Talking Flight

On this episode, Mike Swanigan brings together three highly experienced airline captains for a behind-the-scenes look at  what it takes to get the job done. Frontier Airlines Captain Michael Pittman, retired Delta and Northwest Airlines Captain Heidi Proch, and retired Alaska Airlines Captain Michael Hendrix each share firsthand accounts of how they dealt with some of the unusual situations that they faced on one of their trips.  

Akaska Airlines Captain and YouTube creator Brendan ODonnell joins us on Talking Flight to share his story of growing up in Oregon and pursuing his dream of becoming an airline pilot. His path ito aviation took several unexpected turns, but he stayed focused and never gave up. It all paid off, and today Brendan his living that dream, flying Boeing 737s for Alaska Airlines. Also, a video project that he started as a side gig to help with the family budget during the early part of his career has transformed into the popular YouTube series "The Pilot Life".

In this episode of Talking Flight, we sit down with retired Delta A330 Captain Heidi Porch. She began flying at 16 and quickly found herself ferrying small aircraft across the Pacific. One of those flights ended in a dramatic ocean ditching 500 miles off the coast of Hawaii — a harrowing experience she recounts in her gripping new book, Ditching the Sky. Captain Porch shares the highs and lows of her journey from teenage pilot to the left seat of a wide-body jet, and what it truly takes to succeed in the airline world.

Retired Captain Tad Santino joins us on this episode of Talking Flight. He shares the story of his journey from being a gate agent for a regional airline to becomming a Captain for Alaska Airlines. Tad had many adventures along the way and tells us how hard work, solid relationships, and a positive attitude provided the fuel for a fantastic career.  

We're excited to have US Air Force Academy Cadet Jaylen Palmer on Talking Flight to share his journey to earning admission to the prestigious Service Academy. At just 20 years old, Jaylen is our youngest guest yet. His aviation career started early—before even graduating high school, he had already earned his Private Pilot's License, Instrument Rating, and Commercial Pilot's License. Jaylen's story is a testament to what a motivated and focused young person can achieve, with the added support of an amazing family! If you are a student who is interested in attending the Academy, Jaylen gives us some great advice on how to make it happen.

Mike Swanigan interviews Corporate Pilot and Podcaster Captain Rick Jones. Rick pilots a Dassault 7X jet for a private owner and is also the host of "The RMFJ Podcast", currently trending on Spotify and other podcast platforms.  Rick was a guest on a previous episode of Talking Flight. If you missed it, check out episode 27, where we dive deep into the early days of his career. In today's episode, Rick shares his journey toward his dream of flying for Alaska Airlines and the dedication it took to get there. However, the economic downturn of 2008 shifted his path, leading him to a second career, flying a private jet to destinations all over the world.

Dexter Cox is the author of one of my favorite aviation books. Dancing with the Devil is a wild ride chronicling Dexter's long career as a general aviation pilot. As a teenager entering the world of aviation, Dexter quickly realized the importance of learning from other people's and his own mistakes. That mentality helped him to survive several close calls in the air and on the ground. We shared a few great stories from his book, but there is much more to discover within its pages.

Retired Alaska Airlines Captain Michael Rinehart is our guest on today's edition of Talking Flight. We have a great conversation about his childhood as an "Airline Brat," including summers spent traveling with his dad, a Captain for Braniff International Airlines. Mike started college at UNLV on a golf scholarship but later transferred to Arizona State University to enroll in their aviation degree program. Michael shares his story of his rapid progression as a young pilot with Braniff Airlines, which unfortunately went out of business due to financial problems. After Braniff's collapse, Michael found a new opportunity with Alaska Airlines. At Alaska, Mike became well known for his efforts in the late 1980s to launch the airline's groundbreaking Crew Resource Management Program, helping it develop into a model that remains respected today throughout the industry.

Captain Joe Kohler is a former Naval Aviator who went to work for Northwest Airlines after leaving the U.S. Navy. Northwest Airlines later merged with Delta Airlines, where he finished his amazing flying career. We have a wide-ranging conversation with Joe where he tells us about Navy Aircraft Carrier Operations and his experiences as a commercial airline pilot flying both Boeing and Airbus Airliners.

Welcome to Season 2 of Talking Flight.   Our guest today is Chief Warrant Officer Ron Warren. He is a distinguished Army veteran with a career that has taken him from the Utah Army National Guard where he served as a Military Policeman, and later, he transferred to the Regular Army where he became a Dog Handler. Ron and his dog were later assigned to a Special Forces team performing combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The team was transported and protected by superbly skilled and battle-hardened Army helicopter crews. Ron was impressed by the skill and coolness of these pilots, and he had no idea that he would later join that elite group of aviators and lead other helicopter pilots into battle.

Captain Gary "Duke" Ellington is a veteran Captain for Alaska Airlines. Gary went from being a high school football player to a pilot for the US Navy. After the Navy, Gary was hired by Alaska Airlines and has been there for over 20 years. Duke describes how he overcame some of his college and Naval Flight Training struggles. Captain Ellington is the recipient of the prestigious Alaska Airlines Legend Award in recognition of his exceptional service to his passengers and his fellow employees.  

Paul Salerno and his brother Bruce started SalAir, a cargo airline in 1980 that served the salmon industry in Alaska. The company grew into to regional cargo airline that provided feeder air service to the major cargo airlines during the 1980s and 1990s. They began by building a fleet of the iconic DC-3 aircraft and later added several Convair 440s to the airline. Mr. Salerno served as the airline's owner and chief pilot, and they went 15 years without a major accident. Unfortunately, in 1995 the carrier had three major accidents that resulted in four fatalities.  After the tragic losses at SalAir, Paul took the lessons from those crashes and leaned into the discipline of Aviation Safety. He built a new company, OmniSMS, that develops safety systems and certification programs for companies serving the aerospace industry. The website is www.omnisms.aero

Michael Pittman is a Captain for Frontier Airlines. He is presently serving the company as a Line Check Airman and he lives in Mesa, Arizona. Captain Pittman graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Aviation Management, where he also obtained all of his flight ratings as part of his college education. Michael's first job as a high school student was being a baseball umpire. At the time, He had no idea that the skills that he learned running an officiating crew would later be helpful in his aviation career. Captain Pittman tells us what it takes to work your way into a successful career in aviation.

We sit down with my long-time friend, Captain Mike Baumgartner. We met as classmates while attending Alaska Airlines 737-200 initial training in 1984. Captain Baumgartner's dream of becoming a pilot began when he was a young child traveling from Seattle to Switzerland to visit his grandparents. Mike used hard work to achieve his dream of becoming an airline pilot. He tells us about flying the DC3 and making landings and take-offs on several beaches in Alaska to haul loads of fish to market. Captain Mike flew his last flight for Alaska on the same route where his flying career started.

Ross Belfiore is a 20-year veteran Aircraft Maintenance Technician at Alaska Airlines. He tells us what it takes to earn the proper FAA credentials to enter the Aircraft Maintenance Field and how he was able to achieve early seniority at Alaska Airlines. Whenever I had a maintenance problem in San Francisco, Ross was often the Technician who responded to fix the problem. If Ross says that your jet is fixed and ready to fly, you know that one of the best people in the business has solved your problem.

Captain Mike Swanigan tells us the story of the most memorable trip of his career.  In June of 1991, Alaska Airlines started service from Anchorage, Alaska to the former USSR (Russia) flying a specially-equipped Boeing 727-200.  Mike was selected to be on the crew of the inaugural flight, and he learned that flying in the former Soviet Union (Russia) presented some unique challenges.

Chazmin "Chaz" Peters joins us on the podcast to tell about her transformation from a very shy little girl in elementary school to her present status as an experienced Airline Pilot. We recorded this interview just a couple of days before Chaz gave birth to her first child, a beautiful baby girl.  

Captain David Glick is one of the most respected Pilots at Alaska Airlines. David tells us about the mindset it took for him to earn an Engineering Degree and graduate from USAF Pilot Training (UPT) near the top of his class. Our listeners will enjoy the positivity that Captain Glick brings to work every day as he flies to the many destinations served by Alaska Airlines. He also served in the Alaska Air National Guard, where he flew into the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq. David has a passion for helping prospective Alaska Airlines pilots prepare for the intimidating Pilot Hiring Board.

Captain Kisa Wiley is the Chief Pilot at the Seattle Base of Horizon Air. Horizon Air is a subsidiary of the Alaska Air Group, and the airline coordinates its schedules and traffic feed with Alaska Airlines. Captain Wiley is a third-generation pilot. Her Dad, retired Captain Jim Wiley, had a long career with Alaska Airlines. Her Grandfather, the Late Colonel Jim Wiley, was a Tuskegee Airman who flew combat missions in Europe during World War 2. Kisa had no interest in becoming a pilot until she was in college. Then, one day, her younger sister, Ali, talked her into attending private pilot ground school. Kisa fell in love with flying, and the rest was history.  

Getting hired by a Major or Regional Airline is often a difficult and drawn-out process. The most intimidating part is facing a Pilot Hiring Board (Sometimes called a Captains Board). Mike Swanigan asked Captains Mike Dibello, George Boslinski, and Michael Hendrix to join this episode to discuss the pilot hiring process. If you are aspiring to be a Major or Regional Airline Pilot, there is a lot of helpful information on this program.

Alaska Airlines Captain Millison Fambles joins us on this episode of Talking Flight. Millison is from Longview, Texas and he was awarded a college scholarship from the Lady Bird Johnson Foundation. Lady Bird was the wife of President Lyndon Johnson, and she served as First Lady of the United States from 1963 unit January of 1969. When her Foundation awarded this scholarship to Millison, they had no idea that Mill would ultimately step up and mentor hundreds of inner-city children, and change their lives forever. Captain Fambles had to endure a period of racial discrimination while he attended USAF Pilot Training, but he prevailed and ultimately became a C-141 Aircraft Commander. After leaving the USAF, Millison got a tip about a great airline headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Of course, that Airline was Alaska Airlines. He applied, and before he knew it, he started class as one of Alaska's newest pilots. 29 years later, He is now a senior Captain. Mill has built a reputation as a great pilot, but he is better known for his success in starting a flight camp for inner-city children.

Captain David "D.R." Smith is the second guest on our podcast named David Smith. There were two pilots named David Smith at Alaska Airlines, so we called this particular David Smith "D.R." to minimize the confusion of which David Smith that we were referring to. David "D.R.," tells us about growing up in a small town in West Texas and that some of his earliest memories were about his dream of becoming a pilot. The dream was solidified when a small plane landed on the family farm, and the pilot asked for enough gas to continue to his destination. After college, David entered the USAF and attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Randolph AFB, Texas. He flew the KC-135Q, which was the only aircraft type equipped to refuel the SR-71. David eventually became a pilot for Alaska Airlines, where he had a distinguished career as a pilot. He played a pivotal role in helping the Airline develop one of the best safety cultures in the Airline Industry.

This is one of my favorite Talking Flight Episodes. It was released in 2013, but it was lost due to storage problems on my podcast platform. We are thrilled to rerelease it to share with our listeners who may not have heard it. Blake is one of the most respected pilots at Alaska Airlines. He is a Check Airman and an FAA Aircrew Program Designee. He tells how he achieved his childhood dream of becoming an Airline Pilot. This a great story, and I hope you enjoy it!

Talking Flight is proud to present this interview with Retired Alaska Airlines Captain Michael (Dibs) Dibello. Mike is a former Navy Squadron Commander, and he later served as the Boeing 737 Fleet Captain at Alaska Airlines. His first exposure to aviation came when his father took him to Boston's Logan International Airport to watch airplanes take off and land. High School and College did not come easy for him, but after some Navy ROTC advisors' counseling, he improved his study habits and got his degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He was accepted into US Navy Flight Training and went on the fly the A-7 attack jet. Captain DiBello tells us how the Navy trains pilots to land on the deck of an aircraft carrier. He later became one of the most respected pilots at Alaska Airlines.

Our guest on this episode is Retired Alaska Airlines Captain David J. Smith. I first met David Back in 1983, when he began training as a newly hired pilot at Alaska Airlines. That meeting resulted in David becoming my longtime friend. David has an interesting story about our first meeting, which I will neither confirm or deny. David was one of the small numbers of civilian pilots who were able to break into the airlines back in the late 1970s. At that time, more than 70 percent of the pilots hired by US Airlines had a Military background. A few years after David joined Braniff Airlines, the company fell into financial hardship. David was furloughed, and the company later went out of business. His second chance to land an Airline job came when someone told him that a small company named Alaska Airlines was hiring pilots. David did well at the hiring interview, and the rest was history.

Captain Michael Hendrix joins us on this edition of Talking Flight. He was our very first guest when we started the podcast. At the time, he was a First Officer at Alaska Airlines. He subsequently upgraded to Captain on the Boeing 737 and he retired in January of 2020. Michael made the decision to become an airline pilot at age of 40. At the time, people advised him that he was too old to be successful in getting hired by a major airline. Fortunately, he decided to go for it anyway. Captain Hendrix tells us about the various training events that he went through during his career. When he upgraded to Captain at Alaska Airlines, he was shocked at how it differed from the world of being a First Officer.  

Our guest today is Air Wisconsin First Officer Hunter Bevis. Hunter is the son of one of our previous guests, Mr. Bob Bonkukian, former Director of Flight Control at Alaska Airlines. Even though he grew up in an airline family, Hunter did not start his flight training until age 35. Before flying, Hunter was a US Army officer, and he tells us how his service as a Tank Commander later helped him as he transitioned into the world of aviation. Hunter is the host of the podcast Time In Flight.  

Stefan Holt is one of the  News Anchors at WNBC Television in New York City. He is also a Private Pilot with an Instrument Rating.  Stefan tells us about his lifelong interest in aviation, and how he worked as a busboy in New York City to earn money for his flying lessons. His experience as a pilot has helped him in his televisions news career to report on aviation stories with a higher level of insight and accuracy.

Our guest on this show is my long time friend, Alaska Airlines Captain Elliot Wilson. I have known Elliot since he was a young child, and he has always had the goal of flying jets for Alaska Airlines. His father was a close friend of mine, and sadly, he passed away several years ago. Elliot tells us about growing up with his Dad and about his journey to becoming a successful Airline Captain.

Mike sits down with his long time friend, Tom Clark, to talk about his passion for flying airplanes. Tom has had an amazing broadcast career and he is presently working as the Film Commissioner for the State of South Carolina. He has a Commercial Pilot Certificate and a Certified Flight Instructor License.  Tom does a lot of flying and he instructs pilots on how to fly vintage "Tail Dragger" airplanes.

Mike Swanigan is his own guest on Talking Flight. His longtime friend, Tom Clark, interviews him on this podcast. Tom is a veteran broadcaster and he is the voice on the intro to Talking Flight. He is presently serving as the Commissioner of the South Carolina Film Commission. Mike tells us how his aviation dream was almost derailed when he was a 16-year-old High School Student, and how he overcame many obstacles in his quest to become an airline pilot.

Captain Kevin Kay is the first former Fighter Pilot to join us on Talking Flight. Kevin took an unusual path to become a USAF pilot. He was accepted to Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) after applying through the Air National Guard.  Kevin tells us about how he built a network of connections at Air National Guard units around the country to help him figure out what it took to be selected for the program. This is a great story about how hard work and perseverance helped Kevin to Achieve his dream job of flying the F-16. 

We sit down with writer Beth Ruggiero York and talk about her new book Flying Alone, a memoir. Beth's aviation journey begins in the mid-1980s when she started taking flying lessons and started a job as a line person at the local airport.  Her book takes us on a wild ride that shows the exhilaration of flying airplanes and the dangers of having to work for a few unscrupulous aviation companies. Beth shares her story with a striking level of honesty. She was not afraid to write about some of the flying mistakes that she made that could have taken her life. The underlying theme of this book is how a young woman did all of the hard work that it took to be hired as a pilot for a major airline.

Today's episode is an interview with Alaska Airlines Captain Ron Limes. He is one of the two Chief Pilots at the Seattle Pilot Base. Captain Lines shares his story about growing up in New York City, and how his 5th grade teacher got him interested in flying airplanes. It was his High School Guidance Counselor who told him how to get his aviation dreams off of the ground. Captain Limes also had a brilliant career in the USAF Reserves, ultimately commanding a C-17 squadron.

Mr. Nigel Sargent is the Director/Flight Simulation at Alaska Airlines. He is considered to be one of the foremost experts in the field of Flight Simulation. Mr. Sargent grew up in England and worked on Simulators all over the world before joining Alaska Airlines. He started his career right after high school when he landed an intern position with the British company, Redifon. The company later changed its name to Rediffusion Flight Simulators. Nigel tells us about his career and the exciting changes happening in the world of Simulators.

Captain Phil Pope joined Alaska Airlines in 1964. He started in Ground Operations and worked his way into becoming a Flight Engineer on the Lockheed Super Constellation. He later flew the Lockheed C-130, the Boeing 727 and the Boeing 737.  Phil tells us about his part in helping to build Alaska Airlines into the Major Carrier that it is today.

Captain Mike Swanigan talks about how he helped his Niece get through a stressful day. He would sometimes use the same strategy near the end of a long day of flying.

We sit down for a long-form conversation with Mr. Brad Tilden, CEO of Alaska Airlines. Brad tells us about his life journey that eventually lead to him to become the Chief Executive Officer at Alaska Airlines. We learn about how Brad approaches leadership, and how his late Father still has a profound influence on how he solves problems that come up at the airline. Brad shares some excellent advice on how to be successful in business and life.

Captain Phil Parrish tells us about his amazing journey to become Captain for Alaska Airlines.  (Previously released in 2014).

Captain David Mets is presently one of the two Seattle Base Chief Pilots for Alaska Airlines.   David tells us about his career as a USAF Pilot and about his transition to a Pilot career at Alaska Airlines. We also learn that he had a three-year stint serving as Rocket Scientist at Cape Canaveral. Several events that initially appeared to be disappointments, turned out to be some wonderful opportunities for Captain Mets and his family.

This is this first in a series of short Voice Blogs from Mike Swanigan. Don't worry, we will still feature our usual long-form interviews. This is an added feature to our Talking Flight Podcasts. A lot of people gave me some great advice during my career. I am trying to pay it forward by recording these Voice Blogs. If it helps just one person, it will be well worth the effort. If you find any of this to be helpful, please pass it on. Be Excellent to Each other  

Captain Kevin Nigbur is the first Horizon Air Pilot to appear on Talking Flight. He is currently flying the Embraer 175 Regional Jet on Horizon's route system. Kevin earned an Aviation Degree in College, but he had to put his flying dreams on the back burner when he was needed in his family business. Captain Nigbur tells us the amazing story of how he restarted his flying career after the age of 40. 

One of the most complex pieces of running an airline is making sure that that qualified and rested pilots are available to fly the airplanes.  We rarely hear about the men and women who are behind the scenes working to make sure that your flight is flown by a crew of qualified and rested pilots. On this episode, we sit down with Ms. Trish Barney. She is the Duty Manager Pilot Scheduling for Alaska Airlines. Trish tells us the background story of how she got into the pilot scheduling world and she gives an inside look at how her Pilot Scheduling Team works their magic.  

Our Guest today is Alaska Airlines Captain JP Wilson. He flies the Boeing 737 out of Alaska's Portland Oregon pilot crew base.  In addition to his Captain duties at Alaska Airlines, JP is now the Manager of Pilot Development at Alaska's sister airline, Horizon Air. He works with Colleges and Flight Schools on developing the next generation of airline pilots for Alaska and Horizon. JP tells us the story of how followed his dream to become a pilot for a major airline. He also shares a few suggestions for aspiring pilots to improve their chances of being hired by an airline.

Captain Tom Crank tells us about his life as a Military and Commercial Aviator. Tom tells us about his struggles at the USAF Academy, and how he unexpectedly became an Air Force Pilot. Captain Crank began his airline career at Eastern Airlines, and he flew the Boeing 727 until the airline started to fail as a result of financial difficulties. After Eastern Airlines, Tom headed west and went to work for Alaska Airlines. Tom also tells us how he handled some leadership challenges that he had as a Captain. Tom's motto is "It's not the mistake, it is the recovery."

One of the most feared aspects of being a pilot is the requirement to pass an FAA Physical exam to keep your license active.  Doc Greenblatt is a Senior FAA Aeromedical Examiner, and he has conducted thousands of medical exams on pilots. He has a successful Family and Sports Medicine practice in Bellevue Washington. A family tragedy changed his life forever, and his path to becoming a Physician was not always easy. But he never gave up, and he has been a vital source of support for his patients. We discuss the FAA medical examination process, and we talk about some of the issues that can affect the status of a pilot's application for a medical certificate.   Dr. Greenblatt gives us some strategies for staying healthy, and he tells us why it is vital for a pilot to deal with potential health problems early.  

Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant Mary Kesselring joins Captain Mike Swanigan to tell our audience about her 34-year career with the Airline. Mary grew up in an Airline family. Her dad was a Veteran Captain and Check Airman for United Airlines. He Mom was a former "Stewardess" (that is what they were called at the time) for United. When she was in College, the realization came that she was about to reach the age where she would lose the travel benefits from her Dad's employment at United Airlines. Mary decided to solve that problem by entering the airline career field and began applying for Flight Attendant positions at United Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Alaska hired her, and the rest was history.  This interview is a wide-ranging discussion about Mary's journey and the rewards and difficulties of being in the Flight Attendant field.

We sat down with Captain Debbie Waingrow two days before her retirement flight at Alaska Airlines. Captain Waingrow made history at Alaska Airlines by becoming the first Woman to be selected as a Check Captain to train, evaluate, and certify her fellow pilots. Debbie comes from a family with deep roots in aviation. As a child, she was always at the airport hanging around with her cousin, Jill Richardson, who also later became an Alaska Airlines Captain. They spent a lot of time riding horses near the airport and hanging around their family's aviation business. The two girls were always taking flights in the family airplanes, and they had their solo flights on the same day.  Please join us as Captain Debbie Waingrow shares the story of her amazing career in aviation.        

Captain Rick Jones is the first Corporate Pilot to appear on Talking Flight.  I first met Rick when I was working as a Flight Engineer Instructor for Alaska Airlines. We were in Vancouver, British Columbia, and we were using the B727 Flight simulator at Canadian Pacific Airlines. My good friend, Captain Dick Jones was the Captain Instructor, and he brought his 12 year old son, Rick, along to watch us at work training flight crews. We became very good friends, and I began to mentor Rick towards a career as a professional pilot. Rick tells us about his remarkable journey into aviation, and the lessons that he learned along the way. I know that you will enjoy his sense of humor as he tells us about his interesting adventures.

  Our Guest today is Retired American Airlines Captain Greg Jones. He is the first pilot from American Airlines to join us on Talking Flight.  Greg's interest in aviation began when he flew with his family on a Martin 404 from Ohio to New Jersey when he was just 5 years old. His fascination with airplanes continued when he began building and flying model airplanes as a teenager. When he was in High School, he joined the Civil Air Patrol Cadet Program, and learned more about airplanes, navigation, and aviation weather.  After graduating from The Ohio State University, Greg served in the USAF as a pilot. He later made the decision to leave the active Air Force to pursue his ultimate dream of becoming a Commercial Airline Pilot. But he ran into several setbacks, including a gear up landing incident that almost derailed his efforts to be hired by a commercial airline. But Greg relied on his religious faith to keep him motivated, never gave up, and he ultimately achieved his goal.  Captain Jones tell us about his adventures flying the T-37 (Tweetie Bird), the T-38 Talon, the C-141 Starlifter, the Boeing 737, and The Boeing 757.