Fighter Pilot Podcast

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.

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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.

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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.

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A look back at 2025 and introduction to 2026's new FPP host in this end-of-year wrap up episode.

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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.

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