"Fangs" Talks Flight Test

Fighter Pilot Podcast

E. Vincent "Jell-O" Aiello, Retired U.S. Navy Fighter Pilot

History, Personal Journals, Technology, Society & Culture, Government, Leisure, Aviation

4.9 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 18 September 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Colonel James "Fangs" Valpiani knows a thing or two about flight test because he's seen a thing or two: first an Air Force Academy graduate, then a combat-tested F-15E Strike Eagle pilot, a graduate of the French Test Pilot School, and most recently Commodore of the USAF TPS.

On this episode, Fangs shares his expertise on the various schools he has attended or led and the aircraft they test, including the X-62 VISTA.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Transcript

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0:00.0	We still have aircraft that are very basic from the flying perspective that we have to prepare our students for.
0:06.0	And every year, the stack of content that we have to teach growths, we are trying to prepare graduates for the full gamut of flight, space, and mission systems testing.
0:16.0	So what is it that's really essential at this moment to teach?
0:20.0	What is fundamental and cannot be removed in any cost.
0:22.6	Samlock is working on 4-5-low.
0:26.6	Black one, back one.
0:29.6	Another sand-lach, same location.
0:32.6	Roger that.
0:33.6	Wait, somebody got to hit on your world with 500,000.
0:36.6	Get out of here. Jack, that's got me, boys. Hello and welcome to the fighter
0:44.7	podcast, the internet show that explores the fascinating world of air combat, the aircraft,
0:49.5	the weapon systems, and most importantly, the people.
0:53.0	I am your host, Vincent Aiello, call
0:54.7	sangello. And normally, I like to banter a bit before we get to the episode subject, but I've
1:00.3	not really been able to do that lately since, let's see, our last installment was our first
1:04.6	video episode in over four months. And that was with our friend from the U.S. Air Force, Michelle
1:10.0	Kuren, talking about the U.S. Air Force, Michelle Curran, talking about the U.S.
1:11.3	Air Force Thunderbirds.
1:13.5	Mace reports, by the way, that the launch of her book, The Flipside, has been a huge success,
1:17.2	and she thanks all you FPP listeners who purchased copies.
1:21.2	And then let's see what else.
1:22.9	Before that, we replayed seven episodes of our 2021 series, The Merge, chronicling a 2008 fatal midair collision
	...

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