Rephonic
Artwork for Fighter Pilot Podcast
Military Aviation
World War II
Aviation
Air Combat
Naval Aviation
Indo-Pacific Region
Army Aviation
Artificial Intelligence
Vietnam War
Desert Storm
F-35
Leadership
Marine Corps
Fighter Pilots
Royal Canadian Air Force
US Navy
Air Force
F-16
Top Gun
F-111

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... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes344Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
AviationGovernmentLeisure

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Fighter Pilot Podcast

Latest Episodes

Today former A-10 pilot and Autonodyne CEO Steve Jacobson joins the Fighter Pilot Podcast to discuss one of the most important and least understood aspects of future air combat: the human-machine interface.

He shares stories from flying and testing ... more

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 prisone... more

YouTube

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 s... more

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 natio... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Ron Toes Cooper
Former USAF fighter pilot with 300+ combat missions in Vietnam; founder of Cooper Culture
The Cooper Culture
Episode: FPP216 - 300 Vietnam Missions in the F-4: Combat and the Making of a Leader
Chris Pocock
Author of 50 Years of the U-2, The Complete Illustrated History of the Dragon Lady
Author/Historian
Episode: FPP215 - U-2s on Aircraft Carriers: A Cold War Gamble
Craig Snyder
Call sign crunch, retired US Navy pilot with carrier experience
Former Navy Pilot
Episode: FPP215 - U-2s on Aircraft Carriers: A Cold War Gamble
Bob Schumacher
Skunk Works test pilot who flew the first carrier deployment of the U-2A
Lockheed Skunk Works
Episode: FPP215 - U-2s on Aircraft Carriers: A Cold War Gamble
Marty Knutson
U-2 pilot who discussed landing characteristics
CIA/U-2 pilot
Episode: FPP215 - U-2s on Aircraft Carriers: A Cold War Gamble
Pete Owen
Retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel, historian, and author of Fighting Falcons
Author of Fighting Falcons, VMF-221 in the Pacific War
Episode: FPP214 - Fighting Falcons: VMF-221 and the Soul of Marine Aviation
JJ Cummings
Retired Navy Captain
Shield AI (industry perspective)
Episode: FPP213 - Top Gun, Tomcats, and AI Wingmen: "Yank" Cummings on Tomorrow’s War
John Comby
Commanding Officer, Great American Bulldogs, Vma-223
Vma-223, United States Marine Corps
Episode: FPP211 - The Last Harrier: Inside the Final AV-8B Squadron
Eric Scheibe
Executive Officer, Great American Bulldogs, Vma-223
Vma-223, United States Marine Corps
Episode: FPP211 - The Last Harrier: Inside the Final AV-8B Squadron

Hosts

Tucker Hamilton
Host of The Fighter Pilot Podcast; experienced military aviator and author.
Vincent Aiello
Host of Fighter Pilot Podcast; former host of the show with deep background in aviation media.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 4.5k ratings
  • Hell ye

    Bro this is peeeeak jello and cinco are sick!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Fenccx
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Of all the times to get the IAF on the show, you pick while they are actively engaged in genocide?!

    Podcast Addict
    1
    Len
    3 months ago
  • Just let them talk!

    Super cool subject matter. But Jello talks too much. He deviates the guest from telling their best “there I was” stories. Just let them talk!

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Aurora714
    United States3 months ago
  • you have to pay for callsign stories

    you didn't have to with Jell-O. go back to the original format. this is not cutting it

    Audible
    1
    Jojowiser
    United States3 months ago
  • Love this

    Such an encouragement to hear the inspiring and amazing story’s of pilots! Thank you for your service! And from a future Marine aviator you give me so much excitement about my career!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Olivia1777
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some feedback mentions pacing and guest balance, hoping for broader international aircraft coverage and more non-US topics.
Audience frequently highlights inspiring and actionable takeaways on aviation leadership and resilience.
Praises depth and credibility of guests and stories, with listeners noting strong interviews and engaging leadership themes.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#5
United States/Leisure/Aviation
Apple Podcasts
#93
United States/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#4
Canada/Leisure/Aviation
Apple Podcasts
#7
United Kingdom/Leisure/Aviation
Apple Podcasts
#126
Canada/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#225
United Kingdom/Leisure

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

FPP216 - 300 Vietnam Missions in the F-4: Combat and the Making of a Leader
Q: Please, Toes, tell our listeners a little bit about yourself.
Ron shares his lifelong dream to fly, the insecure start, and the mentors who helped him become a top student and leader, leading to a distinguished Air Force career and post-military coaching work.
FPP215 - U-2s on Aircraft Carriers: A Cold War Gamble
Q: What made you think of this U-2 story and bring it into a podcast format?
The story stood out as a rare, almost surreal intersection of high technology, secrecy, and strategic thinking. It showed how flexible and audacious Cold War decision-making could be, and I wanted to tell it through the voices of pilots, engineers, and historians who lived it.
FPP214 - Fighting Falcons: VMF-221 and the Soul of Marine Aviation
Q: What ultimately caused the Midway defeat narrative to be more nuanced than commonly taught?
A combination of undertrained pilots, fuel and training constraints, and doctrinal decisions that affected how air groups were employed, rather than simply the inferiority of aircraft, shaped Midway outcomes.
FPP214 - Fighting Falcons: VMF-221 and the Soul of Marine Aviation
Q: How did VMF-221 adapt to different theaters and aircraft during the war?
VMF-221 transitioned from carrier-based and land-based operations to flying Wildcats and later Corsairs, changing tactics and roles to support sea control, air superiority, and carrier operations as the war evolved.
FPP214 - Fighting Falcons: VMF-221 and the Soul of Marine Aviation
Q: What was the fundamental question the author sought to answer about Marine aviation in the Pacific?
The author argues that the key question is how effective Marine aviation was in supporting the Pacific Fleet, and that their effectiveness depended on factors beyond aircraft performance, including training, doctrine, and integration with fleet operations.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Fighter Pilot Podcast

What is Fighter Pilot Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show consistently centers on military aviation, focusing on the people, platforms, and technology that shape air power. Across recent episodes, listeners hear deep dives into historic programs (like carrier-based operations for high-altitude aircraft), the evolution of Marine and Naval aviation, and the role of autonomy, AI, and simulation in training and combat. Notable throughlines include leadership lessons from pilots, the transition from traditional aircraft to modern systems (including fifth-gen fighters and spaceflight), and the human stories behind big-tech and defense ecosystems. A few episodes spotlight historic figures, authors, and test pilots to illuminate technical details with personal context, offering a blend of archiv... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Fighter Pilot Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Fighter Pilot Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Fighter Pilot Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Fighter Pilot Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Fighter Pilot Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Fighter Pilot Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Fighter Pilot Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Fighter Pilot Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Fighter Pilot Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Fighter Pilot Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Fighter Pilot Podcast:

1. The Afterburn Podcast
2. 10 Percent True - Tales from the Cockpit
3. Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast
4. Airplane Geeks Podcast
5. Aircrew Interview

How many episodes of Fighter Pilot Podcast are there?

Fighter Pilot Podcast launched 9 years ago and published 344 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Fighter Pilot Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Fighter Pilot Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Fighter Pilot Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Fighter Pilot Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Fighter Pilot Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Fighter Pilot Podcast?

Recent guests on Fighter Pilot Podcast include:

1. Ron Toes Cooper
2. Chris Pocock
3. Craig Snyder
4. Bob Schumacher
5. Marty Knutson
6. Pete Owen
7. JJ Cummings
8. John Comby

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days