The Pilot Project Podcast

• Episode 79: The Gunner: Life of a USAF Aerial Gunner and flying on the AC130H Spectre Gunship and the HH-60G PAVEHAWK Part 2 - Anthony Dyer

  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. He also opens up about the difficult transition out of the military, identity loss, drinking, confronting trauma, and how therapy, medication, and writing his memoir Moonchild helped him rebuild purpose as a husband, father, and storyteller. A raw and deeply human look at service, sacrifice, and healing.American Veteran's Crisis Line (24/7 confidential crisis support):Dial 988 then press 1 ORText 838255To contact Anthony for speaking engagements etc, you can reach him at [email protected] buy his book you can visit Barnes and Noble or Amazon at the following links (or simply Google "Moon Child Anthony Dyer for many options):https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/moon-child-anthony-dyer/1147103074https://www.amazon.ca/Moon-Child-Special-Missions-Aviator/dp/B0DZMXBHJ4

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• Episode 78: The Gunner: Life of a USAF Aerial Gunner and flying on the AC130H Spectre Gunship and the HH-60G PAVEHAWK Part 1 - Anthony Dyer

  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 sky, the pressure of close air support, his baptism of fire on his first combat mission, and how writing his memoir Moonchild helped him confront trauma and rebuild. A powerful, honest look at service, resilience, and life inside one of the most iconic aircraft in the world. American Veteran's Crisis Line (24/7 confidential crisis support):Dial 988 then press 1 ORText 838255To contact Anthony for speaking engagements etc, you can reach him at [email protected] To buy his book you can visit Barnes and Noble or Amazon at the following links (or simply Google "Moon Child Anthony Dyer for many options):https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/moon-child-anthony-dyer/1147103074https://www.amazon.ca/Moon-Child-Special-Missions-Aviator/dp/B0DZMXBHJ4

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• Episode 77: The Veteran Series: Cold War Remembrance and the famous flight in the MiG-29 Part 2 - Bob Wade

  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 Squadron. Then, Wade tells the incredible story of the day he became the first Western pilot to fly a Soviet MiG-29, after escorting the aircraft through Canadian airspace to the Abbotsford Airshow. With insight, humour, and humility, Wade reflects on Cold War flying, the changing technology of fighter aviation, and what remembrance means to those who served in uniform. 

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• Episode 76: The Veteran Series: Cold War Remembrance and the famous flight in the MiG-29 Part 1 - Bob Wade

  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 supportive base commander who defied orders to keep the team aloft. Along the way, he reflects on how military culture, mentorship, and sacrifice shaped his generation of RCAF aviators. 

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• Episode 75: The Tandem Rotor: Inside CH-147F Chinook Operations with 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron Part 2 – Ian Wookey

  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. 

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