Lessons From The Cockpit

About Lessons From The Cockpit

The Lessons from the Cockpit Show sits down with standout pilots, dedicated aircrew, skilled maintainers, and passionate aviation buffs from different parts of the world. Our focus is on the lessons drawn from their diverse experiences in military, commercial, and general aviation. You're tuning into firsthand accounts, raw and unfiltered, many stories have never been spoken beyond the confines of a cockpit or a debrief room. For our guests this isn't just about sharing; it's a chance to truly be heard, find healing lessons, gain perspective and closure to the sometimes extreme and extraordinary events that have shaped their lives. It's all about the takeaways - the critical thinking nuggets that can shape how we tackle any challenge we face in life. So, buckle up, grab an adult beverage of your choice, and join me as we embark on another episode of the Lessons From The Cockpit Show.

Publisher

Mark Hasara

Category

history · leisure

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

2 Sept 2021

Latest episode

3 May 2026

Latest episodes

98 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   3 May 2026

   Episode #119: KC-135 Stratotanker Down in Operation Epic Fury

   🎙️ Episode 119 – When Tankers Collide: A Hard Day for the KC-135 Community. Welcome to Episode 119 of the Lessons from the Cockpit podcast. I'm your host, Mark Hasara — retired Air Force KC-135 pilot, Weapons Officer, and a veteran of four wars. For over 60 years, aviation has been my passion. I spent my career flying the KC-135 Stratotanker around the world, supporting combat missions and doing the job most people never see: Passing gas to airplanes in the middle of the night… in the middle of a war. If you're watching the news about air operations around Iran, what you're seeing today was once my mission. But I'm posting this episode with a heavy heart. Two KC-135s operating from Ben Gurion International Airport were involved in what early reports say was a mid-air collision during a routine night mission. One tanker made it back to base with massive damage—half of its vertical tail gone. The other aircraft crashed in the western desert near Ar Rutbah, Iraq. The wreckage has been found. All six crew members onboard are confirmed no longer with us. When news like this breaks in the tanker community, the phones start ringing. The texts and emails come in from pilots, crew chiefs, and aviation fans around the world. It's VERY rare for a KC-135 goes down during refueling missions. But when one does, everyone asks two questions: What do KC-135 tankers actually do? And how could two tankers collide in what people call "friendly airspace"? In this episode, I break it down in plain language. I'll walk you through how air refueling missions work, what tanker crews deal with every night in combat zones, and my professional thoughts on what may have happened during this mission in Operation Epic Fury. Air wars run on fuel. And the crews who fly those missions — and sometimes die doing them — deserve to have their stories told. If you love aviation, military flying, and the real stories behind the headlines, this episode will give you a look inside a world very few people understand. Hundreds of aircraft flying in a small area consuming ten to fifteen million pounds of fuel in a single day. A🛩️ Sponsor Highlight – Wall Pilot Aviation Art Support for this show comes from Wall Pilot—your source for high-quality vinyl aircraft profile art. Choose from over 160 ready-to-print designs or get your own jet custom-drawn with your name on the canopy, accurate loadout, and unit markings. Perfect for your home, office, squadron walls, or hangar—these 4, 6, and 8-foot aircraft prints bring history to life. 🎯 Custom profiles: https://wallpilot.com/custom-planes 🎖️ Join the All Ranks Club on Patreon Want behind-the-scenes access to this kind of high-level content? Join the All Ranks Club on Patreon and unlock: 🎙️ Group Q&A sessions 🧭 Private Zoom calls with me 🍺 Virtual Bar Nights—aviation stories, war updates, and real talk ✈️ Monthly 7-inch aircraft profile stickers—exclusive collector's series! 🔗 Join the squadron here: https://www.patreon.com/c/lessonsfromthecockpit/membership 🎁 Gift a membership to the aviation nut in your life: https://www.patreon.com/lessonsfromthecockpit/gift This type of massive operation cannot happen without the airborne gas stations. I talk a lot about tankers and air refueling, because the truth is simple: Nobody Kicks Ass Without Tanker Gas… NOBODY! ✈️

2. 

   3 May 2026

   Episode #120: Rob "Z-Man" Zettel, the American MiG Pilot

   🚨 SECRET MiGs tangling in Area 51? This is how we learned to win.  Realistic training with incredible results on the battlefield! Welcome to Episode 120 of the Lessons from the Cockpit Show! I'm your host, Mark Hasara—retired Air Force KC-135 Weapons Officer—and for over 60 years, I've lived and breathed aviation. This episode pulls back the curtain on one of the most top-secret units in Air Force history. Why is the U.S. the 500-pound gorilla in air-to-air combat? Very few nations want to tangle with the buzzsaw created by American air superiority aircraft, their pilots, and our tactics and techniques. Simple: we train harder and smarter than anyone else. And in the 1980s, that meant flying against the real thing—Soviet MiGs—inside a classified program at Area 51. And recent aviation photographers have captured what might be the rebirth of this training and education program. My guest, Rob "Z-Man" Zettel, was one of the few pilots selected for the 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron—the Red Eagles. These guys and gals flew and maintained MiG-17s, MiG-21s, and MiG-23s to teach American pilots how to beat them in combat. And the program had a cool nickname: CONSTANT PEG! Z-Man walks us through: - How pilots were secretly selected for the Red Eagles - What it's like to fly a MiG with totally different systems - The tactics that gave U.S. pilots the edge in real wars - And one hilarious taxi story you will not believe Bottom line: This is the inside story of how we trained to win—and why we still do. The story of CONSTANT PEG and the Red Eagle MiG Squadron. 📘 Get the Book – American MiG Pilot Z-Man's book, in my opinion, is one of those rare reads that puts you in the cockpit and the briefing rooms. The dialogue in the book is fascinating because you are reading the special language of the fighter pilot, mixing it up at 20,000 feet! Want the full story? Grab your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=american+mig+pilot 🛩️ Episode Sponsor – Wall Pilot This episode is powered by Wall Pilot, custom aviation art you can stick anywhere. Get stunning 4, 6, or 8-foot vinyl aircraft profiles for your home, office, or hangar. Choose from 158+ aircraft—or design your own with your name, unit, and loadout. 👉 https://wallpilot.com Preserving aviation history… one aircraft at a time. 🎖️ Join the All Ranks Club (Patreon) If you like real aviation stories, this is where you go deeper. Join the crew and help keep the show flying: 👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/lessonsfromthecockpit/membership 🎧 What you get: Live Q&A sessions One-on-one Zoom calls with me Virtual Bar Nights with aviators Monthly 7-inch aircraft stickers Early access to episodes and designs 🎁 Gift a membership: https://www.patreon.com/lessonsfromthecockpit/gift 💸 Fuel the Mission Want to support the show directly? ✈️ Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/Mark-Hasara ✈️ Zelle: mark@markhasara.com Every dollar helps keep these stories alive. 📲 Follow for More Aviation Content: ▶️ YouTube: @markhasara 📷 Instagram: @markhasara 🎬 TikTok: @markhasara This is one of the most unique episodes I've ever done. Real jets. Real adversaries. Real lessons. Air Superiority! Thanks for flying with us. And thanks Z-Man for being a guest of the show! And remember… Nobody Kicks Ass Without Tanker Gas… NOBODY!

3. 

   2 Aug 2025

   Episode #113: Strategy and Tactics for the Surge with Joe Katuzeinski

   🎙️ Episode #113 (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/113) – Lessons from the Cockpit Welcome to another mission-ready episode of the Lessons from the Cockpit show! I’m your host Lt. Col. Mark Hasara, retired Air Force KC-135 pilot, Weapons School graduate, and aviation fanatic for over 60 years. Strap in for this one—because we’re bringing serious airpower experience to the table. Joining me today is one of the smartest Air Force officers I’ve ever worked with—Lt. Col. Joe “TAZZ” Katuzeinski. He and I go way back to our Weapons and Tactics days at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa in the '90s. Since then, TAZZ has led combat operations from the heart of Iraq to the highest levels of campaign planning. TAZZ served as the Operations Support Squadron Commander at Baghdad International Airport in 2006 and returned in 2008 as a strategist for the Surge and its air campaign, helping dismantle terror networks and put major pressure on insurgents and Hezbollah operatives backed by Iran’s Qassem Soleimani. These stories aren’t just historic—they’re tactical gold. This is air campaign planning at its highest level—and it’s all in this episode. 🛩️ Sponsor Highlight – Wall Pilot Aviation Art Support for this show comes from Wall Pilot—your source for high-quality vinyl aircraft profile art. Choose from over 158 ready-to-print designs or get your own jet custom-drawn with your name on the canopy, accurate loadout, and unit markings. Perfect for your home, office, squadron walls, or hangar—these 4, 6, and 8-foot aircraft prints bring history to life. 🎯 Custom profiles: https://wallpilot.com/custom-planes Want to surge on a Home for Heroes? Visit Valorous TV's YouTube channel to FREE stream movies, documentaries and interviews with the tough as nails military badasses, law enforcement champions, Wild West gunslingers, and First Responder Superstars. Valorous TV is at    / @valoroustv 🎖️ Join the All Ranks Club on Patreon Want behind-the-scenes access to this kind of high-level content? Join the All Ranks Club on Patreon and unlock: 🎙️ Group Q&A sessions 🧭 Private Zoom calls with me 🍺 Virtual Bar Nights—aviation stories, war updates, and real talk ✈️ Monthly 7-inch aircraft profile stickers—exclusive collector’s series! 🔗 Join the squadron here:   / membership 🎁 Gift a membership to the aviation nut in your life:   / gift 💸 Keep the Show Airborne Every dollar keeps these missions flying. Support the show directly via: ✈️ Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/Mark-Hasara ✈️ Zelle: mark@markhasara.com 📲 Follow Me on Social Media for Daily Aviation Content 📷 Instagram: @markhasara 🎬 TikTok: @markhasara ▶️ YouTube: Lessons from the Cockpit Thanks for tuning in, supporting the mission, and keeping the stories of air combat, leadership, and strategy alive. And remember... Nobody kicks ass without tanker gas... NOBODY!

Who has been a guest on Lessons From The Cockpit

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Joszph “Boarat” Jonas
• Col Derek “Woody” Oaks
• Command Chief Master Sergeant Jamie Newman
• Wade Meyers

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

21,353

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

13 ratings

Spotify

4.6 / 5

24 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 65 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

68

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

77

Contact Lessons From The Cockpit

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Lessons From The Cockpit