The Pilot Project Podcast
The Pilot Project Podcast is an aviation podcast that aims to help new pilots learn what it takes to succeed in the world of flight, to help people in the flight training system learn what they may want to fly, and to give Canadians and the world a peek into life on the flight deck in the RCAF. We want to help pilots succeed and thrive! We interview real RCAF pilots for their exciting stories as well as the lessons they've learned along the way. We'll learn their tips to develop resilience and the tools it takes to make it in flight training.
Episodes
For episode 100, we have RCAF Commander Lieutenant-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet on some early lessons learned from her career, modernization, global threats, and the future of Canada’s Air Force.
In Part 2 of this conversation, Captain Niels Olson takes us inside his first deployment as a CH-124 Sea King pilot with 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron - and the reality of life at sea that no one fully prepares you for.
After completing his training, Niels went almost straight from the Operational Training Unit to deploying aboard HMCS Ottawa.
Niels opens up about the moment he realized he might not want to be a maritime...
Captain Niels Olson didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a military pilot. In fact, while living next to CFB Chilliwack as a kid, he remembers watching soldiers train and thinking, “I’m never doing that.”
In Part 1, we cover his early life, joining under CEOTP, the long training pipeline, and his first exposure to maritime helicopter operations before even starting flight training. Then we'll get into a high-level lo...
This week, inside project SEEDCORN: P-8 training, RAF operations, and the future of Canada’s long range patrol fleet.
In Part 2, Matt and Dylan break down the P-8 Poseidon conversion process, RAF operations, and how SEEDCORN is preparing Canada for the future of long range patrol aviation.
They also share real-world operational experiences and what it’s like flying from the UK near global hotspots.
In this episode, Capt Matt Chretien and Capt Dylan Gilje-Allan share their journey from early flight training to operational flying on the CP-140 Aurora, leading to their selection for SEEDCORN and transition to the P-8 Poseidon.
They discuss flight training challenges, Aurora operations, deployments on Op NEON, and real-world intercepts in the Indo-Pacific.
In the final part of the MSC Baltic III series, Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson describe the dramatic rescue itself.
After launching from Gander and racing toward the vessel in distress, the CH-149 Cormorant crew arrives on scene and begins the complex task of hoisting sailors from the stricken cargo ship in harsh winter conditions off Newfoundland.
Pete explains the challenges of positioning the helico...
In Part 2 of this three-part series on the MSC Baltic III rescue, we continue the conversation with Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson as they describe the moment the call came in and the race to launch from 103 Search and Rescue Squadron in Gander.
They walk through the early stages of the mission - preparing the CH-149 Cormorant, coordinating the crew, and launching into challenging weather conditions o...
Before the dramatic MSC Baltic III rescue, years of training and experience prepared the crew. In Part 1, Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson share their paths into the RCAF SAR community and the lessons that shaped them.
Pete discusses his path to becoming a CH-149 Cormorant pilot, flying with 103 Search and Rescue Squadron in Gander, and lessons learned from an exchange tour with the U.S. Coast Guard. Greg ...
In Part 2 of this series, Major Sam Behm shares what it was like to command the first Canadian CC-130J Hercules mission tasked with evacuating personnel during the 2021 Kabul Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation.
She reflects on preparing her crew, making decisions under pressure, and leading in an environment defined by uncertainty and risk. Sam also speaks candidly about serving as the only female Hercules pilot in the ...
Major Sam Behm's path to the CC-130J Hercules wasn’t straightforward.
As we mark International Women's Day and Women in Aviation Worldwide Week, Sam shares how she joined the Canadian Armed Forces under ROTP as a MARS Officer (now Naval Warfare Officer), and determinedly pursued a transfer to the Royal Canadian Air Force when the opportunity to become a pilot reopened.
We walk through her flight training on the Grob in Por...
Part two of our chat with Captain Rock Veilleux follows his evolution from recovery to instructor pilot, overseas flying, and ultimately search and rescue operations. It's a powerful story about adaptation, leadership, and staying passionate about aviation.
Captain Rock Veilleux shares how a passion for flying led to fast jets - and how a dramatic ejection forced him to rebuild both his career and confidence. A gripping Canadian military aviation story about resilience, identity, and staying in the fight.
In part 3 of 3, Major Ian Wookey concludes his Afghanistan story. He describes the execution of evacuation operations in Kabul, the pressure faced by aircrews and planners, and the emotional toll of operating in a collapsing environment. As the final flights departed, Ian reflects on the limits of military power, the people left behind, and how those final days continue to resonate long after leaving Afghanistan.
In part 2 of 3, Major Ian Wookey returns to continue his account of Afghanistan’s final days. He describes the shift from a controlled drawdown to the sudden collapse of Afghan security forces, the rapidly deteriorating situation in Kabul, and the mounting pressure on the small coalition force that remained behind.
In part 1 of a 3-part conversation on the fall of Afghanistan, Major Ian Wookey shares his first-hand account of the Afghanistan drawdown, from closing Kandahar Airfield to becoming the last Canadian on the ground.
Major Matt Neri returns for Part 2 to discuss the Outcast 903 accident, lessons learned, recovery, and leadership as CO of 103 SAR Squadron. He also shares how Mattfrom103 became an unexpected platform for education, transparency, and trust in the SAR community.
Major Matt Neri joins Bryan Morrison for Part 1 of a two-part interview exploring his career in Search and Rescue. Matt shares his early aviation influences, flight training experiences, and first operational tours on the CH-149 Cormorant. From earning his wings to coordinating SAR missions at JRCC Halifax, this episode offers an inside look at the realities of rescue flying and what it takes to lead the busiest SAR squadr...
In Part 2 of this Christmas special, Bryan continues his conversation with Captain Anthony Element-Malouin, a CC-130J Hercules pilot with 436 Transport Squadron, focusing on his operational career and leadership journey. Tony talks about returning to flying after being grounded, a demanding 2024 filled with major exercises, and deployments on Op Reassurance.
The episode dives into large-scale training events like Battalion ...
In Part 1 of this two-part Christmas special, Bryan sits down with Captain Anthony Element-Malouin, a CC-130J Hercules pilot with 436 Transport Squadron, to explore his path from early inspiration to operational flying in the RCAF.
The conversation dives into the realities of RCAF pilot training, including Phase 1 in Portage, the challenges of Phase 2 on the CT-156 Harvard II, air sickness, spin course, test anxiety, and t...
In Part 2 of our deep-dive with Capt John Livingston, we step directly into the world of operational Search and Rescue flying on the CH-149 Cormorant. After years of military flight training, John found himself at 442 Squadron in Comox-one of the busiest SAR units in the country-where the missions were real, the weather was unforgiving, and the learning curve was steep.
John brings listeners into the cockpit and onto th...
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