Welcome back to Tools of Fighter Pilots, where lessons from the cockpit fuel sharper leadership and decision-making.

In this episode, I sit down with Billie Flynn — legendary fighter pilot, senior experimental test pilot, combat commander, and founder of 5GCX — to explore how his now-famous “fighter pilot Caesar salad” became a metaphor for excellence, discipline, and holding your standards when it matters most.

Billie’s career spans more than 40 years across the CF-18, Eurofighter Typhoon, and F-35. He retired from Lockheed Martin as the Senior F-35 Test Pilot and global spokesperson for the largest defense program in history and is one of the few pilots to have flown and tested advanced fighter aircraft around the world. A former squadron and task force commander, Billie flew combat missions over Kosovo and led a Canadian unit that earned Battle Honours from Queen Elizabeth II.

With multiple engineering and aviation degrees, and as a Fellow and past President of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Billie brings unmatched technical and operational insight into what “high standards” really mean in both aviation and leadership.

In this episode, we break down why standards matter, why shortcuts erode performance quietly, and why excellence is ultimately a choice.

Key takeaways:

🥗 How a Caesar salad became a standard for pride and precision

🧠 Why mental readiness outruns talent in elite environments

✈️ What fifth-gen jets demand from today’s pilots

📚 How training and preparation evolve with new technology

🎧 Tune in to learn how fighter pilot principles can elevate performance in any field.

Watch, listen, subscribe

📺 YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots

🎧 Spotify: http://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilots

📰 Substack: http://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcast

Connect with Billie:

🌐 Website: https://billieflynn.com

🚀 5GCX: https://5gcx.ai

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billie-flynn-9a7312a/

Connect with TC:

🌐 Website: http://www.tommasocartacci.com

💼 LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci

📸 Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tri_coach_tc

📅 Book a call: http://www.calendly.com/tommaso-cartacci/30min

Welcome back to Tools of Fighter Pilots, where lessons from the cockpit meet leadership, sport, and life.

In this episode, I sit down with @Christian Boo Boucosis to unpack how the mindset and methods of fighter pilots can transform the way we lead teams, make decisions, and build trust in business.

We explore how principles like preparation, structure, assertive communication, and clarity under pressure serve as a foundation for leadership, and how aviation tools like debriefing, binary decision-making, and contingency planning can sharpen performance and psychological safety in any organization.

If you’ve ever wondered how elite military precision translates into high-performing teams and resilient leadership, this conversation connects the dots between the cockpit and the boardroom.

Key takeaways from this episode:

✈️ How preparation and structure create freedom, not rigidity

✈️ Why assertive communication builds alignment under pressure

✈️ How debriefing drives growth and accountability

✈️ What leaders can learn from binary decision-making and contingency planning

🎧 Tune in now to learn how fighter pilot principles can help you lead with clarity, confidence, and control.

📺 Watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots

🎧 Listen on Spotify: http://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilots

📰 Subscribe on Substack: http://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcast

👇 Connect with Boo:

🌐 Website: https://callmeboo.com/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-boo-boucousis/

👇 Connect with TC:

🌐 Website: http://www.tommasocartacci.com

💼 LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci

📸 Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/tri_coach_tc

📅 Book a call: http://www.calendly.com/tommaso-cartacci/30min

This is the material from today's recording with Christian "Boo" Boucosis, CEO of Afterburner. Validation and clarity...

9:23

https://fathom.video/share/vRzZ9-Wse6g8dnzNzyHp3-466PCWW4NG

fathom.video

Christian "Boo" Boucousis

Afterburner - Boo (CEO) Afterburner

9:23

https://www.afterburner.com

Afterburner

Home v2

Unlock your team's potential with Afterburner’s fighter pilot leadership training with keynote speakers, online resources, and workshops.

9:23

https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/ecroBDDKluGGnPaIQzdFSEKbwJjbR8845qmZUdRn7w7LbvF_vhnVxRQzDADV_Q6x.izejJjCz891fERIP

Passcode: =8AX.5UV

Welcome back to Tools of Fighter Pilots, the show where lessons from the cockpit meet the realities of business, leadership, sport, and life. I’m TC, your host, and in this solo episode, I’m breaking down the five principles fighter pilots live by, and why they’re just as essential outside the jet.

Before I ever strapped into an F-16, my instructors drilled one truth into me: You don’t rise to the occasion, you sink to your level of preparation. In combat, there’s no pause button. What you’ve prepared on the ground is all you can draw on in the air.

Over the years, I’ve learned that there are five non-negotiables every fighter pilot carries into the cockpit:

✈️ Be on Time – Punctuality is not about the clock; it’s about trust and reliability.

✈️ Be Prepared – No plan survives first contact, but preparation creates options.

✈️ Structure and Checklists – Systems free the mind to focus on what matters most.

✈️ Assertive Communication – Clear, direct language keeps teams aligned under pressure.

✈️ Control the Controllables – Focus energy where it makes an impact, not where it’s wasted.

These aren’t just aviation rules. They’re baseline operating codes for leading high-performance teams, competing in sport, and navigating life. In this episode, I share real stories from missions that nearly went sideways, the habits that kept us alive, and the practical ways you can apply these same tools to your own world.

Because in the air and in life, you only get one pass. Make it count.

🎧 Listen now and download the free reflection worksheet to apply the Five Non-Negotiables in your business, sport, and life.

📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots

🎧 Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilots

📰 Substack: https://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcast

👇 Connect with TC:

🌐 www.tommasocartacci.com

💼 www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci

📸 www.instagram.com/tri_coach_tc

📅 www.calendly.com/tommaso-cartacci/30min

Welcome back to Tools of Fighter Pilots — where lessons from the cockpit meet leadership, sport, and life.

In this episode, I sit down with Tamara Miles, researcher, leadership professor, and co-author of Meaningful Work, to explore how we can build purpose-driven teams and careers. Together, we dive into the Three Cs that make work truly meaningful:

✨ Community → Feeling that you belong and that your voice matters

✨ Contribution → Knowing that what you do makes an impact

✨ Challenge → Being pushed to grow, learn, and develop

We connect these to the Five Non-Negotiables of Fighter Pilots, being on time, being prepared, structure and checklists, assertive communication, and controlling the controllable, and show how these principles apply to high performance in the air and in the boardroom.

If you’ve ever wondered how to turn work into something more than just a paycheck, this conversation will give you a practical framework backed by research, lived experience, and tactical lessons.

Key takeaways from this episode:

✈️ Why meaningful work is less about what you do and more about how you experience it

✈️ How leaders can create trust, connection, and impact inside their teams

✈️ Why community, contribution, and challenge are the building blocks of engagement and performance

✈️ How fighter pilot principles translate into business, leadership, and sport

🎧 Tune in now to learn how to design a culture where people don’t just work, they thrive.

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilots

📰 Subscribe on Substack: https://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcast

👇 Connect with Tamara Miles:

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaramyles/

👇 Connect with TC:

🌐 Website: https://tommasocartacci.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tri_coach_tc/

📅 Book a call: https://calendly.com/tommaso-cartacci/30min

In this episode of Tools of Fighter Pilots, Tommaso Cartacci sits down with Jason “RICHO” Richardson — fighter pilot, airline captain, and Formula 1 synergy coach — to explore why psychological safety is the foundation of high-performing teams.

Together, they unpack:

✈️ What silence in meetings really signals about team health

🧠 Why vulnerability from leaders creates trust and growth

🎯 How fighter pilot debriefs teach us to learn from mistakes, not hide them

⚖️ The difference between accountability and blame

🏁 What corporate teams can learn from squadrons and Formula 1 crews

Whether you’re building teams in the sky, in sport, or in business, this conversation reveals why safety and standards together create the “learning zone” where people and performance thrive.

Subscribe for more on high-performance leadership, coaching, and operational excellence.

🎧 Tune in for insights from a fighter pilot… and the person who has seen what high performance looks like at 35,000 feet and inside Formula 1.

Now on Spotify, YouTube, and all major platforms.

🔗 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots

🔗 Listen on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilots

🔗 Read on Substack: https://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcast

Connect with Jason Richardson

🌐 Website: www.richardsonhps.com

📸 Instagram: @richardsonhps

▶️ YouTube: Richardson HPS

𝕏 Twitter/X: @richardson_hps

Connect with TC

🌐 Website: www.tommasocartacci.com

💼 LinkedIn: Tommaso Cartacci

📸 Instagram: @tri_coach_tc

📅 Book Time: Calendly

In this episode of Tools of Fighter Pilots, Tommaso Cartacci sits down with Jim Cook — executive coach, founding member of Netflix, former CFO of Mozilla, and creator of Cook’s PlayBooks — to explore the mindset, structure, and emotional intelligence required to delegate effectively under pressure.

Together, they unpack:

✈️ The real meaning of delegation in high-stakes teams

🧠 The 3 lies leaders tell themselves that sabotage growth

🎯 How to coach "young guns" to lead without micromanaging

⚖️ Why responsibility can be shared — but accountability never leaves the leader

🏁 What startup teams can learn from elite flying formations

Whether you're leading squadrons or scaling startups, this conversation bridges tactical leadership and emotional clarity with lessons from the air and the boardroom.

Subscribe for more on high-performance leadership, coaching, and operational excellence.

🔗 Connect with Jim Cook:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cookflix/

Jim’s Playbooks: https://cooksplaybooks.substack.com/

🎧 Tune in for insights from a fighter pilot... Now on Spotify, YouTube, and all major platforms.

🔗 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots

🔗 Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilots

🔗 Substack: https://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcast

If you want to connect with TC, click here:

🌐 On the Web: https://tommasocartacci.com

💼 On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci/

📸 On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tri_coach_tc/

📅 Book some time: https://calendly.com/tommaso-cartacci/30min

In our first-ever Ask Me Anything episode, we flip the script. Fighter pilot TC, host and fan favorite, joins the mic with someone who knows him better than most: his daughter Allegra. Together, they tackle your questions about the fighter pilot mindset, training, discipline, fear, confidence, and how these lessons land beyond the cockpit, in parenting, leadership, sports, and everyday life.Allegra doesn’t hold back. From childhood memories of squadron life to asking what really scares a fighter pilot, this AMA explores the human side of high performance. TC shares stories that haven’t made it into the flight briefings, honest, funny, and sometimes surprising.

📩 Want to ask a question for the next AMA? Reach out via Instagram, LinkedIn, or Substack. No question is too tactical, too personal, or too out there.

🎧 Tune in for insights from a fighter pilot… and the person who’s seen what that life looks like behind the callsign. Now on Spotify, YouTube, and all major platforms.

https://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilots

https://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcast

If you want to connect with TC, click here:

If you want to connect with TC, click here:

…on the Web: https://tommasocartacci.com

…on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci/ 

…on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tri_coach_tc/

…book some time: https://calendly.com/tommaso-cartacci/30min

#ToolsofFighterPilots #MentalTraining #HighPerformance #Aviation #Leadership #MentalHealth #PodcastLaunch #FighterPilotMindset #PerformancePsychology #Resilience #MissionReady

What separates a good performer from an elite one? In fighter aviation, the answer is often mental readiness. In this episode of Tools of Fighter Pilots, TC and Guga uncover the hidden psychological training that keeps pilots sharp, resilient, mission-ready and how those same tools can serve athletes, executives, and high performers across any field.Mental toughness isn’t born, it’s trained!🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and all major platforms.https://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilotshttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilotshttps://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcastIf you have any questions about Mental Training or want to simply connect with Gustavo Ruthes here are all the handles:...on the web at: https://www.perfectmind.ca/...on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/perfectmind.mp/...on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavoruthes/ If you want to connect with TC, click here:…on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci/ …on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tri_coach_tc/…book some time: https://cal.com/tommaso.cartacci#ToolsofFighterPilots #MentalTraining #HighPerformance #Aviation #Leadership #MentalHealth #PodcastLaunch #FighterPilotMindset #PerformancePsychology #Resilience #MissionReady

🎧 Episode 4 is LIVE!

"Task Rehearsal: The Fighter Pilot Secret to Flawless Execution" is out now!

Jason and Tommaso reveal how elite performers prepare under pressure — not by luck, but by rehearsing like their lives depend on it.

From Mission Commanders to business leaders, this episode is packed with actionable tools you can use today to rehearse smarter, lead better, and perform under fire.

🎯 Define the critical actions.

🗣 Rehearse them mentally and verbally.

⚠️ Plan for contingencies.

It’s not just practice. It’s fighter pilot practice.

Listen now on all platforms. Link in bio. 👇https://linktr.ee/toolsoffighterpilotshttps://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots https://www.instagram.com/tools_of_fighter_pilotshttps://open.spotify.com/show/2uW4iIncbDvyRjFaLne8ua?si=43e44732de1d492bTommaso Cartacci "I am a fighter pilot instructor, No Judgmental Plant Powered Triathlete in the 50s, an Ironman Coach".Connect at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacciJason Richardson "I am a fighter pilot - airline pilot - formula 1 synergy coach. I work with the highest performing teams and individuals to help them achieve the almost impossible".Find out more......on the web at: www.richardsonhps.com...on Instagram at: @richardsonhps...on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@jasonrichardson2950…on X at: @richardson_hps#Highstandards #EliteMindset #ToolsOfFighterPilots #AviationLeadership #PrecisionMatters #WinningMindset #BusinessExcellence #LessonsFromTheCockpit #SuccessBlueprint #PeakPerformance

What do fighter pilots, elite athletes, and top business leaders have in common? High Standards. In this episode of Tools of Fighter Pilots, we explore how setting and maintaining elite standards drives success in aviation, leadership, and competition.Featuring insights from TC and Richo, this is a must-listen for anyone serious about excellence.

Subscribe, Share, Listen and Watch on Spotify, YouTube, Substack or wherever you get your podcasts.https://linktr.ee/toolsoffighterpilots

Tommaso Cartacci

"I am a fighter pilot instructor, No Judgmental Plant Powered Triathlete in the 50s, an Ironman Coach".

Connect at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci

Jason Richardson

"I am a fighter pilot - airline pilot - formula 1 synergy coach. I work with the highest performing teams and individuals to help them achieve the almost impossible".

Find out more...

...on the web at: www.richardsonhps.com

...on Instagram at: @richardsonhps

...on YouTube at: https://lnkd.in/gbfFZ7if…on X at: @richardson_hps

#HighStandards #EliteMindset #ToolsOfFighterPilots #AviationLeadership #PrecisionMatters #WinningMindset #BusinessExcellence #LessonsFromTheCockpit #SuccessBlueprint #PeakPerformance