Retired Navy Commander Everett Alvarez Jr. shares his story of surviving the Hỏa Lò Prison as one of the longest-held prisoners of war in U.S. history.

In this episode, Everett discusses flying the A-4 Skyhawk, being shot down in Vietnam, enduring harsh conditions and torture, and reacclimating to life back home after Operation Homecoming. Throughout his journey, Everett and fellow captives held onto the will to live when all else was stripped away. There is a lot to learn!

Resources:

• "Code of Conduct" by Everett Alvarez Jr. 
• "Chained Eagle" by Everett Alvarez Jr. 
• The Hanoi Hilton Exhibit (American Heritage Museum) 
• The Hanoi March and the Consolidation of POWs (PBS) 
• Douglas A-4 Skyhawk (Wikipedia) 
• Operation Pierce Arrow (Wikipedia) 

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro

Air Boss Kellie Hudson tells us how she balances spectacle and safety while controlling intense air show skies.

In this episode, Kellie discusses her path from air traffic controller to air boss, managing the airspace over AirVenture Oshkosh, and ramp bossing the Super Bowl. From coordinating warbirds and jet teams to managing emergencies on the flight line, she shares what it takes to keep the skies and ground running smoothly. This one is going to be cool!

Resources:

• Kellie Hudson's Website 
• EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro

Aerial Coordinator and Stunt Pilot Kevin “K2” LaRosa shares how he brought some of the most complex aviation movie scenes to life.

In this episode, Kevin discusses designing and flying the modified L-39 CineJet, filming iconic movies like "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Devotion", and training A-list Hollywood actors. If you’ve seen aerial cinematography on the big screen lately, it’s likely Kevin had a hand in it. Be sure to tune in because there's an exclusive announcement this episode! This one is going to be cool!

Want to hear more "Top Gun" stories? Check out Episode 40 with "Maverick" Stunt Pilot Scott "Intake" Kartvedt!

Resources:

• Kevin LaRosa's Website 
• Interview: Kevin LaRosa II, aerial coordinator and lead camera pilot for ‘Devotion,’ on those high-flying sequences (Awards Watch) 
• The Aero L-39 Albatros (Wikipedia)

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro

Retired F-15 and F-16 fighter pilot Nicole Malachowski tells us about flying 18 inches off the wings of high-speed jets as a U.S. Air Force Thunderbird.

Welcome to Season 6 of the Behind the Wings podcast! In this episode, Nicole takes us through her groundbreaking journey as the first woman to become a Thunderbird pilot. She discusses her combat missions, flying in airshows, her WASP connection, and how a tick-borne illness changed her life forever. There is a lot to learn!

Resources:

• Nicole Malachowski's Website 
• Nicole Malachowski's Bio (Wikipedia) 
• The Thunderbirds' Website
• The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) (Air Force History Fact Sheet)

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro

The Behind the Wings podcast is back with Season 6 and 10 new episodes! Hear stories from one of the longest interned Vietnam POWs, Everett Alvarez Jr., controlling the chaotic skies above air shows with Air Boss Kellie Hudson, and the making of Top Gun: Maverick and Devotion with Aerial Cinematographer and Stunt Pilot Kevin "K2" LaRosa. We've got some incredible stories and guests coming up!

New episodes come out every other Monday, starting next week with the first woman Thunderbird pilot, Nicole "FiFi" Malachowski. Subscribe wherever you listen, because this season is going to be cool! 

We will see you next week for Season 6 of Behind the Wings. In the meantime, check out our past episodes!  

Legendary aerospace engineer Burt Rutan shares untold stories behind some of the most unique air and spacecraft ever built.

In this episode, Burt reflects on a lifetime of aerospace innovation — from working as a U.S. Air Force flight test engineer to breaking records with his homebuilt aircraft. He also discusses stall testing the F-4, Bede Aircraft, the world’s largest airplane, and the Voyager and GlobalFlyer around-the-world flights. This one is going to be cool!

Episode 50 marks the end of Season 5 of the Behind the Wings podcast. We'll be taking a short break and will be back later this year with Season 6!

Key Takeaways:

• Burt's love of aviation began when two B-36 bombers flew over his house. He was building airplanes out of balsa wood at the time.
• After college, Burt started his aerospace career at Edwards Air Force base as a civilian Flight Test Engineer. He worked on the F-4 to test and help with its stalling problems.
• Jim Bede of Bede Aircraft wanted Burt to help him test and perfect his BD-5. Burt would work with him for two years overseeing test pilots and designs.
• Burt's passion was to solve departure problems in aircraft. His home builds often had a canard design to help alleviate most spin issues. As of today, he has built 49 aircraft and created over 400 others.
• Stratolaunch Roc, the world's largest aircraft, was designed by Burt. This twin-fuselage plane is used to test hypersonic flight by launching a vehicle, the Talon-A, from the aircraft's center.
• Burt's aircraft have several world records including the round the world flights conducted by Dick Rutan in the Rutan Voyager and Steve Fosset in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer. Steve Fosset flew around the world three times in the GlobalFlyer.
• Burt thinks the future of aviation is one without pilots. With the advancements of AI and autonomous vehicles, he thinks that future airplanes should be designed without aviator controls.

Resources:

• Burt's Website 
• The BD-5 
• Stratolaunch's Website 
• Hypersonic Flight Testing (Behind the Wings on PBS)

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro

Retired NASA Astronaut Lieutenant General Susan Helms reflects on her 211 days in space and life onboard a young International Space Station.

In this episode, Susan takes us through her groundbreaking journey as the first active-duty woman officer to become a NASA astronaut. She discusses attending the United States Air Force Academy, flight testing fighter jets, her five space missions, and a record-breaking spacewalk. This one is going to be cool!

Key Takeaways:

• Susan's childhood dream was to attend the United States Air Force Academy. At the time, women were not permitted to learn at the USAFA, but in 1975 during her senior year of high school, President Ford signed a law allowing women to enroll. She applied and was accepted to the Academy, joining 157 other women in the first class of 1976.
• After graduating from the USAFA in 1980, Susan was assigned to Eglin Air Force Base as an F-16 Weapons Separation Engineer and then became the Lead Engineer for F-15 weapons separation. She then transferred to Edwards Air Force Base to be a Flight Test Engineer.
• While flight testing CF-18s in Canada, Susan was selected to become a NASA astronaut. She flew on STS-54, 64, 78, 101, and Expedition 2.
• Susan and crewmate Jim Voss trained and studied languages in Moscow with fellow Cosmonaut Yuri Usachov before their Expedition 2 flight.
• On a few of her missions, Susan operated the Remote Manipulator System on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. This robot arm is used to deploy satellites, capture objects, and assist astronauts during spacewalks.
• In 2001, Susan Helms and Jim Voss set a world record after spacewalking for 8 hours and 56 minutes. This record was held for 23 years before Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong broke it in 2024 by 10 minutes.
• Susan encourages listeners to do what they love and not to follow careers that others are pushing them towards.

Resources:

• Susan Helms' Website 
• Susan Helms' NASA Bio 
• Susan Helms' Air Force Bio 
• One of first female Air Force Academy graduates, Susan Helms, becomes first female military astronaut in space (Denver 7) 
• Expedition 2 (NASA)

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro

Astrophysicist and professor, Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell reflects on how she helped change astronomy forever.

In this episode, learn more about how a peculiar signal from space led Jocelyn to a groundbreaking discovery. She discusses her aerospace journey, building a radio telescope, discovering pulsars, and the 1974 Nobel Prize controversy. This one is going to be cool!

Key Takeaways:

• At the time, women were not often permitted to study science fields in school. Her parents protested this rule and Jocelyn became top of her class in Physics.
• While attending Cambridge, Jocelyn helped build their radio telescope alongside Astronomers Martin Ryle and Antony Hewish.
• Originally the telescope was built to study Quasars, which are distant galaxies whose incredibly bright cores are powered by supermassive black holes. 
• While observing and researching the telescope, Jocelyn found a strange "pulse" that occurred at regular intervals. Labeled LGM-1 or Little Green Men 1, it was the first recording of a pulsar.
• Since pulsars were discovered, over 3,000 have been found today.
• In 1974, Martin Ryle and Antony Hewish were awarded the Nobel Prize for the discovery of pulsars. Because Martin and Antony were the telescopes' leaders, Jocelyn, a student at the time, was left out. She has since been awarded several prestigious accolades.
• Jocelyn encourages audiences to double-check anomalies as they never know which scientific discoveries could be found.

Resources:

• Jocelyn's Bio (Wikipedia) 
• What are pulsars? (Space.com) 
• Journeys of Discovery (University of Cambridge) 

Secretary of the United States Air Force Frank Kendall discusses AI's impact on modern air warfare.

In this episode, we're switching things up and going to the Pentagon to bring you a special in-depth conversation on artificial intelligence in military aviation. Secretary Kendall discusses AI’s evolving role in U.S. air power, collaborative combat aircraft, technology breakthroughs, and ethical concerns. This one is going to be cool!

Key Takeaways:

• Secretary Kendall discusses the history of AI in the U.S. military and how it has helped transform Air Force operations.
• Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) are uncrewed aircraft flown by artificial intelligence. They are currently being tested alongside fighter jets to become loyal wingmen.
• The ethics of artificial intelligence in warfare remains at the forefront of AI integration. Secretary Kendall wants to ensure that the U.S. complies with the laws of war and maintains human accountability for lethal decision-making. 
• CCA's can be both budget-friendly and help save time when testing new technologies.
• AI advancement aims to help the U.S. maintain technological superiority over its global adversaries.
• By integrating CCAs in the frontlines of combat, they could help save fighter pilot lives by taking on more risky missions or diverting enemy fire.
• Secretary Kendall stresses the importance of enhancing AI operations quickly while ensuring that ethics are not left behind.

Resources:

• Secretary Frank Kendall's Bio (Air Force) 
• Departing Air Force Secretary Will Leave Space Weaponry as a Legacy (New York Times)
• AI in Military Aviation (Behind the Wings PBS S6) 
• Collaborative Combat Aircraft (Behind the Wings PBS S6)

National Museum of WWII Aviation Curator Gene Pfeffer discusses why winning the air war was pivotal to D-Day's success.

In this episode, we’ll dive into the planning and execution of air operations, the aircraft that supported the massive assault, the continued aerial support for troops after Operation Overlord, and its lasting legacy and impact on aviation. June 6, 2024, marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day and gave us the opportunity to learn more about one of the most important battles of WWII. This one is going to be cool!

Key Takeaways:

• Gene takes us through the evolution of aircraft spurred by World War II, from biplanes to jets.
• Although America hadn't yet entered the war, planning for D-Day began in 1940, outlining what exactly would be required for the invasion.
• In 1943, it was decided that the Allies could not win the invasion without air superiority. Leading up to D-Day, the Allies focused heavily on eliminating the German Air Force as a factor, and on June 6, the German Air Force had 300 sorties while the Allies had 13,000.
• The day before Operation Overlord, the Allies painted invasion stripes on their airplanes under the cover of darkness. Due to the massive amount of aircraft, the paint scheme helped mitigate friendly fire.
• Multiple kinds of aircraft participated in the invasion and each had specific roles. To name a few, the C-47s towed gliders or dropped paratroopers, B-17s, 24s, and 26s dropped bombs, P-47s acted as flying artillery, and P-38s flew cover over the ships.
• After D-Day, the Allies used their air power to aid troops with strategic bombings like Operation Cobra, targeting German oil and V-2 centers, and providing medical aid.
• Gene encourages anyone interested in aerospace to visit your local museum and get involved.

Resources:

• The National Museum of WWII Aviation Website 
• Operation Overlord: D-Day (National Museum of the U.S. Air Force) 
• Operation Overlord (Wikipedia) 
• Air War During Operation Overlord (Wikipedia)