Ever wondered what it’s like to go from piloting Predator drones in the Air Force to flying cargo under the stars? Jonathan Songer shares an epic journey of resilience, high-stakes decisions, and surprising lessons learned from life in the sky. From unconventional career moves to his unique take on mentorship, this conversation will change how you view the aviation world. Tune in and get ready to see flying from a whole new perspective!

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE

• Strategies for navigating challenging work schedules as a pilot

• Life adjustments to make your dream of flying a reality

• Unique challenges of flying in non-radar airspace and the adrenaline rush of low-level cargo runs

• What it’s like to fly just above the ground with complex maneuvers in tight airspaces

• How Jonathan transitioned from Air Force drones to a 737 cockpit

RESOURCES/LINKS MENTIONED

• The Citadel

• JetBlue

• OBAP Ace Academy

• Delta Professional

• SkyWest Airlines

• Envoy Air

ABOUT JONATHAN SONGER

Jonathan is a Boeing 737 First Officer with Kalitta Charters II, a Part 121 Supplemental Airline Carrier. With over 1,600 hours in crewed aircraft and 4,000 hours in remotely piloted aircraft, Jonathan is an expert in flight safety, aviation decision-making, and crew resource management. He previously served as a subject matter expert in unmanned systems and as the Senior Manager for Advanced Air Mobility with MassDOT Aeronautics and MassAutonomy.

Jonathan’s experience in the defense industry includes working with medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft as an instructor, evaluator/check airman, and lead pilot. He also served in the United States Air Force as an Air Mobility pilot on the KC-135 Stratotanker and as a Squadron Commander and Director of Operations for MQ-1 and MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft. During his tenure in the USAF, he was Chief of Unmanned Intelligence Systems at US Air Forces Central Command. Jonathan holds an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate and an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. He earned a B.S. in Physics from The Citadel and an M.S. in Military Operations from Air University.

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN

• LinkedIn: Jonathan Songer

CONNECT WITH US

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