Claim OwnershipThe Pilot Project Podcast
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© 2022 Bryan Morrison
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The Pilot Project Podcast is an aviation podcast that aims to help new pilots learn what it takes to succeed in the world of flight, to help people in the flight training system learn what they may want to fly, and to give Canadians and the world a peek into life on the flight deck in the RCAF. We want to help pilots succeed and thrive! We interview real RCAF pilots for their exciting stories as well as the lessons they've learned along the way. We'll learn their tips to develop resilience and the tools it takes to make it in flight training.
95 Episodes
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Before the dramatic MSC Baltic III rescue, years of training and experience prepared the crew. In Part 1, Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson share their paths into the RCAF SAR community and the lessons that shaped them. Pete discusses his path to becoming a CH-149 Cormorant pilot, flying with 103 Search and Rescue Squadron in Gander, and lessons learned from an exchange tour with the U.S. Coast Guard. Greg shares how his deployment to Afghanistan and years of specialized training led him to the elite SAR Tech trade.
In Part 2 of this series, Major Sam Behm shares what it was like to command the first Canadian CC-130J Hercules mission tasked with evacuating personnel during the 2021 Kabul Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation.She reflects on preparing her crew, making decisions under pressure, and leading in an environment defined by uncertainty and risk. Sam also speaks candidly about serving as the only female Hercules pilot in the RCAF for several years, the importance of mentorship through Elevate Aviation, and why International Women’s Day and Women of Aviation Worldwide Week matter in today’s military.A conversation about command, courage, and representation in operational airlift.
Major Sam Behm's path to the CC-130J Hercules wasn’t straightforward. As we mark International Women's Day and Women in Aviation Worldwide Week, Sam shares how she joined the Canadian Armed Forces under ROTP as a MARS Officer (now Naval Warfare Officer), and determinedly pursued a transfer to the Royal Canadian Air Force when the opportunity to become a pilot reopened. We walk through her flight training on the Grob in Portage la Prairie, the Harvard in Moose Jaw, and the King Air, as well as her time with the Multi-Engine Utility Flight before beginning her career on the Hercules with 436 Transport Squadron.With 2,400 hours across 52 countries and five continents, Sam reflects on building operational experience, earning aircraft command, and what it means to grow into leadership in military aviation.A story of persistence, adaptability, and carving your own path in uniform.
Part two of our chat with Captain Rock Veilleux follows his evolution from recovery to instructor pilot, overseas flying, and ultimately search and rescue operations. It's a powerful story about adaptation, leadership, and staying passionate about aviation.
Captain Rock Veilleux shares how a passion for flying led to fast jets - and how a dramatic ejection forced him to rebuild both his career and confidence. A gripping Canadian military aviation story about resilience, identity, and staying in the fight.
In part 3 of 3, Major Ian Wookey concludes his Afghanistan story. He describes the execution of evacuation operations in Kabul, the pressure faced by aircrews and planners, and the emotional toll of operating in a collapsing environment. As the final flights departed, Ian reflects on the limits of military power, the people left behind, and how those final days continue to resonate long after leaving Afghanistan.
In part 2 of 3, Major Ian Wookey returns to continue his account of Afghanistan’s final days. He describes the shift from a controlled drawdown to the sudden collapse of Afghan security forces, the rapidly deteriorating situation in Kabul, and the mounting pressure on the small coalition force that remained behind.
In part 1 of a 3-part conversation on the fall of Afghanistan, Major Ian Wookey shares his first-hand account of the Afghanistan drawdown, from closing Kandahar Airfield to becoming the last Canadian on the ground.
Major Matt Neri returns for Part 2 to discuss the Outcast 903 accident, lessons learned, recovery, and leadership as CO of 103 SAR Squadron. He also shares how Mattfrom103 became an unexpected platform for education, transparency, and trust in the SAR community.
Major Matt Neri joins Bryan Morrison for Part 1 of a two-part interview exploring his career in Search and Rescue. Matt shares his early aviation influences, flight training experiences, and first operational tours on the CH-149 Cormorant. From earning his wings to coordinating SAR missions at JRCC Halifax, this episode offers an inside look at the realities of rescue flying and what it takes to lead the busiest SAR squadron in Canada.
In Part 2 of this Christmas special, Bryan continues his conversation with Captain Anthony Element-Malouin, a CC-130J Hercules pilot with 436 Transport Squadron, focusing on his operational career and leadership journey. Tony talks about returning to flying after being grounded, a demanding 2024 filled with major exercises, and deployments on Op Reassurance.The episode dives into large-scale training events like Battalion Mass Tactical Week, Storm Flag, and Red Flag, crew culture on deployment, and the process of upgrading to Aircraft Commander. Tony also shares what makes Operation Christmas Drop so meaningful and what it’s like returning to the mission this year from the left seat.
In Part 1 of this two-part Christmas special, Bryan sits down with Captain Anthony Element-Malouin, a CC-130J Hercules pilot with 436 Transport Squadron, to explore his path from early inspiration to operational flying in the RCAF. The conversation dives into the realities of RCAF pilot training, including Phase 1 in Portage, the challenges of Phase 2 on the CT-156 Harvard II, air sickness, spin course, test anxiety, and the perseverance required to push through setbacks. Tony also reflects on earning his wings, transitioning to the Hercules, deploying shortly after OTU on Op Reassurance, and preparing for Operation Christmas Drop during the Christmas season this year!
In Part 2 of our deep-dive with Capt John Livingston, we step directly into the world of operational Search and Rescue flying on the CH-149 Cormorant. After years of military flight training, John found himself at 442 Squadron in Comox-one of the busiest SAR units in the country-where the missions were real, the weather was unforgiving, and the learning curve was steep.John brings listeners into the cockpit and onto the hoist with stories that highlight the intensity, teamwork, and urgency of SAR operations. He discusses the challenge of flying in the mountains of British Columbia, battling severe winds and turbulence, and the emotional toll of missions where outcomes hang in the balance. From max-range mountain rescues to long-lining injured hikers, from his first aircraft commander upgrade flights to the rescues that shaped him as a pilot, John offers a candid and powerful peek into what it means to fly SAR in Canada.
In Part 1 of this two-episode feature, host Bryan Morrison sits down with Capt John Livingston, a CH-149 Cormorant Search and Rescue pilot whose journey to the RCAF was anything but straightforward. Born in Comox and inspired by a family legacy of military flying, John shares how varsity hockey, studies at UPEI, and the demanding environment of RMC’s mechanical engineering program shaped his path toward pilot training.John walks listeners through Phase 1 and Phase 2 flight training, overcoming intense test anxiety, discovering a passion for formation flying, and learning from instructors who pushed him to become a better aviator. He also reflects on his OJT at 442 Squadron, where exposure to SAR operations cemented his desire to fly the Cormorant.From the challenges of Phase 3 rotary-wing training to earning his wings virtually during the early days of COVID, this episode explores the skills, mindset, and resilience required to earn a place in Canada’s SAR community.
In Part 2 of our conversation with USAF Tech Sgt. Anthony Dyer (Ret), we revisit the 2018 combat rescue mission in East Africa that began in chaos - runaway weapons, jettisoned flares, and broken comms - and ended with a high-risk landing under fire to evacuate wounded teammates. Anthony reflects on the loss of an American operator that day, what the motto “These things we do, that others may live” means in the moments that matter, and how those events shaped him long after the mission was over. He also opens up about the difficult transition out of the military, identity loss, drinking, confronting trauma, and how therapy, medication, and writing his memoir Moonchild helped him rebuild purpose as a husband, father, and storyteller. A raw and deeply human look at service, sacrifice, and healing.American Veteran's Crisis Line (24/7 confidential crisis support):Dial 988 then press 1 ORText 838255To contact Anthony for speaking engagements etc, you can reach him at anthonyp.dyer@gmail.comTo buy his book you can visit Barnes and Noble or Amazon at the following links (or simply Google "Moon Child Anthony Dyer for many options):https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/moon-child-anthony-dyer/1147103074https://www.amazon.ca/Moon-Child-Special-Missions-Aviator/dp/B0DZMXBHJ4
In Part 1 of our conversation with USAF Tech Sgt. Anthony Dyer (Ret), host Bryan Morrison explores Anthony’s journey from growing up in the Appalachian Mountains to serving as an aerial gunner on the legendary AC-130H Spectre gunship. Anthony walks us through his early Air Force years as an F-15E weapons loader, the impact of 9/11, his transition to firefighting, and the demanding pipeline that led him into special operations aviation. He shares what it’s like to fire a 105 mm cannon from the sky, the pressure of close air support, his baptism of fire on his first combat mission, and how writing his memoir Moonchild helped him confront trauma and rebuild. A powerful, honest look at service, resilience, and life inside one of the most iconic aircraft in the world. American Veteran's Crisis Line (24/7 confidential crisis support):Dial 988 then press 1 ORText 838255To contact Anthony for speaking engagements etc, you can reach him at anthonyp.dyer@gmail.com To buy his book you can visit Barnes and Noble or Amazon at the following links (or simply Google "Moon Child Anthony Dyer for many options):https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/moon-child-anthony-dyer/1147103074https://www.amazon.ca/Moon-Child-Special-Missions-Aviator/dp/B0DZMXBHJ4
In Part 2 of this Remembrance Day special, Major (Ret) Bob Wade - Cold War fighter pilot, instructor, and former CF-18 demo pilot - takes us into the jet age of the 1980s. Wade describes the transition from the CF-104 Starfighter to the CF-18 Hornet, his time shaping Canada’s early Hornet tactics, and the challenges of bringing a new fighter into service. He recalls intercepting Soviet bombers during Arctic NORAD alert operations and running forward deployments in the far North with 441 Squadron. Then, Wade tells the incredible story of the day he became the first Western pilot to fly a Soviet MiG-29, after escorting the aircraft through Canadian airspace to the Abbotsford Airshow. With insight, humour, and humility, Wade reflects on Cold War flying, the changing technology of fighter aviation, and what remembrance means to those who served in uniform.
In this Remembrance Day special, Major (Ret) Bob Wade - a Cold War Snowbird, CF-104 Starfighter, and CF-18 pilot - recounts his remarkable beginnings in Canadian military aviation. From growing up west of Edmonton and being inspired by the Golden Hawks, to earning his wings in 1969 and instructing on the CT-114 Tutor at Moose Jaw, Bob describes the high-tempo jet-training world of the 1960s. He shares how the Snowbirds were born from a few instructors with a passion for formation flying and a supportive base commander who defied orders to keep the team aloft. Along the way, he reflects on how military culture, mentorship, and sacrifice shaped his generation of RCAF aviators.
In Part 2, Ian Wookey takes us inside daily flying with 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, sharing what it’s like to operate the CH-147F Chinook in challenging environments. He talks about crew coordination, tactical missions, mountain flying, and the training and experience required to upgrade from First Officer to Aircraft Commander in Canada’s heavy-lift helicopter community.
In Part 1, pilot Ian Wookey walks us through the formative years that made him a Chinook aviator - from varsity life at RMC and initial flight training on the Grob, to the intensity of the Harvard II course in Moose Jaw and the humbling challenge of helicopter phase training. Ian reflects on early on-the-job roles, an unexpected deployment to Afghanistan with a special operations aviation detachment, and how those experiences shaped his choice to fly rotary-wing aircraft. He closes by describing the nerve-wracking moment of selection for the CH-147F Chinook and what it felt like to join 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron.
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great to hear you back Bryan!
Another great interview. I especially enjoy hearing your interviewees talk about their most interesting experiences and close calls. Thanks!
The Mali rescue is an amazing story! Thanks for sharing it.