Straighten Up and Fly Right is an aviation lifestyle podcast built around real conversations with pilots, entrepreneurs, aviation professionals who have learned to perform under pressure. It shares the stories and path many took to achieve success in the challenging world of aviation.
Hosted by Kenny T, n, Air Force officer, speaker, Co-foundder of Legacy Flight Academy and founder of Kilo Tango Aviation. The show dives into the stories behind the cockpit, the lessons and the mindset required to navigate adversity, growth, and success.
Every episode is focused on authentic conversations, aviation culture, mentorship, resilience, and the pursuit of excellence.
This is more than aviation.
This is leadership, legacy, discipline, and purpose.
New episodes featuring:
• Aviation and military stories
• Leadership conversations
• Career and mentorship advice
• Real-world lessons from high performers
• The culture and legacy of aviation
Presented by Legacy Flight Academy
Powered by Kilo Tango Aviation
She Couldn’t Afford to Fly. Now She’s an Airline Captain.
She couldn’t afford to fly for nearly two years. Today, she commands an airliner. Captain Mariah Graham joins KT on Straighten Up and Fly Right to share how she fought through financial setbacks, confronted self-doubt, and built the community that helped her reach the captain’s seat. Hear how asking for help unlocked $10,000 for her training, why one thunderstorm changed her judgment in the cockpit, and how she stopped letting past struggles define her future. CHAPTERS 00:00 A dream bigger th...
26 Sept 2026
The “Now What?” Phase of Becoming a Pilot -Dwayne Quick
What happens when the career you’ve planned your entire life suddenly isn’t an option? Kenny T sits down with longtime friend and FedEx First Officer Dwayne Quick to talk about a career in aviation that went almost nothing like the original plan. Dwayne grew up around military aviation with one goal: become an Air Force fighter pilot. After years of pursuing that path, medical barriers forced him to pivot and figure out an entirely different route into professional aviation. That journey even...
5 Aug 2026
From Accounting to the Cockpit: Mike Christopher's Path to Regional Pilot
Maybach Mike sits down with regional airline pilot Mike Christopher in Dallas to explore how a college accounting graduate became a jet-flying pilot in just three years. Mike shares his unconventional journey through the American Airlines Cadet Program, the $100,000 investment required to go from zero flight hours to certified pilot, and how a conversation with his older brother in medical school shifted his mindset from "taking on debt" to "investing in himself." This episode breaks down wha...
28 Jul 2026
Colonel Aaron Jones on Fighter Pilots, Representation & Building the Next Generation of Aviators
Colonel Aaron Jones shares his remarkable journey from witnessing a max-performance F-15 takeoff in Okinawa as a ninth grader to commanding the 49th Fighter Training Squadron at Columbus Air Force Base. In this episode, Jones discusses his 20-year career as a fighter pilot, his transition to leadership roles, and his passionate work with Legacy Flight Academy—a nonprofit dedicated to introducing underrepresented youth to aviation. The conversation covers what inspired him to pursue military a...
14 Jul 2026
From SR-71 Dreams to Presidential Flights: Alex Cole's Unconventional Path to the 89th Airlift Wing
Alex Cole, captain and 737 pilot with the 89th Airlift Wing's Presidential Airlift Group, sits down to share his remarkable journey from witnessing SR-71 Blackbirds at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa at age 12 to flying America's top government officials. After being denied pilot slots initially due to post-Desert Storm budget cuts, Cole took a detour through civil engineering in the Air Force before ultimately achieving his childhood dream. He discusses the power of refusing to self-eliminate fro...
30 Jun 2026
From Football Dreams to Air Force Pride: Ryan Nichols' Journey of Deliberate Excellence
Ryan Nichols, born and raised in San Antonio, sits down to share his unlikely path from aspiring football player to dedicated Air Force serviceman. After a coach's reality check revealed he was never actually accepted to college, Ryan made the pivotal decision to enlist at Lackland Air Force Base in October 1998. In this episode, he opens up about the culture shock of basic training, his unexpected selection as dorm chief, and the profound influence of the three strong women who shaped his wo...
23 Jun 2026
If You’re Not Making a Million, Don’t Talk About It
What separates high performers from everyone else? In this episode of Straighten Up and Fly Right, Kenny T sits down with former Navy SEAL Jake Zweig for an unfiltered conversation about mentorship, leadership, discipline, and building a life of purpose. Jake shares his incredible journey from a difficult childhood to the U.S. Naval Academy and the Navy SEAL Teams. Along the way, he explains how mentors changed the trajectory of his life and why he's dedicated the rest of his career to helpin...
8 Jun 2026
U-2 Pilot Kris "Judge": From F-16 Poster to 737 Captain
Kenny T interviews Kris, a pilot from Louisiana who trained at Louisiana Tech, joined the Air Force, and flew C-130s, the M-28 Skytruck, PC-12s, Cessna 208s, and ultimately the U-2 Dragon Lady before retiring and becoming a United Airlines 737 captain. Judge explains how seeing an F-16 poster led him to join ROTC, credits mentor CMSgt Edward Fowler for instilling discipline, and shares why he loves general aviation, including owning a Piper Comanche 250 and building an RV-8. He confirms the e...
8 Jun 2026
From Air Force Acquisitions to Airline Pilot: TC’s Career Change, Flight Training Lessons & Leadership
TC shares how he went from a military-brat upbringing and a failed plan to play football into Air Force ROTC at UTSA, ultimately becoming an acquisitions officer—work he describes as broad “cradle to grave” program management with lots of paperwork, meetings, and long timelines. Around the 10-year mark and facing career-pressure options he didn’t want, he began flight training as a hobby in Los Angeles, researched the airline shortage, and chose to separate in 2019 with his wife’s support des...
8 Jun 2026
Eyes Above the Horizon: How Legacy Flight Academy Introduces Underserved Youth to Aviation
Experience Eyes Above the Horizon, Legacy Flight Academy's signature aviation event that is changing lives through the power of flight. In this episode, you'll go behind the scenes of a free, full-day aviation experience where students ages 11–19 explore STEM, leadership, aviation careers, and the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen before taking their very first flight in a real aircraft with a certified flight instructor. Throughout the day, students participate in hands-on STEM activities, learn...
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