Talking Flight

Mike Swanigan
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Alaska Airlines Captain Mike Swanigan interviews the interesting people he has met during his flying career.

  1. Episode 70: Alaska Airlines Captain and YouTube Creator Brendan ODonnell

    16/11/2025

    Episode 70: Alaska Airlines Captain and YouTube Creator Brendan ODonnell

    Akaska Airlines Captain and YouTube creator Brendan ODonnell joins us on Talking Flight to share his story of growing up in Oregon and pursuing his dream of becoming an airline pilot. His path ito aviation took several unexpected turns, but he stayed focused and never gave up. It all paid off, and today Brendan his living that dream, flying Boeing 737s for Alaska Airlines. Also, a video project that he started as a side gig to help with the family budget during the early part of his career has transformed into the popular YouTube series "The Pilot Life".

    57 min
  2. Episode 69: Captain Heidi Porch

    06/07/2025

    Episode 69: Captain Heidi Porch

    In this episode of Talking Flight, we sit down with retired Delta A330 Captain Heidi Porch. She began flying at 16 and quickly found herself ferrying small aircraft across the Pacific. One of those flights ended in a dramatic ocean ditching 500 miles off the coast of Hawaii — a harrowing experience she recounts in her gripping new book, Ditching the Sky. Captain Porch shares the highs and lows of her journey from teenage pilot to the left seat of a wide-body jet, and what it truly takes to succeed in the airline world.

    1h 27m
  3. Episode 68: Captain Tad Santino

    03/03/2025

    Episode 68: Captain Tad Santino

    Retired Captain Tad Santino joins us on this episode of Talking Flight. He shares the story of his journey from being a gate agent for a regional airline to becomming a Captain for Alaska Airlines. Tad had many adventures along the way and tells us how hard work, solid relationships, and a positive attitude provided the fuel for a fantastic career.

    1h 17m
  4. Episode 67: USAF Academy Cadet Jaylen Palmer

    18/10/2024

    Episode 67: USAF Academy Cadet Jaylen Palmer

    We're excited to have US Air Force Academy Cadet Jaylen Palmer on Talking Flight to share his journey to earning admission to the prestigious Service Academy. At just 20 years old, Jaylen is our youngest guest yet. His aviation career started early—before even graduating high school, he had already earned his Private Pilot's License, Instrument Rating, and Commercial Pilot's License. Jaylen's story is a testament to what a motivated and focused young person can achieve, with the added support of an amazing family! If you are a student who is interested in attending the Academy, Jaylen gives us some great advice on how to make it happen.

    48 min
  5. Episode 66: Podcaster and Corporate Pilot Captain Rick Jones

    23/09/2024

    Episode 66: Podcaster and Corporate Pilot Captain Rick Jones

    Mike Swanigan interviews Corporate Pilot and Podcaster Captain Rick Jones. Rick pilots a Dassault 7X jet for a private owner and is also the host of "The RMFJ Podcast", currently trending on Spotify and other podcast platforms.  Rick was a guest on a previous episode of Talking Flight. If you missed it, check out episode 27, where we dive deep into the early days of his career. In today's episode, Rick shares his journey toward his dream of flying for Alaska Airlines and the dedication it took to get there. However, the economic downturn of 2008 shifted his path, leading him to a second career, flying a private jet to destinations all over the world.

    53 min
  6. Episode 65: Mr. Dexter Cox, Author of "Dancing With The Devil, Memoirs of a Pilot"

    29/06/2024

    Episode 65: Mr. Dexter Cox, Author of "Dancing With The Devil, Memoirs of a Pilot"

    Dexter Cox is the author of one of my favorite aviation books. Dancing with the Devil is a wild ride chronicling Dexter's long career as a general aviation pilot. As a teenager entering the world of aviation, Dexter quickly realized the importance of learning from other people's and his own mistakes. That mentality helped him to survive several close calls in the air and on the ground. We shared a few great stories from his book, but there is much more to discover within its pages.

    1h 10m
  7. Episode 64: Captain Michael Rinehart

    01/06/2024

    Episode 64: Captain Michael Rinehart

    Retired Alaska Airlines Captain Michael Rinehart is our guest on today's edition of Talking Flight. We have a great conversation about his childhood as an "Airline Brat," including summers spent traveling with his dad, a Captain for Braniff International Airlines. Mike started college at UNLV on a golf scholarship but later transferred to Arizona State University to enroll in their aviation degree program. Michael shares his story of his rapid progression as a young pilot with Braniff Airlines, which unfortunately went out of business due to financial problems. After Braniff's collapse, Michael found a new opportunity with Alaska Airlines. At Alaska, Mike became well known for his efforts in the late 1980s to launch the airline's groundbreaking Crew Resource Management Program, helping it develop into a model that remains respected today throughout the industry.

    1h 8m
  8. Episode 63: Captain Joe Kohler

    27/04/2024

    Episode 63: Captain Joe Kohler

    Captain Joe Kohler is a former Naval Aviator who went to work for Northwest Airlines after leaving the U.S. Navy. Northwest Airlines later merged with Delta Airlines, where he finished his amazing flying career. We have a wide-ranging conversation with Joe where he tells us about Navy Aircraft Carrier Operations and his experiences as a commercial airline pilot flying both Boeing and Airbus Airliners.

    1h 12m
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About

Alaska Airlines Captain Mike Swanigan interviews the interesting people he has met during his flying career.

Information

  • Creator
    Mike Swanigan
  • Years Active
    2012 - 2025
  • Episodes
    69
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Talking Flight