ABOUT THIS PODCAST 🔗
Make the Donuts, hosted by bestselling author and commercial pilot Erik Sabiston, dives into the secrets of success through engaging interviews with experts from diverse career fields.
Hosts:
Update frequency:
every 16 days
Average audio length:
48 minutes
Guest interviews
English
United States
19 episodes
since May 21, 2025
episodic
LATEST EPISODE 🔗
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 helicopt…
PREVIOUS EPISODES 🔗
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 degr…
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 re…
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 …
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 sa…
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 reject…
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 fut…
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 p…
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 s…
Chris “Chowdah” Hill didn’t just command a ship—he commanded floating cities of steel, power, and people. As a naval aviator who rose to the rare distinction of leading not one but two U.S. aircraft carriers, Captain Hill knows exactly what it takes to inspire thousands under the most extreme condi…
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Erik Sabiston, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.
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