The Pilot Project Podcast

Major Sam Behm's path to the CC-130J Hercules wasn’t straightforward. 
As we mark International Women's Day and Women in Aviation Worldwide Week, Sam shares how she joined the Canadian Armed Forces under ROTP as a MARS Officer (now Naval Warfare Officer), and determinedly pursued a transfer to the Royal Canadian Air Force when the opportunity to become a pilot reopened. 
We walk through her flight training on the Grob in Portage la Prairie, the Harvard in Moose Jaw, and the King Air, as well as her time with the Multi-Engine Utility Flight before beginning her career on the Hercules with 436 Transport Squadron.
With 2,400 hours across 52 countries and five continents, Sam reflects on building operational experience, earning aircraft command, and what it means to grow into leadership in military aviation.

A story of persistence, adaptability, and carving your own path in uniform.

Part two of our chat with Captain Rock Veilleux follows his evolution from recovery to instructor pilot, overseas flying, and ultimately search and rescue operations. It's a powerful story about adaptation, leadership, and staying passionate about aviation.

Captain Rock Veilleux shares how a passion for flying led to fast jets - and how a dramatic ejection forced him to rebuild both his career and confidence. A gripping Canadian military aviation story about resilience, identity, and staying in the fight.

In part 3 of 3, Major Ian Wookey concludes his Afghanistan story. He describes the execution of evacuation operations in Kabul, the pressure faced by aircrews and planners, and the emotional toll of operating in a collapsing environment. As the final flights departed, Ian reflects on the limits of military power, the people left behind, and how those final days continue to resonate long after leaving Afghanistan.

In part 2 of 3, Major Ian Wookey returns to continue his account of Afghanistan’s final days. He describes the shift from a controlled drawdown to the sudden collapse of Afghan security forces, the rapidly deteriorating situation in Kabul, and the mounting pressure on the small coalition force that remained behind.