Episode 260 Kenny Hyman Checks In. Amazing What Changes in Just Three Years!
Ready 4 Pushback
Nik Fialka
4.8 • 716 Ratings
🗓️ 7 July 2025
⏱️ 34 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode, Nik welcomes Kenny Hyman back to the podcast. The last time we heard from Kenny, he had just interviewed with American Airlines. Now, three years later, he’s flying the Airbus and full of perspective on how life has changed since leaving the military and the regionals behind. Nik and Kenny dig into everything from training and culture to contracts and cockpit challenges. Kenny shares what it was like transitioning from Navy to SkyWest and now to American Airlines, and how he’s handled both triumphs and turbulence along the way.
What You'll Learn:
The biggest differences between flying for a regional vs. a major airline—from culture to contracts.
How military experience shapes pilot perspective at the airlines.
What AQP (Advanced Qualification Program) training looks like compared to military and regional training.
The surprising benefits of union support and professional standards programs.
What to expect when it comes to hotel quality, fatigue calls, and operational support.
How cockpit culture and pilot relationships evolve at the majors.
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SPONSOR
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, pilot. |
| 0:02.9 | Welcome back to Ready for Pushback. |
| 0:04.7 | I'm Nick Fialca. |
| 0:05.6 | You found it. |
| 0:06.7 | The best aviation podcast. |
| 0:10.2 | Today, I don't know. |
| 0:11.8 | It's a great time to see you. |
| 0:13.5 | It's a great time to talk with my friend Kenny Hyman. |
| 0:16.9 | I got a message from a listener who said, |
| 0:20.1 | Hey, in episode 20, you interviewed Kenny Hyman. |
| 0:24.0 | He had just interviewed with American Airlines, and I'd love to get an update. |
| 0:28.8 | So this is it. |
| 0:30.9 | I reached out to Kenny and I said, hey, man, let's talk. |
| 0:33.7 | So this conversation is all about what three years in the airline is like. We talk about highs and lows. We talk about the differences between the regionals and the majors. We talk about the military and the majors and what that's like. We talk about unions. We talk about training. All sorts of good things. And I think this is a really good show. |
| 0:55.4 | Hey, if you haven't this year, I would really appreciate it. |
| 0:58.0 | If you just hop over there to Apple Podcasts and like write a review, five stars, one stars, whatever. |
| 1:05.0 | But like, write that review. |
| 1:06.3 | That is so helpful for people to find the show. |
| 1:08.9 | And that's cool. |
| 1:10.6 | If you're on YouTube, like and subscribe, |
| 1:12.5 | that's what people do. I appreciate you so much. So let's do it. All right? Sit back, relax. |
| 1:18.4 | Let's get ready for pushback. It all started as a spark. Maybe it was the sound of jets |
... |
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