it pretty pretty, in-depth here inthe interview, but the one that we kind of
focus on because of Matt and I's former KC-onehundred thirty five and tanking experience, we
talk about their tanker operation and how ithas grown significantly, how they continue to
look for more pilots.
And in my opinion, a great opportunity forthose of you out there who are looking for some
(00:50):
sort of different kind of work environment orjob that you might be able to go do.
I know it's not your, like, traditionalregional airline, blah blah blah blah blah.
All that good stuff.
I I get it.
But to get hours and to get paid pretty welldoing it.
And for those of you some of you out there whoare looking to kind of make a simple transition
if you're in the guard or reserve and you'reflying tankers already, this seems to me like
(01:11):
it'd be a good deal.
There's a couple things that we we discuss, inhere that venture into the other stuff Mitra is
starting to do, but we have to rein it back inbecause some can't talk a lot a lot about that.
So, it it was it was a fun conversation.
I know they've done very well at TPNx, We planto do a heck of a lot more with Mitraea.
(01:32):
So check them out.
Let them know though if you hear it on thepodcast or if you've gotten the information
from the pilot network that we sent you, thatwould be a really helpful thing for us.
We don't get paid yet by them but we would loveto help them with their staffing and concerns,
that they may have going forward.
Anyways, that's part of the episode.
It's just fun to catch up with old friends too.
(01:54):
I mean that's what TPNx really is, a lot ofit's about.
It's the networking aspect of TPNx and when youcome to, TPNx and show up there and you can ask
people who've been there before, It is adifferent environment than places that you have
been to different conferences.
They're all awesome but we're smaller, a littlemore intimate if you will and way more non
(02:19):
formal and if I may toot our own horn have thebest per capita CJO, rollout of the season so
far, had, 18 CJOs with just over 600 totalattendees.
So that definitely puts us in the running fortop, top of the shop.
(02:42):
Anyways, I can go on about all that stuff, butI'm sure you don't really wanna listen to me.
You wanna listen to Slim, Matt, and I chatabout Metreya and what they could possibly do
for you.
Anyways, here's that bonus episode.
Contact on Boom Manorphone.
How do you hear?
Clear, help me.
Got you loud and clear.
Looking good.
(03:05):
And confirm, you want 55 from us?
Yeah.
We'll take everything we can get.
Roger that.
Hey.
What is up, network?
Adam coming back at you live from TPNx twentytwenty five.
I am joined by a very special guest of thenetwork.
He's the cofounder.
His name is Matt Sweet.
You may have heard of him before.
Matt, how the hell are you?
Yeah.
I'm doing great.
And
the thanks for having me.
(03:25):
You know, we try to do this.
How about you?
You're running out.
Running around the whole time.
Yeah.
Not not even a second to get into the booth.
So this year, we're really excited.
Yeah.
When you actually have a team that is literallythey tell you to get out of the way because you
get in their way if you're trying to doanything.
It's nice to have this because then we get todo the fun stuff like record and have a very
good old friend with us joining.
(03:46):
He was a guest last year at the podcast.
Last year was the first TV.
Slim Morgan from Metrea.
The real guest of the show.
The real guest.
The real star of the show.
Good to be back with you guys.
Yeah.
How's how's conference going for
you guys?
Conference going great.
Nonstop.
Nonstop.
I'm losing my voice.
That's what that's
what we want to hear.
We want that voice, boss, because that meansyou're talking to everybody out there.
Absolutely.
What's the so, like, when you when you'retalking did you talk to I mean, it's all pilots
(04:10):
from all walks of life.
As you're a tanker guy, you're looking forthat.
What do you what kind of what kind of peopleare you getting?
Yeah.
So we're we're getting from, like I said, fromall walks of life.
You know, TPN, has evolved over the yearswhere, you know, when when I guys, when you
started it, it was pretty much tankers.
And and now I'd say this year, I'm getting afair number of people who were never in the
military or they were in the military inanother role, and they're now just starting
(04:34):
their flying career.
So the nice thing about where we're at is,yeah, I'm I'm interested in in tankers because
I run the tanker company, but we have severalother, operations in Metrea that, allow us to
look for, you know, brand new people with sevenhundred and fifty hours.
I can put them in a King Air, right seat andlet them get qualified, then maybe move up to a
(04:54):
challenger, and then we're doing the dash eightfirefighting, and then we get the tanker,
business.
So we're we're looking across the board.
Even even though I'm a tanker guy, we'relooking across the board for various various
capabilities.
So that brings up a good point.
So I think a lot of people who are avid podcastlisteners know about Metrea.
But for those who are new to the show, can yougive us the 30,000 foot view on what Metrea is,
(05:18):
what you do, and what does it mean to run atanker company?
Yeah.
Because that's kind of a cool concept.
Right?
Yeah.
So from from Metrea's perspective, Metrea is anoverarching company that has 13 companies
underneath it.
We're primarily a defense contractor, but we'rea little different.
It's that one, we look for wicked problems indefense that either haven't been solved or
(05:38):
don't have elegant solutions.
And I'm gonna use the firefighting example eventhough it's not defense.
You know, there's a lot of airbornefirefighting companies out there, but every one
of them are using World War two bombingtactics.
So we are we are opening up where our our newcapability.
Our our dash eight is going into final flighttests in May.
(06:00):
We hope to have operations running by the endof the summer, but we're bringing new
technology.
Wanna move the industry from World War twolevel bombing tactics to current precision type
bombing to help, target the the centers of thefires, things like that.
And I can't go into any more detail than that,on this, but that's what we do.
We look for wicked problems that either haven'tbeen solved or don't have the elegant solution.
(06:25):
So underneath that, the those 13 companies,we've got a lot of ground.
I'll I'll I'll just say, you know, a lot of alot of work with with SOCOM and SETCOM stuff.
I'll leave it at that.
We do modeling simulation.
We've got a model of an f 16 right now, so adigital model, the f 15, and doing some
modeling simulation there.
We're working on a t 38.
(06:46):
And on the flying side, we have four companies.
We've got the three part 91 companies are thethe tanker business, Matreo Strategic Mobility.
We've got a Matreo Special Aerospace, which isbasically ISR.
And then we have the airborne firefightingcompany, which is, again, just starting up.
Those are all part 91 operations.
(07:08):
Then we got a part one thirty five.
Easiest way to describe it is a charter typeoperation.
It it's slightly different, but it's a a onethirty five charter basically capability.
And we're about ready to get to the helicopterside of the house with if we win some contracts
out there that we're trying to do.
Just Let's get I just had a couple more thingsout
of it.
But as far as running the tanker company, I'mthe president of the company, but I'm a I'm a
(07:30):
tanker wing commander.
You know?
I've got I've got logistics, maintenance,operation, supply chain, got all that out
there.
So I like to say we're the size of a typicaltanker squadron doing the work of a typical
tanker wing.
Everyone we all our air crew, our previous orthey might still be in the guard reserve, but
all all air force US Air Force qualified onethirty five, and the majority of our
(07:54):
maintainers were also in one thirty fives inthe air force, whether it was ARC or Rug F.
Man.
Yeah.
That's super
interesting because, you know, as a as acurrent tanker pilot, you're a retie
Retired tanker.
Proud of that retired label.
But it as a as a as a current tanker pilot,it's really interesting that there is our
(08:16):
contract tankers out there.
So how how exactly does that work?
How's that transition from someone who isflying the case five for the Air Force, whether
it's guard, reserve, or active duty, and thenfor just wanna carry on and take that
experience somewhere.
What does that look like for them?
Yeah.
So the easiest transition is someone who is,we'll say, like you, still in still in the
(08:38):
reserve.
You know, whether you're a part time or fulltime or reserve, you can come work for us part
time or full time, you know, flip flop.
And so about 50 about 60% of my air crew arestill current in the Garden Reserve, and
they're either part time ARC, full time Us, orfull time ARC and part time Us.
But then even as the the reg f guys startcoming out, you know, they're looking for
(09:00):
something.
If they're current and qualified or justrecently noncurrent, then we can bring them on.
We can get them qualified in our aircraft.
They're they're KC one thirty fives.
They're block thirties, so a little differentthan the forties, 40 fives that people are
flying today, but they're still one thirtyfives.
I remember the block third.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Remember the Chepas, the block third, the block40 Chepas?
(09:20):
You you
had hire both with them.
Yeah.
Oh, I I remember the Amano round dial days, but
What what's that?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's the that's the ancient.
Oh, okay.
Yeah.
That's not the classic.
That's the ancient.
But but then you get a guy like me.
You know, I've been out of the one thirty fivefor fourteen years.
I'm still a current qualified CFII MEI, but notin the one thirty five.
(09:42):
So it's a little harder transition for someonelike I don't know how long you've been out.
Basically, anyone up to five years, I'llqualify in our aircraft.
Right now, we don't have any simulators, so wewe do all our training in the aircraft.
So the more current and qualified you are, theeasier it is for me.
But we are working to get simulators.
I've got a couple avenues we're working to getsimulator capacity.
(10:05):
And once we get that, then get a guy like me.
You mentioned retirement.
I failed retirement three times.
But I'm, you know, I'm 62 years old, and I'mdoing what I used to do in the air force.
They said I was too old.
Now I'm doing the same thing in a in adifferent color flight suit.
But once we get to simulators, I can take guysthat are noncurrent and put them through, you
know, the standard five SIM profile, get yourrecurrent, put your ride in the jet.
(10:30):
Now you're back to flying KC one thirty fives.
That's talk about an easy process, especiallyfor somebody who's do it do it the Lord's work
in the case of one thirty five right now.
And I remember talking to Munzer Gardening,Bubba's that I knew, and I said, hey.
If you're in this transition as you're gonna goto a legacy carrier, whatever the case might
be, and I thought you wanna do something thatyou know, something that's got a little bit of
(10:53):
cool factor to it, and you you you're alreadydoing it.
Go check with Trey.
Because I what I I mean and and I know the guyswho work I know I I think I know them way more
than three people now, but no other people whoI know worked there were like, these are people
that you flew with, in your squadrons.
(11:13):
They are your they're already your friends,your colleagues, the people you like to go fly
with, and they've chosen this back becausethere's still a little bit of that sense
purpose that we've talked about before.
But, also, this is kind of fun.
Like, you know, you go point a to point b.
Mean, I'm not saying that there's days where itdoesn't really, drag a little bit, but, like,
that's not the case.
(11:33):
And then I think another thing is is, like, I'ma commuter.
I'll be a commuter for life.
How do you how do those guys handle, like, ifthey live in, let's just say, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin?
What do do with it?
So so we're all home based.
We we fly everyone to where they need to be,whether they're pilots, AROs, boom operators,
wherever we fly them, where they need to be.
So, for example, in the last four months, wehad an aircraft out in The Pacific for fifty
(11:58):
two days.
We had an aircraft in Germany for three weekssupporting the German air force.
In The Pacific, we've been to Hawaii, Guam,Shatosi, Malaysia, Narita, Iwakuni.
So we're flying all over supporting themilitary.
So, I mean, there's a purpose in taking okay.
(12:19):
Taking grandma to go visit grandkids, there's apurpose there.
But there's a greater purpose when we're stillout there serving the the military, both ours
and friends and partners, and making sure thewarfighters have the training they need the way
they're gonna fight so that if if the balloonever does go up, they're ready to go.
(12:39):
So we we fly everyone to wherever they need tobe.
Probably 80% of the time, it's SoCal where thejets are.
But sometimes, you know, we'll we'll have anaircraft out of Myrtle Beach for four weeks,
and we'll just rotate to cruise air.
So we fly you from Milwaukee over to MyrtleBeach, and you fly however many days you you've
committed to, and then you fly back toMilwaukee.
So all home base.
(13:00):
You know, I I like to say on the airlines, atleast you're not with us.
You're not dragging the bag every day through adifferent airport and going to a different
hotel.
When you come with us, you're typically gonnabe somewhere four or five days, and then you
move on to either another location or you gohome for a bit and then you come back.
At work.
I mean,
what a cool way to run a business too.
I mean, that I I did a little bit of that whenI was at Atlas.
(13:22):
Oh, a whole amazing battle was exactly amazing,but very similar.
It was nice to know that my ride at work wascommitted.
And if I couldn't get there because canceledweather, whatever, No harm, no falls.
See you the next day.
That's the way it worked.
And for those of you out there who are in thisprocess of looking, that is a very, very
(13:43):
reassuring feeling that instead of going, if Idon't make it today, I could be at the call in
the cheap pilots.
So just just for that little edification outthere for those of you who are looking at those
kind of jobs, something that is reassuring inhome basing.
I'm sure they keep their airline points.
Oh, absolutely.
They get their airline points.
So we primarily Marriott.
(14:04):
If we don't have a Marriott, it's Hilton, sothey all get their hotel points.
You know?
So we we we try and treat them as well as aswell as we can.
Pilots love points.
Yeah.
Pilots love their points.
How how does it work with the aircraftcategory?
Is it all part one thirty five, part 91?
Are the are aircraft operated experimentalcategory or
(14:24):
are there some sort of military flight?
Yeah.
So for our tankers, our our airbornefirefighting, and our ISR, the part 91
experimental, primarily because of themodifications.
So the ISR, King Air three fifties, but they'vebeen modified.
In the tanker business, you know, the onethirty five has never been an FAA certified
aircraft.
So we're not a type certificated aircraft, sowe can't be a type certificated airline.
(14:48):
So we can't be a one thirty five or or or onetwenty one.
So we're part 91 experimental.
But, again, I I try and run it like a part onethirty five or part one twenty one.
So between the scheduling and the safetymanagement system, you know, we've got the five
horsemen that a a part one twenty one carrierwould have, you know, ahead of airworthiness,
seven maintenance, head of operations.
(15:10):
We we run it that way as a professional airlineeven though technically to the FAA, we're a
part 91 experimental.
There's when there's something that you saidearlier and diverting my mind I wanna talk
about.
It sounds like you're doing some really cuttingedge stuff.
Like, the tanker's cutting edge, know, we didtalk a little cutting edge stuff beforehand.
(15:33):
That that is wild to me to think about what wewere chatting about.
But so I just read this book, called DefenseExperimental or something.
I I gotta I'm butchering the title.
I'll look it up here shortly after I get Slim'sanswer.
And my friend Raj wrote the book.
And I was wondering, do you guys work withdefense partners or or, like, def defense
(15:54):
initiative who is based in Silicon Valley?
They work with all the greatest tech minds toadvance to to bring the Silicon Valley brains
into, the military.
Are you guys working with those cutting edgetype folks both in the military and without to
kind of advance how you're doing business andalso the advancement of because you're
(16:16):
supporting military Right.
And being a contractor who's got some reallycool stuff working outside of the tanker
industry.
Do you guys work with those partners much, or
how does that work?
Yeah.
I gotta be careful how I do that.
But but, yes, we do work with the spot slam.
No.
We we do work with them in in various differentstages, some directly, some through the
military.
(16:37):
You know?
And we'll use the one thirty five becausethat's an easy one to discuss.
We're working through AMC and and AFID and AFMCas they're looking for some improvements on the
one thirty five.
We'll have we'll have them come to us and say,hey.
Can we test something on your aircraft?
Or would you be willing to try something thatthe US Air Force either isn't willing to try or
can't free up an aircraft to do?
(16:58):
I'll see.
But yeah.
So we we are looking even on the tanker side ofsome advanced technologies and what we could do
to better serve what what the customers need.
It's pretty cool
to have partnership like that.
Because, I mean, that twenty years ago, thatwas just it seemed like it was
Yeah.
It's you know, the navy has gone a long wayinto making commercial owned, commercially
operated air refueling the thing, and the airforce is not using us.
(17:21):
You know, we did the first commercial boom airrefueling with the air force in '23.
The first commercial air refueling of an airforce fighter in late twenty three.
We, you know, we we just signed a contract withthe Indian Air Force to provide it there.
So we're growing the industry, growing thecapability, and we're we we have the ability
(17:45):
because we are experimental to help the themilitary and some of the things that they they
either don't have the funding or don't have theaircraft available.
So we're like, okay.
We'll look at seeing what we can do.
Can't do everything.
You know?
We we don't we don't have a fleet like the AirForce has, but we are looking to partnering as
much as we can and help out.
(18:06):
How big is your fleet?
So right now, we we have officially 15 aircraftin the fleet.
And by the August, we should have 18 aircraftin the fleet as the French air the French Air
and Space Force retire their r KC one thirtyfive RGs will take them into service.
And so we are the fifth largest airish humanfleet in the world, only behind four sovereign
(18:29):
nations.
That that sounds like you guys are hiring.
So just for those out there
We're definitely
two and two together.
Math pilots don't always math very well.
Right.
We we are hiring.
I'm looking to double or triple my crew crewforce in next year
and two.
That's a lot.
So how many pilots do you maintain in thesquadron, I guess?
So right now, we're at about 27 pilots.
(18:51):
We'll be doing the part time and full time.
We have several on leave of absence.
So for example, you know, you go to theairlines.
We've had a lot of people come and start flyingwith us, especially as the SIC building their
time up, then they get picked up with theairlines.
So we we we totally understand, you know, theunion and the year probation and all that
stuff, so we support that.
(19:12):
So if you're with us and then you get with theairlines, we'll give you a year leave of
absence to allow you to get through your year,get get, stable with the unit and the airlines,
and then most of the people come back and flywith us part time.
Wow.
I mean, that is treating your people right.
That way to go.
Well, that is Sounds
like a really cool option for someone who islooking looking for that transitionary kind of
(19:35):
I'm coming on at off of that military or guardand reserve, whatever.
And if the air if the Park 121 legacies are notare like they used to be or that's just not the
direction you wanna go, you wanna do somethingthat's a little bit more similar to what you're
accustomed to, but still non active duty.
It's a really good option.
That dovetails in nicely.
(19:56):
It's a great option, and there's some guysgoing there like me Personally, I never want to
fly commercial.
It's just that was my personal thing.
But there are some guys that are I don't knowif I do or not.
So you come on with us.
You do what you've been doing.
You stay current.
Go to the airlines, and you have a year.
And and maybe after a year, you realize that'snot really what I want.
Come back to us full time.
(20:16):
Yeah.
So you you've got you've got that kind of abackstop there.
Most of them stay with airlines and and thenfly with us part time after that.
Yeah.
There's something like, you know, Matt, puttingyour aperture and seeing what else is out there
and maybe try a few things out for size.
That's exactly, like, you're about, Slim.
And I tell you what, more people think thatthey know what they want, especially when
(20:37):
they're leaving the military, and they have noidea until they actually defeat
They don't know what's out there.
Yeah.
You don't know what you don't know until youdon't until you
know it.
I wish we had TPNx when I got out.
You guys were just starting it up, and therewas a network, but it wasn't you didn't have
the TPNx in it.
And I'm like, I had no idea until I get out.
Oh, I could have done that, or I could havedone that if I'd only know.
(20:58):
Yeah.
It it one of the things you can see you'retalking about, like, aerial firefighting.
Right?
Like, I've always been fascinated by it.
Think it's really cool.
Just awesome way to serve in a differentcapacity.
And it was something that if I would have knownhow to do it fifteen years ago, I would've
charged hard on aerial firefighter.
(21:18):
Hard.
Now that's you start young in that game, andthen you grow old in that game, hopefully.
For me, it's that's off the table now.
But I I tell a lot of people that are walkingaround here, I go, yeah.
There's opportunities in that room, but there'sopportunities outside that room.
This is just taste, and we'll figure out more.
We'll bring more people here who give you thoseunique opportunities.
(21:38):
But this is just to give you a taste of a look.
And Betraya is the the like, one of the perfectexamples.
I remember when I talked to one of youremployees, he won't remain nameless.
His name is Rory.
And I said, hey.
You gotta I want I really want Betraya to come.
And he goes, well, you know, his text would askhim, and they go, okay.
And then suddenly, yeah.
Let's do it.
So it's been great to have you guys here.
(22:01):
I think you you add such a unique and colorfuldynamic that was not part of TPN's when we
first started.
It's it's totally it's totally off the beatenpath or some some guys have no clue that it
even exists.
We we get a lot of that.
We we didn't don't even know who you are.
So who are you?
And and to your point of options out there thatpeople don't know, you know, the aerial
(22:22):
firefighting business, very small community.
We're not gonna be able to go hire a bunch ofpeople with aerial firefighting experience
because they already get jobs in the smallcommunity, so we have to grow our own.
So who are we looking for?
We're looking for people with low leveltactical.
What does that sound like?
Helos.
Maybe fighters.
Things that you wouldn't even think of.
Well, why would you go look at this company?
(22:43):
But if you got low level tactical time, that'sa perfect candidate to start being a airborne
firefighter because then we don't have to teachyou to be comfortable in that low level
environment and doing the pop ups and doing thebombing runs.
We just gotta teach you the effects of doing itover a fire and the thermals and other things
you need to think about.
But I I've talked to a lot of people.
(23:05):
Wow.
I never thought I could do that.
You know, helicopter pilots are a perfectcandidate to go into a dash eight firefighting
because they know how to operate an app of theearth.
They're a 100 feet off the ground.
They know how to do pop ups.
And so it's a it's a opportunity that peopledon't know about until you sit and talk to them
about it.
Yeah.
People are getting that opportunity.
Yep.
Not not only today, but since we startedworking with you guys because it's it's a cool
(23:30):
thing to watch kinda unfold.
No.
Happy to be here and happy to talk to as manypeople.
I I tell people whether you come with us ornot, happy to be a mentor and help people as
they're leaving the service.
I I did it.
And like I said, I've I've failed retirementthree times now.
But, you know, I left the service.
We you've left the service.
You know?
It it's I have.
And then and then I went back in before.
(23:51):
And then
you went right back in.
Yeah.
But I just like to help people understand.
Like I said, whether they come to Matreo orthey go to the airlines or they go anywhere
else, I just like to help people understandthat there's options, and there's people they
can talk to that have been through it becauselet's let's face it.
We don't get the information we need when we'retrying to get out.
(24:12):
And for pilots, we always think, oh, it'scommercial airlines.
A lot of other opportunities out there.
100%.
Yeah.
What so if someone hears this and didn't get achance to come here today and talk to you guys,
what's the best way
to get ahold of you?
Either reach out to you guys and give thecontact, or I actually have, you know,
slim.morgan@msm.matrea.aero, or we have an infoat m s m dot matrea dot aero.
(24:37):
So they can email contact, or you can just goonline at matrea.arrow, and and there's the
contact information right there.
Happy to talk to anyone and help them out anyway I can.
Yeah.
We'll make sure that's in the show.
Yes.
It's easy to find.
But
And knowing Slim, and knowing Slim for as longas we have, you can't find really a better
mentor out there.
You got a a smart dude, a guy who actuallycares about people, and somebody just wants to
(25:00):
see you succeed because he knows what you'vebeen through.
He knows what your past is.
And I you're you're an embodiment, I guess,maybe blowing a little too much smoke, but
you're an embodiment of TBN, man, and weappreciate
you being here.
Thanks.
I appreciate it, man.
I appreciate the opportunity.
Absolutely.
Matt, you never get to take us out.
Why don't you do can you You think you
got it?
I think I can remember how to do
(25:20):
It's all yours.
Alright, everybody.
Yeah.
Keep us
shining side up, dirty side down, fly side.
Thanks for flying on our wing live from TPNx.
If you got value from this session, don't keepit in the jump seat.
Share it, subscribe, and join us inside TPN Profor a heck of a lot more.
We're building something real here, and you,you're the network.
Until next time, keep paying it forward.
What is up, network?
Episode two, bonus episode two of the TPNxseries.
This episode is Matt and I getting to talk toan old friend from Metrea.
And for those of you who don't know, Metrea isthey're a huge government, contractor, and they
stood up, they have a few different arms.
(00:28):
We get into it pretty pretty, in-depth here inthe interview, but the one that we kind of
focus on because of Matt and I's former KC-onehundred thirty five and tanking experience, we
talk about their tanker operation and how ithas grown significantly, how they continue to
look for more pilots.
And in my opinion, a great opportunity forthose of you out there who are looking for some
(00:50):
sort of different kind of work environment orjob that you might be able to go do.
I know it's not your, like, traditionalregional airline, blah blah blah blah blah.
All that good stuff.
I I get it.
But to get hours and to get paid pretty welldoing it.
And for those of you some of you out there whoare looking to kind of make a simple transition
if you're in the guard or reserve and you'reflying tankers already, this seems to me like
(01:11):
it'd be a good deal.
There's a couple things that we we discuss, inhere that venture into the other stuff Mitra is
starting to do, but we have to rein it back inbecause some can't talk a lot a lot about that.
So, it it was it was a fun conversation.
I know they've done very well at TPNx, We planto do a heck of a lot more with Mitraea.
(01:32):
So check them out.
Let them know though if you hear it on thepodcast or if you've gotten the information
from the pilot network that we sent you, thatwould be a really helpful thing for us.
We don't get paid yet by them but we would loveto help them with their staffing and concerns,
that they may have going forward.
Anyways, that's part of the episode.
It's just fun to catch up with old friends too.
(01:54):
I mean that's what TPNx really is, a lot ofit's about.
It's the networking aspect of TPNx and when youcome to, TPNx and show up there and you can ask
people who've been there before, It is adifferent environment than places that you have
been to different conferences.
They're all awesome but we're smaller, a littlemore intimate if you will and way more non
(02:19):
formal and if I may toot our own horn have thebest per capita CJO, rollout of the season so
far, had, 18 CJOs with just over 600 totalattendees.
So that definitely puts us in the running fortop, top of the shop.
(02:42):
Anyways, I can go on about all that stuff, butI'm sure you don't really wanna listen to me.
You wanna listen to Slim, Matt, and I chatabout Metreya and what they could possibly do
for you.
Anyways, here's that bonus episode.
Contact on Boom Manorphone.
How do you hear?
Clear, help me.
Got you loud and clear.
Looking good.
(03:05):
And confirm, you want 55 from us?
Yeah.
We'll take everything we can get.
Roger that.
Hey.
What is up, network?
Adam coming back at you live from TPNx twentytwenty five.
I am joined by a very special guest of thenetwork.
He's the cofounder.
His name is Matt Sweet.
You may have heard of him before.
Matt, how the hell are you?
Yeah.
I'm doing great.
And
the thanks for having me.
(03:25):
You know, we try to do this.
How about you?
You're running out.
Running around the whole time.
Yeah.
Not not even a second to get into the booth.
So this year, we're really excited.
Yeah.
When you actually have a team that is literallythey tell you to get out of the way because you
get in their way if you're trying to doanything.
It's nice to have this because then we get todo the fun stuff like record and have a very
good old friend with us joining.
(03:46):
He was a guest last year at the podcast.
Last year was the first TV.
Slim Morgan from Metrea.
The real guest of the show.
The real guest.
The real star of the show.
Good to be back with you guys.
Yeah.
How's how's conference going for
you guys?
Conference going great.
Nonstop.
Nonstop.
I'm losing my voice.
That's what that's
what we want to hear.
We want that voice, boss, because that meansyou're talking to everybody out there.
Absolutely.
What's the so, like, when you when you'retalking did you talk to I mean, it's all pilots
(04:10):
from all walks of life.
As you're a tanker guy, you're looking forthat.
What do you what kind of what kind of peopleare you getting?
Yeah.
So we're we're getting from, like I said, fromall walks of life.
You know, TPN, has evolved over the yearswhere, you know, when when I guys, when you
started it, it was pretty much tankers.
And and now I'd say this year, I'm getting afair number of people who were never in the
military or they were in the military inanother role, and they're now just starting
(04:34):
their flying career.
So the nice thing about where we're at is,yeah, I'm I'm interested in in tankers because
I run the tanker company, but we have severalother, operations in Metrea that, allow us to
look for, you know, brand new people with sevenhundred and fifty hours.
I can put them in a King Air, right seat andlet them get qualified, then maybe move up to a
(04:54):
challenger, and then we're doing the dash eightfirefighting, and then we get the tanker,
business.
So we're we're looking across the board.
Even even though I'm a tanker guy, we'relooking across the board for various various
capabilities.
So that brings up a good point.
So I think a lot of people who are avid podcastlisteners know about Metrea.
But for those who are new to the show, can yougive us the 30,000 foot view on what Metrea is,
(05:18):
what you do, and what does it mean to run atanker company?
Yeah.
Because that's kind of a cool concept.
Right?
Yeah.
So from from Metrea's perspective, Metrea is anoverarching company that has 13 companies
underneath it.
We're primarily a defense contractor, but we'rea little different.
It's that one, we look for wicked problems indefense that either haven't been solved or
(05:38):
don't have elegant solutions.
And I'm gonna use the firefighting example eventhough it's not defense.
You know, there's a lot of airbornefirefighting companies out there, but every one
of them are using World War two bombingtactics.
So we are we are opening up where our our newcapability.
Our our dash eight is going into final flighttests in May.
(06:00):
We hope to have operations running by the endof the summer, but we're bringing new
technology.
Wanna move the industry from World War twolevel bombing tactics to current precision type
bombing to help, target the the centers of thefires, things like that.
And I can't go into any more detail than that,on this, but that's what we do.
We look for wicked problems that either haven'tbeen solved or don't have the elegant solution.
(06:25):
So underneath that, the those 13 companies,we've got a lot of ground.
I'll I'll I'll just say, you know, a lot of alot of work with with SOCOM and SETCOM stuff.
I'll leave it at that.
We do modeling simulation.
We've got a model of an f 16 right now, so adigital model, the f 15, and doing some
modeling simulation there.
We're working on a t 38.
(06:46):
And on the flying side, we have four companies.
We've got the three part 91 companies are thethe tanker business, Matreo Strategic Mobility.
We've got a Matreo Special Aerospace, which isbasically ISR.
And then we have the airborne firefightingcompany, which is, again, just starting up.
Those are all part 91 operations.
(07:08):
Then we got a part one thirty five.
Easiest way to describe it is a charter typeoperation.
It it's slightly different, but it's a a onethirty five charter basically capability.
And we're about ready to get to the helicopterside of the house with if we win some contracts
out there that we're trying to do.
Just Let's get I just had a couple more thingsout
of it.
But as far as running the tanker company, I'mthe president of the company, but I'm a I'm a
(07:30):
tanker wing commander.
You know?
I've got I've got logistics, maintenance,operation, supply chain, got all that out
there.
So I like to say we're the size of a typicaltanker squadron doing the work of a typical
tanker wing.
Everyone we all our air crew, our previous orthey might still be in the guard reserve, but
all all air force US Air Force qualified onethirty five, and the majority of our
(07:54):
maintainers were also in one thirty fives inthe air force, whether it was ARC or Rug F.
Man.
Yeah.
That's super
interesting because, you know, as a as acurrent tanker pilot, you're a retie
Retired tanker.
Proud of that retired label.
But it as a as a as a current tanker pilot,it's really interesting that there is our
(08:16):
contract tankers out there.
So how how exactly does that work?
How's that transition from someone who isflying the case five for the Air Force, whether
it's guard, reserve, or active duty, and thenfor just wanna carry on and take that
experience somewhere.
What does that look like for them?
Yeah.
So the easiest transition is someone who is,we'll say, like you, still in still in the
(08:38):
reserve.
You know, whether you're a part time or fulltime or reserve, you can come work for us part
time or full time, you know, flip flop.
And so about 50 about 60% of my air crew arestill current in the Garden Reserve, and
they're either part time ARC, full time Us, orfull time ARC and part time Us.
But then even as the the reg f guys startcoming out, you know, they're looking for
(09:00):
something.
If they're current and qualified or justrecently noncurrent, then we can bring them on.
We can get them qualified in our aircraft.
They're they're KC one thirty fives.
They're block thirties, so a little differentthan the forties, 40 fives that people are
flying today, but they're still one thirtyfives.
I remember the block third.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Remember the Chepas, the block third, the block40 Chepas?
(09:20):
You you
had hire both with them.
Yeah.
Oh, I I remember the Amano round dial days, but
What what's that?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's the that's the ancient.
Oh, okay.
Yeah.
That's not the classic.
That's the ancient.
But but then you get a guy like me.
You know, I've been out of the one thirty fivefor fourteen years.
I'm still a current qualified CFII MEI, but notin the one thirty five.
(09:42):
So it's a little harder transition for someonelike I don't know how long you've been out.
Basically, anyone up to five years, I'llqualify in our aircraft.
Right now, we don't have any simulators, so wewe do all our training in the aircraft.
So the more current and qualified you are, theeasier it is for me.
But we are working to get simulators.
I've got a couple avenues we're working to getsimulator capacity.
(10:05):
And once we get that, then get a guy like me.
You mentioned retirement.
I failed retirement three times.
But I'm, you know, I'm 62 years old, and I'mdoing what I used to do in the air force.
They said I was too old.
Now I'm doing the same thing in a in adifferent color flight suit.
But once we get to simulators, I can take guysthat are noncurrent and put them through, you
know, the standard five SIM profile, get yourrecurrent, put your ride in the jet.
(10:30):
Now you're back to flying KC one thirty fives.
That's talk about an easy process, especiallyfor somebody who's do it do it the Lord's work
in the case of one thirty five right now.
And I remember talking to Munzer Gardening,Bubba's that I knew, and I said, hey.
If you're in this transition as you're gonna goto a legacy carrier, whatever the case might
be, and I thought you wanna do something thatyou know, something that's got a little bit of
(10:53):
cool factor to it, and you you you're alreadydoing it.
Go check with Trey.
Because I what I I mean and and I know the guyswho work I know I I think I know them way more
than three people now, but no other people whoI know worked there were like, these are people
that you flew with, in your squadrons.
(11:13):
They are your they're already your friends,your colleagues, the people you like to go fly
with, and they've chosen this back becausethere's still a little bit of that sense
purpose that we've talked about before.
But, also, this is kind of fun.
Like, you know, you go point a to point b.
Mean, I'm not saying that there's days where itdoesn't really, drag a little bit, but, like,
that's not the case.
(11:33):
And then I think another thing is is, like, I'ma commuter.
I'll be a commuter for life.
How do you how do those guys handle, like, ifthey live in, let's just say, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin?
What do do with it?
So so we're all home based.
We we fly everyone to where they need to be,whether they're pilots, AROs, boom operators,
wherever we fly them, where they need to be.
So, for example, in the last four months, wehad an aircraft out in The Pacific for fifty
(11:58):
two days.
We had an aircraft in Germany for three weekssupporting the German air force.
In The Pacific, we've been to Hawaii, Guam,Shatosi, Malaysia, Narita, Iwakuni.
So we're flying all over supporting themilitary.
So, I mean, there's a purpose in taking okay.
(12:19):
Taking grandma to go visit grandkids, there's apurpose there.
But there's a greater purpose when we're stillout there serving the the military, both ours
and friends and partners, and making sure thewarfighters have the training they need the way
they're gonna fight so that if if the balloonever does go up, they're ready to go.
(12:39):
So we we fly everyone to wherever they need tobe.
Probably 80% of the time, it's SoCal where thejets are.
But sometimes, you know, we'll we'll have anaircraft out of Myrtle Beach for four weeks,
and we'll just rotate to cruise air.
So we fly you from Milwaukee over to MyrtleBeach, and you fly however many days you you've
committed to, and then you fly back toMilwaukee.
So all home base.
(13:00):
You know, I I like to say on the airlines, atleast you're not with us.
You're not dragging the bag every day through adifferent airport and going to a different
hotel.
When you come with us, you're typically gonnabe somewhere four or five days, and then you
move on to either another location or you gohome for a bit and then you come back.
At work.
I mean,
what a cool way to run a business too.
I mean, that I I did a little bit of that whenI was at Atlas.
(13:22):
Oh, a whole amazing battle was exactly amazing,but very similar.
It was nice to know that my ride at work wascommitted.
And if I couldn't get there because canceledweather, whatever, No harm, no falls.
See you the next day.
That's the way it worked.
And for those of you out there who are in thisprocess of looking, that is a very, very
(13:43):
reassuring feeling that instead of going, if Idon't make it today, I could be at the call in
the cheap pilots.
So just just for that little edification outthere for those of you who are looking at those
kind of jobs, something that is reassuring inhome basing.
I'm sure they keep their airline points.
Oh, absolutely.
They get their airline points.
So we primarily Marriott.
(14:04):
If we don't have a Marriott, it's Hilton, sothey all get their hotel points.
You know?
So we we we try and treat them as well as aswell as we can.
Pilots love points.
Yeah.
Pilots love their points.
How how does it work with the aircraftcategory?
Is it all part one thirty five, part 91?
Are the are aircraft operated experimentalcategory or
(14:24):
are there some sort of military flight?
Yeah.
So for our tankers, our our airbornefirefighting, and our ISR, the part 91
experimental, primarily because of themodifications.
So the ISR, King Air three fifties, but they'vebeen modified.
In the tanker business, you know, the onethirty five has never been an FAA certified
aircraft.
So we're not a type certificated aircraft, sowe can't be a type certificated airline.
(14:48):
So we can't be a one thirty five or or or onetwenty one.
So we're part 91 experimental.
But, again, I I try and run it like a part onethirty five or part one twenty one.
So between the scheduling and the safetymanagement system, you know, we've got the five
horsemen that a a part one twenty one carrierwould have, you know, ahead of airworthiness,
seven maintenance, head of operations.
(15:10):
We we run it that way as a professional airlineeven though technically to the FAA, we're a
part 91 experimental.
There's when there's something that you saidearlier and diverting my mind I wanna talk
about.
It sounds like you're doing some really cuttingedge stuff.
Like, the tanker's cutting edge, know, we didtalk a little cutting edge stuff beforehand.
(15:33):
That that is wild to me to think about what wewere chatting about.
But so I just read this book, called DefenseExperimental or something.
I I gotta I'm butchering the title.
I'll look it up here shortly after I get Slim'sanswer.
And my friend Raj wrote the book.
And I was wondering, do you guys work withdefense partners or or, like, def defense
(15:54):
initiative who is based in Silicon Valley?
They work with all the greatest tech minds toadvance to to bring the Silicon Valley brains
into, the military.
Are you guys working with those cutting edgetype folks both in the military and without to
kind of advance how you're doing business andalso the advancement of because you're
(16:16):
supporting military Right.
And being a contractor who's got some reallycool stuff working outside of the tanker
industry.
Do you guys work with those partners much, or
how does that work?
Yeah.
I gotta be careful how I do that.
But but, yes, we do work with the spot slam.
No.
We we do work with them in in various differentstages, some directly, some through the
military.
(16:37):
You know?
And we'll use the one thirty five becausethat's an easy one to discuss.
We're working through AMC and and AFID and AFMCas they're looking for some improvements on the
one thirty five.
We'll have we'll have them come to us and say,hey.
Can we test something on your aircraft?
Or would you be willing to try something thatthe US Air Force either isn't willing to try or
can't free up an aircraft to do?
(16:58):
I'll see.
But yeah.
So we we are looking even on the tanker side ofsome advanced technologies and what we could do
to better serve what what the customers need.
It's pretty cool
to have partnership like that.
Because, I mean, that twenty years ago, thatwas just it seemed like it was
Yeah.
It's you know, the navy has gone a long wayinto making commercial owned, commercially
operated air refueling the thing, and the airforce is not using us.
(17:21):
You know, we did the first commercial boom airrefueling with the air force in '23.
The first commercial air refueling of an airforce fighter in late twenty three.
We, you know, we we just signed a contract withthe Indian Air Force to provide it there.
So we're growing the industry, growing thecapability, and we're we we have the ability
(17:45):
because we are experimental to help the themilitary and some of the things that they they
either don't have the funding or don't have theaircraft available.
So we're like, okay.
We'll look at seeing what we can do.
Can't do everything.
You know?
We we don't we don't have a fleet like the AirForce has, but we are looking to partnering as
much as we can and help out.
(18:06):
How big is your fleet?
So right now, we we have officially 15 aircraftin the fleet.
And by the August, we should have 18 aircraftin the fleet as the French air the French Air
and Space Force retire their r KC one thirtyfive RGs will take them into service.
And so we are the fifth largest airish humanfleet in the world, only behind four sovereign
(18:29):
nations.
That that sounds like you guys are hiring.
So just for those out there
We're definitely
two and two together.
Math pilots don't always math very well.
Right.
We we are hiring.
I'm looking to double or triple my crew crewforce in next year
and two.
That's a lot.
So how many pilots do you maintain in thesquadron, I guess?
So right now, we're at about 27 pilots.
(18:51):
We'll be doing the part time and full time.
We have several on leave of absence.
So for example, you know, you go to theairlines.
We've had a lot of people come and start flyingwith us, especially as the SIC building their
time up, then they get picked up with theairlines.
So we we we totally understand, you know, theunion and the year probation and all that
stuff, so we support that.
(19:12):
So if you're with us and then you get with theairlines, we'll give you a year leave of
absence to allow you to get through your year,get get, stable with the unit and the airlines,
and then most of the people come back and flywith us part time.
Wow.
I mean, that is treating your people right.
That way to go.
Well, that is Sounds
like a really cool option for someone who islooking looking for that transitionary kind of
(19:35):
I'm coming on at off of that military or guardand reserve, whatever.
And if the air if the Park 121 legacies are notare like they used to be or that's just not the
direction you wanna go, you wanna do somethingthat's a little bit more similar to what you're
accustomed to, but still non active duty.
It's a really good option.
That dovetails in nicely.
(19:56):
It's a great option, and there's some guysgoing there like me Personally, I never want to
fly commercial.
It's just that was my personal thing.
But there are some guys that are I don't knowif I do or not.
So you come on with us.
You do what you've been doing.
You stay current.
Go to the airlines, and you have a year.
And and maybe after a year, you realize that'snot really what I want.
Come back to us full time.
(20:16):
Yeah.
So you you've got you've got that kind of abackstop there.
Most of them stay with airlines and and thenfly with us part time after that.
Yeah.
There's something like, you know, Matt, puttingyour aperture and seeing what else is out there
and maybe try a few things out for size.
That's exactly, like, you're about, Slim.
And I tell you what, more people think thatthey know what they want, especially when
(20:37):
they're leaving the military, and they have noidea until they actually defeat
They don't know what's out there.
Yeah.
You don't know what you don't know until youdon't until you
know it.
I wish we had TPNx when I got out.
You guys were just starting it up, and therewas a network, but it wasn't you didn't have
the TPNx in it.
And I'm like, I had no idea until I get out.
Oh, I could have done that, or I could havedone that if I'd only know.
(20:58):
Yeah.
It it one of the things you can see you'retalking about, like, aerial firefighting.
Right?
Like, I've always been fascinated by it.
Think it's really cool.
Just awesome way to serve in a differentcapacity.
And it was something that if I would have knownhow to do it fifteen years ago, I would've
charged hard on aerial firefighter.
(21:18):
Hard.
Now that's you start young in that game, andthen you grow old in that game, hopefully.
For me, it's that's off the table now.
But I I tell a lot of people that are walkingaround here, I go, yeah.
There's opportunities in that room, but there'sopportunities outside that room.
This is just taste, and we'll figure out more.
We'll bring more people here who give you thoseunique opportunities.
(21:38):
But this is just to give you a taste of a look.
And Betraya is the the like, one of the perfectexamples.
I remember when I talked to one of youremployees, he won't remain nameless.
His name is Rory.
And I said, hey.
You gotta I want I really want Betraya to come.
And he goes, well, you know, his text would askhim, and they go, okay.
And then suddenly, yeah.
Let's do it.
So it's been great to have you guys here.
(22:01):
I think you you add such a unique and colorfuldynamic that was not part of TPN's when we
first started.
It's it's totally it's totally off the beatenpath or some some guys have no clue that it
even exists.
We we get a lot of that.
We we didn't don't even know who you are.
So who are you?
And and to your point of options out there thatpeople don't know, you know, the aerial
(22:22):
firefighting business, very small community.
We're not gonna be able to go hire a bunch ofpeople with aerial firefighting experience
because they already get jobs in the smallcommunity, so we have to grow our own.
So who are we looking for?
We're looking for people with low leveltactical.
What does that sound like?
Helos.
Maybe fighters.
Things that you wouldn't even think of.
Well, why would you go look at this company?
(22:43):
But if you got low level tactical time, that'sa perfect candidate to start being a airborne
firefighter because then we don't have to teachyou to be comfortable in that low level
environment and doing the pop ups and doing thebombing runs.
We just gotta teach you the effects of doing itover a fire and the thermals and other things
you need to think about.
But I I've talked to a lot of people.
(23:05):
Wow.
I never thought I could do that.
You know, helicopter pilots are a perfectcandidate to go into a dash eight firefighting
because they know how to operate an app of theearth.
They're a 100 feet off the ground.
They know how to do pop ups.
And so it's a it's a opportunity that peopledon't know about until you sit and talk to them
about it.
Yeah.
People are getting that opportunity.
Yep.
Not not only today, but since we startedworking with you guys because it's it's a cool
(23:30):
thing to watch kinda unfold.
No.
Happy to be here and happy to talk to as manypeople.
I I tell people whether you come with us ornot, happy to be a mentor and help people as
they're leaving the service.
I I did it.
And like I said, I've I've failed retirementthree times now.
But, you know, I left the service.
We you've left the service.
You know?
It it's I have.
And then and then I went back in before.
(23:51):
And then
you went right back in.
Yeah.
But I just like to help people understand.
Like I said, whether they come to Matreo orthey go to the airlines or they go anywhere
else, I just like to help people understandthat there's options, and there's people they
can talk to that have been through it becauselet's let's face it.
We don't get the information we need when we'retrying to get out.
(24:12):
And for pilots, we always think, oh, it'scommercial airlines.
A lot of other opportunities out there.
100%.
Yeah.
What so if someone hears this and didn't get achance to come here today and talk to you guys,
what's the best way
to get ahold of you?
Either reach out to you guys and give thecontact, or I actually have, you know,
slim.morgan@msm.matrea.aero, or we have an infoat m s m dot matrea dot aero.
(24:37):
So they can email contact, or you can just goonline at matrea.arrow, and and there's the
contact information right there.
Happy to talk to anyone and help them out anyway I can.
Yeah.
We'll make sure that's in the show.
Yes.
It's easy to find.
But
And knowing Slim, and knowing Slim for as longas we have, you can't find really a better
mentor out there.
You got a a smart dude, a guy who actuallycares about people, and somebody just wants to
(25:00):
see you succeed because he knows what you'vebeen through.
He knows what your past is.
And I you're you're an embodiment, I guess,maybe blowing a little too much smoke, but
you're an embodiment of TBN, man, and weappreciate
you being here.
Thanks.
I appreciate it, man.
I appreciate the opportunity.
Absolutely.
Matt, you never get to take us out.
Why don't you do can you You think you
got it?
I think I can remember how to do
(25:20):
It's all yours.
Alright, everybody.
Yeah.
Keep us
shining side up, dirty side down, fly side.
Thanks for flying on our wing live from TPNx.
If you got value from this session, don't keepit in the jump seat.
Share it, subscribe, and join us inside TPN Profor a heck of a lot more.
We're building something real here, and you,you're the network.
Until next time, keep paying it forward.
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