In episode 159 of the Talk4 Podcast, Louis Skupien welcomes Russ “Puck” Quinn — former USAF Thunderbird solo pilot, F-16 Weapons School graduate, and now Chief Growth Officer at Top Aces, the world’s only commercial operator of the F-16 fighter jet.From flying inches apart at Mach speeds to leading a fleet of privately operated fighter jets training next-gen F-35 and F-22 pilots — Russ shares one of the most unique careers in military and aviation history.⸻🚀 What did we explore in this episode?In this high-impact conversation, Russ reflects on his 30-year Air Force journey — from flying the Viper in combat and test, to performing worldwide with the Thunderbirds, and finally pivoting to the private sector.We break down:• The mental and physical demands of being a Thunderbird solo pilot• His leadership lessons from weapons school, command, and combat• How Top Aces is using AI-controlled wingmen and F-16s to train the world’s most elite pilots• What it takes to build trust with the U.S. government and fly military-grade jets commercially• How to recruit, lead, and retain top talent in high-stakes environments• The future of air combat training and adversary air as 6th-gen jets come online🎧 A masterclass in leadership, trust, aviation innovation, and flying on the razor’s edge — from one of the greats.⸻⏱️ Enhance Your Style with AVI-8’s Aviation-Inspired Watches!AVI-8 is offering a 20% discount with code: LOUISSKUPIEN20🔗 Shop here: https://www.avi-8.com/talk4💰 Launch Your Business for Just £1 with Shopify!Build your online store today with this exclusive offer.🔗 Get started: https://shopify.pxf.io/TALK4🎥 FREE Content from TALK4!Collaborate or share clips from this episode using our creator-friendly packs.🔗 Download here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1o6sjJuP9Qn7la5y8LQ2pWvKGPnskopOT?usp=drive_link⸻👉🏻 Who Is Russ “Puck” Quinn?A 30-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Russ Quinn served as a solo demonstration pilot for the Thunderbirds, graduated from the F-16 Weapons School, and commanded test and combat aviation units. Today, he’s Chief Growth Officer at Top Aces, overseeing their U.S. operations, innovation, and training missions using privately operated F-16s to prepare elite military pilots around the world.⸻⭐️ Love the Talk4 Podcast? Leave a Review!👉🏻 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/talk4-podcast/id1591476875👉🏻 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5DxcH2DxGbn0MVZUBqV1Gv🎥 Watch More Elite Aviation & Leadership Episodes on TALK4:✅ Col “Phantom” Merrell | MQ-9 Reaper Global Ops | EP 153🎥 https://youtu.be/[INSERT]✅ Gen Bussiere | Global Strike Commander | EP 151🎥 https://youtu.be/979F4oP7Vmo✅ Col Beaker Wickert | USAF Test Wing Commander | EP 147🎥 https://youtu.be/P4UBzD458FA✅ Col Nathan “Sheik” Malafa | USAF Thunderbirds | EP 150🎥 https://youtu.be/fVNl5xcKhxo⸻✅ Subscribe for elite aviation and leadership content:🔗 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg0INsEySnXei_cS3lZceqg⸻✅ Stay Connected With Louis Skupien:👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisskupien👉 Twitter: https://twitter.com/louisskupien👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/louis.skupien👉 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@louisskupien👉 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/louisskupien👉 Website: https://louisskupien.com👉 Talk4 Podcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/talk4podcast✅ Business Enquiries: [email protected]⸻🔥 This episode covers topics such as:• Flying with the USAF Thunderbirds• Training F-35/F-22 pilots with private F-16s• Leadership in combat, test, and commercial aviation• AI and the future of adversary air• Building high-trust teams in high-risk environments• The future of aerial warfare & 6th-gen fighter training#Talk4Podcast #RussQuinn #TopAces #Thunderbirds #F16Viper #FighterPilot #AIaviation #MilitaryLeadership #AdversaryAir #LeadershipUnderPressure #TacticalTraining #USAirForce #Podcast

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