Make the Donuts

Hollywood's legendary helicopter pilot Fred North joins Eric Savage to share the incredible stories behind his career in aviation and filmmaking. From landing on a moving train in Extraction 2 to narrowly escaping an explosion on Unstoppable, Fred reveals what it takes to pull off some of Hollywood's most ambitious aerial stunts.Fred also discusses working on Star Wars, collaborating with directors like Michael Bay and Tony Scott, and his journey to breaking the world helicopter altitude record.In this episode:Behind Hollywood's Biggest Stunts: How Fred prepares for complex helicopter sequences, coordinates with stunt teams, and executes precision flying.Life as a Film Pilot: His journey from discovering helicopters as a child in Senegal to working on blockbuster productions around the world.Pushing the Limits of Aviation: The preparation, challenges, and determination behind his world-record helicopter altitude flight.Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makethedonutz/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@makethedonutzCheck out our website: https://makethedonuts.com/For one-on-one career help and/or business inquiries: www.sabistonconsulting.comSPONSOR: https://phantomlights.com/

From surviving an ambush in Iraq to flying Black Hawk helicopters for the U.S. Army.Valdeta Mehanja joins Make the Donuts to share her extraordinary journey from growing up as a refugee of the Kosovo War to becoming a U.S. Army captain and commercial airline pilot. She recounts the Apache helicopter rescue that changed her life, the sacrifices behind her aviation career, and what it means to serve the country that gave her a second chance.What to expect:🚁 How surviving an ambush in Iraq inspired her to become a pilot.🇺🇸 Her journey from refugee camps to becoming a U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot.✈️ The perseverance and opportunities that helped her build two aviation careers.Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makethedonutz/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@makethedonutzCheck out our website: https://makethedonuts.com/For one-on-one career help and/or business inquiries: www.sabistonconsulting.comSPONSOR: https://phantomlights.com/

Is the pilot shortage over, are regional pilots going to be stuck for years, and is becoming an airline pilot still worth the investment?PJ Edmonds joins Erik to separate reality from the rumors pilots are hearing online. They discuss airline hiring, age 67, regional career timelines, college degrees, the 1,500-hour rule, flight school debt, CFI time building, AI in aviation, and what pilots can do to actually stand out when applying to the airlines.✈️ Why the “pilot shortage is over” narrative doesn’t tell the whole story🧑‍✈️ Why captain time, networking, and hiring events matter more in a competitive market💰 How to think about flight school debt, career investment, and whether becoming a pilot is still worth it🤖 Why AI may change aviation without replacing airline pilots anytime soon🤝 How preparation, relationships, and simply asking for help can accelerate your airline careerFollow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makethedonutz/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@makethedonutzCheck out our website: https://makethedonuts.com/For one-on-one career help and/or business inquiries: www.sabistonconsulting.comSPONSOR: https://phantomlights.com/

Don Reid joins Make the Donuts to tell the story of The Statler Brothers, Johnny Cash, songwriting, faith, and a career that became part of country music history.Don looks back on starting the Statlers as a teenager, spending nearly nine years on the road with Johnny Cash, writing more than 250 recorded songs, and building a 40-year career alongside his brother Harold and the rest of the group. He also shares the songwriting advice Cash gave him as a young man, the stories behind his creative process, and why retirement ultimately opened the door to another lifelong ambition: becoming an author.🎵 The story behind The Statler Brothers and their four decades in music 🖤 Life on the road with Johnny Cash and the advice Don never forgot ✍️ Writing 250+ songs, books, and stories across a lifetime of creatingFollow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makethedonutz/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@makethedonutzCheck out our website: https://makethedonuts.com/For one-on-one career help and/or business inquiries: www.sabistonconsulting.comSPONSOR: https://phantomlights.com/

Navigating the turbulence of pilot hiring, mastering the A350, and 53 years of aviation wisdom with Captain TJ McManamy.✈️ The Realities of Pilot Hiring: It is a waste of mental energy to compare your career progression to those hired during different cycles. The best time to get hired is the day you get hired.🧠 Acing Part 121 Training: Success in initial airline training comes down to precise standardization and mastering your expanded procedures. Knowing your standard callouts cold prevents momentary distractions on the flight deck and ensures you never have to cram for a checkride.🚨 Cockpit Emergencies & CRM: Learn why a good First Officer must speak up if the Captain is wrong, and hear the harrowing story of an A330 no-flap landing in Madrid that required a 10,500-foot landing roll.Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makethedonutz/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@makethedonutzCheck out our website: https://makethedonuts.com/For one-on-one career help and/or business inquiries: www.sabistonconsulting.comSPONSOR: https://phantomlights.com/

David Elias went from working on Navy aircraft as an enlisted sailor to flying them as a Naval Aviator. In this episode, he shares the combat missions, aircraft, mentors, and decisions that took him from the enlisted ranks to the cockpit of the EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler.✈️ From enlisted sailor to Naval Aviator: David shares how a childhood obsession with military aviation eventually led him from enlisted service to earning his wings, and what it took to make the jump from working on aircraft to flying them.⚡ Inside the Prowler and Growler: Hear what it was like flying the EA-6B Prowler through the end of its Navy era, transitioning to the far more advanced EA-18G Growler, and performing the electronic warfare mission alongside other combat aircraft.🎖️ Combat, carriers, and a career that came full circle: David recounts deploying aboard the USS George H.W. Bush, flying his Prowler during the opening strikes into Syria, and years later finding that exact aircraft sitting in a museum in Denver.Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makethedonutz/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@makethedonutzCheck out our website: https://makethedonuts.com/For one-on-one career help and/or business inquiries: www.sabistonconsulting.comSPONSOR: https://www.delsolaviation.com/#NavyPilot #Aviation #USMilitary #USNavy

A behind-the-scenes look at carrier aviation combat, publishing bestsellers, and military storytelling!✈️ Stephen Coonts shares his journey from flying A-6 Intruders in Vietnam to becoming a 16-time New York Times bestselling author📈 Learn how Flight of the Intruder went from 32 slush pile rejections to Ronald Reagan's desk in the Oval Office🎯 Practical storytelling advice on writing realistic dialogue, avoiding cockpit clutter, and crafting authentic charactersFollow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makethedonutz/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@makethedonutzCheck out our website: https://makethedonuts.com/For one-on-one career help and/or business inquiries: www.sabistonconsulting.comSPONSOR: https://phantomlights.com/#PilotCareer #Aviation

A behind-the-scenes look at airline leadership, pilot hiring, and building a career at a major airline!✈️ Alan Johnson shares his journey from Army aviator to Vice President of Flight Operations at American Airlines📈 Learn how hiring, retirements, fleet strategy, and leadership are shaping the future of the airline industry🎯 Practical career advice on standing out, giving back, and building a long-term career as a professional pilot–For video versions of this podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@MaketheDonutsFollow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makethedonutz/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@makethedonutzCheck out our website: https://makethedonuts.com/For one-on-one career help and/or business inquiries: www.sabistonconsulting.comSPONSOR: https://www.coatrope.com/

A closer look at today’s airline hiring slowdown—and what it really means for your aviation career.✈️ Why the current slowdown reflects shifting market conditions, not a simple end to pilot demand and how long-term trends still point to ongoing need📈 How retirements, airline profitability, fleet planning, and fuel costs interact to shape hiring cycles over the next decade🎯 Thoughtful, experience-based guidance to help pilots navigate uncertainty, position themselves competitively, and build a sustainable long-term careerFor video versions of this podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@MaketheDonutsFollow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makethedonutz/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@makethedonutzCheck out our website: https://makethedonuts.com/For one-on-one career help and/or business inquiries: www.sabistonconsulting.comSPONSOR: https://goflexair.com

In the season finale of Make the Donuts, Eric Sabiston sits down with legendary Marine Corps Captain Dale Dye — the man who changed how Hollywood portrays war. From Platoon to Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, Captain Dye brought gritty realism and authentic military leadership to the big screen.In this powerful conversation, Captain Dye opens up about:His two tours in Vietnam and the experiences that shaped his mission in lifeHow he convinced Oliver Stone to let him train the Platoon cast in the jungles of the PhilippinesWhy real leadership comes from love, trust, and shared hardshipHis thoughts on modern veterans, America’s political divide, and the need to bring back national serviceLessons from decades of mentoring actors and Marines alikeIf you’ve ever admired the realism of war films or wondered how military authenticity makes its way to Hollywood, this episode is a masterclass in leadership, storytelling, and service.Let me know what you think! Drop me a comment on Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts!For video versions of this podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@MaketheDonutsMore on Chris Hill aka “Chowda”LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/chowdah_hill/Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makethedonutz/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@makethedonutzCheck out our website: https://makethedonuts.com/For one-on-one career help and/or business inquiries: www.sabistonconsulting.comSPONSOR:Phantom Lights: https://phantomlights.com/