In this episode of Keys to the Jet, host Red dives into the fascinating and chaotic story of the Battle of Palmdale, a Cold War incident where U.S. Air Force pilots struggled to shoot down a malfunctioning drone, leading to unexpected wildfires and a series of lessons learned about air defense and missile technology. The conversation explores the historical context of military aviation during the Cold War, the technological challenges faced, and the evolution of air combat strategies.

Takeaways

The Battle of Palmdale highlights the unpredictability of military technology.

Cold War anxiety drove U.S. military air defense strategies.

The F-106 Delta Dart was a key interceptor of the era.

Early missile technology was unreliable and often missed targets.

The incident led to significant changes in military aviation practices.

Failures in military exercises can lead to important lessons learned.

The importance of redundancy in drone control systems was emphasized.

Modern fighters carry both missiles and guns for better effectiveness.

The evolution of air combat has been influenced by past failures.

Technological advancements in aviation are often a result of trial and error.

Welcome back, degenerates and aviation nerds — Red kicks off the new year the only way he knows how: completely unsupervised and fully committed. In this episode, Red welcomes everyone back from the holidays, shakes off the rust, and dives straight into the latest aviation and military news from around the world.

We roll into This Day in Aviation, breaking down why today actually matters in aviation history, then shift gears into some short, painfully relatable maintainer and pilot stories — the kind that make you laugh because you’ve either lived it… or watched it happen from a safe distance.

Red also takes a deep dive into one of the weirdest and most underrated aircraft ever built: the X-6 X-Plane, the nuclear-powered testbed that proved engineers in the Cold War were absolutely unhinged and somehow brilliant at the same time.

Same shenanigans, same chaos, same love for aviation — just a new year and slightly more motivation. Strap in.

Aviation is safer than it’s ever been — and somehow more stressed than ever.

In this extended two-hour episode of Keys to the Jet, Red breaks down the biggest U.S. and global aviation and military aviation headlines from the past two weeks and explains what’s really happening behind them.

From the deadly midair collision near Washington, D.C. to near misses in shared international airspace, from aging military aircraft to autonomous combat drones, this episode dives deep into how congestion, staffing shortages, outdated systems, and rapid technological change are quietly eroding safety margins.

Red explains:

• What actually failed in recent aviation accidents
• Why air traffic control is under more pressure than ever
• How military and civilian aviation are colliding in shared airspace
• What unmanned “loyal wingman” aircraft mean for future air combat
• Why legacy aircraft programs struggle with safety and accountability

The episode also takes a detour into aviation history with a deep dive into the X-15 X-Plane, the rocket-powered aircraft that pushed humanity to the edge of space and reshaped aerospace forever.

And because it wouldn’t be Keys to the Jet without some gallows humor, Airman Snuffy returns with the least helpful — and most accurate — weather report you’ve ever heard.

This is aviation explained the way it actually works: complex, human, imperfect, and unforgiving.

If you’ve ever worked on airplanes, flown in them, or trusted them with your life, this episode is for you