July 4, 2025 • 11 mins
In this episode, Adam reads staff writer and overall awesome person's interaction at TPNx that helped her, and the guys, explain what TPN really is...The article is amazing! Better read than listened to so go check it out on our socials. Happy Independence Day everyone!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:17):
Hey, network.
Happy fourth of July.
A little episode to wish a happy IndependenceDay to all those who celebrate, whether you're
flying the line, serving the country, or withfamily and friends on this July 4, I hope
you're doing it in style.
Of course, it's me, Adam, and I figured a quickfourth of July episode.
I think we just had a bonus episode releaseyesterday, but I read something that I wanted
(00:40):
to share with the network as a whole.
It's not often that I get an article orsomething that I want to read verbatim on TPN,
the TPNP, the Pilot Network Podcast, and put itout there for everybody.
But this captivated me because sometimes whenpeople ask me what is the pilot network, I have
(01:03):
hard time elevator pitching it doing it inthirty seconds.
Now I have a spiel, but sometimes that spiel ismore business oriented or related to working
with vendors or recruiters, why they shouldcome to TPNx, why they should work with us, who
I am personally, yada yada yada yada, all thatstuff.
Nobody cares about me really personallyanyways.
When I got this article from one of our staffwriters, Carolyn Kitchen, it immediately drove
(01:29):
me to the computer to record because not everyday somebody sums up what we are so well and it
was all stoked by a question.
Title of the article is What Even Is the PilotNetwork?
By Carolyn Kitchin.
If you weren't aware, TPNx took place inMinneapolis this past April where it was a
whirlwind of energy, conversation, camaraderie.
(01:52):
As a recent TPN member and TPNx first timer, Iwas floored by the entire experience.
Summing up the two days felt like it would beimpossible, but it almost felt like a wedding,
a really fun wedding with good food mixed witha family reunion.
Everywhere you look, there were peoplelaughing, networking, and just having a
genuinely great time.
As a volunteer posted at the merchandise table,I had the perfect view of the event's steady
(02:16):
flow of attendees, from young pilots with theirnotebooks out to seasoned captains sharing
laughs with recruiters and former colleagues.
Everyone seemed to know what they were doingthere.
Everyone that is except one woman whoapproached our table late in the afternoon
looking curious, but also just slightly lost.
She stepped forward and gave us a nervous butinquisitive smile.
(02:37):
I have two questions for you, she said holdingup her fingers for emphasis.
First, can I get parking validated?
I live nearby.
And secondly, what even is TPN?
What do you guys do?
I showed up because a friend recommended Ishould, but I actually have no clue about
anything about you.
Oh, and I'm a pilot.
(02:58):
I paused, momentarily caught off guard.
I've been helping sell shirts and hats, givingdirections to presentations, and chatting
casually with attendees and other volunteersabout their experience and backgrounds.
But this was different.
This was someone genuinely asking, what is thepilot network?
And more than that, why does it matter?
For a second, I was taken aback and notentirely sure how to answer.
(03:20):
I couldn't just say, oh, we are a networkinggroup for pilots and throw a conference once a
year.
Because I knew from the numerous conversationswith Adam and Matt just how special TPN is and
how honored most people feel to be part of itand connected to it.
Something about her honest curiosity and thefact that she had shown up without knowing a
thing made me wanna go deeper.
The truth is condensing TPN into a simplesentence is like trying to sum up an entire
(03:44):
aviation career in a few bullet points.
There's a depth, layers, and entire culturethat TPN represents.
So I took a breath and said, okay, TPN, thepilot network, is at its core a community.
It started out as a small group of pilotshelping each other out and has grown into
something that connects thousands of us acrossdifferent airlines, branches of the military,
(04:07):
and stages of life.
Her interest peaked and she leaned in a little.
Think of it as the friend group you didn't knowyou needed in aviation, I continued.
People use TPN to reconnect with colleaguesthey flew with years ago, get honest advice
about career changes, and navigate the oftenconfusing world of transitioning, whether from
military to commercial, from regional to major,or even from being furloughed to reentering the
(04:31):
flight deck.
She nodded thoughtfully.
Okay.
So it's like aviation LinkedIn.
I laughed.
Kind of, but with less corporate jargon andmore actual help.
It's a place where pilots actually sharethings.
Job leads, interview prep, honest reviews ofcompanies, and even the mental health struggles
that come with this lifestyle.
There's a Facebook group with tens of thousandsof members, but also a podcast, a website, and
(04:56):
different meetups.
It's truly the spot where you can find a mentorand lean into your connections.
TPNx, the event we were both standing in, Iexplained, was TPN's biggest in person
gathering.
Unlike formal career fairs, TPNx isintentionally informal.
Recruiters don't sit behind long tables withbusiness cards.
Instead, they mingle, answer questions overcoffee, and get to know pilots as real people,
(05:18):
not just resumes.
For many, it's the first time they've had thechance to ask direct, honest questions about
their careers without feeling like they'reunder scrutiny.
You can walk up to someone here and say, hey,I've got one thousand hours and I'm looking
what my options are moving forward, and you'llprobably get a brutally honest opinion from
someone who's been there before, I said.
As she glanced around the room, I could see herconnecting the dots.
(05:42):
This wasn't just a merch table, and this wasn'tjust another conference.
This was a living, breathing pilot ecosystem,something built by pilots for pilots.
What about resources?
She asked, like career tools.
Absolutely, I replied.
We truly have it all.
There are even recordings of podcast episodeswhere people talk about the mistakes they made
(06:02):
so others don't have to repeat them.
A lot of it lives online on TPN Pro and thepodcast, but events like this bring it all
together.
She smiled.
That actually makes me feel better.
I walked in and thought I was crashing someprivate pilot club.
I shook my head.
Not at all.
If you're a pilot, you belong here.
And honestly, there are quite a few non pilotshere too.
(06:23):
I'm one of them.
Just hooked on this aviation world because Iwrite pilot resumes.
That moment stuck out to me, and I actuallykept in touch with her.
It reminded me why I chose to volunteer andbecome involved with TPN in the first place.
It's easy to assume that everyone in aviationknows what the pilot network is or at least has
heard of it.
But sometimes, it takes a merch tableconversation to explain the bigger picture.
(06:45):
TPN isn't just a brand or a Facebook group oran event, it's a lifeline.
For pilots navigating the volatile world ofaviation where furloughs, mergers, fatigue, and
career uncertainty are all too common, TPN iswhere they can find stability, support, and
direction.
It's a career map drawn by those who've alreadywalked the path and are willing to help along
(07:05):
the next generation.
Over the course of the conference, I sawcountless interactions like the one I had with
her.
A retired Air Force pilot giving advice to afirst year CFI.
A regional jet captain offering reassurance toa wide eyed candidate waiting in line for their
meet and greet.
Airline recruiters not selling, but listening.
People getting hired, yes, but also peoplebeing heard.
(07:26):
And that's the heart of the pilot network.
It's not about transactions.
It's about connection.
So when someone asks me, what even is TPN?
I have the best answer ready to go.
It's not a job fair.
It's not just a podcast or a subscription basedservice.
It's a community of pilots lifting each otherup through every phase of the journey.
(07:47):
It's the conversation that happens between theresumes, the mentorship you didn't know you
needed, the advice you can actually trust.
And, yes, if you live nearby, the hotel wouldvalidate your parking.
I wanna thank Carolyn for putting this togetherbecause I think she did what I and Matt cannot
do and give an outsider's perspective inbeautiful prose about what TPN means to not
(08:12):
just Matt and I, but everybody in the network.
Thank you, Carolyn.
If you want to get a hold of her, can reach herat carolyn@thepilotnetwork.com.
She is one of our staff writers, but also doespilot resumes, and she will do so much to help
you put together what you need on that paper.
But she will also listen to you, and like shesaid, it's all that stuff in between the
(08:37):
resumes that counts.
If you wanna go give this a read, we're gonnapost it all over the socials.
It's gonna be available in TPN Pro for themembers there.
Moreover, it's just one of her wonderful thingsthat she does for the pilot network.
I can't thank Carolyn enough for being a partof our group and the fact that she stumbled
upon us and we are so lucky to have her.
(08:59):
If I run into more of these articles, I'll readthem in the future, but this one really meant a
lot to me, so I wanted to get it out there asfast as I could.
Again, I hope everybody has a great fourth ofJuly no matter where you are.
Thanks for doing what you do.
For all my fellow veterans and service members,thanks for serving.
And for those who served in the past, I bet youit's nice to have the fourth of July off and
have those memories.
(09:20):
Well, we can't leave on that note.
We have to leave on the same note we do everysingle time.
Keep that shiny side up, the greasy side down.
Fly safe, everybody.
Hey, network.
Happy fourth of July.
A little episode to wish a happy IndependenceDay to all those who celebrate, whether you're
flying the line, serving the country, or withfamily and friends on this July 4, I hope
you're doing it in style.
Of course, it's me, Adam, and I figured a quickfourth of July episode.
I think we just had a bonus episode releaseyesterday, but I read something that I wanted
(00:40):
to share with the network as a whole.
It's not often that I get an article orsomething that I want to read verbatim on TPN,
the TPNP, the Pilot Network Podcast, and put itout there for everybody.
But this captivated me because sometimes whenpeople ask me what is the pilot network, I have
(01:03):
hard time elevator pitching it doing it inthirty seconds.
Now I have a spiel, but sometimes that spiel ismore business oriented or related to working
with vendors or recruiters, why they shouldcome to TPNx, why they should work with us, who
I am personally, yada yada yada yada, all thatstuff.
Nobody cares about me really personallyanyways.
When I got this article from one of our staffwriters, Carolyn Kitchen, it immediately drove
(01:29):
me to the computer to record because not everyday somebody sums up what we are so well and it
was all stoked by a question.
Title of the article is What Even Is the PilotNetwork?
By Carolyn Kitchin.
If you weren't aware, TPNx took place inMinneapolis this past April where it was a
whirlwind of energy, conversation, camaraderie.
(01:52):
As a recent TPN member and TPNx first timer, Iwas floored by the entire experience.
Summing up the two days felt like it would beimpossible, but it almost felt like a wedding,
a really fun wedding with good food mixed witha family reunion.
Everywhere you look, there were peoplelaughing, networking, and just having a
genuinely great time.
As a volunteer posted at the merchandise table,I had the perfect view of the event's steady
(02:16):
flow of attendees, from young pilots with theirnotebooks out to seasoned captains sharing
laughs with recruiters and former colleagues.
Everyone seemed to know what they were doingthere.
Everyone that is except one woman whoapproached our table late in the afternoon
looking curious, but also just slightly lost.
She stepped forward and gave us a nervous butinquisitive smile.
(02:37):
I have two questions for you, she said holdingup her fingers for emphasis.
First, can I get parking validated?
I live nearby.
And secondly, what even is TPN?
What do you guys do?
I showed up because a friend recommended Ishould, but I actually have no clue about
anything about you.
Oh, and I'm a pilot.
(02:58):
I paused, momentarily caught off guard.
I've been helping sell shirts and hats, givingdirections to presentations, and chatting
casually with attendees and other volunteersabout their experience and backgrounds.
But this was different.
This was someone genuinely asking, what is thepilot network?
And more than that, why does it matter?
For a second, I was taken aback and notentirely sure how to answer.
(03:20):
I couldn't just say, oh, we are a networkinggroup for pilots and throw a conference once a
year.
Because I knew from the numerous conversationswith Adam and Matt just how special TPN is and
how honored most people feel to be part of itand connected to it.
Something about her honest curiosity and thefact that she had shown up without knowing a
thing made me wanna go deeper.
The truth is condensing TPN into a simplesentence is like trying to sum up an entire
(03:44):
aviation career in a few bullet points.
There's a depth, layers, and entire culturethat TPN represents.
So I took a breath and said, okay, TPN, thepilot network, is at its core a community.
It started out as a small group of pilotshelping each other out and has grown into
something that connects thousands of us acrossdifferent airlines, branches of the military,
(04:07):
and stages of life.
Her interest peaked and she leaned in a little.
Think of it as the friend group you didn't knowyou needed in aviation, I continued.
People use TPN to reconnect with colleaguesthey flew with years ago, get honest advice
about career changes, and navigate the oftenconfusing world of transitioning, whether from
military to commercial, from regional to major,or even from being furloughed to reentering the
(04:31):
flight deck.
She nodded thoughtfully.
Okay.
So it's like aviation LinkedIn.
I laughed.
Kind of, but with less corporate jargon andmore actual help.
It's a place where pilots actually sharethings.
Job leads, interview prep, honest reviews ofcompanies, and even the mental health struggles
that come with this lifestyle.
There's a Facebook group with tens of thousandsof members, but also a podcast, a website, and
(04:56):
different meetups.
It's truly the spot where you can find a mentorand lean into your connections.
TPNx, the event we were both standing in, Iexplained, was TPN's biggest in person
gathering.
Unlike formal career fairs, TPNx isintentionally informal.
Recruiters don't sit behind long tables withbusiness cards.
Instead, they mingle, answer questions overcoffee, and get to know pilots as real people,
(05:18):
not just resumes.
For many, it's the first time they've had thechance to ask direct, honest questions about
their careers without feeling like they'reunder scrutiny.
You can walk up to someone here and say, hey,I've got one thousand hours and I'm looking
what my options are moving forward, and you'llprobably get a brutally honest opinion from
someone who's been there before, I said.
As she glanced around the room, I could see herconnecting the dots.
(05:42):
This wasn't just a merch table, and this wasn'tjust another conference.
This was a living, breathing pilot ecosystem,something built by pilots for pilots.
What about resources?
She asked, like career tools.
Absolutely, I replied.
We truly have it all.
There are even recordings of podcast episodeswhere people talk about the mistakes they made
(06:02):
so others don't have to repeat them.
A lot of it lives online on TPN Pro and thepodcast, but events like this bring it all
together.
She smiled.
That actually makes me feel better.
I walked in and thought I was crashing someprivate pilot club.
I shook my head.
Not at all.
If you're a pilot, you belong here.
And honestly, there are quite a few non pilotshere too.
(06:23):
I'm one of them.
Just hooked on this aviation world because Iwrite pilot resumes.
That moment stuck out to me, and I actuallykept in touch with her.
It reminded me why I chose to volunteer andbecome involved with TPN in the first place.
It's easy to assume that everyone in aviationknows what the pilot network is or at least has
heard of it.
But sometimes, it takes a merch tableconversation to explain the bigger picture.
(06:45):
TPN isn't just a brand or a Facebook group oran event, it's a lifeline.
For pilots navigating the volatile world ofaviation where furloughs, mergers, fatigue, and
career uncertainty are all too common, TPN iswhere they can find stability, support, and
direction.
It's a career map drawn by those who've alreadywalked the path and are willing to help along
(07:05):
the next generation.
Over the course of the conference, I sawcountless interactions like the one I had with
her.
A retired Air Force pilot giving advice to afirst year CFI.
A regional jet captain offering reassurance toa wide eyed candidate waiting in line for their
meet and greet.
Airline recruiters not selling, but listening.
People getting hired, yes, but also peoplebeing heard.
(07:26):
And that's the heart of the pilot network.
It's not about transactions.
It's about connection.
So when someone asks me, what even is TPN?
I have the best answer ready to go.
It's not a job fair.
It's not just a podcast or a subscription basedservice.
It's a community of pilots lifting each otherup through every phase of the journey.
(07:47):
It's the conversation that happens between theresumes, the mentorship you didn't know you
needed, the advice you can actually trust.
And, yes, if you live nearby, the hotel wouldvalidate your parking.
I wanna thank Carolyn for putting this togetherbecause I think she did what I and Matt cannot
do and give an outsider's perspective inbeautiful prose about what TPN means to not
(08:12):
just Matt and I, but everybody in the network.
Thank you, Carolyn.
If you want to get a hold of her, can reach herat carolyn@thepilotnetwork.com.
She is one of our staff writers, but also doespilot resumes, and she will do so much to help
you put together what you need on that paper.
But she will also listen to you, and like shesaid, it's all that stuff in between the
(08:37):
resumes that counts.
If you wanna go give this a read, we're gonnapost it all over the socials.
It's gonna be available in TPN Pro for themembers there.
Moreover, it's just one of her wonderful thingsthat she does for the pilot network.
I can't thank Carolyn enough for being a partof our group and the fact that she stumbled
upon us and we are so lucky to have her.
(08:59):
If I run into more of these articles, I'll readthem in the future, but this one really meant a
lot to me, so I wanted to get it out there asfast as I could.
Again, I hope everybody has a great fourth ofJuly no matter where you are.
Thanks for doing what you do.
For all my fellow veterans and service members,thanks for serving.
And for those who served in the past, I bet youit's nice to have the fourth of July off and
have those memories.
(09:20):
Well, we can't leave on that note.
We have to leave on the same note we do everysingle time.
Keep that shiny side up, the greasy side down.
Fly safe, everybody.
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.