The Fighter Pilot Podcast

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 write Get Back Up: Lessons in Servant Leadership.From Goldfein's F-16 shoot-down over Serbia to Wilson's battles on Capitol Hill and in the halls of the Pentagon, they have lived the kind of leadership not taught in classrooms — the kind forged in adversity, shaped by humility, and proven under pressure.In this conversation, they unpack what servant leadership actually looks like when the cost is real, why the most powerful leaders are the ones who put others first, and what the next generation of leaders n

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 conversation about legacy, leadership, and the kind of airplane that shaped the aviators who flew it.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

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

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 clarity, and become the kind of person who can carry real responsibility when the stakes are highest.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

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 millions, Cabo shares hard-earned lessons on discipline, decision-making, mission command, and finding purpose beyond the uniform.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

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

What does it take to go from strapping into fighters to leaving Earth's atmosphere?This week, Jameel “Chocolate” Janjua — Virgin Galactic astronaut and former U.S. and Canadian fighter test pilot — breaks down the mindset behind elite aviation, how test pilots really think about risk, and what it means to operate at the absolute edge of performance.We follow his path from military flight test to commercial spaceflight, the lessons learned along the way, and why — even as technology accelerates — human judgment remains the final safety net. It’s a rare, inside look at a journey very few people on Earth will ever make.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

What happens when artificial intelligence starts sharing cockpit responsibilities?On this episode, US Air Force Lt Col Raven “Rost” LeClair—F-35 Lightning II test pilot, squadron commander, and autonomy specialist—breaks down how AI is actually being integrated into 5th-generation fighters. We discuss what “human-machine teaming” looks like from the pilot’s seat, how trust in automation is built (and broken), and why the next leap in airpower depends more on judgment, training, and culture than raw hardware.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

The future of airpower is not decided in the cockpit—it’s decided by the acquisition process.In this episode, U.S. Air Force Colonel Tim “Ivy” Spaulding joins new FPP host Tucker “Cinco” Hamilton to break down modern aviation acquisition from a fighter pilot’s perspective. They explore why innovation so often struggles to reach the flight line, how risk and incentives become misaligned, and what it really takes to deliver capability at speed.This candid conversation dives into trust, culture, and people—why acquisition works when operators, engineers, and decision-makers are aligned, and why it fails when they’re not.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

A look back at 2025 and introduction to 2026's new FPP host in this end-of-year wrap up episode.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Near the end of each year, we feature the hard working men and women of NORAD who tirelessly monitor threats all year long and then, on December 24th, add the mission of tracking Santa.Enjoy this 2022 rebroadcast on the NORAD Santa Tracker program featuring then-U.S. Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck, the Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, and U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. James Porterfield, the NORAD and NORTHCOM Senior Enlisted Leader.Merry Christmas from all of us here at the Fighter Pilot Podcast.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Few companies in aviation history can claim an average of one new aircraft flown every year for four decades. Enter Scaled Composites.Founded in 1982 by legendary designer Burt Rutan, Scaled Composites specializes in designing, building, and flight-testing proof-of-concept, prototype, and milestone-achieving aircraft—often pushing the edge of what’s thought possible.On this episode, Scaled Composites President Greg Morris and engineering test pilot Justin Gillen pull back the curtain on this extraordinary organization. They explain how Scaled safely develops and flies so many radically different aircraft, why real-world flight test is far more disciplined than Hollywood would have you believe, and what it takes to turn bold ideas into first flights.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

We’re opening the vault for another Happy Hour—this one from 2021 with retired U.S. Navy Captain Matthew “Tom” Maxwell.Tom flew numerous World War II– and Korean War–era aircraft from carriers around the world before eventually finding his way into his favorite platform: the Douglas A-3 Skywarrior. In the “Whale,” he famously saved a fuel-starved F-8 by breaking the rules and refueling the Crusader over North Vietnam, getting the pilot safely back “feet wet.”He was also aboard USS Oriskany during the devastating October 1966 fire that claimed the lives of 44 sailors. Tom captured these stories and many others in his memoir Grandfather’s Journal: A Grandson’s Journey into His Grandfather’s Life, a short and delightful read naval aviation aficionados will enjoy.Sadly, Tom passed away a year after this Happy Hour originally aired and now rests at Arlington National Cemetery.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

We close out our month-long tribute to the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday with a special replay of a 2021 Happy Hour conversation featuring Lieutenant General Richard E. Carey.Across nearly four decades in uniform, General Carey rose from enlisted grunt to three-star general, serving everywhere from the Inchon landings and Chosin Reservoir to the skies over Vietnam. He went on to amass more than 9,000 hours in every fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft the Marine Corps flew. Yet what stands out most is his quiet warmth and the timeless wisdom he shared—like sitting down with a beloved grandfather who’s seen it all.General Carey passed away in early 2025 and now rests in the very cemetery he once helped establish. Rest in peace, General Carey. And Semper Fi, Marines.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Our monthlong celebration of the US Marine Corps' 250th birthday continues this week with retired Lieutenant Colonel Isaac "Whiskey" Lee who spent a 20-year career flying CH-53E Super Stallions.Veteran of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Weapons & Tactics instructor...Whiskey chronicles hard-fought lessons learned and personal vulnerabilities in his book, Hangar 4: A Combat Aviator's Memoir. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

This Veterans Day, we are rebroadcasting a walk down memory lane first shared in 2024 featuring guests from past Fighter Pilot Podcast episodes.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

To mark the U.S. Marine Corps' 250th birthday on November 10, 2025, we are repurposing a 2023 Patreon Happy Hour featuring Doug Griffith who flew AH-1 Cobras during Operation Desert Storm.Doug shares great stories and a master class on what it means to be a Marine Aviator.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

November 10, 2025 marks the U.S. Marines' 250th birthday and to celebrate, we are dedicating the entire month to the Corps, beginning with this discussion featuring Jim "Bullet" Markel.Bullet, who flew the Vought F-8 Crusader, describes flight training, meeting the love of his life, and flying combat operations over Vietnam—including a harrowing mission for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

The U.S. Navy has one of the largest air forces in the world comprised of a wide variety of aircraft from helicopters to strike fighters to patrol planes. While squadrons, air wings, and type wings have a well-established chain of command, ultimately they all fall under the purview of a single person. Known formally as the Commander, Naval Air Forces, the position is known better as simply, the Air Boss.On this episode, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral and air boss Dan “Undra” Cheever, joins us to discuss the current state and future of naval aviation. We touch on numerous high-level strategic issues and spend several minutes answering listener questions.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

This week, we pause our monthlong celebration of the U.S. Navy's 250th birthday to check in with FPP friend, Dave "Chip" Berke.Fighter pilot extraordinaire, battle-proven forward air controller, and esteemed leadership coach, Chip codifies his many hard-won lessons learned into a powerful and concise new book, The Need to Lead."Every problem is a leadership problem," Chip asserts—find out why and, more importantly, how to effectively address these problems in this fascinating read available on Amazon and most major bookstores October 21, 2025.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations