September 03, 2025

Yikes: Lessons Learned When Smart Pilots Do Dumb Things w/Jeffrey “JJ” Madison

1 hour 18 minutes

Episode 17

What do ‘smart pilots’ and their mistakes teach us about mindset, mentorship, and resilience in the cockpit? Author and pilot Jeffrey “JJ” Madison joins us to share lessons learned, stories lived, and how humor–when intelligently used–can be an asset that improves safety across all levels of aviation.

Jeffrey is a Harvard-educated flight instructor, mentor pilot, author and airline pilot. He is also the author of Yikes: 100 Smart Pilots and the Dumb Things They Did Yet Lived to Tell About 'Em.

JJ shares his unlikely path into aviation, including how he overcame setbacks to become a professional pilot. His journey and writing both highlight the critical role of presence of mind in the cockpit, including the dangers of distraction, overthinking, and hesitation.

JJ shares stories drawn from NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) that reveal both the humor and humanity of pilot mistakes. The discussion challenges the “mission-at-all-costs” mindset and shows that resilience is built through mistakes—and that even smart pilots have bad days. And smart pilots are always learning!

Proceeds from the book support the Victor Kilo Fund, which creates pathways into aviation for underrepresented youth and adults—providing scholarships, equipment, and opportunity to build the next generation of pilots, mechanics, and aerospace professionals.

Links:

Buy Yikes: 100 Smart Pilots and the Dumb Things They Did Yet Live to Tell About Them here! Autographed copies available! All proceeds go to support the Victor Kilo Fund’s goal of Launching Diverse Careers in Aerospace

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By calmcockpit