Pitch, roll, and yaw are familiar concepts to most pilots and aviation enthusiasts accustomed to flight in the earth’s atmosphere, but how do astronauts control a 250,000-lb, mach 25-traveling spacecraft when trying to dock to an equally speeding and even larger space station in low earth orbit? On this episode, retired U.S. Marine Colonel fighter pilot and NASA astronaut Doug “Chunky” Hurley joins us to describe flying orbital vehicles from the space shuttle (two flights) to the SpaceX Dragon (first flight), including some of the actual stick & throttle mechanics of manually flying each ..read more

Rapid response. Difficult conditions. A deadly adversary. Aerial employment in close proximity to friendly ground forces. Clearance needed to drop… Sound like a close air support mission in support of Marines in combat? Nope, this is aerial firefighting! On this episode, 30+-year aerial firefighting pilot, Mr. Jim Barnes, joins us to discuss the heroic people—in the cockpits, on the front lines and on the flight lines—who contribute to the dangerous business of protecting people and property from wildland and forest fires. Think aerial firefighting is as simple as flying over a fire and drop ..read more

Jet aircraft are well known for their role in air warfare, appearances on the silver screen, and wowing audiences at airshows worldwide, but did you know a small group of brave, mostly former military, pilots meet in the desert north of Reno, Nevada each September to race them? On this episode, former Nevada ANG Major Rick Vandam and retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Peter “Tool” Stavrides discuss the who / what / when / where / why / and—particularly—how former military jet aircraft compete in the Reno Air Races jet class, the fastest competitive motorsport on (…ok, just slightly above ..read more

First the earth cooled, then the seas formed, and later humans appeared, and what did they do? Pretty much went straight to war with each other: first on land, then by sea, later below and eventually above the seas. Today, control of the seas remains vital whether in peacetime or during times of war, and unique aircraft, weapons, methods, and airmen are necessary to conduct this vital role. On this episode, retired U.S. Navy Captain Sean “Leeds” Liedman joins us for an exhaustive discussion on the history, hardware, and humans involved in maritime patrol with special focus on the P-3 Orion a ..read more

Fifth Generation fighters are impressive with their “sensor fusion,” low signatures, and advanced handling, but what’s next? What happens to air warfare when adversaries’ capabilities and lethality reach parity with—or exceed—our own? On this episode, retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Lance “Pink” Floyd joins new cohost Matt “Flounder” Arny to explore the possible factors and aircraft attributes liable to define air combat in the decades ahead, such as artificial intelligence, extreme speed, optional manning, and more. Listener questions addressed on this episode include military aviato ..read more

Oversteer protection, anti-lock brakes, and other emerging technologies help automobile drivers avoid accidents, thus saving money and—more importantly—lives. Wouldn’t it be great if technological advances could also reduce or eliminate the leading cause of death among tactical military aviators? On this episode, former episode 121 guest Billie Flynn returns to discuss collision avoidance systems with episode 78 guest Tucker “Cinco” Hamilton who survived a 2008 mid-air collision that killed his F-15 wingman. Developing, implementing, and testing the technology is one hurdle—another is convin ..read more

Don’t let this episode’s title scare you off! There’s sexy, and then there’s important, and on rare occasion you get a combination of the two, but true military aviation enthusiasts understand that middle category is where most subjects in this niche exist, including the systems that make these amazing aircraft not just flyable, but controllable. On this episode, retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel David “Divot” Kern joins us to describe the theory, considerations, and cutting edge capabilities of flight control systems, including digital and analog fly-by-wire systems. A former test p ..read more

After many recent episodes discussing how 1986’s Top Gun and this year’s Top Gun: Maverick are “movies, not documentaries,” it seemed appropriate to round out ‘Top Gun Month’ (which ended up being two months) with a look at the 2008 Naval Aviation story that is a documentary. This week, episode 20 of the F-14 Tomcast is repurposed to further share the story of how Speed & Angels came to be. Tomcast hosts Crunch & Bio welcome past FPP guest Paco Chierici and Meagan “Vargas” Varley who describe how the documentary was imagined and filmed. Listener questions addressed on this episode in ..read more

Good vs bad. Right vs wrong. Humor, redemption, drama, romance, action, closure, and of course, Naval Aviation. Top Gun: Maverick is many things but best of all, it is simple entertainment that people all over the world enjoy. It’s the summer blockbuster we all hoped for. And needed. On this episode, U.S. Navy Reserve Captain Brian “Ferg” Ferguson returns to the show four years and 143 episodes later to explain his role in the making of this film. Part safety officer, part Navy ambassador, Ferg was instrumental in the coordination and details needed between Paramount and the U.S. Navy to ens ..read more

“Real speed.” “Real G forces.” “Really amazing!” These are the assertions of those who made the blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, and those who have seen it, and they’re right. On this episode, second-generation aerial coordinator Mr. Kevin LaRosa, with credits on movies such as Iron Man and The Avengers, joins us to discuss the real flying and real challenges of filming Top Gun: Maverick, including the self-imposed requirements to make the film as authentic as possible. Listener questions addressed on this episode include why F/A-18 Super Hornets are sometimes seen selecting afterburner on the ..read more