Rephonic
Artwork for Fighter Pilot Podcast
Military Aviation
World War II
Aviation
Air Combat
Vietnam War
Naval Aviation
Indo-Pacific Region
Army Aviation
Artificial Intelligence
Desert Storm
Leadership
F-35
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
GovernmentLeisureAviation

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Artwork for Fighter Pilot Podcast

Latest Episodes

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 ... more

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 ... more

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 Wa... more

YouTube

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

Key Facts

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Contact Information
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Recent Guests

Louis Skupien
Host of Talk4 Podcast; aviation documentary filmmaker
Talk4 Podcast
Episode: FPP219 - From Wimbledon to Mach 1.58: Louis Skupien’s Wild Ride into Telling Aviation’s Story
Steve Jacobson
A-10 pilot, former reservist, founder of Autonodyne
Autonodyne
Episode: FPP218 - The Humans Behind Autonomous Air Combat
Colonel Richard Brenneman
Former F-4 Phantom II pilot, Vietnam POW, later aircraft instructor and Gulf War veteran
United States Air Force
Episode: FPP217 - Shot Down, Not Out: Col. Richard "Dog" Brenneman on Service and Survival
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

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 Kingdom2 months 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 States4 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 States4 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
#6
United States/Leisure/Aviation
Apple Podcasts
#153
United States/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#7
Canada/Leisure/Aviation
Apple Podcasts
#7
United Kingdom/Leisure/Aviation
Apple Podcasts
#150
United Kingdom/Leisure
Apple Podcasts
#216
Canada/Leisure

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

FPP219 - From Wimbledon to Mach 1.58: Louis Skupien’s Wild Ride into Telling Aviation’s Story
Q: What's next for your documentary work and aviation projects, and how do you balance storytelling with the realities of military testing?
Louis outlines ongoing Edwards-based documentary work, a focus on the people behind the scenes, and upcoming projects across different platforms (e.g., UH-60 Black Hawk, AH-64 Apache) that will balance historical context with present-day testing and safety narratives.
FPP218 - The Humans Behind Autonomous Air Combat
Q: What is the biggest interoperability hurdle right now and how is your team addressing it with the Autonomy GRA?
The core hurdle is ensuring that a standard architecture can harmonize heterogeneous devices from different vendors and nations; the Autonomy GRA provides a common framework so different HMIs, platforms, and sensors can communicate, reducing custom integrations and speeding up field deployment.
FPP218 - The Humans Behind Autonomous Air Combat
Q: How do you see the balance between human control and autonomous capability evolving as mission autonomy matures?
As autonomy becomes more capable, humans will shift from direct control to supervisory and tactical roles, with interfaces designed to make delegation natural and reliable; the goal is to have humans trust the system's behavior and for the system to support human decision-making rather than replace it.
FPP218 - The Humans Behind Autonomous Air Combat
Q: Was there something in that A-10 background that you think proved unexpectedly relevant in the world of autonomy, in the way that is being applied through your current efforts?
The A-10 background taught me to value intuitive, situation-informed interfaces and the importance of earning trust between human and machine; if I can figure things out in that high-stakes cockpit, it should translate to making autonomy feel like an extension of the operator rather than a separate system.
FPP217 - Shot Down, Not Out: Col. Richard "Dog" Brenneman on Service and Survival
Q: I'd love if you just want to start with where you started from, and then kind of get into the story of flying, and then take us to those skies of Vietnam.
He describes growing up in Indiana, pursuing aviation through ROTC, training in the F-4, volunteering for Southeast Asia, and the path that led him to combat in Vietnam, where he experienced the baptism by fire, the downing, and the early missions that set the stage for a long and challenging career.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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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

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How many listeners does Fighter Pilot Podcast get?

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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. Combat Story
4. Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast
5. Airplane Geeks Podcast

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?

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What guests have appeared on Fighter Pilot Podcast?

Recent guests on Fighter Pilot Podcast include:

1. Louis Skupien
2. Steve Jacobson
3. Colonel Richard Brenneman
4. Ron Toes Cooper
5. Chris Pocock
6. Craig Snyder
7. Bob Schumacher
8. Marty Knutson

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.

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