In Episode 161 of the Aerospace Advantage podcast “There I Was!”: Real Life Stories from the Cockpit with the Mitchell Institute Part II, our team members recount some of their most memorable experiences flying and fighting. You normally hear us talking about policy and budget issues, but over the holiday season, we decided it was time to kick back and reflect upon the high adventures of past years.

This week, we hear from Gen Kevin “Chili” Chilton, USAF (Ret.) as he explains the first and only time he blacked out at the controls of an aircraft; Maj Gen Larry “Stutz” Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.) talks about a similar terrifying moment in flight training and follows that story with a spectacular engine fire in the F-16; Air Force Fellow Lt Col Gary “Plugger” Glojek remembers a time when he wrestled with the unexpected while leading a six ship of A-10s; Heather “Lucky” Penney shares what it was like to fly a B-17; and Slick Baum describes how a fighter pilot’s mission can go from easy to crazy on takeoff with a full load of live ordnance at Nellis AFB.

Credits:

Host: John “Slick” Baum, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Producer: Shane Thin

Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey

Guest: Gen Kevin “Chili” Chilton, USAF (Ret.), Explorer Chair, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence

Guest: Maj Gen Larry “Stutz” Stutzriem, USAF (Ret.), Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Heather “Lucky” Penney, Senior Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Guest: Lt Col Gary “Plugger” Glojek, Air Force Fellow, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies

Host

Credits