On this 2020 'Happy Hour,' Yonel "Yogi" Dorelis describes a career in aviation that spanned all four branches: Marines, Navy, Army, and lastly Air Force where he spent the majority of his service as a combat search and rescue helicopter pilot. (The Space Force did not yet exist when Yogi served.) Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

This week, guest cohost Ken 'Primetime' Katz turns the tables and asks our usual host Vincent 'Jell-O' Aiello to explain his role at the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest and what it is like to fly a post-maintenance check flight in F/A-18 Hornets. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

U.S. Navy F/A-18 pilot Joe "Jamboy" Kirksey, a career LSO currently serving as "Force Paddles" at the Chief of Naval Air Forces in San Diego, explains the history of LSOs assisting fixed-wing aircraft on aircraft carriers, how LSOs are trained and whether they and their grading methods are still necessary with the advent of Precision Landing Mode. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

In this Authentic Media Snap Shot, we delve into the genesis of the F-22 Raptor—the pioneering fifth-generation fighter that redefined the realm of aviation as "Air Dominance." By offering a comprehensive overview of Air Force doctrine and elucidating the principles of air superiority and air supremacy, our conversation with the esteemed former F-15 & F-22 Weapons School Commander, Tom ‘BA’ Burago, contextualizes the role and requirements of the Raptor. You can listen to the rest of this...

Retired U.S. Navy Captain J.J. "Yank" Cummings joins FPP cohost Matt "Flounder" Arny to talk Tomcats, flight school, surface warfare, nuclear power, Top Gun: Maverick, and above all, how to lead when in charge of the first ship in a new class of aircraft carriers that has had its share of bad press. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Evan "Ivan" Thomas joins cohost Ken "Primetime" Katz to discuss the Stratolaunch Roc—the world's largest aircraft initially designed to haul space vehicles into the upper atmosphere that instead found purpose providing commercial "access to the hypersonic" environment. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

On this Authentic Media Snap Shot of our F-35 series, author, aviation journalist, and host of the 10 Percent True podcast, Steve Davies interviews John ‘Press’ Wheeler on the requirements of the F-35. Press discusses the various elements that make an aircraft stealthy, not invisible, and how sensor fusion gives the pilot the information needed to ensure maximum situational awareness during a given mission. In the full episode Press provides a tutorial on the progression of the aircraft from...

A discussion about the sundown of VMFAT-101 after 50+ years of training U.S.M.C. F-4 Phantom and F/A-18 aircrews. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

On this repurposed 2021 'Happy Hour' discussion, retired U.S. Marine Lieutenant Colonel Larry "Racehorse" Rannals describes his career beginning as a Naval Flight Officer before converting to pilot via Air Force flight training and flying the RF-4 in Vietnam--in both seats! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

On this Authentic SnapShot we dive into the captivating world of the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile with Scott "Roger" Chafian and Brian "Sunshine" Sinclair. From it's WWII German roots to its stellar integration into the U.S. military, Roger and Sunshine cover the combat applications, seeker systems all the way to the improvements in the AIM-9X. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

In this Authentic Media Snap Shot, Craig "Crunch" Snyder and "Flash" as they explore the distinctions and advancements between the Nimitz and Ford class carriers. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

The son in the only father-son duo to each down an opponent in aerial combat tells the story of his Vietnam MiG-21 shoot down and reconciliation with the deceased pilot's family 40+ years later. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

In this Authentic Media Snap Shot, former FPP cohost Brian "Sunshine" Sinclair and Roger discuss the cutting-edge Block III upgrade of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, commonly known as the Rhino. While this iconic aircraft has been a staple of U.S. carrier aviation for over two decades and gained cinematic fame in Top Gun: Maverick, it's far from resting on its laurels. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

In this Authentic Media Snap Shot, Mike "Pako" Benitez joins Roger to discuss the history and evolution of the F-15 Eagle. Pako explains how the F-15 was developed in response to the Soviet Union's MiG-25 interceptor and how it outperformed everything that came before it, becoming the premiere fourth-generation fighter. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Nelson "Ed" Cobleigh is a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and Vietnam veteran-turned author who flew the A-4 Skyhawk, F-4 Phantom, Jaguar, F-104 Starfighter, and F-16 Fighting Falcon, among others. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Retired U.S. Navy Captain Jim "Guido" Dimatteo is the son of a WW2 fighter pilot, himself a former A-4, F-14, F-16N, F/A-18 pilot and still an F-5 pilot, the former purveyor of a successful bar & restaurant, a rugby veteran, former Director of the Red Bull Air Races, Director of the Breitling Jet Team North American tour, and so much more as you will learn on this exciting episode. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

FPP friend and occasional cohost, Ken Katz, welcomes back to the show Dr. Eileen Bjorkman to discuss her new book, Fly Girls Revolt: The Story of the Women Who Kicked Open the Door to Fly in Combat. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Rogers E. Smith is a Canadian-American pilot who served in the RCAF, U.S. Marines, and U.S. Air National Guard and spent a long career testing nearly every American fighter (and several Russian ones), despite never attending a formal test pilot school! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Brigadier General Mike Aguilar explains how the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum is moving from MCAS Miramar in San Diego to the Great Park in Irvine, near the former MCAS El Toro., California. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Retired Italian Air Force General and former Tornado pilot Gianmarco Bellini joins guest host Craig "Crunch" Snyder to discuss his terrifying low-altitude, high-speed ejection in the opening hours of Operation Desert Storm. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Retired U.S. Navy Captain Brett "Chopper" Crozier describes his career from flying SH-60B Seahawks to returning to flight school to learn the F/A-18 Hornet to nuclear power school and eventually command of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, including his very public firing at the beginning of COVID. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Phillip Frawley is not only a retired Royal Australian Air Force fighter pilot, he is a Guinness World Record holder for being the oldest and longest-serving fighter pilot in the world. With a half-century of service and nearly 500 flight students taught, "Frawls" has seen it all. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

U.S. Air Force Reserve fighter pilot, Justin "Hasard" Lee, describes his career flying the block 50 F-16 before transitioning to the F-35 and ultimately starting a compelling YouTube channel. His exploits and many lessons learned are captured in his book, The Art of Clear Thinking. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Retired U.S. Navy fighter #pilot, James "Slug" Kidrick, makes a case for aviation museums and how to keep patrons, besides just children, walking in the door. Slug had a hand in making the necessary arrangements for a San Diego Air & Space Museum (https://sandiegoairandspace.org/) F-14 Tomcat to appear on an aircraft carrier flight deck for the first time in more than a dozen years. Sponsored by National University. To find out more, visit nu.edu. Support this podcast at —...

A discussion on how military forces and weapons systems designed primarily to destroy and kill are also used to help and heal during natural disasters and humanitarian crises. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations