Jun 23, 2026 · 51 min · 13 segments
For 100 episodes, The Pilot Project Podcast has explored the world of military and mission aviation through the people who have lived it. In Part 1 of our retrospective series, The Climb, we look…
Rock VeilleuxGuest
Dan McWilliamsGuest
Brian KilroyGuest
Brian MorrisonHost
Skye SimpsonGuest
Mike HouleGuest
Jeff ForemanGuestBob WadeGuest
Duncan MacIsaacGuest
Dan ConwayGuest
Pete MustersGuest
Vince C BenoitGuest
Ask enough military aviators where it all started and you'll hear familiar answers: air shows, Air Cadets, family trips to the airport.
But the truth is, it usually comes down to one moment, one sound, one flypast, one cockpit ride, one impossible thing you witness that plants the seed.
And years later, no matter where life took you, over a lake in cottage country, strapped into a fighter, under the Golden Hawks, or watching Black Hawks fly into combat, every career has its beginning.
The sun's beating down, but of course in Germany at the time, there's a lot of pollution, so it's really hazy.
And, uh, get strapped into the aircraft, and I'm sitting there feeling really claustrophobic in the back of this jet.
Dad comes up the ladder, looks at me, says, "Are you okay?" Gives me the thumbs up.
I said, "Yep, fine, Dad." And, uh, I realize he can't hear me 'cause I have this mask on my face.
I'd been in the 707 to get to and from Germany, and so I was used to acceleration, but this was like, ooh, this thing accelerates really well.
And all of a sudden I was just looking around, and all I can see is beautiful German countryside, and I could spot my house and the Rhine River, the Black Forest next to us, and it, it was just surreal.
All of a sudden, this huge noise came over top of my head, and, and who it was was the Golden Hawk Aerobatic Team.
That had such a inspirational effect on me that, uh, I just wanted to be a fighter pilot.
Both my grandfathers retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in Trenton, Ontario, at CFB Trenton.
Ask enough military aviators where it all started and you'll hear familiar answers: air shows, Air Cadets, family trips to the airport.
But the truth is, it usually comes down to one moment, one sound, one flypast, one cockpit ride, one impossible thing you witness that plants the seed.
And years later, no matter where life took you, over a lake in cottage country, strapped into a fighter, under the Golden Hawks, or watching Black Hawks fly into combat, every career has its beginning.
The sun's beating down, but of course in Germany at the time, there's a lot of pollution, so it's really hazy.
And, uh, get strapped into the aircraft, and I'm sitting there feeling really claustrophobic in the back of this jet.
Dad comes up the ladder, looks at me, says, "Are you okay?" Gives me the thumbs up.
I said, "Yep, fine, Dad." And, uh, I realize he can't hear me 'cause I have this mask on my face.
I'd been in the 707 to get to and from Germany, and so I was used to acceleration, but this was like, ooh, this thing accelerates really well.
And all of a sudden I was just looking around, and all I can see is beautiful German countryside, and I could spot my house and the Rhine River, the Black Forest next to us, and it, it was just surreal.
All of a sudden, this huge noise came over top of my head, and, and who it was was the Golden Hawk Aerobatic Team.
That had such a inspirational effect on me that, uh, I just wanted to be a fighter pilot.
Both my grandfathers retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in Trenton, Ontario, at CFB Trenton.
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