People love
fighter jets.
Whether it’s the thunderous roar of a high-speed flyby, the dramatic news footage from far away conflicts, or the captivating self-assuredness of the men and women who pilot them, military aircraft are fascinating to a lot of folks. …of course, if you are reading this you already know all that. In fact, you’re probably one of them. I am too. Hello! My name is Vincent Aiello, callsign “Jell-O” (more on callsigns in episode 2), and this is The Fighter Pilot Podcast, the internet radio show that explores the fascinating world of air combat. My infatuation with military jets began in early childhood and quickly became my life’s calling. After college I was fortunate to spend nearly a quarter of a century as a US Navy fighter pilot flying aircraft such as the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and A-4 Skyhawk. I deployed overseas on aircraft carriers numerous times and was selected to attend (and instruct at) the US Navy Fighter Weapons School, better known as TOPGUNaka Navy Fighter Weapons School. A US Navy institution that develops and provides graduate-level strike-fighter tactics.. I met many people over the course of my career who reminded me of the public’s more-than-passing interest in combat aircraft. Responses to learning what I did were typically, “that’s cool!” or, “man, I wanted to do that, but….” Circumstances permitting, the new acquaintance and I would frequently spend the next several minutes (or sometimes hours) discussing what it was like to fly a high-performance jet fighter, pull G’s, or land on an aircraft carrier at night. This fascination with my profession was humbling and I know this experience was not unique to me—most of my fighter pilot friends report similar interactions. Before retiring from the Navy in early 2017 I knew it was important to find a way to stay connected to the profession that so indelibly shaped my life. I also realized there must be a lot of people out there who would love to know more about what it’s like in the world of combat aviation but might never have an opportunity to find out, short of a chance encounter with a military pilot. The Fighter Pilot Podcast seeks to satisfy both.