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How does a massive airliner with hundreds of people onboard simply vanish off the face of the Earth? As we approach 2026, the disappearance of MH370 remains the greatest aviation mystery of our time. In this episode, I sit down with aviation investigative journalist Jeff Wise to separate fact from fiction.

Jeff Wise (@Jeff_Wise ) has spent over a decade deep in the data, appearing in documentaries and writing the definitive books on this mystery. But today, we’re looking at this from the perspective of the cockpit. In this episode, Jeff joins John "Rain" Waters, a current 777 pilot and former Air Force fighter pilot.

We dive into the "impossible" shutdowns of the transponder and ADS-B, the vulnerability of the E/E (electronics) bay hatch in the cabin floor, and the precision required to fly through radar shadows undetected. Jeff breaks down his theory on the Kazakhstan route, while we analyze the latest 2026 search efforts by Ocean Infinity to finally locate the wreckage. This isn’t just about theories; it’s about the technical reality of what it takes to "disappear" a Boeing 777.

Jeff's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCKYproxqiM217g8f4LFwLzQ
Jeff's website: https://www.jeffwise.net/

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Recorded on Riverside.fm https://www.riverside.fm/?via=afterburn
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Key Discussion Points:

Intentionality in the Cockpit: Waters explains that in the civilian airliner world, you aren't pulling circuit breakers or turning off ADS-B unless it is a highly calculated, intentional process.

The E/E Bay Vulnerability: A critical part of the conversation focuses on the "E/E Bay" (electronics bay), accessible via a floor hatch in the 777 cabin. This area allows access to the plane's "brains," potentially bypassing cockpit controls.

Navigating the Gaps: The duo discusses the "state-actor level" precision required to fly between radar coverage gaps in regions like Western China or Southeast Asia.

The 2026 Search: Why Ocean Infinity is returning to the Southern Indian Ocean and how new technology might finally locate the wreckage
How is the MH370 investigation changing in 2026?

Is it possible to control a Boeing 777 from the avionics bay?

Why did MH370 fly for hours after losing communication?

00:00 – Intro: The mystery of MH370 as we approach 2026.
05:31 – Search Tech: Assessment of new technology and heavy investments in the search.
10:46 – Search Area: Recap of why teams are searching the current area based on fuel and heading.
12:49 – Pilot’s Perspective: Why manual system shutdowns are highly abnormal in a 777.
16:11 – Technical Knowledge: What average pilots don't know about the plane's deeper systems and circuit breakers.
22:50 – Fuel Logic: Assumptions regarding why the search remains focused on the ocean west of Perth.
35:32 – Outside the Cockpit: Exploring the theory of controlling the 777 from the electronics bay.
46:02 – Radar Gaps: Navigating state-actor level requirements and shooting between radar coverage gaps.
51:17 – Narrative Control: Comparison to recent aviation mishaps and the manipulation of fuel cutoff valves
01:13:33 – The E/E Bay: Physical access to the avionics bay via the floor hatch in the cabin.
01:35:45 – New Search: Final assessment of the upcoming 2026 search efforts and new technology.

Colonel Peterburs is a highly decorated, retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and legendary P-51 Mustang fighter pilot whose extraordinary service spans three wars. During WWII, serving with the 20th Fighter Group, 55th Fighter Squadron, he achieved the remarkable feat of shooting down German jet ace Walter Schuck in aerial combat.

Later shot down himself, Col. Peterburs was captured and became a prisoner of war—only to orchestrate a daring escape. After linking up with Russian forces, he fought alongside them until V.E. Day. His distinguished career continued through the Korean and Vietnam Wars, cementing his legacy as a true hero of the Greatest Generation.

Recently celebrated at his 100th birthday, Col. Peterburs' story is one of courage, resilience, and unwavering service to his country.

In 1945, Lt. Col. Joe Peterburs flew his final mission over Europe. His wingman, Lt. Kenneth Pettit, never made it home. Eighty years later, Joe is returning to England to honor Kenneth and the men of the 20th Fighter Group with a permanent memorial at their former base.
This Afterburn episode tells their story of courage, loss, and brotherhood and a promise that even time can’t erase. Their mission isn’t over. Listen now and help carry it forward: gofund.me/57e9ed76


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Recorded on Riverside.fm https://www.riverside.fm/?via=afterburn
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Join John 'Rain' Waters, former Air Force fighter pilot, on The Afterburn Podcast as he details a harrowing ww2 dogfight. Experience the intensity of a pilot engaging in close air combat against a focke wulf 190, specifically a fw 190 a8. This aviation story puts you right in the cockpit.

In this Bro Chat episode, the guys dive deep into the realities of modern fighter pilot life in the Guard and Reserve, from the brutal competition of hiring boards to DSG vs. AGR career paths, fitness test changes, and the unexpected challenges of keeping squadrons manned. They also break down the strange trade-offs behind the F-15EX, legacy parts, radar limitations, and what the future holds for the next generation of Vipers, Eagles, and F-35 drivers. It’s an honest look at pilot culture, jet upgrades, leadership quirks, and the everyday frustrations (and humor) of military aviation today. Whether you're trying to get hired, in UPT, or just love fighter pilot talk, this episode brings real insight straight from inside the squadron

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Recorded on Riverside.fm https://www.riverside.fm/?via=afterburn
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What does it take to get hired flying fighters in the Air National Guard?

How do Guard and Reserve pilots choose between AGR and DSG careers?

Why is fighter pilot recruiting so competitive right now?

What issues are pilots seeing with the F-15EX and legacy jet parts?

How are fitness test changes affecting Guard and Reserve pilots?

00:00 Cold Open – Pilot Banter & Weather Complaints
00:21 Welcome to Bro Chat
02:26 How Fighter Pilot Hiring Boards Really Work
03:13 Guard & Reserve: Who Actually Makes the Cut?
05:07 Retention Problems & Super-Qualified Candidates Leaving Early
06:46 Guard Manpower Shift: Full-Time vs Part-Time Reality
08:23 Career Crossroads: ART / AGR / DSG Decisions
13:09 Balancing Airlines, Guard Life & Returning to Full-Time
14:47 Guard Funding Woes & Getting Paid (Eventually)
17:30 New Fitness Test Mandates & Unintended Consequences
22:13 Fitness Decline in the New Generation of Military Members
24:05 Why Hiring Good Fighter Pilots Is Getting Harder
26:03 What Makes a Great Guard Fighter Pilot Candidate: Character, Grit & “Good Dude Factor”
28:06 Why You Should Rush Multiple Units
33:18 Pro Recs, Networking & Community Word-of-Mouth
38:50 Boldface vs Non-Boldface – Memory Items That Matter
39:20 Jet Differences: Eagle vs Viper Emergencies & Engine-Out Talk
52:24 Media Flights, Demo Pressure & Looking Good on Camera
54:13 Accidental Ejection Story & Taxi of Shame
58:30 Parenting While Flying: Still Waking Up All Night
01:01:02 Instructor Pilot Upgrade Struggles & Tactical Confusion
01:04:03 Advanced BVR Tactics: New Axis Grind & Weighted Walls
01:06:45 Slow IP Progression in the Guard & Losing the Flow
01:07:18 F-15EX Problems: Refurb Parts, Radar & Cost Cutting
01:14:46 Radar Range vs Missile Range Gap
01:18:31 Upcoming Exercises & F-35 Integration
01:22:50 Closing

Colonel (Ret) Rob “Trip” Raymond sits down with Flash McVay for one of the most wide ranging fighter pilot interviews ever captured on The Afterburn Podcast. Trip is known across the fighter community for his combat time in the F-16, his leadership as a weapons officer and commander, and, of course, his role in the legendary fighter pilot band Dos Gringos.

Become an owner in Winglore Spirits.
Invest and join the Squadron here:
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Use promo code AFTERBURN2025 for 10 percent off your whiskey order.

This episode covers Trip’s entire journey. Growing up with no military background. Falling into Air Force ROTC by accident. Earning an F 16 out of ENJJPT. Flying combat missions in Operation Southern Watch and the opening nights of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Surviving triple turns, SAM launches, AAA, Mop 4 step times, and the chaos of the early GWOT.

Flash and Trip break down the real story of early 2000s Viper tactics, the shift from Lantern to Sniper, the first generations of data link, and why young fighter pilots today face even more complex demands than those who flew in Iraq and Kosovo. Trip talks about his path to the F 16 Weapons School, the pressure of being a patch, running tactics at Shaw, and leading the 80th Fighter Squadron “Juvats” at Kunsan.

Trip also shares the inside story of Dos Gringos, how the band actually started in Cannon AFB dorm rooms, the deployment that inspired “I’m a Pilot,” why fighter pilot culture needed humor, and what happened during the Shaggy era.

The episode closes with Trip’s next chapter: Winglore Spirits. A veteran built whiskey company grounded in the same culture, community, and camaraderie that shaped his career. You can support Trip directly below.

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Recorded on Riverside.fm https://www.riverside.fm/?via=afterburn
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Support The Afterburn Podcast for on Patreon and gain early access and AD Free episodes. Plus access to “There I was…” stories. https://www.patreon.com/theafterburnpodcast
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Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rainwaters27/?hl=enS
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Dive into the phenomenal 35-year aviation career of Greg Hansen (USNA '82), a former F-14 Tomcat pilot, Topgun student, and legendary Topgun instructor, who finished his career as a FedEx 777 Captain.

In this full-length episode, Greg shares unbelievable, high-stakes stories from the height of the Cold War and his time flying with the US Navy's best.
- Topgun Inside Track: Learn what it was like to be a "stash Ensign" at Topgun right out of the Naval Academy, getting an early look at the world's elite fighter tactics.
- Constant Peg: Hear the full story of flying against live Soviet MiGs (MiG-23 Flogger & MiG-21) at the secret Constant Peg program and the incredible small-world reunion that happened years later.
- The SU-15 Intercept: Greg recounts being scrambled in his F-14 off the USS Ranger in the Sea of Japan to intercept a Soviet SU-15 Flagon, narrowly avoiding an international incident.
- Carrier Night Ops Disaster: The heart-stopping story of a catastrophic night carrier landing pattern, an EMCON transit (limited electronic emissions), and the near mid-air collision in the landing groove that confirmed the mantra: "The boat is trying to kill you."

F-14 vs. A-4: A technical comparison of the A-4 Skyhawk and the F-14A Tomcat behind the boat, and how he learned to fly the challenging TF-30 engines.
FedEx & The F-16: Greg discusses his transition to the FedEx 747, the eye-opening flight into Kuwait City post-Gulf War (flying through oil haze), and his short but intense stint flying the F-16 in the Michigan Air National Guard.


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Recorded on Riverside.fm https://www.riverside.fm/?via=afterburn
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Support The Afterburn Podcast for on Patreon and gain early access and AD Free episodes. Plus access to “There I was…” stories. https://www.patreon.com/theafterburnpodcast
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0:00 The SU-15 Flagon Intercept (Intro Snippet)
2:05 The Last Flight: Retiring from FedEx
4:54 Catching the Aviation Bug in Minneapolis
8:17 The F-101 Voodoo That Set the Hook
10:20 Small World: Daughter Flies with the 'Triple Nickel'
12:56 US Naval Academy and Choosing Navy over Marines
17:44 Marine Corps Cruise & F-4 Phantom Ride
19:37 "The Boat is Not For Me": Live Fire Exercise
24:32 Topgun as a Stash Ensign (O-1)
26:39 Flying Adversary F-5s & A-4s
29:01 Meeting MiG-25 Pilot Victor Belenko
32:20 Pilot Training & Carrier Quals (T-34/T-2/A-4)
35:05 Advanced Jet Training in Kingsville, Texas
36:41 Carrier Quals (CQ) Without a Carrier
40:05 Backseat Cat Shot Trauma on the A-4
42:48 The Moment Carrier Landings "Clicked"
45:09 F-14 Tomcat vs. A-4 Skyhawk on the Boat
50:00 Learning the F-14 Tomcat (FRS)
52:24 The "Extra Set of Eyeballs" (RIO)
57:19 Going to Topgun as a Junior Student
58:14 The Constant Peg MiG-23 Fight
59:15 The Z-Man Reunion (Small World Story)
1:03:42 The EMCOM Pacific Transit
1:04:46 The SU-15 Flagon Intercept (Full Story)
1:13:50 Night EMCOM Landing Pattern Disaster
1:18:13 Near Mid-Air with VF-1 Tomcat in the Groove
1:20:49 The Day VFR Overhead Break Competition
1:26:29 LSO "Mobilis" for Heavy Sea State
1:30:43 Words of Wisdom: "Don't Make It Two in a Row"
1:33:33 Flying without a HUD on the Cessna 182

In this episode 140 of The Afterburn Podcast, Rain sits down with retired US Marine Corps fighter pilot and Echelon Front leadership instructor Dave "Chip" Berke — the only Marine ever to fly the USAF F-22 and the first to operationally fly the F-35B. From deployment on the USS John C. Stennis and TOPGUN instructor duty, to commanding the Marines’ first F-35B squadron and now helping build high-performing teams at Echelon Front, "Chip "brings unique stories and hard-earned leadership lessons.

Find "The Need to Lead" here: https://amzn.to/4nlA67m

We dive into:
• What it’s really like launching off a carrier in an F/A-18 and transitioning into the F-35B
• Why failure and ego-checks are the fuel for great leadership
• The parallels between life in the cockpit and running business teams
• How the concept of “extreme ownership” plays out in combat and corporate environments

Whether you’re a pilot, team leader, entrepreneur or anyone who wants to level up your influence and impact — this one’s for you.

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/davidrberke
Website (Echelon Front): https://echelonfront.com/instructors/dave-berke/
EchelonFront.com
"The Need to Lead" https://amzn.to/47hBQsw
——

#fighterpilot #leadership #TopGun #F35 #ChipBerke #AfterburnPodcast #militarytobusiness

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“The Need to Lead” by Dave “Chip” Berke, with a contribution by Jocko Willink, explores what it truly means to lead under pressure — in combat, business, and life. Drawing on Berke’s rare experience flying the F-18, F-16, F-22, and F-35B, the book distills the lessons learned from two decades of military service and years teaching leadership at Echelon Front.

From the cockpits of the world’s most advanced fighter jets to the classrooms where he now trains corporate teams, Berke breaks down how humility, accountability, and decisiveness shape effective leaders. His stories reveal how ego can sabotage performance and how embracing failure, listening, and empowering others are the real markers of command.

It’s a brutally honest and deeply practical field guide to leadership — whether you’re leading a flight, a team, or a family.

00:00 Intro – Marine Aviation’s Naval Roots
01:27 F/A-18 vs the F-16: Which is better?
07:54 F-35 Variants Explained: B vs C and the Mission Differences
11:47 The First GPS-Guided JDAM Combat Mission
19:25 Adapting to Chaos – Lessons in Flexibility and Uncertainty
23:01 Inside Carrier Operations – What It’s Really Like at Sea
30:36 Developing Tactical Leadership in Fighter Squadrons
35:20 Leadership Lessons from a Raptor Pilot
41:56 The Only Marine to Fly Both the F-22 Raptor and F-35B Lightning II
47:00 Building the First F-35B Squadron – Starting Fresh with Proven Minds
49:49 F-22 HUD to F-35 Helmet: Adapting to Next-Gen Tech
55:45 Ego, Humility, and the Open-Minded Fighter Pilot
01:03:01 Becoming a TOPGUN Instructor – What It Really Takes
01:04:22 The Role of a Marine Forward Air Controller (FAC) in Combat
01:14:00 Returning Home – The Hidden Burdens of Combat
01:14:55 When the War Follows You Home
01:23:24 How Combat and Command Change a Marriage
01:26:00 The Toll of High-Stress Environments on Pilots and Families
01:30:54 Ego: The Biggest Threat to Leadership