Retired U.S. Navy F/A-18 pilot Jack "Farley" Stewart explains who "adversary" pilots are, what they do, how TOPGUN trains them, and why it is vital to have professional adversaries (or "aggressors," as the U.S. Air Force calls them). 

Be sure to check out Farley's exciting first novel, Unknown Rider.

Sponsored by National University. To learn more, visit nu.edu

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Hollywood portrays fighter pilots as devil-may-care risk takers and rule breakers intolerant to authority. Is that true in the real world?

This week, host Vincent Aiello shares another article from the Fighter Pilot Podcast blog, this time identifying the top 10 myths about military aviators and why they are wrong. Find the original 2021 musing here.

Sponsored by National University. To learn more, visit nu.edu

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You've heard of audio books, what about audio blogs?

This week, host Vincent Aiello introduces a new show format where he narrates one of the articles on the Fighter Pilot Podcast blog.

This first edition is from a December 2022 musing titled, How to Succeed in Flight School? Don't Ask Me!

Sponsored by National University. To learn more, visit nu.edu

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The Fighter Pilot Podcast would not be possible without the support of the hundreds of veterans who served both in uniform and, in this case, in the studio.

To those who have served: happy Veterans Day and thank you, from a grateful nation.

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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.)

Sponsored by National University. To learn more, visit nu.edu

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This week, guest cohost Ken 'Primetime' Katz turns the tables on our usual host Vincent 'Jell-O' Aiello, asking him 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.

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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.

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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 episode and more with a FREE 3-Day Trial of Authentic Media Aviation on Apple Podcasts

It is also Available on Spotify and Acast 

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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.

Visit jjcummingsleadership.com to learn more about Yank and his exploits since leaving uniform service.

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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.

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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 low-rate initial production, initial operational capability, full operational capability and finally full rate production, with all the requirements in between. 

You can listen to the rest of this episode and more with a FREE 3-Day Trial of Authentic Media Aviation on Apple Podcasts

The full episode is also Available on Spotify and Acast 

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MCAS Miramar-based Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 101 closes its doors after 50+ years of teaching U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviators first in the F-4 Phantom and then the F/A-18 Hornet. 

On this episode, the final VMFAT-101 Commander, LtCol Ryan "Yoshi" Franzen and the -101 Operations Officer Maj Erik "Tucker" Rheinhart share the Sharpshooter history and legacy, and what's next for USMC F/A-18 training.

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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!



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On this Authentic Snap Shot 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.

Referenced Presentation is available HERE on the Authentic Discord Channel

You can listen to the rest of this episode and more with a FREE 3-Day Trial of Authentic Media Aviation on Apple Podcasts

It is also Available on Spotify and Acast 

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In this Authentic Media Snap Shot, Craig "Crunch" Snyder and Shannon "Flash" Coulter as they explore the distinctions and advancements between the Nimitz- and Ford-class carriers.

Air Boss is a five-part series describing the fascinating and complex world of the U.S. Navy carrier air department. You know the difference between a Rhino and a Growler but do you know the difference between The Street and The Six Pack, or between an Ordie and a Grape?

You can listen to the rest of this episode and more with a FREE 3-Day Trial of Authentic Media Aviation on Apple Podcasts

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Robert Dosé was a World War 2 fighter pilot who downed an Imperial Japanese aircraft. Thirty years later, his son Curtis downed a Vietnamese MiG-21, making them the only father-son duo to each achieve aerial victories in combat.

"Dozo," as Curt is known, joins us this week to describe the May 10, 1972 engagement and reconciliation with his former enemy 40+ years later. A TOPGUN graduate and test pilot, Dozo also performed much of the aircraft carrier suitability testing on the F-14 Tomcat.

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In this Authentic Media Snap Shot, former FPP cohost Brian "Sunshine" Sinclair and Scott "Roger" Chafian lead up to 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.

The Block III modifications are poised to revolutionize the Super Hornet capabilities, extending its relevance and lethality into the 2030s and beyond. Don't miss this deep dive into the technological advancements of the newest Super Hornet iteration.

You can listen to the rest of this episode and more with a FREE 3-Day Trial of Authentic Media Aviation on Apple Podcasts

It is also Available on Spotify and Acast 

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In this Authentic Media Snap Shot, Mike "Pako" Benitez joins Scott "Roger" Chafian 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.

The F-15's enduring design allowed for changes in software, engines, and avionics, making it a versatile and reliable fighter. Host and guest also discuss the advanced features of the F-15EX, which works in conjunction with other aircraft to create a formidable force. The speakers also discuss the limitations of the F-22 and F-35 and the importance of having more than one fighter production line.

Listen to the rest of this episode and more with a FREE 3-Day Trial of Authentic Media Aviation on Apple Podcasts

Also Available on Spotify and Acast

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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.

This episode is adapted from a 2022 'Happy Hour' discussion over Zoom.

Visit Ed's website here.

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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