Podcasts about tornado gr4

Companions, History and Heroism.By FinalStand. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.There are two distinct phases of falsehood. In the first, you realize you can lie to those closest to you. In the second, you realize you shouldn't.(And the stars continue to shine forth)"Stop trying to save me," Pamela remarked, once she was sure we were alone once more."Ask me to do something I'd at least consider doing," I sighed. "Let's go back to the party, I'm not sure where we are.""You've been walking in one big circle, Dummy," she chided me.Why was she letting me off the hook for walking off with the Grand Villain in the scheme of things? Well, if she started hitting me, she probably wasn't sure she could stop."One of these days I'm going to screw up and not get out of it," I noted sadly."That is the epitaph of anyone who has ever taken up a weapon and a cause," Pamela smiled.Maybe she wasn't angry with me."Why aren't you more pissed off?" I wondered."You are a good guy, Cáel," Pamela enlightened me. "That means you are going to reach out to people you think you can save. Personally, I don't think Alal can be, but then I'm biased.""Guy coming back from the dead?" I inquired."Damn right. No more surefire way to anger an assassin than to come back from the dead," she related. "Did you take note of his body?""Not really. What did I miss?" I requested."It didn't look right," Pamela shook her head. "Nothing more specific than that. I was hoping, since you touched him, you might have picked something else up.""Nope. I was too busy slipping a GPS locator on him," I grinned."You don't have one and the technology doesn't work that way, ya numbskull," she play slapped my left bicep."Wouldn't it be cool if it did?" my grin broadened."Laugh it up, Monkey-boy," Pamela countered. "Buffy would have you tagged like a mule deer in Yellowstone.""Eek," I gasped. "Point taken.""Well, " Pamela huffed."He's going to kill my soul," I observed. "Now I'm sure of it. All of that discussion was just gauging my personality so that when he offs me, he can become Cáel Nyilas / Wakko Ishara." Pause."Good for you," Pamela let go of a tense breath. She didn't have to ask."The whole Condottieri situation is a scam," I passed on that bit of information I'd first put together with the Vizsla. "It never left Granddad's control. Currently he's going to use various other factions to kill off the Condottieri and Illuminati leadership that oppose him, then it is Unity Time.""If he takes your place, that gives him leverage on the Amazon Council plus your appeal to the 9 Clans and the Earth  and  Sky," Pamela helped me work things through. "He couldn't get his hooks into the Egyptians because they knew too much about him. Matters of race stymied his efforts with the Earth  and  Sky and Seven Pillars.""Except I saved Temujin and he's been supplying them with weapons and tech for over fifty years," I told her. "Even when he was dead, his plan was working, he had predicted the path that warfare would take, invested wisely and left orders to implement his plans. When the time came, they were ready to take out the Seven Pillars.""Without you saving Temujin, the E and S wouldn't have cared, but you," Pamela nodded. "If it comes down to his coalition of Illuminati, Condottieri, Amazons and 9 Clans, the Egyptians will join him, Global Unification has been their goal all along," she continued. "Besides, you made one hell of a positive impression on them the only time you've met. Bang up job, Stud.""Temujin will join as well. He's anything but suicidal," I finished the roll call of my fate. We were almost back to the rave by this time. "You know, you could kill me and short-circuit all of this mess," I reminded her."No way. I plan to win, damn it," Pamela patted me on the back. "Save the Dum-sel in Disrepute, slay the Evil Warlord and re-retire with a boatload great-grandbabies to spoil.""I gave the Vizsla a clue," I let Pamela know the possible complications to her plan. "In 1847, one General of the Condottieri tried to have the Italian Black Hand kill another. Unfortunately, the victim in question was a puppet for Grandpa and the assassin team attacked them both. Because they saw his face, he hunted them back to their base and slaughtered the entire Verona Chapter house of the Wolf.""He must have fucked up a few other times as well," Pamela assured me. Speaking of miscalculations, Anya, Katalin and Orsi broke from the thrashing mob and ran up to me."Your crazy ex-girlfriend called," Anya seemed steamed. "She insisted must she talk to you." At first glance, it would be 'which crazy ex-GF', except only one had Anya's phone number. I took her phone."Bonjour, ma petite amie méchante ," I greeted Anais, the Mountie, in French. Yes, I was calling her a 'meanie'."Cáel, how are you? Where are you?" she was truly concerned. I didn't doubt her sincerity. I also didn't doubt she was convinced she knew what was best for me, as well."I've talked with the Hungarian Police too," I let my pique come through. "You screwed me over. I asked you to let me handled this and you didn't.""You are still a Jerk," she snapped. "I've been trying to help. And from the sounds of it, you are at a party.""It's a rave. It is a rave brought about by the police keeping people penned up in the town all afternoon. Now, if you would stop treating me like a freaking child, you would realize that I'm actually safer in a crowd than I am alone, holed-up in some room without a weapon because you've made it so that the TEK is now keeping a sharp eye on me," I retorted."Can't you tell I'm trying to help you?" she got loud, on the cusp of becoming enraged."Yes. I called you, asking for help. I also called to apologize, without making it sound like some lame stupid stunt to get you back. I'm in real trouble here and I've put other people in danger at the same time," I told her. And yes, I planned to get some 'Anais' when I got back to North America."I'm telling you," she persisted, "let Hungarian law enforcement help you.""I'm trying to make you understand," I countered, "that this is a situation that the police can't help me with. I called you because I believed I could trust you, even though you hate me.""I'm angry with you, Cáel. I don't hate you," she grumbled. "I am trying to help.""If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't still be talking to you, Anais," I allowed. "What did Timothy tell you?""Is that all you care about?" she grumbled."Actually, this is me trying not to be a selfish jackass," I said. "People are in danger because of me and I need to make sure they are safe before I take care of myself.""That's, very unlike you," Anais sounded unsure."I've been doing some growing up since graduation," I replied. "I only wish I'd grown smarter.""I, I'm sorry about your Papa," she quieted down."They gunned him down in his own home," I told her. "Dad never touched a gun in his life and they shot him with an assault rifle.""Oh, well, I understand your Federal Justice Department is investigating the matter," Anais tried to comfort me. "I talked with your Prosecutor Castello. She wouldn't tell me much.""Pity," I mumbled. "I know they are having difficulties.""It is an American problem," she noted."Not really," I sunk in my hooks. "We've been working with MI-6 and the CIA. They are all part of that international task force I told you about {see last chapter}.""Yes, how did you get Irish diplomatic status? That doesn't make any sense," she perked up. Anais liked puzzles. Actually, she liked solving conundrums. It made her a great cop."We are missing the party," Monika protested, in German."That's right. Tell your EX-girlfriend good-bye, Cáel," Anya insisted loudly."Who is that?" Anais groused."It is Anya, the Bulgarian mechanical engineer. We've had sex since you and I last talked and I think she's feeling a tad possessive," I explained.Pause."Bastard," Anais seethed. I was sure her cunt was twitching already. "Fine. I talked with your roommate, he says you have my uniform in a dress bag and my boots in a sealed box, so I forgive you. Anyway, he said Odette called, and she gave him a number to give to you."Since it didn't have 555 in it, I had hopes it was genuine. This was not the time to give Anais the quick kiss-off."I appreciate it, Anais," I sighed with relief. "Have you decided which restaurant you want to go to when I get back?""I haven't given it much thought, Cáel," I could feel her defrosting further. "How can I keep in touch with you?""Ugh, I don't have my own phone right now. Tomorrow I'm going to steal some means of conveyance and, " I grinned."Don't tell me that," Anais complained. "I'm still an officer of the law.""Well, the new 'me' is trying to be more honest with you, Anais. I've got to get out of town tomorrow. Would you rather I lied to you, again?" I confounded her."Well, no. Try to be careful, prends soin de mon amour," she sighed."I will call you as soon as I'm able. Thank you again," I signed off."I still say, 'that one' is confused about her 'ex' status," Orsi teased me."Do you know what is worse than having one woman save your soul?" I tossed out to them. They could not divine an answer. "Having three women do it at the same time, for different reasons. Now I believe we have a party starving for our attention."(Reunions)Pamela had convinced me the motorcycle driver who belonged to our newly acquired BMW K1600 GT would be at least four hours regaining consciousness and getting himself untied. We had stopped at a petrol station along the 431, between Kiszombor, Hungary and the Romanian border. She wanted to fuel up before the border crossing, in case things didn't work out, you know, with our guns and this stolen vehicle.She was already peeved that I'd stopped in Szeged to pick up a few pounds of paprika. Rumor had it that the fields around that stretch of the Tisza produced the highest quality of that spice on the planet, especially the sweet kind. Pamela pointed out I knew 'jack' about cooking. I agreed. What I did know was cooks, the female variety.Fresh spice from the 'source' was way better than a dozen roses, even with a box of chocolates added. Did I have a cook lined up in New York? No, but I was sure I could find one. Wait! Yasmin, my Brazilian, ex-Super Cop, hottie should be back in town by now. If she didn't cook, she'd definitely have a friend I could seduce.Honest to Ishara, I was starting to believe this constant 'work-work-work' was ruining my normally poor judgment where sex and fidelity were concerned.Pamela was getting some lunch for us while I gassed up my crotch-rocket. My luck kept being, exceptional. Two Hungarian motorcycle troopers showed up; both were women and they apparently had decided that I was worthy of attention. Hey, I'm good-looking, and I was wearing a ballistic vest. (The durability of my long coat wasn't so obvious.) "Nice bike," the first one, the one directly confronting me, said. "Thanks. It is a KT1600 GT, 2009," I smiled. "What are you two on?" "Yamaha FJR1300A's," she answered. I put up the nozzle, capped the tank and walked over to her conveyance. It was a really sweet ride. "You have a gun," she noted calmly. She and her partner both had their hands on their holstered weapons. Since the flaps were still down, I wasn't panicking. "Yes. More than one in fact," I kept pretending to look over her bike while I was really scoping her out. I'd nailed all six boat girls and then had the Macedonian babe for breakfast. So I still had three good sexual bangs in me before dusk and these two were nice and pleasant enough. "Do you have permits for those?" she asked. Her partner was calling something in. "Are we still in Hungary?" I mused. The question was a joke. "I believe we are," she smiled. Sure, I may have been a dangerous felon, but I was a nice looking and engaging one."Nope. I'm afraid not," I sighed. She understood my English. "Why are you so armed?" she kept calm. "Are you law enforcement somewhere?" "Does a secretive, non-governmental, paramilitary organization count?" "No," she sighed. "That sounds rather criminal. So, what are you carrying?" That was a nice way of saying 'give me your gun'."Left, right, back, or ankle?" I replied. "Which one do you want first?" "Let's try this again. Can I see some form of ID?" she remained rather comfortable despite this having to be the most bizarre traffic stop of her career."I'm reaching around to my right rear jean pocket for it," I related. Something dating Anais had taught me was that you always tell an on-duty cop what you are doing before you do it.She nodded, so I pulled out my NY Driver's license, my US passport and my Irish Diplomatic ID. She began looking them over. "You are Cáel Nyilas?" she looked over my documents. "If that who it says I am, then yes," I grinned.For a second, she was P-O'ed, then she realized I was playing with her. She snorted in amusement and returned to looking over my stuff.   "Nyilas is a Hungarian name," she hummed. "Székely," I clarified. "My family emigrated to America at the end of World War II. I've actually come back here to look over the homeland." "You couldn't land in Bucharest?" she handed me my ID back. "What?" I feigned an insult to my intellect. "Hungarian women are far prettier.""You don't appear to be Dortmund Schuyler," her partner looked me over.

Mandy Hicks stands as a pioneering force in aviation, etching her name in history as one of the first women to fly the Tornado GR4 on the front lines of the Royal Air Force (RAF). Her groundbreaking career during the early 1990s not only challenged existing gender barriers but fundamentally reshaped perceptions of women in military aviation. Beyond her remarkable flying achievements, Mandy has emerged as a powerful voice for diversity, leadership, and resilience, sharing her insights through books and speaking engagements that inspire professionals across industries.Episode Summary: In this electrifying episode of "She Who Dares Wins," host Michelle sits down with Mandy Hickson, a true trailblazer whose journey transcends the cockpit. From her early days with air cadets to becoming a pioneering fast jet pilot, Mandy's narrative is a masterclass in courage, persistence, and transformative leadership. Her story illuminates the complex landscape of gender dynamics within the armed services, revealing how individual determination can catalyze systemic change.With raw honesty, Mandy unpacks the challenges of entering a male-dominated field, highlighting the critical role of male allyship and supportive team dynamics. Her experiences offer a nuanced perspective on professional growth, emphasizing that true progress emerges not from conformity, but from authentically challenging established norms. Through compelling anecdotes, she demonstrates how failures are not obstacles, but essential stepping stones to extraordinary achievements.Key Takeaways:The power of early resilience in challenging systemic barriersCritical importance of collaborative environments and genuine allyshipStrategies for maintaining individual identity while navigating challenging professional landscapesReframing failure as a fundamental component of personal and professional developmentThe transformative potential of purpose-driven leadershipNotable Quotes:"I was one of the first women to fly the tornado GR4 on the front line in the RAF.""Allyship is phenomenal... It doesn't have to be male or female, but it just so happens that you and I have been in male-dominated environments.""Resilience and that grit... are tied into purpose.""The world doesn't need more people to blend in. What it needs is people to radiate and to shine.""Once you're into a system, my goodness, you can fight it from within." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mandy Hickson, author of "An Officer Not A Gentleman" shares her remarkable journey as a pioneering female pilot in the RAF flying the Tornado GR4. Sam and Mandy discuss the challenges she faced in a male-dominated field, and how pilots deal with high-stress situations. Mandy also shares a gripping story of a memorable night in combat during the Gulf War.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Mandy shares a story about her experience with a personality test during military training, where she and her husband were categorised as "play now, work later," while the majority of their peers were the opposite.  Mandy recounts her first flight in a Tornado jet, describing the overwhelming power and size of the aircraft compared to the smaller Hawk she had previously flown.  In her first combat mission in Iraq, quick thinking and teamwork helped Mandy evade a surface-to-air missile. Retasked to attack a radar station, she faced a fuel crisis and a sandstorm, attempting aerial refueling for the first time. During a debriefing session with police officers, Mandy facilitated a discussion about mistakes, encouraging them to share their experiences. This reframing of language helped create a culture of openness, allowing the officers to discuss their "300 events" (near misses) and fostering a proactive learning environment. BEST MOMENTS  "Failure is often seen as a dirty word." “"I realised I had been empowered to lead. I'd made a decision. The decision had sat on my shoulders. I was accountable."  "If you ever hear yourself saying, 'I could have told you that would happen,' then why didn't you?"  "It's about saying yes to things that will help you grow and gain confidence."  EPISODE RESOURCES  Mandy Hickson An Officer, Not a Gentleman: The inspirational journey of a pioneering female fighter pilot: https://amzn.eu/d/iuuZkbT SOCIAL LINKS www.Airmacs.com https://www.instagram.com/airchatswithairmacs https://www.tiktok.com/@airchatswithairmacs   ABOUT THE GUEST  Mandy Hickson, a former RAF Tornado pilot, was among the first women in combat roles, completing three tours in Iraq over her 17-year career. Now a motivational speaker and author of An Officer, Not a Gentleman (35,000+ copies sold), she shares insights on leadership, teamwork, and psychological safety, inspiring others to embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, and foster open communication. ABOUT THE PODCAST Welcome to Airchats with Airmacs, a series that opens doors to reveal the captivating stories of aviation professionals. Join us, your hosts from Airmacs Aviation, the air transport specialists, as we embark on a journey through the skies and into the lives of the people who keep the aviation industry soaring. We sit down with industry experts to explore their unique experiences, challenges, and insights. From navigating the complexities of air travel to the innovations shaping the future of flight. Buckle up for a behind-the-scenes look at the human side of aviation & business.  Airchats with Airmacs is your ticket to a diverse range of perspectives within the dynamic world of aviation. Welcome aboard! ABOUT THE HOST Introducing Sam Macadam, your seasoned host on Airchats with Airmacs. With many years in the aviation industry, Sam is not just an enthusiast but a distinguished air charter specialist, making him a go-to authority in the field. His extensive knowledge and hands-on experience in air charter set him apart, having achieved several industry firsts through innovative thinking and meticulous planning.  

Mandy Hickson joined the Royal Air Force in 1994 and was the first woman to fly the Tornado GR4 on the front line. https://www.mandyhickson.com/  In this conversation, Mandy discusses the evolving dynamics of military culture, particularly focusing on the balance between appropriate banter and political correctness. She reflects on her journey to becoming a pilot in the Royal Air Force, the challenges faced by women in the military, and the biases present in recruitment testing. The conversation also touches on the impact of social media on youth perspectives, the importance of ethical decision-making in combat, and the collaborative training experiences in the military.

Former Tornado GR4 pilot, Chris Kidd, shares some great stories from flying the jet on live operations. Watch part 1 - https://www.aircrewinterview.tv/#/redflag-chrisskidd/Follow Chris via: https://www.astralaviationconsulting.com/https://www.instagram.com/astral_aviation_consulting/https://www.instagram.com/ck_208_Pick up some AI merch - https://www.teepublic.com/user/aircrew-interview Help keep the channel going:    PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/aircrewinterviewDONATE - http://www.aircrewinterview.tv/donate/Purchase our Aviation Art Book, Volume One - https://amzn.to/3sehpaP Use our Amazon affiliate link when you purchase from Amazon as it costs you nothing extra and gives us a little kickback to help the channel to keep going:.co.uk - https://amzn.to/46BCbFi.com - https://amzn.to/44vNf4XSupport the Show.

Former Tornado GR4 pilot, Chris Kidd shares what it was like to fly the GR4, what an average day on a frontline squadron was like and taking the jet to Red and Maple Flag.Strap in and enjoy!Follow Chris via: https://www.astralaviationconsulting.com/https://www.instagram.com/astral_aviation_consulting/https://www.instagram.com/ck_208_Pick up some AI merch - https://www.teepublic.com/user/aircrew-interview Help keep the channel going:    PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/aircrewinterviewDONATE - http://www.aircrewinterview.tv/donate/Purchase our Aviation Art Book, Volume One - https://amzn.to/3sehpaP Use our Amazon affiliate link when you purchase from Amazon as it costs you nothing extra and gives us a little kickback to help the channel to keep going:.co.uk - https://amzn.to/46BCbFi.com - https://amzn.to/44vNf4XSupport the Show.

Thanks to our sponsor Spring Made - https://springmadeshop.com/ https://www.instagram.com/spring_made_shop/Rich "Parge" Pargeter shares what it was like to fly the Tornado F3, transitioning to the Tornado GR4 with the famous Dambusters and flying the Hawk T1 in the aggressor role with 100 squadron. Strap in and enjoy!Pick up some AI merch - https://www.teepublic.com/user/aircrew-interview Help keep the channel going:   PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/aircrewinterviewDONATE - http://www.aircrewinterview.tv/donate/Purchase our Aviation Art Book, Volume One - https://amzn.to/3sehpaP Use our Amazon affiliate link when you purchase from Amazon as it costs you nothing extra and gives us a little kickback to help the channel to keep going:.co.uk - https://amzn.to/46BCbFi.com - https://amzn.to/44vNf4XThanks to Draken Europe for hosting us at Teesside airport https://www.draken.aero/Support the Show.

Mandy Hickson has over 30 years experience within aviation. She joined the Royal Air Force in 1994 and was a the first woman to fly the Tornado GR4 on the front line, where she operated in hostile environments, including patrolling the ‘No Fly' zone over Iraq. Since leaving the RAF she retrained as a facilitator and coach in human factors where she draws on her experience of calculated risk-taking, decision-making under pressure and the critical role of the human in the system, to transfer vivid lessons from the cockpit to management and leadership contexts.As an Aviation Ambassador for the Department for Transport, Trustee for the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust and Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society she continues to inspire the next generation into STEM related endeavours and into the world of aviation. She continues to foster her adventurous spirit, completing expeditions to the summit of Kilimanjaro and base camp of Everest in recent years. Mandy is now a highly demanded keynote speaker, where she talks with humour and great passion to inspire those around her. She has been invited to share her insights with some of the most successful organisations across the world where she describes the strategies & behaviours that can be adopted when the stakesare at their highest. She has recently launched her bestselling book, ‘An Officer, not a gentleman', her inspirational journey to become a pioneering female fighter pilot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Naturally sporty & adventurous as a child, coupled with first-hand stories of flights from her WW2 pilot grandfather, Mandy joined the Air Cadets and began her flying career. Securing a flying scholarship, before progressing into the Birmingham University Air Squadron, Mandy faced both conscious and subconscious bias and challenges in her journey to the cockpit. Becoming the first woman to fly the Tornado GR4 in active combat, Mandy served 16 years in the RAF and 8 as a reservist. Follow This Podcast To Be Notified Of New Episodes, Visit Our Social Media Platforms & YouTube Channel For More Bonus Content, And Listen Live To Our Radio Station: Listen Live: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.forceradio.live/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit Our YouTube Channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@forceradiohq

Mandy Hickson is a pioneering fast jet pilot, who was just the second woman ever to fly a Tornado GR4 on the front line. She is now a renowned keynote speaker and expert in Strategic Leadership who has been MCing at the Pendulum Summit this week. She joins Anton to discuss her time in the RAF and the challenges she faced along the way.

In our first episode of  "That's Mental", former Tornado GR4 nav, Mark "Phats" Taylor, shares his mental health journey and the ways he has recovered and deals with his personal mental health.https://www.samaritans.org/https://www.instagram.com/phatstaylorSupport the show

Trigger Warning: Miscarriage is discussed in this episode, so please take care whilst listening.We are finishing our mini-series featuring extraordinary people with inspiring stories to tell by hearing from former RAF fast jet pilot, Mandy Hickson.Mandy always dreamed of following in her grandfather's footsteps and becoming a pilot, but in her early adulthood, this was simply not an option: women were not allowed to be pilots in the RAF. But as soon as that rule changed, there was no stopping Mandy! She became only the second female to fly a Tornado GR4 on the front line, and in her career, she completed 45 missions over Iraq and three duty tours.In this episode, Mandy speaks about how difficult it is to become a fighter pilot (regardless of gender), what it was like knowing she was a test case and how she overcame that, what the military taught her about unselfish behaviour and how there is always more to be gained from working as a team, as well as what it was like juggling being a mum with a high-pressure role in the air force, and the issues this still poses for female fast jet pilots today.Since leaving the RAF, Mandy has set up her own business and travels the country speaking at schools and businesses and sharing all she's learned. Mandy has also published a memoir, An Officer Not A Gentleman. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Buy a tee! https://www.10percenttrue.com/product-page/magnum-classic-teeSupport me with a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/10percenttrue Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/9vJ3hPYFQh00:00:00 - Introduction00:00:25 - Recap of previous episodes00:01:25 – Fast Jet Tac Weapons course outline00:02:33 – Bringing lessons learned at Tac Weapons to 9 Squadron at RAF Marham00:08:18 – Transitioning from the Hawk to the Tornado GR400:09:49 – Flying qualities of the GR400:13:47 – The idiosyncrasies of the GR4 / Ridge Crossings00:16:15 – Acceleration qualities of the GR400:18:31 – Examples of Hawk and GR4 handrails00:20:42 – GR4, SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) and the ALARM00:23:09 – What the ALARM designed for00:23:58 – The ALARM, the Tornado and potential use in the European Theatre00:26:54 – Planning an ALARM mission00:29:00 – Brief overview of ALARM modes (Direct, Loiter and Dual)00:29:46 – ALARM Loiter mode description00:33:18 – Self-suppressing with ALARM00:34:14 – SEAD mission planning and execution with two people in the cockpit00:36:33 – ALARM Dual mode description00:38:00 – ALARM Loiter mode - concerns about exploitation of landed missiles00:38:19 – Using ALARM and rules of engagement concerns00:40:28 – ALARM loadouts on the Tornado00:41:20 – Deconflicting targets with ALARM in Loiter mode00:43:50 – Question about how the ALARM “sees” the radar emitter00:44:18 – Weight-class of the ALARM00:45:02 – Did the RAF learn from the USAF/USN about the SEAD mission?00:49:16 – Potential Cold War ALARM missions00:51:24 – Did ALARM have the same modes as HARM (HAS, TOO, etc)?00:53:19 – Tolerances of threat reaction modes of the ALARM00:54:35 – Introduction to the Brimstone missile00:55:47 – Difficulty of identifying target from the air at low-level00:59:13 – How did the crew of the Tornado use Brimstone in flight?01:00:48 – Brimstone targeting capabilities01:04:53 – ROVER integration, working with JTACs01:11:28 – Post 2003 shift to insurgent enemy, prospects following ejection?01:16:36 – GR4 cockpit, redistributing the workload01:20:52 – Pride in the Tornado? Envy of other jets?01:24:59 – Force culture, upgrade quals, mentorship01:34:57 – Ejection! Thrust reversers and nose gear.Support the show

Buy a tee! https://www.10percenttrue.com/product-page/magnum-classic-teeSupport me with a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/10percenttrue Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/9vJ3hPYFQh00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:30 lessons learned from Op. Granby?00:05:00 Personal attitude towards going on operations in the Tornado00:09:00 Incirlik detachment flying recon00:15:20 any interest from Iraqi IADS?00:17:26 the political picture and “down days”00:23:00 did going to combat provide validation?00:27:00 the human costs of going to war00:33:20 returning from detachment and training continues 00:37:15 confidence in the ECM suite of the Tornado00:40:30 utility of the training range?00:44:40 Skyshadow pod00:47:50 Maritime role & Sea Eagle01:01:20 Sea Eagle vs the threat01:06:20 Nukes still a thing?01:07:50 “force culture”/CRM/workload01:14:30 did relying on the Navigator lead to pilot skill atrophy?01:20:00 when the shit hits the fan…01:26:00 GR4 improvements, LRMTS & NAVFLIR01:35:40 could Tornado work in Ukraine scenario?01:44:40 TFR - using it, deciphering it, NVGs in the mix01:57:00 trust in the system?Support the show

Buy a tee! https://www.10percenttrue.com/product-page/magnum-classic-teeSupport me with a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/10percenttrue Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/9vJ3hPYFQh00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:57 - Nick's background00:03:00 - Joining the RAF00:03:49 - Basic flight training and holding00:04:35 - 100 Squadron as an Ops Officer00:05:17 - TAC Weapons course at RAF Valley00:12:30 - Weather and impact on Flight Training00:16:55 - Methods of instruction while a student at RAF Valley00:22:02 - Instructing at RAF Valley00:27:21 - Hopes and dreams for next assignment after training00:30:25 - Type of person for a single seat vs crewed assignment00:34:33 - How does the physical realities of flying impact a student?00:37:14 - Did the early assignment to GR1 change the approach to Tac Weapons course?00:39:21 - How many fast jet hours by the time of course completion?00:40:53 - How do you stay focused with the breaks between training?00:43:30 - Learning about and flying the aircraft at 13 SQN00:45:08 - Did flying in the Tornado at 13 SQN help when on course later in career?00:47:40 - The academics at Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE)00:51:31 - Learn and dump00:55:08 - A TTTE student washed out - what happened?00:56:34 - Did TTTE instructors only instruct their own nationals?00:57:56 - Were there differences in instruction techniques between different nationalities of instructors?01:00:46 - Difference between TTTE and TWCU01:05:15 - Loss of Tornados at TRCU and the importance of correct attack profiles01:07:47 - Communications between front and back seats in the Tornado01:10:30 - TTTE and TRCU - pairing up with students during the course01:11:50 - Details on loft bombing attacks in to Tornado01:13:17 - Steve's Sim Session in the Tornado IDS01:13:56 - Particularities of flying the Tornado (Wing sweep, flying AOA, different stores=different limits)01:19:00 - Flying with the SPILS turned off (Spin and Incidence Limiting System)01:22:13 - Response to getting bounced when flying in the Tornado IDS01:30:40 - Tornado GR1 EW Suite discussionSupport the show

Mandy Hickson (née Wells) was born in Cheshire in 1973. She gained a BSc Joint Honours Degree in Geography and Sports Science from the University of Birmingham. Mandy has over twenty five years experience within aviation. She joined the Royal Air Force in 1994 and was only the second woman to fly the Tornado GR4 operationally; she operated in hostile environments, including patrolling the ‘No Fly' zone over Iraq; completed three tours of duty and flew fifty missions over Iraq with No. II(AC) Squadron. Since leaving the RAF she retrained as a facilitator in human performance factors. Her company, ‘Experience From The Front Line', draws on her experience of calculated risk-taking, decision-making under pressure and the critical role of the human in the system, where she transfers vivid lessons from the cockpit to other management and leadership contexts. Mandy is now in high demand as a keynote speaker across a range of business and education sectors, where she talks with humour and great passion to inspire those around her. She has been invited to share her insights with some of the most successful organisations across the world, where she describes the strategies and behaviours that can be adopted when the stakes are at their highest. Mandy Hickson Contact Info and references Website: https://www.mandyhickson.com An Officer Not A Gentleman on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Officer-Not-Gentleman-inspirational-pioneering/dp/B089M3ZL6G/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_nodl?dchild=1&keywords=an+officer+not+a+gentleman+book&qid=1592766036&sprefix=An+officer+not+a+gentleman&sr=8-1 LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/mandyhickson Twitter @InspiringWFW --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mettle-of-honor/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mettle-of-honor/support

In this conversation with Mandy Hickson, author of An Officer Not a Gentleman, she talks about her experience as a Tornado GR4 combat pilot for the British Royal Air Force and how she has translated that experience to the business world as a motivational speaker. Mandy faced many of the challenges common to women in male-dominated fields with determination and humor. She also talks about how those moments seeded doubt and insecurity she might not have experienced otherwise, and how she overcame those feelings to become a successful pilot and leader. You can find her at her website, www.mandyhickson.com, and on social media @mandyhicksonspeaker.The blurb: ‘MANDY, BREAK RIGHT…' Jacko's urgent scream shatters my bubble of bliss like a balloon exploding. My right hand slams the stick across and we tip over sideways, like a hard right turn on a roller coaster. I tense my stomach muscles to accept the punch in the guts from the g-suit, which clamps my legs tight to force the blood to my brain and stop me from blacking out. ‘Missile launch, five o'clock…' says the strained voice of my nav into my headset. I am not daydreaming anymore. Flying a multi-million pound fighter jet in hostile territory is not an everyday career and it comes with a high degree of pressure and responsibility. It's a dream job that takes years of ambition, training and commitment, but for Mandy Hickson, it was a dream that became reality.Find out about Mandy's incredible journey to become one of the UK's first female, fast-jet pilots and how she overcame many obstacles to develop the skills to succeed in such a demanding career.Liz Booker is a retired Coast Guard helicopter pilot and writer for young adults. She hosts the Aviatrix Book Club and the Aviatrix Book Review Website and Podcast. This episode is a rebroadcast of the Aviatrix Book Review in collaboration with Coming Home Well. You can find Liz @LiteraryAviatrix on social media.Support the showThank you to BetterHelp for sponsoring today's episode! Coming Home Well listeners can get 10% off by visiting betterhelp.com/cominghomewellFinancial Aid is availableVisit our webpage at cominghomewell.comGet the ammo you need to seize your day at Soldier Girl Coffee with an automatic 10% off at checkout!Follow us on our socialsYouTube @cominghomewellmilitaryInstagram @cominghomewellorganizationFacebook at Coming Home WellLinkedIn at Coming Home WellTwitter @ComingHomeWellThank you for listening! Be sure to SHARE, LIKE and leave us a REVIEW!

The Story Shared: Mandy Hickson's fascinating story of being shot at by a missile over Iraq is truly remarkable. This story is so captivating that it could be written as its own book. Mandy details how the mission was the first she completed as the lead commander, flying her Top Gun fighter jet, the Torpedo, during the Iraq war and the critical decisions she needed to make under immense pressure. About Mandy Hickson:  Finding a love of flying early in life, Mandy fought hard to achieve her ambition to be a Royal Air Force pilot. She was only the second woman to fly the Tornado GR4 on the front line, amassing over thirty years of experience within aviation, completing three tours of duty and 45 missions over Iraq during that time. Mandy is a highly demanded keynote speaker across a range of business sectors, where she talks with humour and great passion to inspire those around her. She has been invited to share her insights with some of the most successful organisations across the world where she describes the strategies & behaviours that can be adopted when the stakes are at their highest.  Career Highlights: → Second woman to ever fly a Tornado GR4 in combat. → Author - An Officer, Not a Gentleman. → 30 Years' experience in Aviation. Expertise: → Human performance factors; decision-making, communication, leadership, and behaviour. → Keynote speaker. → Flight instructor.   For more on Mandy Hickson visit her website - https://www.mandyhickson.com/   Follow me on Instagram and  YouTube. For more, go to  https://www.paramedicmindset.com.au/   Music by Ehrling Music.

In this excerpt from my interview with Mandy Hickson, author of An Officer, Not a Gentleman, talks about why and how she finally decided to write her memoir, and how the common theme of publishers not knowing how to market a book featuring women in aviation. Mandy is doing very well as a self-published author. Meet me at the Palm Springs Air Museum Gala on February 18th, or at WAI23 in Long Beach, CA from February 23rd - 25th. Buy your tickets for the Authors Connect Reading and Reception on opening night at Bogart & Co. at the Long Beach Convention Center from 7:30-9:30pm. I look forward to meeting you! Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Aviatrix Book Review website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening!-Liz Booker

In this conversation with Mandy Hickson, author of An Officer Not a Gentleman, she talks about her experience as a Tornado GR4 combat pilot for the British Royal Air Force and how she has translated that experience to the business world as a motivational speaker. Mandy faced many of the challenges common to women in male-dominated fields with determination and humor. She also talks about how those moments seeded doubt and insecurity she might not have experienced otherwise, and how she overcame those feelings to become a successful pilot and leader. You can find her at her website, www.mandyhickson.com, and on social media @mandyhicksonspeaker. 

Flying a multi-million-pound fighter jet in hostile territory is not an everyday career and it comes with a high degree of pressure and responsibility. After last week's interview with former lieutenant general of the US Army, Jeff Buchanan, we keep a military theme by catching up with Mandy Hickson, who joined the Royal Air Force in 1994 and flew the Tornado GR4 on the front line. Mandy operated in hostile environments, including patrolling the ‘No Fly' zone over Iraq. Since leaving the RAF she retrained as a facilitator and coach in human performance factors. Mandy is a highly demanded speaker and has been invited to share her insights with some of the most successful organizations across the world where she describes the strategies & behaviours that can be adopted when the stakes are at their highest. Today we will discuss her recently launched bestselling book, ‘An Officer, not a gentleman', her inspirational journey to become a pioneering female fighter pilot and insights that can help us to navigate today's challenging world.

Flying a multi-million-pound fighter jet in hostile territory is not an everyday career and it comes with a high degree of pressure and responsibility. After last week's interview with former lieutenant general of the US Army, Jeff Buchanan, we keep a military theme by catching up with Mandy Hickson, who joined the Royal Air Force in 1994 and flew the Tornado GR4 on the front line. Mandy operated in hostile environments, including patrolling the ‘No Fly' zone over Iraq. Since leaving the RAF she retrained as a facilitator and coach in human performance factors. Mandy is a highly demanded speaker and has been invited to share her insights with some of the most successful organizations across the world where she describes the strategies & behaviours that can be adopted when the stakes are at their highest. Today we will discuss her recently launched bestselling book, ‘An Officer, not a gentleman', her inspirational journey to become a pioneering female fighter pilot and insights that can help us to navigate today's challenging world.

Today we speak with Mandy Hickson, who has over 30 years experience within aviation. She joined the Royal Air Force in 1994 and flew the Tornado GR4 on the front line, where she operated in hostile environments, including patrolling the ‘No Fly' zone over Iraq. Since leaving the RAF she retrained as a facilitator and coach in human performance factors. Drawing on her experience of calculated risk-taking, decision-making under pressure and the critical role of the human in the system, she transfers vivid lessons from the cockpit to other management and leadership contexts. Mandy is currently serving as an Aviation Ambassador for the Department for Transport. Mandy is now a highly demanded keynote speaker across a range of business sectors, where she talks with humour and great passion to inspire those around her. She has been invited to share her insights with some of the most successful organisations across the world where she describes the strategies & behaviours that can be adopted when the stakes are at their highest. She has recently launched her bestselling book, ‘An Officer, not a gentleman', her inspirational journey to become a pioneering female fighter pilot.

Joining the Royal Air Force back in 1994 and becoming the second woman to ever fly the Tornado GR4 on the front line operating in hostile environments, Mandy Hickson had no idea that three words spoken by a young cadet would serve as the foundation for her overriding purpose in her second career. Now serving as Aviation Ambassador for the Department for Transport, Mandy is also in high demand as a keynote speaker across a range of business and education sectors. Sharing her inspirational journey to become a pioneering female fighter pilot with humour and passion, the three words that led Mandy to create purposeful impact were ‘just like you'.   KEY TAKEAWAY “Three words. ‘Just like you.' That's when I'd been about to go into the airlines and I thought, ‘just like you', I don't need to do that. I can do something that can be way more impactful and that became my overriding purpose.” BOOK RECOMMENDATION* An Officer Not a Gentleman by Mandy Hickson - https://amzn.to/3SkHelI   ABOUT MANDY Mandy Hickson has over 30 years' experience within aviation. She joined the Royal Air Force in 1994 and flew the Tornado GR4 on the front line, where she operated in hostile environments including patrolling the 'No Fly' zone over Iraq.   Since leaving the RAF she retrained as a facilitator and coach in human performance factors. Drawing on her experience of calculated risk-taking, decision-making under pressure and the critical role of the human in the system, she transfers vivid lessons from the cockpit to other management and leadership contexts.   CONNECT WITH MANDY https://linktr.ee/mandyhickson https://www.mandyhickson.com/ https://www.instagram.com/mandyhicksonspeaker/     ABOUT THE HOST - AMY ROWLINSON Amy is a Life Purpose Coach, Podcast Strategist, Top 1% Global Podcaster, Speaker, Mastermind Host and Property Investor. Through 1:1 and group coaching, Amy works with individuals and businesses to improve productivity, engagement and fulfilment, to banish overwhelm, underwhelm and frustration and to welcome clarity, achievement and purpose.   WORK WITH AMY Amy inspires and empowers entrepreneurial clients to discover the life they dream of by assisting them to make it their reality through their own action taking. Helping them to focus on their WHY with clarity uniting their passion and purpose with a plan to create the life they truly desire. If you would like Amy to help you to launch your podcast or to focus on your WHY then please book a free 20 min call via www.calendly.com/amyrowlinson/enquirycall   KEEP IN TOUCH WITH AMY Sign up for the weekly Friday Focus - https://www.amyrowlinson.com/subscribe-to-weekly-newsletter   CONNECT WITH AMY https://linktr.ee/AmyRowlinson   HOSTED BY: Amy Rowlinson   DISCLAIMER The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guest speakers. Please conduct your own due diligence.  *As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My guest on the podcast today was the RAF's second ever female fast jet pilot, flying the Tornado GR4 on the front line, completing three tours of duty and 45 missions over Iraq.   Mandy Hickson talks to me about mindset and motivation, resilience and imposter syndrome, stress and confidence, both in and out of the armed forces.   I saw Mandy speak at an event a few years ago and recently read her book, ‘An Officer not a Gentleman', which is like a guidebook for how to set and accomplish your most ambitious goals, but also packed with edge-of-your-seat stories and humour.   In our conversation Mandy shares some great tips about how to bounce back from setbacks, how to manage immense pressure and also how to ‘debrief yourself' objectively to help learn from mistakes.   You can find out more about Mandy's work through her website and I highly  recommend picking up a copy of her book An Officer, Not A Gentleman. https://www.mandyhickson.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandyhickson

How Can We Protect Against Drone Swarms and Other Next Generation Threats? For that question, we head to Colorado to speak with Ken Geyer CEO and co-founder of Liteye Systems, Inc and Keven Gambold, CEO and co-founder of Unmanned Experts.  Liteye Systems is a world leader and technology solutions manufacturer and integrator of military and commercial Counter UAS systems.  Unmanned Experts is a world-leading provider of Subject Matter Expertise in the fields of autonomous robotics, swarms, UTM, and mass data.  The companies recently formed a partnership to address drone swarms. Ken is an entrepreneur who launched eight companies, including co-founding and starting Liteye back in January 2000. From virtual reality hardware & software to the new frontier of counter unmanned systems, his focus has been on developing, and advancing products that provide end-users with the tools to achieve their goals.   Keven completed 21 years of active duty service with the Royal Air Force as a front-line combat pilot. He has more than 1500 hours in Tornado GR4 fast-jets as well as over 1500 hours of unmanned combat missions.  He completed his tours as the senior Standards Evaluator and the project officer for both Multi-Aircraft Control and Advanced UAV Cockpit programs.  In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Ken and Keven talk about their respective companies, the current state of UAS threats and the evolving threats posed by UAS Swarm technology.

Join Em Stroud and her clown Barbara as we talk all things Winging it with Mandy.  What does winging it even mean?  How can she possibly be winging it at anytime considering she was a pilot and now is a public speaker.  Mandy and I share stories of feeling so out of our depth – at The UN, in gas chambers and just in life – if you want to laugh and think then this really is the episode for you.  Mandy's Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MandyHicksonSpeaker Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandyhicksonspeaker/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandyhickson/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MandyHickson About Mandy Hickson: Mandy Hickson has over 30 years experience within aviation. In the RAF, she flew the Tornado GR4 on the front line, where she operated in many hostile environments. Mandy is now a highly demanded keynote speaker where she talks with humour and great passion to inspire those around her. Author of best-selling book ‘An Officer, not a Gentleman' her inspirational journey as a pioneering female fighter pilot.

S6 Ep9: Mandy Hickson: former RAF Fast Jet pilot & author on overcoming failure, battling imposter syndrome and how to take self belief to new heights.My guest today was only the second female ever to fly a Tornado GR4 on the front line.  She pioneered the movement of women into the RAF.  Most of her very remarkable career was spent as the only female air crew throughout 45 missions over Iraq and three duty tours evidence some serious mental resilience, immense bravery and mega attitude.Our chat lasted 1hr 20 because we were so engrossed in what we were chatting about. She's an incredibly impressive and interesting lady who I could have just chatted to for 10 more hours!! Meet Mandy Hickson

Mandy joined the Royal Air force in 1994 aged 21 and became part of the first group of women allowed to fly fast jets and only the second woman to fly the Tornado GR4 on the front line. She never struggled being a woman in a man's world during the training or felt that she stuck out as the whole group banded together. She did however start to notice this more when she joined her squadron as the first woman pilot within that group.

Mandy Hickson is a pioneering former fast jet pilot and now a motivational public speaker. Her remarkable career saw her become only to second female to fly a Tornado GR4 on the front line, including 45 missions over Iraq during three operational tours.  Despite her incredible career and success Mandy's story wasn't all plain sailing. After initial awards for flying in the Air Training Corps, she twice failed the RAF flying aptitude test and was told she didn't have what it takes to be a fast jet pilot. Undeterred, Mandy showed unwavering belief to overcome the odds and achieve her lifelong dream. This story of inspiration, drive and determination was detailed in Mandy's recently published book An Officer, Not a Gentleman where she describes the fast paced life and challenges of being a female in a male dominated world, a mum and a pilot. This is part one of our conversation, which lays the groundwork for understanding the mental framework that allowed Mandy to push past perceived limitations, beat the odds and perform under extreme pressure. Mandy's website LinkedIn    

Mandy Hickson on jet fighter pilot performance   This week I spoke to Mandy Hickson. Mandy is a fighter pilot, having joined the Royal Air Force in 1994 and flew the Tornado GR4 on the front line, where she operated in hostile environments, including patrolling the ‘No Fly' zone over Iraq. I was fascinated to discuss with Mandy about the physical and mental challenges of training to become a top fighter pilot. I was particularly interested how pilot's like Mandy improve, what are the stages of progression to go from small craft, to faster and more manoeuvrable craft, and then to train in such a way that you're ready to operate and perform in a combat zone, where the stakes are as high as they get. The conversation is so rich with insight, where Mandy unpacks a number of situations, scenarios and seriously pressured circumstances with powerful detail and shares a number of useful frameworks that helped her to manage the fears and doubts but then rise to the top. She shares her insights with a combination of breeziness, fun, care and a level of wisdom that comes from profound experience. Oh and there's another detail that's pretty obvious but in many ways is irrelevant and relevant as you'll hear in this discussion. She's a woman who got to the top in a male dominated field. And while that might not matter to some, as a role model to other people aspiring to do something against the odds, she's an inspiration.   Notes Types of jets and craft Mandy has flown in the RAF Training takes time  Grey out, G-Force and the G-suits required to be worn and the pressure of G-Force Situational awareness and the bigger picture Notice, understand and think ahead - NUTA Getting your head out of the detail Debriefing and best practice Everyone hates feedback but give me a BOOST - balanced, observed, objective, specific and timely DODAR Diagnose share with the team, what do you think?, options - what would you do?, option generation leading to the decision by the leader, Assign task and review (or give me a reason not to)  Being a female fighter pilot Making better quality decisions and creating a solutions based culture, the ‘Just Culture'   Links Follow Mandy https://twitter.com/MandyHickson https://hicksonltd.com/   Steve Ingham on Twitter www.twitter.com/ingham_steve Supporting Champions on; Twitter www.twitter.com/support_champs Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/company/supporting-champions Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/supportingchampions  

Mandy Hickson. She was only the second woman to fly a Tornado GR4 on the front line, completing three tours of duty and 45 missions over Iraq. She became the Squadron's Combat Survival and Rescue Officer, working closely with the US, instructing Squadron members on Escape and Evasion tactics.Throughout her time, Mandy was the only female aircrew and later learned the lessons of juggling life as a working mother of two young children. Now a civilian, Mandy draws on her experiences to train and inspire others, covering the core areas of human factors; decision making, communication, leadership, behaviour, workload, conflict, fatigue and stress management. She is also a highly sought after keynote speaker in the business and education sectors.Since leaving the RAF, she continues her support for the services in the Volunteer Reserve (VR), through flying on the Air Experience Flight, passing on her experience and enjoyment of flying to Air Cadets. Watch this interview on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5rjaHthRBwGet in touch with Alex to improve the performance of your team: alex@alexmacphail.co.zahttps://twitter.com/AlexMacPhail1https://www.linkedin.com/in/flyingmogulwww.alexmacphail.co.za

We spoke to fighter pilot and best selling author of "An Officer, not a gentleman" Mandy Hickson about her extraordinary life both in and out of the RAF. Mandy has broken barriers within the RAF, being only the second woman ever to fly the Tornado GR4 operationally. Mandy talks to us about her accomplishments, struggles, tango with a surface to air missile and how she came to become a fantastic motivational speaker See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mandy Hickson began flying at just 14 years and went on to become only the second female ever to fly the Tornado GR4 operationally. Mandy fought hard to achieve her ambition to be a Royal Air Force pilot, entering a world that was almost exclusively built for and run by men. She went on to complete three tours of duty and 45 missions over Iraq. In this episode, she talks us through her journey and the challenges she faced both in and out of the cockpit. Hope you enjoy the episode. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, we chat with former Tornado GR4 nav, Kevin Gatland about what it was like to fly/operate the mighty fin on live operations over Iraq and Afghanistan.We also get a few questions from our Patrons and we wrap  up by talking about Kev's new book, "RAF's Centenary Flypast" - https://amzn.to/3viKP8XVisit our online store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/acinterview/shopHelp keep the channel going:https://www.patreon.com/aircrewinterviewor donatehttp://www.aircrewinterview.tv/donate/Follow us:https://www.aircrewinterview.tv/https://www.instagram.com/aircrew_interviewhttps://www.facebook.com/aircrewinterviewhttps://www.twitter.com/aircrewtv

How many of us grew up wanting to be a fighter pilot? Many boys I’m sure and maybe a few girls. How many actually managed to achieve that ambition? A few boys possibly but very few girls.  My guest today, Mandy Hickson, is one of only 5 ladies who have flown the Tornado GR4 fast jet on the front line which makes her a very unique person and in my mind the epitome of a High Performance Human. Mandy Hickson has over 30 years of experience in aviation. She joined the Royal Air Force in 1994 and flew the Tornado GR4 on the front line, where she operated in hostile environments, including patrolling the ‘No Fly’ zone over Iraq. Since leaving the RAF she retrained as a facilitator and coach in human performance factors. Drawing on her experience of calculated risk-taking, decision-making under pressure, and the critical role of the human in the system, she transfers vivid lessons from the cockpit to other management and leadership contexts.  This was an amazing conversation and you’ll be left in no doubt about Mandy's enthusiasm for flying and life in general.  Some of the topics we cover are: The need for speed Breaking through the glass ceiling and being a successful woman in a man’s world Overcoming the odds and being set up for failure The importance of building a team even if you compete in an individual sport Feeling valued and being empowered to make decisions Building relationships Being the best you can be and competing with yourself To find out about Mandy please visit her various social media channels HERE.   Mandy also talked about her book “An Officer, Not a Gentleman”.  You can purchase a copy HERE.   In the show we also talked about: Mandy’s Kilimanjaro experience. You can watch a short video of this on YouTube HERE. Get a flavour of Mandy’s time flying fast jets “Step into my office”. Interview with US Navy pilot, Admiral Scott Jones.   Take a 30 day trial in my SWAT Inner Circle for just £1. Watch this video for more information.   Purchase a copy of my High Performance Human e-book featuring more than 30 top tips on how to upgrade your life. If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful.  Please click here to support the HPH podcast.  Thank you! Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes.  Links to all of Simon's social media channels can be found here.  For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

Mandy Hickson is an inspirational former fast jet/Fighter Pilot in Tornado GR4's. Now a motivational speaker and Human Factors facilitator she talks with Dervish about her experiences flying and making it in the RAF as a female. They talk about motivating younger females and people to become fighter pilots and what pilot life is really like. Mandy also explains how she made the move into motivational speaking and how recently she has been able to extend her reach through virtual conferences to talk globally about her passion and experiences.   KEY TAKEAWAYS It's about challenging protocols and creating change through teamwork. You can't be what you can't see and girls need to be able to see strong role models and see things are open to them. Everyone needs a purpose and drive in their lives. We only want to better ourselves if we can see an end result I love low operational flying because you have to be really focused and it's about as exhilarating as flying can get. Failing something makes you stronger and working hard can get you where you want to be. You need in any organisation to have cognitive diversity. The air force is changing as an organisation with different ways to look at things I did one speech and then when asked said I was a motivational speaker because sometimes you have to fake it until you make it. After being heard speaking and sharing my story I was asked to be part of inspiring futures Speaking virtually has meant I have been able to extend my reach considerably and talk to people I would never have been able to speak with before. It's about finding what you enjoy doing and then working back to find a career that you can enjoy. You have to find a direction and a purpose when you find a career you want then you have a purpose. Whatever your background you need to believe in yourself, if it's going to be someone why shouldn't it be you? You determine where you are going to end up what journey you want to take   BEST MOMENTS ‘You need people who think differently' ‘It's important to maintain your femininity' ‘My public speaking has grown and grown and I've never looked back'   VALUABLE RESOURCES Full Throttle With Dervish podcast https://www.internationalwomensday.com https://hicksonltd.com https://www.instagram.com/mandyhicksonspeaker/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=mandy%20hickson%20speaker https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandyhickson/   ABOUT THE HOST Dervish is a Spacecraft Designer and a Mechanical Engineer by day and podcaster by night. As a Spacecraft Designer, he has worked on some of the biggest space projects and is a creative engineering force always interested in projects that involve solving global challenges. As a podcaster, he brings together fascinating stories and content from those who are at the heart of the classic and supercar worlds with a hint of design and engineering woven into the mix. He has a passion for classic cars and supercars and has recently built his own Triumph TR3  junior electric car for his son. When he is not involved with cars he loves restoring antique and vintage items. CONTACT DETAILS https://www.patreon.com/user?u=43111944                             See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mandy Hickson is a former Royal Air Force pilot and was only the second woman to fly a Tornado GR4 on the front line, completing three tours of duty and 45 missions over Iraq. Mandy's book An Officer, Not a Gentleman: The inspirational journey of a pioneering female fighter pilot is out now: https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/books/mandy-hickson/officer-not-a-gentleman-the-inspirational-journey-of-a-pioneering-female-fighter/9788649297821#GOR010827616Follow Mandy:Twitter: https://twitter.com/MandyHicksonWebsite: https://hicksonltd.com/Subscribe to The Kempcast Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-kempcast/id1509339264Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0jpyA0_lbm5B7ugrgNEOugInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosskemptv/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RossKempFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RossKempTVProduced by The Chancer Collective: http://thechancercollective.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_chancer_collective/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChancerCollectMusic by Reteps: http://reteps.net/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We have Mandy Hickson. Mandy was the second woman to fly the Tornado GR4 operationally, completed three tours of duty and flew 45 missions over Iraq. Mandy learned not to shy away from failure. After two unsuccessful attempts at the RAF flying aptitude tests, reaching the limit of times that they can be taken, her goals appeared to be unattainable. Undeterred, Mandy went on to join the RAF as an Air Traffic Controller and continued to make her case for becoming a pilot throughout her officer training. Finally, the RAF decided to offer her pilot training as a test case, having observed her skills in the real world.The only female aircrew, Mandy trained on the Firefly, Tucano and Hawk aircraft, and was awarded many prizes for leadership. She was the second woman to fly the Tornado GR4 operationally, and completed three tours of duty and flew 45 missions over Iraq.This is a great insight into her journey, the hurdles that would have stopped most people in their tracks and an insight into what it is to operate in this world.

Daniel Ricciardo on dealing with the pressures of being at the forefront of Formula 1, including a career moment when he had to get away from it all and press the reset button with some friends. Mandy Hickson on her new book An Officer Not a Gentleman, relating tales of her journey to becoming only the 2nd woman to flight Tornado GR4's for the RAF. Fernando Alonso fan Fred Bteich on how a 12 year old Lebanese boy fell in love with Formula 1, and found himself as a 29 year old final year neurosurgery resident at a Beirut hospital dealing with the personal and professional aftermath of the catastrophic explosion on August 4th. Carol Glenn on being a black woman who fell in love with motor racing, became a marshal and is now a qualified motorsport event administrator. An inspirational lady who dealt with racism dressed as casual banter, and is taking positive steps to help future generations enjoy the sport she is passionate about.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/at-the-controls. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In part 2, former Tornado GR4 pilot, Mandy Hickson, talks us through her most memorable story while flying the Tornado, answering our Patron questions (link to sign up below), what it's like being a motivational speaker and her new book, "An Officer, Not a Gentleman".Enjoy!AD - Thank you to our sponsor https://runway25.comhttps://www.instagram.com/runway25shop/https://twitter.com/runway25shop?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/runway25shop/Mandy’s social media:https://hicksonltd.comhttps://twitter.com/MandyHicksonhttps://instagram.com/mandyhicksonspe...https://hicksonltd.comHelp keep the channel going: https://www.patreon.com/aircrewinterviewor donatehttp://www.aircrewinterview.tv/donate/

In part 1, former Tornado GR4 pilot, Mandy Hickson, chats about how she became interested in aviation, the process she had to go through to become an officer, and getting selected to fly the Tornado GR4!AD - Thank you to our sponsor https://runway25.comMandy’s social media:https://hicksonltd.comhttps://twitter.com/MandyHicksonhttps://instagram.com/mandyhicksonspe...https://hicksonltd.comHelp keep the channel going: https://www.patreon.com/aircrewinterviewor donatehttp://www.aircrewinterview.tv/donate/

In part 1, Will Cambridge chats about his time flying the Tornado GR4 and Typhoon.Will talks about flying the GR4 and Typhoon in combat, taking the Typhoon to Red Flag, DACT, and what it is like to fly both aircraft.Thanks to the team at RAF Scampton for allowing us to film on-site and please visit the RAF Red Arrows site to learn more: https://www.raf.mod.uk/display-teams/red-arrows/I want to thank our sponsor Icarus Originals for supporting this episode. Head to their website now and own a part of aviation history with a pair of their stunning cufflinks: https://www.icarusoriginals.com/ Original Thumbnail photo by Neil BatesHelp keep the channel going: https://www.patreon.com/aircrewinterviewor donatehttp://www.aircrewinterview.tv/donate/

Ever wondered what it's like to be the pilot of a Tornado GR4? In this episode, Greig chats with Wing Commander Ret Reardon about his escapades flying fast jets. This is one not to miss!

We welcome Tim Davies back on to the show to reflect on his memories of the Tornado GR4 and look forward to Aeralis.

WWEST manager Danniele had the opportunity to speak with two aircraft engineers from the Red Arrows, the aerobatics display team of the British Royal Air Force. Flight Lieutenant Alicia Mason and Corporal Lydia Ford share what it's like being the only two women currently in the Red Arrows circus, where their current tour is taking them, and how they were able to pursue their dream jobs. A junior Engineering Officer, Alicia Mason's Circus duties include being a resource manager, military commander and professional engineer. This is her third season with the Red Arrows. From Cannock, Staffordshire, Lydia Ford joined the Royal Air Force in 2008 and started her career working on the Tornado GR4, before joining the Red Arrows in 2017. Relevant Links: A-Levels British Royal Air Force "Queen's Birthday: Red Arrows fly over Buckingham Palace," Newsflare The Red Arrows Hosted by: Danniele Livengood (@livengood) Theme Music: “Positive and Fun” by Scott HolmesProduced by: Vanessa Hennessey Please consider leaving us a review on iTunes or Stitcher! For more from Westcoast Women in Engineering, Science and Technology, you can follow us on Twitter at @WWEST_SFU, on Facebook at @WWEST.SFU, and subscribe to our biweekly newsletter at wwest.ca.

So, a buddy of mine has entered the civilian workplace, has been given responsibility but doubts whether he is up to the task even though he was aircrew on the Tornado GR4.This is useful for those of all ages but especially for those around their 40s. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Help keep the channel going:https://www.patreon.com/aircrewinterviewor donatehttp://www.aircrewinterview.tv/donate/

There has been an airfield in the vicinity of Marham, Norfolk since 1916. Marham’s history reflects an Air Force which has evolved over a 100 year period enabling the Station to provide world class Combat Air Power, using the most modern technology available, as and when it is required. 2018 sees a pivotal year in Marham’s already considerable history. The transition from Tornado GR4, the workhorse of RAF Combat Air Power for over 3 decades, to F35B Lightning, a truly Next Generation capability, has challenged all areas of the Station. These changes and the transition to Lightning, epitomise the change being seen across the whole of the RAF as we step into our next 100 years. The lecture will provide the audience with an insight into current Tornado GR4 operations before looking at how Marham is being transformed to operate F35B Lightning. The lecture will focus on how this transition to F35B Lightning is changing ‘business as usual’; the security challenge, the requirement to better understand digital communications and logistics and our relationship with the Royal Navy as we look ahead to operations from land and sea.

A recent interview for a business owner and vet who has a Podcast called Blunt Dissection'. ---- Dr Dave Nichol http://www.drdavenicol.com On today’s show, I am delighted to be joined by Squadron Leader Tim Davies, a qualified fast jet instructor for the Royal Air Force. Over his 20 year career, Tim has been a frontline Tornado GR4 low-level strike attack pilot, before becoming a fast jet flying instructor. He served all over the world and clocked up over 2,500 flight hours. As an instructor he flew the Hawk T2 in an advanced flying training role teaching students and instructors how to use the aircraft as a weapons system. If that doesn't mean a lot then think Jester or Viper in the film Top Gun. Tim has been responsible for training every frontline pilot in the RAF since 2007. At the last count that’s over 350 highly skilled operators. So, I hope you’re starting to get a sense of why I am so thrilled to have him on the podcast. Anyone who has successfully flown military aircraft for 20 years and says "I'm just into studying failure, that's kinda my thing” certainly gets my attention. Though at first glance war and healthcare seem unlikely bed friends, there are, on closer inspection, many parallels between our industries in the shape of operational risk management, safety, recruitment and training/development. This episode is very granular, there are so many learnings woven throughout that I ended up listening to it no fewer than three times and found myself picking up some new insight each time around. So, I strongly encourage you to do the same. Now, just before we jump into the episode, I just wanted to drop a quick word from today’s show sponsor which today is my very own VetX Graduate Mentoring community. If you are a practice owner and want to offer your new vets a greater level of support so they grow faster and stay longer with your practice, then jump onto my website drdavenicol.com/vetx and learn how we are helping graduates across the world thrive in practices just like yours. And with that said and done let’s get into the show. Tim was a fantastic guest so it gives me great pleasure to bring you my conversation with one of the most experienced fighter pilots and fast jet instructors on the face of the planet. Squadron Leader Tim Davies. Topics covered in this episode include: 1. How the RAF deals with training in high-risk environments 2. Why all successful pilots are made to fail and the earlier the better so they can learn to build resilience. 3. How he deals with mental health, growth and development in high-pressure roles. 4. Deviant practice and how it can destroy lives and businesses. 5. What qualities he looks for in pilots (hint - they would be good to select for in veterinarians too). 6. An acronym that turns failure as an experience on its head. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On today’s show, I am delighted to be joined by Squadron Leader Tim Davies, a qualified fast jet instructor for the Royal Air Force. Over his 20 year career, Tim has been a frontline Tornado GR4 low-level strike attack pilot, before becoming a fast jet flying instructor. He served all over the world and clocked up over 2,500 flight hours. As an instructor he flew the Hawk T2 in an advanced flying training role teaching students and instructors how to use the aircraft as a weapons system. If that doesn't mean a lot then think Jester or Viper in the film Top Gun. Tim has been responsible for training every frontline pilot in the RAF since 2007. At the last count that’s over 350 highly skilled operators. So, I hope you’re starting to get a sense of why I am so thrilled to have him on the podcast. Anyone who has successfully flown military aircraft for 20 years and says "I'm just into studying failure, that's kinda my thing” certainly gets my attention. Though at first glance war and healthcare seem unlikely bed friends, there are, on closer inspection, many parallels between our industries in the shape of operational risk management, safety, recruitment and training/development. This episode is very granular, there are so many learnings woven throughout that I ended up listening to it no fewer than three times and found myself picking up some new insight each time around. So, I strongly encourage you to do the same. Now, just before we jump into the episode, I just wanted to drop a quick word from today’s show sponsor which today is my very own VetX Graduate Mentoring community. If you are a practice owner and want to offer your new vets a greater level of support so they grow faster and stay longer with your practice, then jump onto my website drdavenicol.com/vetx and learn how we are helping graduates across the world thrive in practices just like yours. And with that said and done let’s get into the show. Tim was a fantastic guest so it gives me great pleasure to bring you my conversation with one of the most experienced fighter pilots and fast jet instructors on the face of the planet. Squadron Leader Tim Davies. Topics covered in this episode include: 1. How the RAF deals with training in high-risk environments 2. Why all successful pilots are made to fail and the earlier the better so they can learn to build resilience. 3. How he deals with mental health, growth and development in high-pressure roles. 4. Deviant practice and how it can destroy lives and businesses. 5. What qualities he looks for in pilots (hint - they would be good to select for in veterinarians too). 6. An acronym that turns failure as an experience on its head.

Aasmah Mir and the Rev Richard Coles are joined by broadcaster and actor Reggie Yates. From Desmonds to Top of the Pops, he's been on camera nearly all of his life, but it's as a documentary filmmaker that he's now familiar, investigating everything from religion in South Africa, race and homophobia in Russia to gun crime in Chicago. John Virgo has spent the last forty years playing snooker as a player and commentator. Famous for his impersonations of fellow players from Ray Reardon to Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins and and his jazzy waistcoats, he'll be telling us how he went from a childhood in Salford, through smoky snooker dens, to winning the UK Snooker Championship. Mandy Hickson is a former Royal Air Force fast jet pilot - only the second woman to fly a Tornado GR4 aircraft - who served on the front line defending the no fly zone in the Gulf. Julia Newth is a Bewick swan specialist at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, who is awaiting the arrival of the Bewick swans to the UK this weekend from their summer billets in Russia's Arctic north. The musician, Benny Andersson, formerly of the seventies group Abba reveals his Inheritance Tracks - Rattvikarnas Ganglat by Dalarnas Spelmansforbund Mon oeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix (Samson Et Dalila) by Maria Callas. If you are listening to this programme on demand, competitions may no longer be running. Unseen by Reggie Yates is published by BBC Books. Say Goodnight JV - John Virgo - My Autobiography is published by John Blake.

Al Pepper chats about being a navigator on the RAF Wessex, Tornado GR4, BBMF Lancaster & Dakota. He also gives an insight into his cancer awareness work and being "Britains Manliest Man".

​​'Wolf 3 defends SA-11 bearing 020!' came the call from the back pair of our low-level 4-ship of Tornado GR4 bombers.   Our formation had stumbled upon the enemy Air Defences and they were not happy to be disturbed over their lunch hour.   'Well, there it is!' proclaimed my Navigator confirming what we'd both been expecting; 'I told you they'd get themselves killed!' he laughed.   I chuckled with him as I hugged the valley floor, pressing on towards our target which was now only 2 minutes flying time away.   'Wolf 4 defending SA-8 bearing 270, egressing to the east!' came a call soon after.   'That's the back pair out, that's not good.' I said, noting that there were just two of us left to hit the target.   We thundered on as low as we dared, trying to use the undulating terrain for cover. The wind over the hills buffeted our 26 tonne war machine making it hard to plot the enemy's systems onto my kneeboard.   'Mike,' I called, 'I've got an SA-6 looking at us right 2 o'clock - make it go away.'   Our Radar Warning Receiver was displaying the familiar lines associated with a particularly aggressive Surface to Air Missile system. I pushed the throttles forward marching the speed up towards 500 mph in an attempt to progress us away from the threat.   'That 6 wasn't in the brief,' he replied, 'Come left 30 degrees to put him on the beam.'   http://www.fastjetperformance.com/podcasts/hit-the-target-dont-get-shot-down-on-goals-and-life See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

‘RECOVER!’ came the shout from the back seat of my Tornado GR4 combat jet but it wasn’t necessary - I had already started to yank back on the controls as hard as I could! Our 25 tonne fuel laden bomber was now a treacherous 40 degrees nose down and shuddering madly as the airflow violently separated from the wing due to my impossible demands. As we broke through the base of the cloud, my Head Up Display was suddenly filled with a sickening amount of earth and fields. This was bad. The Ground Proximity Warning System sounded. ‘WOOP, WOOP! - PULL UP, PULL UP!’ ‘7, 6, 5 - that’s 400 ft Tim!’, called my Weapons Systems Officer. We were well outside ejection seat parameters and we both knew it. How had I got us into this mess?Post Here See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Of my friends and colleagues that have been killed in military aircraft they have all had one thing in common - they were all in control of the aircraft when they died. Low-level flying is an unforgiving business and it doesn't take much to get it wrong. This is why we have currencies, proficiencies and rules, to make sure that we are safe to operate when close to the ground.You see, humans are exceptionally poor at multi-tasking and pilots are no different. Everybody thinks that pilots must be good at it but nothing could be further from the truth. Pilots don't multi-task - they just prioritise a task list exceptionally quickly. When a pilot is flying they try to have as clear a mind as possible, I liken it to a blank piece of paper or a whiteboard on an office wall. When a task comes in, such as a radio call, radar contact or something that requires an unplanned action from the pilot, it needs to be dealt with as efficiently as possible. It's like the task is automatically written onto the whiteboard but only one task can fit at any one time; the pilot must deal with it as fast as they can so that they can clear the whiteboard for the next task. Sometimes this might mean that the task gets half done or postponed as the next task that has come in is deemed more important; this is called prioritisation. If one task is ongoing when another task comes in then the pilot will attempt to compartmentalise the tasks, putting them both onto the whiteboard - in this case both tasks are now being done poorly. If another task comes in and the pilot cannot clear the whiteboard quickly enough then task-saturation can occur.It is at this point that most of my friends have been killed. The experienced pilot recognises task saturation approaching and applies the mantra 'Aviate, Navigate, Communicate'. For most pilots hearing is the first sense we lose when we become overloaded, you miss a radio call. Personally, when I stop being able to effectively communicate with my formation or with air traffic, I recognise this as my first indication that all is becoming too much. At this point, especially if I am at low-level, I prioritise the flying of the aircraft and step my height up a little.I prioritise the flying.'You start with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck.' I have a friend who was the rear-seater (WSO) in a Tornado GR4 that crashed on the east coast of England. They were flying at 250 ft when his aircraft hit a flock of birds and lost power to both of the engines. The pilot was so involved in trying to get at least one engine relit that my friend had to initiate the command eject system removing them both from the aircraft seconds before it stalled, quickly lost lift and impacted the ground. The subsequent inquiry concluded that if the ejection had been over a second later then they would have both been killed.http://www.fastjetperformance.com/podcasts/sam-dodging-over-the-nevada-desert-why-low-level-flying-is-still-necessary See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I've been a UK based fast jet pilot since the early 2000's having joined the military in 1998. I've flown fast jets for all of my career and have never had a 'ground tour' (that's when you have to fly a desk for 3 years...not good). I currently teach instructors and students to use the BAEs Hawk T2 as a weapon system in the applied phase of their training. I realised some time ago that there were many things that we were teaching young pilots that were applicable to many other professions; after all, high performance is high performance whether you are at 20,000 ft or attempting to climb to the top of your career.Before I post about performance, it makes sense to talk about what exactly a fast jet pilot isIn 1983, US Naval Flight Surgeon Frank Dulley wrote a paper entitled 'The Life Style Keys to Flight Deck Performance of the Naval Aviator — Another Window'. The paper presents Dulley's views on the coping mechanisms that the Naval Aviator brings to his occupation. What is so interesting about this paper is that it highlights the attributes of a fast jet pilot and makes uncomfortable reading for those it describes. A fast jet pilot is normally male, in fact only 11% of the RAF is female (the highest number of all the UK's armed forces) - how many fast jet pilots are currently women? I can count 8 out of approximately 160 active pilots that I know of.  The premiership has 220 players this year so it is true that there are less fast jet pilots in the UK than premiership footballersThe Royal Navy also has fast jet pilots but a small number in comparison to the RAF and most of those are flying the F/A-18 Hornet with the US Navy awaiting the introduction of the F-35 to the UK. To qualify as a fast jet pilot takes four years of training with 300 hours’ flying on various aircraft; this can cost up to £4 million per pilot.  Fast jet pilots are mission oriented compartmentalisers who lack emotional sensitivitiesAs Frank Dulley states in his paper, fast jet pilots are 'mission oriented compartmentalisers' who lack emotional sensitivities that are normally found in the general population at large. Well, what does that mean? Pilots are very good at concentrating on one thing at a time without being distracted by external issues. When they fly they are able to leave their problems on the ground and concentrate solely on the task at hand. Dulley also states that pilots' male-female interface is characterised by emotional distance. Pilots marry controllers; their partners, just like them, are the eldest son or daughter or, if this is not the case, then they are the controlling sibling. Pilots do not want a weak spouse as they are represented by their partner and expect them to be strong in public. They surround themselves with other controllers as they know that they can trust them as they are similar to them. Pilots have few friends and get their social validation from the other pilots they work with - it's the only validation that really matters to a pilot. A flying squadron can be a tough place to be especially if you are not good at banter and are unable to make fun of yourself. Banter is the thing that pilots use to keep other pilots in check. The squadron is a place full of egos and your social standing is decided by one of 4 things - rank, seniority (age/flight hours), ability in the air and personality. Banter is 'taking the mickey' out of people, it lightens the mood but to an outsider can appear as exceptionally harsh.  Fast jet pilots must be the ones in control - they are systematic and methodical  They shave and shower the same way each morning/night and don't ever change the way that they do it because they've proved it works. They can be infuriating to live with because they have an uncompromising stance on even the smallest of issues and they rarely go and see a doctor; they are pilots - they believe that they can work out for themselves what is wrong!If you tell a pilot about a problem you are having they will attempt to give you the solution even if you haven't asked for itIn a marriage this can prove disastrous especially as the spouse invariably wants to just vent after a hard day. The problem is compounded by the fact that a pilot will only tell their spouse about any issues they are having - they won't tell their boss, doctor or colleagues as they don't want to appear weak or not in control. They do look for affirmation from others that they work with - praise from another pilot is the highest form of praise but very, very rare. Normally the praise comes in the form of promotion, medals or courses/work-ups as they become more senior. If you give a pilot a pen, they will take it apart - pilots have inquisitive mindsThe understanding of the workings of a pen or the reasoning of a decision by higher authority is very necessary to a pilot. Pilots are all 'Maverick' - even the quieter ones are still rebellious. They are passionate risk takers who don't like authority but will tolerate it because it allows them to fly and the cockpit is what defines them. They believe that 'If you aren't a pilot then you don't get a vote' - it's like the saying 'You don't know, man - you weren't there!' This applies equally when referring to an air combat sortie as it does to a night out in Las Vegas - mention the 'Witch Doctor' cocktail and all pilots will shudder...we've all made that mistake. It gets worse with fast jet pilots because they see themselves as above all other pilots - which, due to the selection process, they are. Even in the land of the fast jet pilot there is a hierarchy. The 'single-seat' pilot used to be above all others - Harrier pilots were notorious for having huge egos, followed by Jaguar pilots - fighter pilots on the Tornado F3 also seemed to love themselves! The single-seat F-16 and F-15 community in the US are always claiming to have the better pilots. It has changed somewhat in the UK as the Typhoon is easier to fly than the Tornado GR4 but the Typhoon is a single-seat aircraft which can be more demanding in certain environments. I once knew a fast jet pilot who was sent to learn to be a Test Pilot at Edwards Air Force base in the USA, the home of test flying. This guy was a single-seat pilot who was obviously quite fond of himself and once found himself at a black tie dinner sat next to an older guy who also used to be a pilot. My friend spent the evening talking about himself and how good he must be as so few British pilots get chosen to train in the states. It was only the following morning that someone asked him how his evening with Neil Armstrong had gone - he hadn't even asked his dinner guest's name! To be honest, this is a common story with fast jet pilots - they are most comfortable when talking about themselves.Pilots deal with facts and find it hard to accommodate inaccuraciesWhen my wife told me that if the builders moved the fence 3 ft closer to the kitchen window then she'd be unable to see the trees in the next field I got out the calculator and drew the trigonometry on a whiteboard to show her how wrong her mental calculation actually was - my wife has since informed me that this was exactly the wrong thing to do.For a fast jet pilot everyday is potentially the last day of their careerIf you make a mistake flying fast jets it can kill people and, believe me, it happens very quickly which is why we place so much trust in each other. Individual integrity fosters trust within teams and that is what makes flying fast jets with other people safe. But a mistake airborne opens yourself up to questioning and no more than from yourself. Self-analysis is a constant for any pilot whether in an airliner, glider, light aircraft, rotary or jet - we all evaluate our performance and it can and does cause sleepless nights. The thought of letting ourselves down is nothing in comparison to the thought of letting the team down. It is said that you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with and for a pilot that is other pilots - you let them down and you may as well leave the squadron - there is no place for you. That is why, when you are ill, your squadron mates will tell you to go home - you are under performing the moment you walked in to the building. They don't want you with them today, you are a liability - go home and suffer daytime TV. Lastly we are extremely predictable, we like routine and lack spontaneity. So how are fast jet pilots high performing individuals who are able to excel in highly dynamic environments?Until we slip the surly bonds of Earth again - fly safe! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I've recently been away from work for a couple of weeks having to take some remaining leave before the deadline of 31 March when all leave resets. I've done a few things; I went on a long hike with the wife, went to see some family - that sort of thing. But when you are away from the cockpit for any period of time you have to 'come down' from the level that you have been operating at. Conversely, before you go back to work you need to re-energise yourself to get back up to speed. This is the same with any job; the more complicated the profession the harder it is to 'switch off' when on holiday. Some people take a few days to fully relax and some need longer. One of my pilots will only take his holidays over two weeks as he says that he can't fully 'switch off' from work with only one. When I was a student pilot I would sometimes not be able to 'switch off' at all or would find that I could be quite relaxed by the Tuesday of my holiday but by the Thursday I was starting to think about the cockpit again and would get worked up about it.  Training as a fast jet pilot has to be one of the most uncomfortable and stressful things that you can doIt only takes one failed trip for the instructors' eyes to start looking in your direction and if you don't pass the next trip then you are definitely in trouble. So how do I get myself back into the groove after a lay-off. As it stands, tomorrow I have an 'Emergency Sim' which is a 60 day currency that tests me on my emergency handling. Fast jets can be complicated little things and the Hawk T2 is no exception. Although the aircraft has two cockpits in tandem, the simulator has only the front cockpit represented. We have two simulators on the squadron - they are called Full Mission Simulators (FMS) and you have to wear your full Aircraft Equipment Assembly (AEA)  when in them. This means that you dress as if you were going to fly the actual aircraft wearing your flying helmet, mask, Life Jacket and g-pants. The FMS isn't a motion simulator as these tend to be used for multi-engine aircraft to simulator asymmetric thrust which, as long as you're not flying a Canberra, SR-71 or Maverick's F-14 in 'Top Gun', should not present too many issues in modern fast jet aviation. The FMS has 360 degree visuals and we use it to not only prepare students for an airborne sortie but also to consolidate the students learning at the end of a flying phase - the FMS can be the last event on the Air Combat Manoeuvring (ACM) phase for example. But, unlike the Hawk T1 on our sister squadron, we also have 6 Flying Training Devices (FTDs) which are very similar to the FMS but are an extension of something that we used to use in the old days which was the 'Cardboard Cockpit'. The 'Cardboard Cockpit' is just that - it is a cardboard representation of the aircraft's cockpit and in the good ol' days you were issued one to learn your checks on when you were in ground school and before you started flying. On the Hawk T2 we don't have these anymore and we use the FTDs instead. The FTD is something that you can sit in without all your flight gear on and practise your checks but it also flies like the FMS! It isn't a truly representative flight model, for example it will climb faster than the actual aircraft but it has 90% of the switches you'd find in the actual aeroplane. It has 3 touch-screen monitors that you can setup the Multi-Function Displays (MFDs) with - these are like very small monitors that show things such as your weapons stores page, moving map, synthetic radar display and even your hydraulics status page as there is no analogue display for this anymore. The great thing is that you can pretty much use the FTDs at anytime to practise any of your checks.  In the FTDs you can even get airborne and practise your circuits or link them up and just chase your course mates around the sky hoping that an instructor doesn't walk in and tell you all to stop acting like childrenSo the FTD, and before that, the 'Cardboard Cockpit' are two great ways to practise getting back up to speed with the complicated task of flying the Hawk T2. But, at home I don't have a 'Cardboard Cockpit' as none were made for the Hawk T2 and the FTDs are, well, at the squadron. So how else might I work myself back up for the simulator tomorrow? When you are learning to fly for the first time, this might be on gliders at 16 or on a light aircraft in the military/civilian flight school later on, your instructor will introduce the notion of 'chair flying' to you.  Chair flying is a very powerful tool which allows you to imagine yourself actually in the aircraft practising whatever it is you are needing to do on your next assessed sortieThe 'Cardboard Cockpit' was actually very good in this respect as you could touch the printed dials and switches and instil some aspect of muscle memory into your checks sequence. Chair flying is a visualisation technique that pilots, racing drivers, public speakers and sport persons have all used to enhance their performances.   When I prepare for a complicated sortie or have been out of the cockpit for longer than a week I will invest time in visualising that return to the cockpit - this is also essential if your flying rate (the number of hours you fly per month) is low. It is critical that a pilot keeps themselves up to speed and each person will have subtly different ways of doing it. I prefer to give myself a hour alone with my Flight Reference Cards (FRCs) - these are the checklists for the handling and emergencies that can affect the aircraft.  I then use the Overview - Preview - Inview - Review processOverview. I normally go through each card first, skim reading them really - this I call an overview. Unlike in other aircraft, the checks that are done in fast jets are not routinely done from the cards. This is not true on the Tornado GR4 as the Weapon System Officer (WSO) will initiate a challenge and response from the FRCs but on single-seat aircraft and fast jet training aircraft such as the Hawk T2 your FRCs are unlikely to be used in flight at all. All of your drills are memorised as there is rarely enough time (or space in the cockpit) to be dragging your check cards out the whole time! It is important then that you are familiar with the cards in case you need to use them. This overview is a process of just looking at the layout of the normal drill cards and looking through the boldface emergencies. The boldface emergencies are the drills that a pilot or WSO must know verbatim; students are routinely challenged on their boldface drills at the morning meteorological brief, on airborne sorties and in an emergency simulator - just like mine tomorrow.  As part of my overview I will imagine me getting into my flight gear, going to the Operations Room and signing the jet out and then walking out to the aircraft I might even look at tomorrow's weather so I can forecast what runway we might be on and can plan which way I will taxy out of the line. I will imagine doing my initial checks, the aircraft walk around and strapping into the ejection seat. I will visualise the dials and displays in front of me - I'll think about what radio calls I need to make before engine start and I might even look at the flying programme (if it's been emailed out the night before) to see what callsign I'll be using so I can practise using it - it all helps to build a mental picture. If I had a cardboard cockpit I'd use that - some people close their eyes but you need to make the environment as similar to the one you'll be in when you are actually doing the event - this is why using a simulator to practise or the FTDs on the squadron is so good. When chair flying there is little point in having music playing in the background if there isn't going to be music in your aircraft - we're not on an EasyJet flight here, well - not just yet anyway! I might practise my start-up and pre-take-off checks here too but I don't go any further than visualising lining up on the runway. I then visualise that I'd just landed and I was taxiing back in - I'd go through those checks too right up to and including vacating the aircraft and walking back in. I separate the actual airborne content and save that for the preview - it just works better for me that way, you might like to do it differently. Preview. If you were looking at a textbook the overview would've been to look at the front and back covers and maybe the index. The preview extends on this - you'd now read the first and last paragraph of each chapter. In the world of aviation this is the bit where I'd look at the sortie content - I'd write this down on an A4 piece of paper as a list something like this (the italics are for your understanding):  SUTTO (start-up, taxi, take-off) SID 31R  (Standard Instrument Departure - runway 31 Righthand) HASLLT Cx (Checks we perform for every sortie to make sure we are tolerant to the effects of 'g' and that we are operating in a safe area) Stall Max Performance Manoeuvres Spin LL (Low level) Instrument Recovery - TAC/PAR Circuits (Norm, LL) - Flapless straight-in approach  Inview. So, the preview part gave me some more information and I can now visualise the sortie in more detail. The inview part is when I fill in the blank spaces. I'd get my charts out and read up on the SID (departure) that I might be flying anticipating level-off heights, radio calls and power settings required. I would go and make sure I know my HASLLT cxs and practise them so they are fluent - Height, Airframe, Security (for an inverted check), Location, Lookout and TCAS. I would read up on what the Stall entails, what is the fight profile? I would draw it out and then run it through moving my hands to where the gear and flap levers are.I even go so far as to anticipate the trim changes required Are they pitch up or pitch down? I would read up on the max performance manoeuvres and then think about the area I need to fly to in order to get my spin done - I need to be above 25,000 ft to enter my spin so I'll need a handover to a different Air Traffic agency for that and I can practise that radio call now so I don't stumble over it tomorrow. I'd read and write about all of the sortie content and put it on an A4 piece of paper - it will become a crib sheet that I can look at before the sortie briefing tomorrow. Some people use a mind map but I prefer a list of how the sortie will flow. It is also critical to think of your 'link' flying here - how are you going to transition from one event to the next? Will you speed up or slow down, change height or transit to a different piece of airspace? Review. This step is the most critical one and I normally do this twice, once after the inview and then I repeat it prior to the sortie briefing the next day to refresh my knowledge. The review is looking at that A4 piece of paper on which you have written a crib sheet that will help to jog your memory the next day. Take this opportunity to add any more information that you feel might be pertinent to the sortie you are about to fly. And that's it - put the crib sheet somewhere safe, take a break and don't spend longer than an hour on this; the mind gets tired after 30 mins so maybe do the Overview/Preview - tea break - Inview/Review and only then can you go back and watch cats falling off chairs on YouTube. Visualisation is a powerful tool that, used correctly, can really improve your chances of success in the cockpit and in businessRemember, you lose half of your capacity when you put on your flight helmet and strap a jet plane to your back. It's the same in business, don't wait until you're making that sale or giving the presentation, it'll be too late and you'll look like an idiot - practise IS your friend.  Until we slip the surly bonds of Earth again - fly safe!   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

British Royal Air Force Tornadoes have taken off for the last time in Afghanistan. 31 Squadron is heading home after doing four tours in-country in recent years. Their very first tour in Afghanistan was in 1919, the Third Anglo-Afghan War. This piece includes sound bites from 31 Squadron personnel talking about the history of the Squadron, the end of their deployment in Afghanistan and the capability of the Tornado GR4 as an aircraft. This version includes graphics and voiceover.

Ever wondered what it must be like to fly a fast jet in a combat situation? Think about fast jets and my mind immediately takes me to the film ‘Top Gun' and I have always been intrigued to understand more about this challenging and dangerous endeavour . When life is on the line, pilots must be rigorously trained and exercises carefully planned and evaluated. There is much we can learn in business from such careful strategy, training, planning and debriefing. My guest for this show is Mandy Hickson. Mandy fought hard to achieve her ambition to be a Royal Air Force pilot. She was only the second woman to fly a Tornado GR4, completing three tours of duty and 45 missions over Iraq. Today, Mandy shares the strategies, tactics and behaviours adopted for high stake missions for the benefit of today's business leaders. Join us for an interview that will help us to take our businesses higher and faster!

Ever wondered what it must be like to fly a fast jet in a combat situation? Think about fast jets and my mind immediately takes me to the film ‘Top Gun' and I have always been intrigued to understand more about this challenging and dangerous endeavour . When life is on the line, pilots must be rigorously trained and exercises carefully planned and evaluated. There is much we can learn in business from such careful strategy, training, planning and debriefing. My guest for this show is Mandy Hickson. Mandy fought hard to achieve her ambition to be a Royal Air Force pilot. She was only the second woman to fly a Tornado GR4, completing three tours of duty and 45 missions over Iraq. Today, Mandy shares the strategies, tactics and behaviours adopted for high stake missions for the benefit of today's business leaders. Join us for an interview that will help us to take our businesses higher and faster!