Welcome to Episode 104 of Lessons from the Cockpit! I’m Mark Hasara, former KC-135 pilot, author of Tanker Pilot: Lessons from the Cockpit, and a lifelong aviation fanatic. For over 60 years, aviation has been my passion, and this show brings you stories from the cockpit, the mission planning room, and beyond.

This week, I sit down with Mike Ethridge, a longtime friend and fellow Air Force aviator. We met as cadets at BYU’s ROTC Detachment 855, and he went on to fly the KC-10A Extender, KC-135s and every Boeing airframe Delta Airlines has flown around the world.

What’s in This Episode? 

✈️ The KC-10 in Action – Flying the ultimate tanker, refueling everything from fighters to bombers to transports. Mike lead the KC-10 formation of F-111’s going to Libya in Operation Eldorado Canyon

⚠️ T-38 Emergency! – Mike relives a high-speed in-flight emergency that nearly ended in disaster and shares an exclusive piece of that event

🔥 Wild Receivers – The most unusual aircraft that have pulled up behind his KC-10 for gas… the Black Jet! If you love war stories, behind-the-scenes aviation insights, and lessons learned in the air, this episode is for you.

Support the Show & Grab Exclusive Aviation Art! This podcast is fueled by Wall Pilot, creators of custom aviation art. 🚀 Vinyl aircraft profiles – 4, 6, and 8-foot-long, peel-and-stick art for your home, office, or hangar 🛩️ Fighter jets, bombers, tankers, airliners – Over 158 ready-to-print designs 🎨 Custom aircraft available – Add your name, squadron, tail number, and weapons loadout 📍 Check out the full collection here: https://wallplot.com

Join the All Ranks Club – Your VIP Pass to Aviation! Want to take your aviation experience to the next level? Join my Patreon All Ranks Club, where we go beyond the podcast. 🛩️ Exclusive Perks for Members: ✅ Virtual Bar Night – Talk aviation, war stories & current events ✅ One-on-one Zoom calls – Q&A sessions and personal aviation discussions ✅ Monthly 7-inch aircraft profile stickers – Collect famous military aircraft! ✅ Access to our Aviation Discord Journal – Share debriefs, aviation memes & behind-the-scenes stories

🔗 Join here:  

https://www.patreon.com/c/lessonsfromthecockpit/membership

Join our Discord community!  

https://discord.com/channels/1285369634329202840/1288163956246057071

Help Keep Lessons from the Cockpit Flying! Your support keeps this podcast in the air. Every donation helps us bring more stories from the skies.

💰Patreon:  

https://www.patreon.com/c/lessonsfromthecockpit/membership

💰 Venmo: 

https://account.venmo.com/u/Mark-Hasara

Next Week: Shrek Sullivan spent years in the US Marine Corps as an F-18 and F-35 pilot. Some of his most hair raising stories are from an assignment as a Forward Air Controller during the Battle of Ramadi

🚨 Subscribe now & join the All Ranks Club for behind-the-scenes content & exclusive access!

See you next week on Lessons from the Cockpit! Cleared hot!