About this podcast
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.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 38 episodes
- Captain Karen Ruth / 40+ years as a Professional Pilot · 50 minA great conversation with retired Delta Airlines Captain Karen Ruth. Her aviation journey began as a young girl looking up to her neighbors who happened to be Northwest pilots…
- Phil Wiltse / Horizon Air Captain (ret) · 46 minThis Great conversation with Captain Phil Wiltse reflecting on his 35 year flying career with Horizon Air. He has witnessed nearly the entire 45 years of Horizon Air from a…
- Mark Drake / B787 Captain / Hawaiian Airlines · 52 minIncredible conversation with Captain Mark covering his nearly 5 decades in the aviation industry, with a remarkable 39 years at Hawaiian Airlines. From the early days flying with…
- Max Lyons / Hillsboro Aviation · 50 minPull up a chair and sit down for a great conversation with Max. A 4th generation logger and world traveler, his career path changed when he ventured out on a solo trip that would…
- Captain Yokko Okamura / Horizon Air · 37 min"I was not trying to become a first, I just wanted to be an airline pilot". Captain Yokko's drive to become an airline pilot was truly remarkable, overcoming vast obstacles at a…
- Learn to fly in 2026 · 26 min
- Terry Shaffer / Flying the F8 in Vietnam · 45 minGreat conversation with Captain Terry Shaffer, retired airline captain, former fighter pilot, and all around great guy! From his early dreams of Hollywood stardom to flying the…
- Kali Retzler / Part 135 Captain · 37 minGreat conversation with Captain Kali about her journey to the pilot seat of a Cessna Grand Caravan and the challenges overcome along the way. She has a ton of great insights for…
- Captain Ty Frisby / Aerobatics to Airlines · 30 minGreat conversation with Captain Ty about his aviation journey from Aerobatics to the Airlines. He shares a lot of great instructional content on his podcast as well as instagram…
- Greg Wooldridge / 3-Time Blue Angel Flight Leader · 1 h 1 minIn this episode, we sit down with Captain Greg “Boss” Wooldridge, a respected leader in naval aviation history. Greg is the only pilot to have led the Blue Angels three times, a…
- Mike Swanigan / Alaska National Guard / Airline Captain (ret) · 53 minA full circle moment to sit down and chat with Captain Mike Swanigan aka "Swani" about his amazing journey to the flight deck. His dreams of becoming a pilot as a young boy were…
- Captain Ernie Meeks / Southwest Airlines · 1 h 1 minAwesome conversation with Captain Ernie Meeks aka "Big Ern" ( yes, we get the backstory on that call sign!) From early dreams of being a pilot to flying the C-5 Galaxy - One of…
- Arlette Donzey / Airline Pilot · 50 minThe saying "the best things in life aren't easy" comes to mind when hearing Arlette's aviation story. From a young girl in Germany pursuing her dreams of flying to the skies over…
- LaMar Haugaard / 40 YEAR Airline Pilot at Horizon Air · 48 minSuch a privilege to sit down with LaMar, one of the longest tenured Horizon pilots where he also served as the chief pilot for 2 decades. Great conversation covering the history…
- Steve Randall / Oceanic Ferry Pilot to Airline Captain · 1 h 2 minSit down for a jolly good chat with Captain Steve Randall! From crossing the Atlantic Ocean in small, general aviation aircraft to flying the big iron for the airlines, his…
- Bobby Nikkhoo / Pacific Flight Academy Co-Founder / Airline Pilot · 46 minGreat conversation with Bobby ; Hawaiian Airline pilot and co-founder of the Honolulu based Pacific Flight Academy. We talk Career pivots, flying during Covid, starting a flying…
- Captain Ron Kirkland / F-14 Fighter Pilot · 1 h 11 minCaptain Ron is one of the most experienced, and most humble pilots I have ever met. His story is simply incredible, from flying P-51 Mustangs, Mig-21s and F-14's to heavy iron…
- Jessie Doros / B737 Pilot / Alaska Airlines · 1 h 0 minExcited 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…
- F-14 Pilot breaks down TopGun scenes · 17 minHuge 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…
- Captain Kenny Williams / Alaska Airlines · 59 minAn honor to sit down with a personal mentor and talk about Kenny's amazing aviation career. From his first awe-inspiring experiences in small bush planes to becoming one of the…
