Lt. Col. Matt Russell, callsign “Pimptastic,” is a U.S. Air Force F-16 test pilot, instructor at the USAF Test Pilot School, and one of the people helping shape the future of fighter aviation. Russell has over 21 years in the Air Force flying the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and Northrop T-38 Talon, attended the United States Air Force Test Pilot School in 2011, and has spent more than a decade teaching and conducting advanced flight research. He served as Chief of Flight Test for the global F-16 fleet and recently flew the first flight of the Lockheed Martin X-62A VISTA, an experimental aircraft used to test AI-driven fighter tactics. In this episode we talk about Matt’s path into the military, what it takes to get into test pilot school, flying experimental aircraft, and what it was like dogfighting the world’s first AI-controlled fighter jet. We also get into the future of fighter aviation, the effort to “jailbreak” the F-16 to unlock new capabilities for pilots around the world, and how those lessons translate to airline flying and general aviation. Matt is also an airline captain flying the Airbus A321, a Subject Matter Expert on the F-16, and a designated pilot examiner for general aviation.

Ever wondered what flying for a major regional airline is actually like? We bring you two radically different perspectives from the flight deck based right here in the demanding Salt Lake City hub.

We sit down with Captain Jeff Garn, a 30-year airline veteran whose seniority number is currency- something worth more than gold. He breaks down why seniority is everything and goes hard on the need to maintain stick-and-rudder skills against automation complacency.

First Officer Jeff Perkins, also joins us on this episode. Perkins went from being a corporate Fuel Auditor for 10+ years to a pilot two years ago. He details his unique path, how living in base defeats the "Commuter Nightmare," and the real talk on low-seniority schedules.

We get into the daily grind: what a 4-day trip truly costs you in time away, the criticality of the Pilot Monitoring role, and the sobering lessons from recent accidents that demand constant professional vigilance. It’s the raw reality of the airline career, from stability and high pay to the constant pressure of safety.

In this raw, solo episode of Cleard, Drew dives deep into the ongoing U.S. government shutdown—now at 27 days as of October 28, 2025—and its devastating ripple effects on air traffic controllers, with a spotlight on Utah's skies. From the vast Salt Lake City Air Route Traffic Control Center to towers in Ogden, Provo, and St. George, controllers are working unpaid overtime amid chronic shortages, leading to delays, near-misses, and safety risks that threaten passengers, pilots, and cargo flows vital to Utah's tourism and tech economy.Unpacking the shutdown's roots in partisan gridlock (with a few light-hearted jabs at D.C.'s dysfunction), Drew explores national headlines of tower closures and second jobs for exhausted workers, then zooms in on local stories of Utah families rationing groceries and communities rallying with pantries and aid. Hear inspiring paths to becoming an air traffic controller through Utah programs at USU, UVU, and Weber State, plus actionable steps to support these unsung heroes— from calling reps to donating essentials.