The Pilot Life
Aviation
The Pilot Life takes you behind the cockpit and into the lives of aviation professionals. In each episode, we sit down with pilots and other aviation experts to hear their personal stories, unique experiences, and the highs and lows of life in the sky. Whether you're an aspiring pilot or just fascinated by aviation, The Pilot Life offers an authentic, unfiltered look at what it really means to live and work in the world of aviation.
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Top 10 The Pilot Life Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Pilot Life episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Pilot Life for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Pilot Life episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Chuck Spaeth / Alaska Airlines Aviation Pioneer
The Pilot Life
06/28/24 • 53 min
What an opportunity to sit down with an aviator who experienced the incredible growth of the aviation industry from the 1960's to the 1990's.
Captain Chuck is a true pioneer, joining the airlines in 1961 as a DC-6 Flight Engineer. He obtained his pilot's license and became one of the incredible legends to eventually fly as an Alaska Airlines Captain.
There is a lot to learn from a pilot like Captain Spaeth. Professional, dedicated, and always learning.
Music licensed through:
www.epidemicsound.com
“The information provided in this video is for educational purposes only. This is a personal vlog and the opinions expressed are solely those of the participants and do not represent any associations or institutions they may or may not be affiliated with unless expressly stated"
Brad Tilden / Retired Airline CEO
The Pilot Life
06/05/24 • 50 min
Watch the episode here:
https://youtu.be/5AsFuqd5-jY?feature=shared
Brad Tilden is a general aviation pilot and the retired CEO of Alaska Airlines.
In this episode, we sit down with Brad to find out about his aviation roots, including his Dad who worked on the "moon buggy" first utilized on the surface of the moon during Apollo 15. He got his pilot's license as a young man and continues to fly regularly.
His working career took him from a paperboy, to a dishwasher on an Amtrak train, and eventually to the CEO position with Alaska Airlines. We covered a range of topics including lesson learned during tragedy, leadership and decision making, and the challenges of leading a company through a merger.
*The views expressed in this podcast are solely the views of the host and the guest and do not reflect any organizations they have worked for in the past or are currently associated with.
Cory Peters / Aerial Firefighter
The Pilot Life
05/17/24 • 51 min
Cory has an incredible aviation story from the early days of flight instructing, to operating regional jets in Europe, performing aerial firefighting for over a decade, and now flying as a pilot for a legacy US airline.
Check out the video version of this podcast on Youtube with expanded content!
Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf4iOF34spaZUAC-ZdOUwJQ
*The views expressed in this podcast are solely the views of the host and the guest and do not reflect any organizations they have worked for in the past or are currently associated with.
Larry Packer / Blue Angel
The Pilot Life
04/28/24 • 97 min
Strap in and sit back for an amazing conversation with former Blue Angel and current Airline Captain Larry Packer.
He shares his experience as a Naval Aviator flying off United States' Aircraft Carriers in the A-4, A-6 and F/A-18 Hornet as well as his incredible time as Blue Angel #2 during the early 1990s.
After a distinguished career in the Navy, he joined the Oregon Air National Guard flying both the F-16 Viper and F-15 Strike Eagle accumulating over 5,000 hours in tactical fighter jet aircraft.
For the last 19 years, Larry has flown as a Boeing 737 pilot for Alaska Airlines and continues to share his expertise as a Captain and Check Pilot.
Check out the following links for additional information on the topics discussed on this podcast:
https://www.navy.mil
https://www.blueangels.navy.mil
https://www.142wg.ang.af.mil
Blue Angel Documentary
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18573650/
*The views expressed in this podcast are solely the views of the host and the guest and do not reflect any organizations they have worked for in the past or are currently associated with.
07/31/24 • 71 min
Captain Larry Packer reflects on his experience as Blue Angel #2 during the 1992 season when the documentary "Around the world at the speed of sound"was filmed. Incredible stories of adventure, sacrifice and camaraderie.
Larry's Journey to jointing the Blues!
https://youtu.be/osKA3qqcZho?feature=shared
Check out the 1994 documentary here:
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Angels-Around-World-Special/dp/B07RCKCMYF
Check out the 2024 documentary here:
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Angels-Brian-Kesserling/dp/B0CV24PLDC
#5 John "Gucci" Foley can be found here:
https://www.gladtobehere.com
Book #1 "Boss" here to speak at your next event:
https://johnfoleyinc.com/greg-boss-wooldridge/
“The information provided in this video is for educational purposes only. This is a personal vlog and the opinions expressed are solely those of the participants and do not represent any associations or institutions they may or may not be affiliated with unless expressly stated"
Erika Jackman / Delta Airlines Captain
The Pilot Life
09/06/24 • 43 min
Sit down with Captain Erika as she tells her aviation story, the adversity she has faced, and her journey to the Captain seat for Delta Airlines.
Check out the Vodcast at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASuFwNrhqlg
*The views expressed in this podcast are solely the views of the host and the guest and do not reflect any organizations they have worked for in the past or are currently associated with.
F-14 Pilot breaks down TopGun scenes
The Pilot Life
04/19/25 • 16 min
Huge thanks to Captain Ron "Rhino" Kirkland for indulging me in my breakdown of famous TopGun scenes. Awesome to be able to sit down with someone who flew the Tomcat and speak about the capabilities and performance of this amazing aircraft.
Be sure to check out his full podcast on an upcoming episode of The Pilot Life where we talk about not only his journey to the Navy, but also flying as a test pilot, a cargo pilot on the MD11 and B747 and more!
Joe Blunt / A10 Pilot / Airline Captain
The Pilot Life
02/08/25 • 58 min
Hop aboard the mighty A-10 as we sit and reminisce with Captain Joe Blunt about his Air Force training, transition to the airlines, and everything in between. Joe is simply a great guy and awesome pilot who I've had the pleasure to work beside. One of the great aviation minds in the industry!
Check out the video here:
Joe Sprague / CEO Hawaiian Airlines
The Pilot Life
12/31/24 • 47 min
At an early age Joe was fascinated with all things aviation. As a young boy, he would ride around on his toy airplane eyes pointed skyward. His dreams of becoming a pilot took him from the sun-soaked beaches of Florida as a student pilot, to the breathtaking landscapes of Alaska flying floatplanes. When circumstances led Joe out of the flight deck, he didn't see it as the end of a dream...just the beginning of the new one.
Throughout his more than 35 years in the aviation industry, Joe has built a depth and breadth of experience. His leadership, rooted in community and purpose, serves him to this day as the CEO of Hawaiian Airlines as he guides the company through the merger process with Alaska Airlines.
Check out the Video Here:
https://youtu.be/9RhA1NTNbwU?feature=shared
Jessie Doros / B737 Pilot / Alaska Airlines
The Pilot Life
05/17/25 • 60 min
Excited to share my conversation with Jessie, a pilot and friend I've had the privilege of knowing for 25+ years. She entered the airline industry during the early 2000's, a difficult time to start your airline dream. Hired, furloughed, corporate pilot, airline pilot, around the world and back.
Enjoy the conversation with Jessie as she talks about her journey to the flight deck of Alaska Airlines.
“The information provided is for entertainment purposes only. This is a personal vlog and the opinions expressed are solely those of the participants and do not represent any associations or institutions they may or may not be affiliated with unless expressly stated.”
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Pilot Life have?
The Pilot Life currently has 21 episodes available.
What topics does The Pilot Life cover?
The podcast is about Leisure, Career, Pilot, Aviation, Airline, Comedy, Entertainment, Podcasts, Science and Life.
What is the most popular episode on The Pilot Life?
The episode title 'Brad Tilden / Retired Airline CEO' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Pilot Life?
The average episode length on The Pilot Life is 54 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Pilot Life released?
Episodes of The Pilot Life are typically released every 21 days.
When was the first episode of The Pilot Life?
The first episode of The Pilot Life was released on Apr 4, 2024.
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