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In this episode, I’m absolutely thrilled to welcome a Stuart McInally, whose story is as bold and inspiring as they come. At the highest level of professional sport, he stood not only as a world-class rugby player but also as a captain representing his country. He earned 49 caps for Scotland, captained the national team at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, and was a respected figure on fields across the globe. But rather than hanging up his rugby boots and settling for a quiet life, he chose to chase another dream - one that takes him from scrumming down in packed stadiums to cruising thousands of feet above the Earth. Having started flying years earlier, he made the courageous decision to retire from rugby, swap his rugby boots for flying boots and pursue a career as a commercial airline pilot. His story is a testament to pursuing what you love, no matter where you start. Follow @stuartthepilot on instagram! With thanks to  @edinburghrugby for the kind use of the introductory video. This episode is sponsored by Flight School Wingman. Expert support to help you achieve your dream of becoming a pilot. Learn more about their courses here https://flightschoolwingman.com/academy/becoming-a-commercial-pilot-courses Support the show and buy me a coffee - it helps to keep the episodes coming! Support the show

In this episode, we dive into the incredible story of Wings for Warriors, a charity giving wounded veterans a future worth fighting for—literally.  From one of our guests who survived a sniper attack in Afghanistan and found purpose in the cockpit, to another, who overcame the loss of a limb to achieve his dream of becoming a commercial pilot. From battlefield to flight deck, my two guests in this episode are proving that resilience, determination, and a second chance can take you to the skies. So, buckle up—this is one you don’t want to miss! Please consider donating to Wings for Warriors by clicking on this link: https://www.wings4warriors.org.uk/donate#:~:text=PayPal%20Donations,box%20on%20the%20PayPal%20page. Support the show

In this episode we welcome Lieutenant’s Michael Vivian and Scott Sunderland to the For Flying Out Loud podcast. They are two serving members of the Royal Navy, both serving as Fleet Air Arm pilots on the Wildcat helicopter. In 2024, these two pilots embarked upon a challenging but as you’ll learn, extremely rewarding journey to re-launch the display of the Wildcat Helicopter in an exhilarating pairs display season.  Unlike most other display teams,  the job of these isn’t to display for the public. It’s to teach the next generation of aviators to fly and fight the Wildcat Helicopter.  2024 saw the team awarded the Steedman Sword at RIAT for best British Display Team, beating the Red Arrows, Typhoon and Chinook Display teams of the RAF. The first time this had been won since the predecessors to the Black Cats, the Lynx pair in 2003. Support the show

Daniel Robinson is a former RAF fighter pilot who started his career flying the Tornado F3. One of Britain’s top fighter pilots, In 2006, recognised for his outstanding flying ability and natural flair for building effective teams, he was chosen as the first non-US citizen to fly the 5th Generation F22 Raptor for the US Air Force.   In 2006, a life-defining moment and intersection of time, education and experience combined with his passion for aviation saw him venture into a completely new realm at the very cutting edge of technology. A chance encounter.   In this episode it was a great pleasure to welcome Daniel Robinson, founder and CEO of Red 6. This episode is brought to you by SkyChaser Aviation Recruitment - finding you the perfect pilot for your operation. Learn more about them here https://www.skychaser.aero/ Content warning: This podcast episode contains discussions about suicide, which may be distressing to some individuals. Support the show

In August 2021 at just 19 years old, Zara Rutherford started on a journey to fly solo around the world in a Shark ultralight aircraft. In Jan 2022, 155 days later, this was completed. And in doing so, she broke the Guinness World Record for the youngest woman flying solo around the world and also reduced the gender gap of this record by 11 years between the current youngest male who was 18 and the previous female record holder who was 30. What an incredible achievement! Zara is also a published author and you can purchase Zara's book 'I Flew Around the World' here. Support the show

Lucy Silvester is a former cabin crew member who started her career in Monarch Airlines, before transitioning to recruitment, training and development with British Midland International and Heathrow Airport. For the last 10 years, she has been instrumental in the acquisition of talent in a range of specialist areas across the business for the globally recognised British Airways. In 2023 her natural flair for recruitment combined with her infectious character and ability to build effective teams, she successfully applied for the role of Pilot Recruitment Manager with British Airways. In one of the biggest recruitment drives in British Airways history, she has also played a fundamental role in the successful launch of the Speedbird Pilot Academy - the first time in many years since British Airways launched a fully funded cadetship scheme, giving the realistic option for anyone aged 18-55 to become a pilot.  Support the show

Aviation is such a great community of likeminded people, but some people just have that knack of bringing that community together in a way that is truly inspirational. I first came across today’s guest on instagram, drawn in by his infectious character, unique presenting style and his ability to make the ‘behind the scenes’ of an airport come to life for millions of people around the world. Mohammad Taher is a former engineer turned aerodrome systems specialist who has used his infectious enthusiasm for aviation and the aviation community to pivot his career. Now regarded as one of the best motivational speakers in the aviation sphere, he is also a TEDx speaker, skydiver and triathlete (Is this James Bond I hear you say?!) As of today, he has more than 152,000 followers on instagram and is rapidly gaining global recognition from airports, airlines and more. If you enjoy this episode, please consider showing your support at this link :)    Support the show

In 2023, British Airways launched the Speedbird Pilot Academy, the first time in many years since British Airways had launched a fully funded cadet scheme, giving the realistic option for anyone aged 18-55 to become a pilot. Remaining committed to further increasing diversity in the aviation industry, British Airways was determined to increase awareness and visibility to people from all backgrounds, not just those that can afford the initial training costs. What a fantastic opportunity this was! In this episode we speak to three of the successful Speedbird Pilot Academy applicants, all of which also share a passion for the sport of competitive gliding.  If you enjoy this episode, please consider showing your support at this link :)    Support the show

If you enjoy this episode, please consider showing your support at this link :)    Katherine Moloney is the Marketing Director of Transair Flight Equipment, an Aviation Ambassador for the Department for Transport two years running and a private pilot with helicopter and fixed wing licences. She also has an admirable following of more than 230,000 followers on Instagram and is founder of Elevate(her) Aviation. In this episode it’s a great pleasure to welcome Katherine Moloney to the For Flying Out Loud podcast! Visit this link to learn more about Elevate (Her)! Support the show

If you enjoy this episode, please consider showing your support at this link :)    Roger Cruickshank is a former Eurofighter Typhoon pilot who served in the Royal Air Force for 21 years, completing 2 front line tours. He has been deployed operationally all over the world, including Iraq, Syria and Baltic Air Policing out of Estonia and Romania. In 2017, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in the Operational Honours List for an act of bravery when he saved the lives of allied soldiers who were pinned down by Daesh fighters.   A former Olympian, he also competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics Downhill and Super G Alpine Skiing events, though (as we’ll discover), not without complication. After losing a close family member to suicide, he has been campaigning towards mental health awareness for over a decade and, in 2016, wrote a book called, “Speed of Sound, Sound of Mind”. Please consider supporting the fantastic charity that Roger now campaigns for - JET, The 'John Egging Trust' supporting young people achieve their aspirations. You can also purchase a copy of Roger's book, 'Speed of Sound, Sound of Mind' at this link with all proceeds going to the John Egging Trust.  Support the show

If you enjoy this episode, please consider showing your support at this link :)    Chris, or "Captain Chris"  is an International Airbus A330/A350 Training Captain and Examiner, having logged over 25,000 flying hours, flying for 6 different airlines in his 40 year career as a pilot. From humble beginnings in Melbourne Australia where he saved as a young boy for flying lessons, he qualified for his CPL at 19 and worked as an instructor and Aussie Bush Pilot flying anything and anywhere to gain precious flying hours to get his first airline position with Ansett Airlines in Australia from there his career took him all over the world with some very interesting adventures as we’ll soon find out. During the pandemic he began an instagram account to promote Aviation, encourage people to buy airline tickets and support all pilots, cabin crew and airline personnel with his daily posts of positivity. He now has over 330,000 Followers and is a true Aviation Ambassador.  Support the show

If you enjoy this episode, please consider showing your support at this link :)            Ben Murphy is a former Royal Air Force front line fighter pilot, who also served as leader of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows. Having hung up his fast jet flying boots and swapped them for a pair of high performance unlimited aerobatic flying shoes in 2013, in 2016 he took a massive leap of faith and entered the octane fuelled sport of air racing when he joined the thrilling world of the Red Bull Air Race in the “Challenger Cup”. In 2018 His performance saw him make a spectacularly rapid move into the Master Class of this elite sport. This year, he enters the new "Air Race" series - stay tuned! Support the show

If you enjoy this episode, please consider showing your support at this link :)            My guest and old friend in this interview developed a flying career after leaving the military, having completed multiple high intensity tours in conflict zones such as Afghanistan and Bosnia with an elite army unit. In his two fascinating ‘working’ roles today he has an unparalleled view out of the front windows, as a North Sea helicopter Captain flying for Bristow Norway and his work as a mountain rescue medic in the Scottish Cairngorms. We’ll be discussing Si's journey through his military career, to his flight training and dual careers of flying and mountain rescue. I’m personally blown away by the skills, the passion, the drive and the resilience that enabled him to succeed and also the fascinating philosophy cross-overs from aviation to the medical world.  Support the show

If you enjoy this episode, please consider showing your support at this link :)      Richard Browning is a former oil trader and Royal Marines reservist who, over the period of several years, created a concept that would enable us to break the bonds of Gravity without the need for wings to take us into the realm usually reserved only for birds and aircraft. It’s certainly been a journey of ups (and downs) but as far as an inspirational journey to turn a dream into reality goes, it doesn’t get much better than this! Today, it is a huge pleasure and extremely exciting to welcome the real life Iron Man to the podcast, who has gained global notoriety and the interest of some of the worlds leading industries, marketeers and even the military with his awesome concept. Support the show

If you enjoy this episode, please consider showing your support at this link :)            He is one of the best known aviation personalities out there, a journalist, broadcaster and author of 16 acclaimed books including the book that set me on the path to achieving my dream - “Tornado Down”. He has just released his latest book “Tornado - In The Eye Of The Storm”, an incredibly emotional account featuring the men and women, both military and non-military, caught in that storm. Hit  by enemy fire on day one of Operation Desert Storm and having ejected over the Iraqi desert and been captured by Iraqi troops, in this episode it is a pleasure to welcome former Royal Air Force Tornado Navigator, John Nichol to For Flying Out Loud. Support the show