In Part 3, Captain Troy Clarke discusses flight instruction, standards flying, STARS Air Ambulance operations, and his decision to return to the RCAF after leaving military service.
Captain Troy Clarke shares incredible stories from his time flying the CH-149 Cormorant with 103 Search and Rescue Squadron, including North Atlantic rescues, fatigue lessons, operational pressure, and the realities of SAR flying.
Captain Troy Clarke shares his unconventional path into aviation, from growing up in rural Newfoundland to navigating early flight training struggles, 9/11’s impact on the industry, and joining the RCAF. After earning his wings on fast jets, a serious in-flight decompression incident forced him to rethink his career and ultimately transition to helicopters. This episode is all about persistence, setbacks, and finding your path in aviation.
After his time on the Sea King, Niels Olson moved into instructing at 3 CFFTS. In Part 3, he shares what it’s like teaching new pilots, working in Standards, and supporting wildfire operations during Op Lentus. From coaching students through complex flying to landing in smoke so thick it turns day into night, this episode shows a different side of military aviation.
For episode 100, we have RCAF Commander Lieutenant-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet on some early lessons learned from her career, modernization, global threats, and the future of Canada’s Air Force.
In Part 2 of this conversation, Captain Niels Olson takes us inside his first deployment as a CH-124 Sea King pilot with 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron - and the reality of life at sea that no one fully prepares you for. After completing his training, Niels went almost straight from the Operational Training Unit to deploying aboard HMCS Ottawa. Niels opens up about the moment he realized he might not want to be a maritime helicopter pilot at all, and how he realized he was right where he wante...
Captain Niels Olson didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a military pilot. In fact, while living next to CFB Chilliwack as a kid, he remembers watching soldiers train and thinking, “I’m never doing that.” In Part 1, we cover his early life, joining under CEOTP, the long training pipeline, and his first exposure to maritime helicopter operations before even starting flight training. Then we'll get into a high-level look at what life is like at sea with the CH-124 Sea King operating on Royal Canadi...
This week, inside project SEEDCORN: P-8 training, RAF operations, and the future of Canada’s long range patrol fleet. In Part 2, Matt and Dylan break down the P-8 Poseidon conversion process, RAF operations, and how SEEDCORN is preparing Canada for the future of long range patrol aviation. They also share real-world operational experiences and what it’s like flying from the UK near global hotspots.
In this episode, Capt Matt Chretien and Capt Dylan Gilje-Allan share their journey from early flight training to operational flying on the CP-140 Aurora, leading to their selection for SEEDCORN and transition to the P-8 Poseidon. They discuss flight training challenges, Aurora operations, deployments on Op NEON, and real-world intercepts in the Indo-Pacific.
In the final part of the MSC Baltic III series, Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson describe the dramatic rescue itself. After launching from Gander and racing toward the vessel in distress, the CH-149 Cormorant crew arrives on scene and begins the complex task of hoisting sailors from the stricken cargo ship in harsh winter conditions off Newfoundland. Pete explains the challenges of positioning the helicopter over a moving ship in turbulent conditions, while Greg takes listeners ...
In Part 2 of this three-part series on the MSC Baltic III rescue , we continue the conversation with Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson as they describe the moment the call came in and the race to launch from 103 Search and Rescue Squadron in Gander. They walk through the early stages of the mission - preparing the CH-149 Cormorant, coordinating the crew, and launching into challenging weather conditions off the coast of Newfoundland. This episode takes listeners inside the cockpi...
Before the dramatic MSC Baltic III rescue, years of training and experience prepared the crew. In Part 1, Major Pete Wright and Warrant Officer Greg Hudson share their paths into the RCAF SAR community and the lessons that shaped them. Pete discusses his path to becoming a CH-149 Cormorant pilot, flying with 103 Search and Rescue Squadron in Gander, and lessons learned from an exchange tour with the U.S. Coast Guard. Greg shares how his deployment to Afghanistan and years of specialized training...
In Part 2 of this series, Major Sam Behm shares what it was like to command the first Canadian CC-130J Hercules mission tasked with evacuating personnel during the 2021 Kabul Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation. She reflects on preparing her crew, making decisions under pressure, and leading in an environment defined by uncertainty and risk. Sam also speaks candidly about serving as the only female Hercules pilot in the RCAF for several years, the importance of mentorship through Elevate Aviation...
Major Sam Behm's path to the CC-130J Hercules wasn’t straightforward. As we mark International Women's Day and Women in Aviation Worldwide Week, Sam shares how she joined the Canadian Armed Forces under ROTP as a MARS Officer (now Naval Warfare Officer), and determinedly pursued a transfer to the Royal Canadian Air Force when the opportunity to become a pilot reopened. We walk through her flight training on the Grob in Portage la Prairie, the Harvard in Moose Jaw, and the King Air, as well as he...
Part two of our chat with Captain Rock Veilleux follows his evolution from recovery to instructor pilot, overseas flying, and ultimately search and rescue operations. It's a powerful story about adaptation, leadership, and staying passionate about aviation.
Captain Rock Veilleux shares how a passion for flying led to fast jets - and how a dramatic ejection forced him to rebuild both his career and confidence. A gripping Canadian military aviation story about resilience, identity, and staying in the fight.
In part 3 of 3, Major Ian Wookey concludes his Afghanistan story. He describes the execution of evacuation operations in Kabul, the pressure faced by aircrews and planners, and the emotional toll of operating in a collapsing environment. As the final flights departed, Ian reflects on the limits of military power, the people left behind, and how those final days continue to resonate long after leaving Afghanistan.
In part 2 of 3, Major Ian Wookey returns to continue his account of Afghanistan’s final days. He describes the shift from a controlled drawdown to the sudden collapse of Afghan security forces, the rapidly deteriorating situation in Kabul, and the mounting pressure on the small coalition force that remained behind.
In part 1 of a 3-part conversation on the fall of Afghanistan, Major Ian Wookey shares his first-hand account of the Afghanistan drawdown, from closing Kandahar Airfield to becoming the last Canadian on the ground.
Major Matt Neri returns for Part 2 to discuss the Outcast 903 accident, lessons learned, recovery, and leadership as CO of 103 SAR Squadron. He also shares how Mattfrom103 became an unexpected platform for education, transparency, and trust in the SAR community.
Major Matt Neri joins Bryan Morrison for Part 1 of a two-part interview exploring his career in Search and Rescue. Matt shares his early aviation influences, flight training experiences, and first operational tours on the CH-149 Cormorant. From earning his wings to coordinating SAR missions at JRCC Halifax, this episode offers an inside look at the realities of rescue flying and what it takes to lead the busiest SAR squadron in Canada.
In Part 2 of this Christmas special, Bryan continues his conversation with Captain Anthony Element-Malouin, a CC-130J Hercules pilot with 436 Transport Squadron, focusing on his operational career and leadership journey. Tony talks about returning to flying after being grounded, a demanding 2024 filled with major exercises, and deployments on Op Reassurance. The episode dives into large-scale training events like Battalion Mass Tactical Week, Storm Flag, and Red Flag, crew culture on deployment,...
In Part 1 of this two-part Christmas special, Bryan sits down with Captain Anthony Element-Malouin, a CC-130J Hercules pilot with 436 Transport Squadron, to explore his path from early inspiration to operational flying in the RCAF. The conversation dives into the realities of RCAF pilot training, including Phase 1 in Portage, the challenges of Phase 2 on the CT-156 Harvard II, air sickness, spin course, test anxiety, and the perseverance required to push through setbacks. Tony also reflects on e...
In Part 2 of our deep-dive with Capt John Livingston , we step directly into the world of operational Search and Rescue flying on the CH-149 Cormorant. After years of military flight training, John found himself at 442 Squadron in Comox-one of the busiest SAR units in the country-where the missions were real, the weather was unforgiving, and the learning curve was steep. John brings listeners into the cockpit and onto the hoist with stories that highlight the intensity, teamwork, and urgency of ...
In Part 1 of this two-episode feature, host Bryan Morrison sits down with Capt John Livingston , a CH-149 Cormorant Search and Rescue pilot whose journey to the RCAF was anything but straightforward. Born in Comox and inspired by a family legacy of military flying, John shares how varsity hockey, studies at UPEI, and the demanding environment of RMC’s mechanical engineering program shaped his path toward pilot training. John walks listeners through Phase 1 and Phase 2 flight training , overcomin...
In Part 2 of our conversation with USAF Tech Sgt. Anthony Dyer (Ret) , we revisit the 2018 combat rescue mission in East Africa that began in chaos - runaway weapons, jettisoned flares, and broken comms - and ended with a high-risk landing under fire to evacuate wounded teammates. Anthony reflects on the loss of an American operator that day, what the motto “These things we do, that others may live” means in the moments that matter, and how those events shaped him long after the mission was over...
In Part 1 of our conversation with USAF Tech Sgt. Anthony Dyer (Ret) , host Bryan Morrison explores Anthony’s journey from growing up in the Appalachian Mountains to serving as an aerial gunner on the legendary AC-130H Spectre gunship. Anthony walks us through his early Air Force years as an F-15E weapons loader, the impact of 9/11, his transition to firefighting, and the demanding pipeline that led him into special operations aviation. He shares what it’s like to fire a 105 mm cannon from the s...
In Part 2 of this Remembrance Day special, Major (Ret) Bob Wade - Cold War fighter pilot, instructor, and former CF-18 demo pilot - takes us into the jet age of the 1980s. Wade describes the transition from the CF-104 Starfighter to the CF-18 Hornet , his time shaping Canada’s early Hornet tactics, and the challenges of bringing a new fighter into service. He recalls intercepting Soviet bombers during Arctic NORAD alert operations and running forward deployments in the far North with 441 Squadro...
In this Remembrance Day special, Major (Ret) Bob Wade - a Cold War Snowbird, CF-104 Starfighter, and CF-18 pilot - recounts his remarkable beginnings in Canadian military aviation. From growing up west of Edmonton and being inspired by the Golden Hawks, to earning his wings in 1969 and instructing on the CT-114 Tutor at Moose Jaw, Bob describes the high-tempo jet-training world of the 1960s. He shares how the Snowbirds were born from a few instructors with a passion for formation flying and a su...
In Part 2, Ian Wookey takes us inside daily flying with 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron , sharing what it’s like to operate the CH-147F Chinook in challenging environments. He talks about crew coordination, tactical missions, mountain flying, and the training and experience required to upgrade from First Officer to Aircraft Commander in Canada’s heavy-lift helicopter community.
