MAVGEEKS: A Military Aircraft Obsession

Something a bit different this week, dearest MavMates! Gini and Jamie enjoyed a natter with Tony Gaunt, Business Development Executive at Martin-Baker. Informally, they're THE ejector seat people, though Tony corrects our podcast co-pilots' terminology, offers an idiot's guide to testing an escape system, walks us through one of the most hair-raising use cases of Martin-Baker's work to date and really reiterates that when his work saves one life, it saves many. This conversation was fascinating and life-affirming in equal measure: strap in!We want to hear your aviation tale! Get in touch via mavgeeks@bfbs.com. Also, feel free to leave us a glowing review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps us out!You can join Gini and Jamie for more MavGeeks fun with a heavyweight pilots’ playlist soundtrack every Tuesday from 6pm - 7pm (UKT) on BFBS on DAB in the UK, or online at https://radio.bfbs.com/stations/bfbs-uk.

We’re back, baby! To all MavGeeks old and new: welcome! Man, it feels good to be home. Gini Carlin and Jamie Gordon are absolutely buzzing to begin a bumper new sequence of excuses to natter about their military aircraft obsession and bring you along for the ride. To kick things off, Gini shares some interviews she conducted with an assortment of heroic pilots at this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo. She caught up with crews from the F-35, KC-10, C-17 Globemaster, Grypen, even an F-16 test pilot. Coolest job ever? We think so!We want to hear your aviation tale! Get in touch via mavgeeks@bfbs.com. Also, feel free to leave us a glowing review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps us out!You can join Gini and Jamie for more MavGeeks fun with a heavyweight pilots’ playlist soundtrack every Tuesday from 18:00 - 19:00 (GMT) on BFBS on DAB in the UK, or online at https://radio.bfbs.com/stations/bfbs-uk. 

This International Women's Day, our Gini takes to the skies with none other than the decorated Colonel Kim Campbell. The pair trace Kim's extensive career, from a storied 24-year stint in the American Air Force flying the A-10 Thunderbolt (AKA the Warthog) to her success as a keynote speaker and author in the present day. Happy International Women's Day!

MavGeeks is back! This time we talk the F-4 Phantom, BAE Hawk and Boeing 747 with British Airways' Director of Flight Operations Allister Bridger.With a career spanning both military and civil aviation, Al’s one of the most experienced and enthusiastic guests we’ve ever had. Equally generous with his wisdom and time, he even took Gini for a flying lesson in the British Airways’ Boeing 777 simulator (strap in for a bumpy landing!). Al shares some brilliant insights into flying RAF fast jets and explains why civil aviation still leaves him feeling like a giddy little kid.  We want to hear your aviation tale! Get in touch via mavgeeks@bfbs.com. 

Yes! It's the time of the year when our MavGeeks set their eyes on the skies to follow the Big Man himself. Gini and Jamie learn all about what it takes to track the world's most famous aviator and his reindeer as they navigate the globe.Get in touch. Email us via mavgeeks@bfbs.comThis is an original podcast series from BFBS. Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Jamie Gordon.

Join us on a road trip to maybe the coolest RAF station ever, RAF Fylingdales. It's 30 years since those iconic golf balls gave way to the pyramid that sees into space, but the mission remains the same: Vigilamus (Latin for “We Are Watching”). These people are dedicated to keeping the UK safe from ballistic missiles and space junk. Space analyst Lacey Harrison and Flight Lieutenant Richie Weeks talk us through what it truly means to have your eyes on the skies 24/7, and how RAF Fylingdales plays its part in protecting those who live and work up there from some seriously heavy-duty space clutter.Get in touch. Email us via mavgeeks@bfbs.comThis is an original podcast series from BFBS. Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Jamie Gordon.

This week's MiniMavs sees Gini and her old mav man Alex Gill stick their toes into the civil aviation world to become CavGeeks! They speak to RAFAC Officer and Airline First Officer Katy Lee MBE all about her work as a human factors specialist, flying instructor, charity trustee and of course, flying the Boeing 737 Max for a living.Get in touch. Email us via mavgeeks@bfbs.comThis is an original podcast series from BFBS. Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Jamie Gordon.

You may be cool, but are you "a teenager going for a ride in a Harrier flown by your Dad cool?” Nah, thought not. Our guest this week IS that cool! Ian Black is a former Pilot and Navigator on the Phantom and Lightning, and is now an author and photographer. In fact, Ian liked the Lightning so much, he actually bought one. After hearing this, we MavGeeks needed a lie down in a darkened room...Get in touch. Email us via mavgeeks@bfbs.comThis is an original podcast series from BFBS. Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Jamie Gordon.

This week's MiniMav sees our Gini with her old Mav man Alex Gill talking to Former Royal Navy pilot Andrew Neofytou. Andrew now flies the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and has his own business (flightdeckwingman.com), but there was a time when Andrew flew the mighty Sea Harrier, a plane which, to be honest, could be as stroppy as a teenager with no WiFi. Join our Mavs as they listen like two dweeby kids at summer camp to stories of smashed canopies at 30,000 feet, engine malfunctions, and of course, being flung off the side of an aircraft carrier. You won't want to miss this...Get in touch. Email us via mavgeeks@bfbs.comThis is an original podcast series from BFBS. Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Jamie Gordon.

This week, Gini and Jamie chat with Tom Cruise's bff. No, it's not Maverick, but Jo Salter MBE! Not only is she rubbing shoulders with Hollywood's elite but she's also Britain's first female fast jet pilot, a motivational speaker and Director of Global Transformative Leadership at a massive UK corporation. Join our MavGeeks as they fangirl/fanboy a true British aviation icon.Get in touch. Email us via mavgeeks@bfbs.comThis is an original podcast series from BFBS. Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Jamie Gordon.

Gini's flying solo this week as she brings you a brand new “MiniMav" episode! Speaking to Sqn Ldr Al Spence from 30 Squadron, Gini learns all about the A400 Atlas, how it flies, and how it compares to Al's previous career with fast jets. Then, on the first midair refuelling of an A400, by the RAF, what it's like to when a big old Voyager gets up close and personal and the sky seems a whole lot smaller...Get in touch. Email us via mavgeeks@bfbs.comThis is an original podcast series from BFBS. Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Jamie Gordon.

Our MavGeeks liftoff Series 3 with something a little out there… that’s right, it’s time for 2022’s MavGeeks Halloween Special! In what’s now an annual tradition, Gini Carlin and her new co-pilot Jamie Gordon welcome brilliant guests for the lowdown on some terrifying tales that defy aviation explanation.Get in touch. Email us via mavgeeks@bfbs.comThis is an original podcast series from BFBS. Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Jamie Gordon.

Here at MavGeeks towers, we’re preparing for take off on Series 3 of our weekly aviation geek-out. But, this Friday, we're bringing you tales of haunted hangars and freaky flights - that’s right, we launch Series 3 with MavGeeks’ Halloween Special! From then on, we stick to the fly pro as usual, as we chat with the pilots, air crew and ground crew who flew, fixed, loved and sometimes even loathed our favourite flying machines.

Our Mavgeeks bring you a very special festive episode, as they track the World’s greatest aviator with NORAD and RAF Fylingdales. Join Gini and Alex as they find out about the F-18 escort that Santa gets over North America, How the heat signature of a ballistic missile is the same heat signature that’s in Rudolph’s nose and just how the big man uses OSA (Official Santa Act) technology to get across the globe. So grab a mince pie, a glass of cheer and wrap yourself up in gawdy 1980s foil decorations as the Mavgeeks Track Santa.Get in touch. Email us via mavgeeks@bfbs.comThis is an original podcast series from BFBS. Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Alex Gill

This week our Mavgeeks are taking it right back to the old school, speaking to Flight Lieutenant Andy Bell of 70 Sqn at RAF Brize Norton about his time on arguably the RAF’s most well-known Maritime patrol aircraft, The Hawker Siddeley Nimrod. The Mavgeeks hear how it was developed from the world’s first commercial jet airliner, the need for a cast iron stomach when the Nimrod was low level cresting the waves, and just casually popping a window open to take a selfie mid-flight - no filter needed.Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Alex Gill. Email us mavgeeks@bfbs.com.

Our MavGeeks are out of aviation hibernation and ready to be “navgeeked” as aviation and travel vlogger Noel Phillips joins Gini and Alex to kick off series two. Noel spills the beans about landing on the side of a mountain, travelling in a 40 year old Russian airliner around the Soviet block and recreating the Dambusters iconic practice flight over a Derbyshire dam. SPOILER ALERT: There’s even talk of train spotting, or as we like to call it.. travgeeks. 

It's the final MavGeeks for this season and there's a definite "End of Summer camp" vibe going on. Alex is taking selfies, crying into a hankie and promising to keep in touch with everyone, while Gini is handing out homemade wristbands to make sure we are all MavGeeks friends forever. Gini and Alex take a look back at some special aircraft from this summer’s Duxford Airshow, including the Catalina Flying Boat (Say whaaat!) the B-17 Flying Fortress (swoon) with a nod to the fantastic Tiger Moth (taking it back to the old school). Gini speaks with owners and pilots of these fabulous aircraft, and manages not to annoy them too much or get herself arrested… try harder next time Mavgirl! It may be this season’s final episode, but our Mavs are back with a Halloween Special and more obsessing over Military aircraft up to Christmas. Please don't judge them, they didn't choose the Mavlife, the Mavlife chose them. This is an original podcast series from BFBS. Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Alex Gill Email us: mavgeeks@bfbs.com

Our MavGeeks have a truly spiritual experience this week as they speak to Our Sacred Lady of the Fat Albert, Reverend (Sqn Ldr) Alice McDermott – Pilot turned Padre -about her time flying the venerable C130 Hercules. Alex brings up a less than sanctified topic about praying to the Lockheed Martin gods down the big white telephone after a few bumpy trips down route, Gini comes to the confessional to admit she has also come close to offering up those prayers after a few spins around the Rock of Gibraltar in the back of the venerated Lockheed Lady; three Hail Hercules and a stiff cup of tea and peace is restored. Join our Mavs and the divine Rev Alice, as they chat through making bacon and eggs mid-flight, the J or the K, delivering tubes of Pringles to warzones and meeting “Ally McMeal”. For what you are about to receive, may the Loadies/Lockheed Martin make us truly thankful… This is an original podcast series from BFBS. Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Alex Gill Email us mavgeeks@bfbs.com

This episode we go far back in time to a cold war era aircraft that looks crazy but flew amazingly. We hear about the aircraft that could fly low, fold its wings, land on ships, and carried the ultimate weapon. Group Captain (Retired) Chaz Kennett shares his stories of riding backseat of the mighty Blackburn Buccaneer. Gini and Alex also share their love of air shows, and stories from some of their favourites, including Duxford and The Royal International Air Tattoo. This is an original podcast series from BFBS. Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Alex Gill Email us mavgeeks@bfbs.com

After having a sit down, big mug of tea and at least six hours on an aircraft tracking app to calm down, our MavGeeks wave goodbye to DSEI and get back to the past. This episode they're over the top excited about the Tornado and speak to their old chum Wing Commander Greg "Vasco" Smith, who spent many an hour in the back seat. They're also geeking out about the runway at RAF Gibraltar and generally showing why they shouldn't be allowed out in polite company… apart from with other Mav and Av geeks. This is an original podcast series from BFBS. Written, presented and produced by Gini Carlin and Alex Gill Email us mavgeeks@bfbs.com