My take on goal setting is different from what most experts recommend. The start of a new year is a time when many of us reflect on the previous year, and what we’d like to improve going forward. Growing up, I did what most of us are taught: Make SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and […]
Why even F-35 pilots still have to fly ‘by the seat of their pants’
FeaturedBeing able to fly by the seat of your pants is still an important skill for a fighter pilot. Although modern fighters have an incredible array of sensors that feed them real-time information out to the horizon, a good pilot still listens to how the aircraft is talking to them. When aircraft were introduced in […]
What it’s like to hit the afterburner in an F-16 for the first time
FeaturedThe first time you select afterburner in a fighter is an experience you’ll never forget. Over a decade later, I can still remember every second of it. I had made it through the attrition of pilot training and was now in the 9-month B-Course learning to fly the F-16. After several months of academics—going over […]
What actually happens when fighter pilots take off their masks?
FeaturedWhat happens if a fighter pilot takes off their mask? Movies like Independence Day and Top Gun portray it as a final act of desperation that’s strictly against regulation. But is this true? Before we get to the answer, let’s first look at the purpose of the mask. A fighter pilot’s mask is primarily used […]
Taking a stripped-down F-16 on a max speed run: ‘At 1.6 Mach, the jet started to shake’
Air ForceAnything close to the maximum structural speed for a jet is usually just for the glossy brochure—99.9% of the time we don’t come close to reaching it. There was one time, though, that I pushed the F-16 as fast as it could go. I was stationed in Korea and there was a jet coming out […]
How do fighter pilots pee while flying?
LifestyleAs a fighter pilot, one of the most common questions I get is: How do you go to the bathroom in an F-16 or F-35? Let me start off by describing the cockpit. A cockpit in a modern fighter is an engineering masterpiece. An incredible amount of effort goes into allowing us to interface with […]
Why you should play sports if you want to be a fighter pilot
CareerLooking back, sports prepared me for flying fighters more than anything else. You develop thick skin playing sports—you learn how to lose, how to accept criticism, how to prepare, how to handle pressure; you grow you in a way that’s difficult to find outside of sports. Different sports teach different attributes, particularly team versus individual […]
An F-35 pilot explains why the jet’s bad press misses the point
Military AffairsThere’s no other jet I’d want to go into combat in than the F-35A, the Air Force’s newest supersonic stealth fighter. As a fighter pilot who’s flown several variants of the legendary F-16 as well as the F-35, I can say that, between the two aircraft, it’s not even a close competition. Comparing the two […]
Learn the art of self discipline from an F-35 pilot instructor
CareerSelf-discipline: the ability to make yourself do things that should be done. How do you know if you have it? The coronavirus shutdown has given us a window into our character. Social events are cancelled and work has gone remote—most people have a lot more time on their hands. What have you done with it? […]
Fighter pilot breakdown: Aerial refueling
FeaturedAerial refueling is one of the more dangerous tasks fighter pilots need to master. Throughout pilot training, you’re taught the biggest mistake you can make is to hit something with your aircraft—which is why the first time you refuel in the air, it can be nerve-racking. The concept is to join up with a tanker—essentially […]
