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PODCAST

Fighter Pilot Podcast

Tucker "Cinco" Hamilton, Retired U.S. Air Force Fighter Test Pilot

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

leisure aviation

All Episodes

59:11

FPP226 - A Lifetime in Combat Aviation

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/09/28

Today, CAPT Jack Ashmore talks through a remarkable combat career spanning Korea and Vietnam, flying the AD Skyraider, A-4 Skyhawk, F-4 Phantom, and A-7 Corsair II. He shares dozens of firsthand stories from the 1968 Tet Offensive, the evolution of naval aviation, carrier operations, and the experience of adapting from piston-powered aircraft to supersonic jets. His perspective on combat aviation is really something special. Enjoy!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

82:59

FPP225 - In the Skies Over Iraq

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/09/21

Rear Admiral Doug "Woody" Beal came on the show having spent 35 years in Navy strike fighters, 13 on active duty and 22 in the reserves. Flying Intruders and Hornets from Whidbey to China Lake to the skies over Iraq. He has experienced everything from a medical disqualification at USAFA to combat ops over Somalia and Iraq as well asthe tense 2019 standoff with Iran as Vice Commander of NAVCENT/5th Fleet. Plus, fresh takeaways on EMALS and AAG from a recent Gerald R. Ford strike group

en

48:52

FPP224 - The Software Problem

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/09/14

Have you ever thought about how you update your F-22? Probably not, but someone has to. Rob Slaughter, former Air Force officer and co-founder of Defense Unicorns, joins the Fighter Pilot Podcast to discuss fixing how the Department of War builds, delivers, and updates software. From the Pentagon to disconnected battlefields. We talk innovation, air-gapped systems, and what it takes to bring modern software to the fight.Support the show at: Fighter Pilot Podcast — Creating air combat-related

en

61:04

FPP223 - The Human Factor

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/09/07

If only we treated the human being in the cockpit with the same care and lifecycle management we give the aircraft...In this episode, I sit down with Commander Kevin Bernstein, MD, to explore a new approach to human performance across Naval Aviation. Drawing on his experience in sports medicine and Naval Special Warfare, Kevin explains how physical performance, psychology, recovery, and readiness can be brought together to help aviators perform better, stay healthy, and remain operational for

en

48:03

FPP222 - Afghanistan: America's Longest War

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/08/31

On October 7, 2001, a US Air Force B-2 Spirit crossed into Afghan airspace as part of the opening campaign of Operation Enduring Freedom. Nearly twenty years later, a C-17 Globemaster carrying the final American soldiers lifted off from Kabul as the Taliban returned to power.Between those two very different aircraft lies the story of America's longest war. What began with a remarkably successful military campaign against the Taliban and al-Qaeda evolved into a two-decade multinational effort

en

49:10

FPP221 - The Israeli Ace with 12 MiG Kills

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/08/17

Brigadier General (Ret.) Israel Baharav is one of Israel's most accomplished fighter pilots, credited with twelve MiG-21 kills during his distinguished career in the Israeli Air Force. Over three decades of military service, he flew on the front lines, commanded a fighter squadron, served as Head of Air Force Intelligence, and led strategic planning efforts for the Israel Defense Forces, helping establish the framework for strategic cooperation between Israel and the United States. Following his

en

46:53

FPP220 - Launching a Satellite From an F-104

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/08/03

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 the space industry, including his work shaping Florida's commercial

en

52:35

FPP219 - From Wimbledon to Mach 1.58: Louis Skupien’s...

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/07/20

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, host of the Talk4 podcast and creator of the Full Throttle documentary series, joins me to talk

en

53:47

FPP218 - The Humans Behind Autonomous Air Combat

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/07/13

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 command-and-control software for autonomous aircraft. Support this

en

94:41

FPP217 - Shot Down, Not Out: Col. Richard "Dog"...

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/06/29

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/ftrpltpdcst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

en

62:30

FPP216 - 300 Vietnam Missions in the F-4: Combat and...

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/06/15

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 and into the chaos of combat — and then draws a straight line from

en

46:58

FPP215 - U-2s on Aircraft Carriers: A Cold War Gamble

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/06/01

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 led to one of the strangest and least-known experiments in aviation

en

63:47

FPP214 - Fighting Falcons: VMF-221 and the Soul of...

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/05/18

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 day than most people know, and what those lessons mean for the fight America

en

79:01

FPP213 - Top Gun, Tomcats, and AI Wingmen: "Yank"...

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/05/04

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, technology, leadership, tomorrow’s war, and, somehow… robot cats.Support this podcast

en

55:54

FPP212 - Four Stars, One Secretary, Zero Ego - Gen....

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/04/20

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 Academy classmates who reunited at the Pentagon 35 years after their cadet days to

en

73:58

FPP211 - The Last Harrier: Inside the Final AV-8B...

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/04/06

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 means to write the final chapter of an extraordinary community. This is a

en

47:42

Artemis II: Back to the Moon! (Rebroadcast)

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/04/01

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://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

en

44:06

What Happens After Talent Runs Out: Unlocking the...

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/03/20

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, and the rise of AI, Cinco explores what it means to perform under pressure, lead with

en

71:16

FPP210 - 600knots Through Chicago: From F-22 Raptor...

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/03/06

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 afterburners go quiet? From Cuban immigrant roots to leading the F-22 Demonstration Team before

en

66:17

FPP209 - When (and Where) 5th Gen Simulation Meets...

Fighter Pilot Podcast ·

2026/02/20

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's adoption by frontline forces.Support this podcast at —

en

115 results

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