F-14 Fighter Pilot Francesco “Paco” Chierici

If you loved Top Gun, you're going to love this episode! F-14 Fighter Pilot Francesco “Paco” Chierici joins Gary Scott Thomas to get our adrenaline going by taking us through the excitement of a "dog fight." Oh, and did we mention he's an author, trainer, and video game script writer? He's lived quite a life so far!

In this episode:

How he got the name PacoBeing the FNG What G-force feels likeDog fights*How to prevent the air from getting the air sucked out of his lungsIf there’s a fear The violence in the cockpitThe artistry involved in an aerial dog fightHow many people it takes to carry out the missionThe real legacy of the first female fighter pilot in the U.S. military to die in a crashHow he navigated the geopolitical aspects of the bookHis thoughts on drones’ effects on pilotsOne of the coolest moments he experiencedBeing a fighter pilot trainerWriting a script for a video gameHis book Lions of the Sky

About Paco:
During his active duty career in the U.S. Navy, Francesco “Paco” Chierici flew A-6E Intruders and F-14A Tomcats, deployed to conflict zones from Somalia to Iraq and was stationed aboard carriers including the USS Ranger, Nimitz and Kitty Hawk. Throughout his military career, Paco accumulated 3,000 tactical hours, 400 carrier landings, a Southwest Asia Service Medal with Bronze Star, and three Strike/Flight Air Medals. Unable to give up dogfighting, he flew the F-5 Tiger II for a further ten years as a Bandit.

https://www.lionsofthesky.com

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