First Class Leaders Podcast

kyle856
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Self-Improvement

Leadership isn't a title, a rank or a position. It's a mindset and a choice.  This podcast about what leadership should look like when the pressure is on, hosted by Kyle Freiburger, a former Air Canada Airbus 320 captain with over 10,000 hours in the cockpit. Every week Kyle sits down with pilots, aviation professionals and leaders from outside the industry to talk about the part most people skip. Not the highlight reel, but what they struggled with, what they got wrong and how choosing to take the lead changed the way they show up. You'll hear honest conversations about reacting out of fear instead of leading with intention, about the gap between what we intend and the impact we actually have and about the daily choices that separate people who wait for permission from people who take responsibility for how they show up. No gurus and no formulas for a perfect career. Just real stories, practical tools and a simple question worth asking on your worst day. How can I take the lead right now? New episodes weekly. Are you ready to take the lead?

Episodes

  1. 3d ago

    The Inner Operating System: Why High Achievers Still Feel Stuck - Michael Sferrazza - #04

    What if the reason you feel stuck is not your job, your résumé, or your circumstances — but the beliefs running your decisions? In this episode, Kyle and Mike Sferrazza explore why real success is not external at all, and why the fastest way forward starts with one uncomfortable question: what if the thing holding you back is your own inner operating system? Mike Sferrazza is a corporate pilot and ICF certified coach who spent years in a career that checked every box while something underneath it stayed unsettled. By every outside measure, he had made it, a stable career and the kind of job most people would call a dream. Yet after landing flights, he would feel nothing at all: not bad, just quiet in a way that unsettled him more than any rough day ever did. Rebuilding from there taught him something that took years to accept: clarity is only part of the problem, and willingness is the other. Today, Mike walks alongside high achievers as they get honest about what they actually want, name what staying stuck is costing them, and finally act on it. He coaches people who look successful from the outside but feel quietly stuck underneath it, helping them close the gap between knowing what they want and being willing to go after it. In this conversation, Kyle and Mike unpack: Why success becomes more powerful when it is under your control How beliefs shape behavior, identity, and outcomes Why technical skill can get you in the door, but internal skill gets you hired How blame and justification quietly sabotage growth Why leadership is the missing training most pilots and high performers never receive If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” but still not getting the outcomes you want, this episode will give you a sharper mirror and a clearer path forward. Perfect for pilots, high achievers, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to build a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside.

  2. Aug 18

    Why EQ Matters More than Technical Skills - Erika Armstrong - #03

    Why do so many pilots quit, clamp up, or spiral the moment the cockpit gets difficult? Erica Armstrong says the real issue is not aviation skill - it is emotional intelligence, self-leadership, and the ability to stay steady when a crew member, instructor, or captain turns toxic. With 35 years in aviation, Erica traces the lessons behind her book A Chick in the Cockpit and reveals how thick skin, boundaries, and a new mindset can change everything from training outcomes to hiring decisions. If you are a pilot, instructor, leader, or anyone who has ever been blamed, dismissed, or underestimated, this conversation hits hard in the best way. You’ll hear how Erica went from the front desk of an FBO to flying air ambulance, the 727, and business aviation, and why the toughest part of the job is often not the aircraft - it is the people. She shares what discrimination and harassment taught her, why some pilots need help long before captain upgrade, and how the industry’s obsession with “knowing everything” can actually make crews less safe. We break down: Why emotional intelligence matters more than raw knowledge in modern aviation How blame, tunnel vision, and defensiveness wreck judgment in the cockpit The difference between leadership and just trying to “deal with” difficult people Why boundaries are a leadership skill, not a weakness How flight instructors shape careers, culture, and confidence far beyond initial training Erica also tells two unforgettable stories that show what happens when hidden beliefs get exposed - one with a skeptical 727 flight engineer, and another with a boss who assumed clients would not accept a woman pilot. Both moments reveal the same truth: change starts when you stop reacting and start leading. This episode is a must-listen if you are trying to build better crews, stronger training, or a tougher mindset without losing your humanity. Powerful, practical, and brutally honest - this is leadership training every pilot should hear.

  3. Aug 11

    Why Great Pilots Still Fail When Leadership Is Missing - #02

    Most leadership problems are not knowledge problems. They are threat problems. Kyle Freiburger reveals the simple mindset shift that stops blame, breaks the stress loop, and helps you lead under pressure - in the cockpit, at work, and in life. Kyle, a former airline captain with 10,000+ flight hours, shares the personal story behind First Class Leaders and the moment everything changed: after years of success on paper, therapy, coaching, and hard self-reflection helped him see that his stress, frustration, and relationships were being shaped by an unconscious pattern of blame and justification. From there, he built the Take the Lead framework to close the gap between intention and impact. You'll discover: Why good people still “land wrong” with others even when their intentions are solid How the brain’s survival wiring turns criticism, conflict, and pressure into a threat response The difference between blame and ownership, and why one keeps you stuck Why leadership is less about title or rank and more about choosing curiosity, humility, support, and courage How aviation incidents can happen even when pilots know the procedures, but lose the ability to think clearly under stress Kyle also breaks down real cockpit examples, from difficult captains to an airline operator dealing with repeated incidents, to show why more SOPs and more training are not enough when people are trapped in autopilot mode. The solution is not just technical skill - it is learning to interrupt the loop before it takes over. This episode is for pilots, leaders, high performers, and anyone who feels their mood, confidence, or relationships get hijacked by the people around them. If you have ever thought, “My intentions were good, but it didn’t come out that way,” this conversation will hit home. The big idea is simple: stop asking, “Why is this happening to me?” and start asking, “How can I take the lead?” That one question can change how you think, how you respond, and how you show up when it matters most. Perfect for anyone who wants to lead better, stress less, and build the kind of influence that actually lasts.

  4. Aug 1

    The Biggest Threat to Aviation: Why Blame Is Destroying Our Cockpits - Mike Svarazza - #01

    In this inaugural episode of the First Class Leaders podcast, host Kyle Freiberger and co-host Mike Svarazza challenge the status quo of modern aviation training. While airlines invest millions in technical competency, they're missing the real crisis: the human factor. Kyle and Mike expose blame as aviation's greatest threat—and explain why it's hiding in plain sight. From intent versus impact miscommunications to the moment you perceive someone as a threat and shut down, discover how our brains are literally wired to sabotage effective leadership if we're not intentional. Through real-world cockpit stories and honest conversation, learn how to interrupt threat responses, take ownership of your communication impact, and transform challenging crew dynamics into leadership opportunities. Because the solution isn't more technology or CRM training—it's understanding yourself and the humans sitting beside you. Perfect for pilots, aviation professionals, and anyone ready to break the patterns that keep repeating.

  • 4 Episodes

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About

Leadership isn't a title, a rank or a position. It's a mindset and a choice.  This podcast about what leadership should look like when the pressure is on, hosted by Kyle Freiburger, a former Air Canada Airbus 320 captain with over 10,000 hours in the cockpit. Every week Kyle sits down with pilots, aviation professionals and leaders from outside the industry to talk about the part most people skip. Not the highlight reel, but what they struggled with, what they got wrong and how choosing to take the lead changed the way they show up. You'll hear honest conversations about reacting out of fear instead of leading with intention, about the gap between what we intend and the impact we actually have and about the daily choices that separate people who wait for permission from people who take responsibility for how they show up. No gurus and no formulas for a perfect career. Just real stories, practical tools and a simple question worth asking on your worst day. How can I take the lead right now? New episodes weekly. Are you ready to take the lead?

Information

  • Creator
    kyle856
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    4
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    First Class Leaders Podcast