PCDU Episode 96: “Serge” – An Australian Top Gun

By Grant (Falcon124), on November 17th, 2012

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:18:20 — 53.9MB)

Serge’s “Fighter Pilot” book cover

It takes a special breed to push an F18 out to the edge of the envelope, fly missions ranging from surface attack to dog fights and then blow off steam with your squadron mates. It’s certainly not Top Gun but it does make amazing fodder for a book that highlights the good, the bad and the crazy.

Just such a book has been written by ‘Mac “Serge” Tucker‘ and it’s called “Fighter Pilot: mis-adventures beyond the sound barrier with an Australian Top Gun“

Steve & Grant chat to “Serge” about being a fighter pilot, flying & partying hard, blowing off steam and dealing with bureaucrats. We also cover:

• The size of the fighter community in Australia and the camaraderie that has developed among them
• The mentoring that occurs within the community covering both technical & behavioural aspects of being a fighter pilot
• The interaction of fighter pilots with pilots from other parts of the RAAF
• Serge’s career progressing from high school through basic training in the CT4, progression to the Aermacchi MB 326H (the Macchi) and on to the F18 via a stint on the Nomad.
• Wing Commander Ross Fox’s influence as Serge’s mentor and the impact of his death in an F18 mid-air collision
• Serge’s thoughts on the Australian Army & Royal Australian Navy
• Working with the fighter pilots from the USA & comparing USA pilots with RAAF pilots
• Old timer stories and their influence on current procedures
• RAAF exchange pilots flying F15s & F22s with the USAF
• The F35 JSF and its issues with kinematics
• Drones and their use in the military environment
• How the military have missed out on changing their operations & equipment to deal better with the Middle East environment & the modern political power dynamics
• Serge’s love of hang gliding
• Transitioning from being a fighter pilot to being an airline pilot
• His final flight: a one-on-one dogfight with Matt Hall

Podcasts   Aermacchi MB 326H, airlines, Australian Army, C130, CT4, dogfight, drones, F15C, F18 Hornet, F22, F35, FCI, Fighter Combat Instructor, fighter pilots, GAF, Government Aircraft Factories, hang gliding, Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance, ISR, JSF, kinematics, King Air, Knucklehead, Mac 'Serge' Tucker, Macchi, Matt Hall, Middle East, Nomad, P2 Neptune, P3 Orion, politics, RAAF, RAN, Ross Fox, Royal Australian Navy, Serge, Top Gun, Twin Otter, UAS, USA, USAF  

6 comments to PCDU Episode 96: “Serge” – An Australian Top Gun

• Fighter Pilot: Mis-Adventures Beyond the Sound Barrier with “Serge,” an Australian Top Gun « General Information « Plane Crazy Down Under

  November 17, 2012 at 11:30 pm

  [...] Episodes ListPCDU Episode 96: "Serge" – An Australian Top Gun November 17, 2012 PCDU Episode 95: Northern Exposure November 3, 2012 PCDU Episode 94: AusFly [...]

• Glen Towler

  November 18, 2012 at 1:32 pm

  Just listening to the latest edition I think that world war 2 proved that any navy wouldn’t last five minutes against a enemy with air superiority . This podcast is the best I have heard in a very long time

• Grant (Falcon124)

  December 9, 2012 at 7:23 pm

  Thanks Glen, we’re glad to hear that you liked our chat with Serge (we certainly had a lot of fun recording it :)

• Airplane Geeks - Episode 229 - Bits and Pieces IX | Airplane Geeks Podcast

  January 3, 2013 at 2:12 pm

  [...] Mac’s book is called “Fighter Pilot – mis-adventures beyond the sound barrier with an Australian Top Gun.” The full interview is featured in episode 96 of Plane Crazy Down Under. [...]

• Rob Coates - Perth

  January 17, 2013 at 7:25 pm

  Top interview! Serge’s book is now top of my ‘To read’ list. With so much spin in our media, it’s refreshing to hear someone speak so candidly. But at the same time it’s worrying to hear that, in an expert’s opinion, we’ve ordered a lemon for our next front line fighter!
  Keep up the good work fellas.

• Grant (Falcon124)

  February 12, 2013 at 1:00 am

  Thanks Rob and yes, it is concerning. While the RAAF will no doubt make the best of what the aircraft can give, I’m doubtful that it’ll turn out as well as the F111 did after all its teething problems.