Bonk, Top Gun, Marine MAWTS-1 and Test Pilot Stories kick off with him bobbing in the Pacific after less than 500 flight hours in total flight time! Actually, that’s just the warmup.

This week on So There I Was, Fig and RePete sit down with Bonk, a former Test Pilot School graduate, Top Gun instructor, and MAWTS pilot whose career somehow became more insane every decade.

One minute he’s failing eye exams. Consequently, he almost misses aviation entirely. The next minute he’s disconnecting A-4 flight controls in flight and wondering if this was really the best career choice.

Then things get weird.

Bonk talks about ending up in the water early in his career. Furthermore, he explains what happens when you suddenly discover the ocean is now your office. There are stories about VMFA-531, absurd amounts of flight time, and the strange reality of becoming “the old guy” while still doing incredibly dumb fighter pilot things.

Wait, what?

At one point, Bonk casually explains flying through an afterburner plume because he heard it. Heard it. Not saw it. Heard it.

Naturally, that turns into a discussion about air combat maneuvering, test flying, and the tiny margin between “legendary story” and “aviation mishap report.”

The episode also dives into:

• Top Gun and MAWTS culture
• Test Pilot School insanity
• Zero-G flights
• Engine testing
• Why Boards of Inquiry can ruin your week
• The origin of the callsign “Bonk”
• The strange process of translating fighter pilot language into something normal humans understand

This episode feels like sitting at the bar after a squadron reunion while somebody keeps saying, “No seriously… this actually happened.”

And somehow, every story gets crazier.

Sponsor Spotlight – DCArtworks creates custom CNC-cut aviation and military artwork that honestly belongs in a ready room or squadron bar. Their handcrafted steel work is ridiculously good, and nearly every piece is custom-built to tell your story. Check out DCArtworks.net and talk to Derrick about building something unique for your office, hangar, or home.

Sponsor Spotlight – We’re excited to partner with OneSkin, a company founded by PhD scientists dedicated to skin longevity. Rather than just masking the signs of aging, OneSkin’s proprietary OS-01 peptide targets the biological root causes of skin aging at the molecular level. It’s a simple, science-backed addition to your daily routine that helps your skin stay resilient and healthy, no matter how much time you’ve spent in the cockpit or out on the water. It’s dermatologist-tested and even has the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, so it’s safe for the most sensitive skin.

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code STIW at oneskin.co/STIW
#oneskinpod

This week kicks off with Kemo back in the saddle, and it goes sideways immediately!

Actually, this one starts fast. No warmup. No easing in. Just straight into stories that make you stop and go, wait… what?

Kemo’s back. And if you’ve heard him before, you already know this is going to be ridiculous. If you haven’t—well, buckle up. This is one of those episodes where the stories don’t just escalate… they stack.

First, we get into how his name came to be. Sounds simple, right? It’s not. Then somehow we’re talking about Marine Corps commandants, open bars, and a story that absolutely should not exist—but does.

Furthermore, things pivot hard into airline life. Boeing vs Airbus logic. MD-11 decisions. The kind of stuff that sounds boring—until it isn’t. Because the real question becomes: what happens when automation replaces instinct?

And then… carrier ops.

Night landings. Yellow shirts. That moment where you’re taxiing and thinking, “this feels wrong,” but also knowing it’s exactly right. Consequently, the conversation shifts into something deeper—manual flying skills vs modern systems.

Then comes the F-35 discussion.

This is where it gets interesting. Helmet tech. Sensor fusion. Seeing through the jet. It sounds like science fiction, but it’s not. The real debate? Whether pilots are gaining capability… or losing something critical.

Meanwhile, Kemo’s stories keep landing like punches. Red trucks. Target talk-ons. Situations where you’re listening and thinking, “there’s no way this ends well…”

But it does. Somehow.

Eventually.

And just when you think it’s wrapping up, we detour into three-eyed turtles, legacy, and a closing stretch that feels like the perfect bar story ending—half reflection, half chaos.

So yeah… this one’s a ride.

Doober comes back to tell of his acquisition of former US Marine Corps H-34 helicopter, YL-37. The helicopter restoration story starts with a mission that sounds simple. It is not. Actually, it quickly turns into a “wait, what?” situation.

This episode picks up with Doober and the ongoing saga of bringing YL-37 back from the brink. The aircraft is not just old. It is stubborn. Furthermore, every step forward seems to uncover two new problems.

At first, it looks manageable. Then reality shows up. Parts are rare. Systems are tired. And the deeper you go, the more you realize this is not just a restoration. It is a resurrection.

Consequently, the team has to make decisions that are equal parts engineering and gut instinct. Do you rebuild? Replace? Or walk away? (Spoiler: nobody walks away.)

Meanwhile, the human side of this story becomes the real hook. The persistence. The frustration. The small wins that feel huge. Actually, those moments are what keep the whole thing moving.

Then comes the turning point. A breakthrough that shifts everything. But does it stick? Or is this just another setup for the next problem?

By the end, YL-37 is more than a machine. It represents effort, risk, and a refusal to quit. And yeah… you will absolutely wonder if you would have stuck with it this long.YL-37 helicopter restoration story starts with a mission that sounds simple. It is not. Actually, it quickly turns into a “wait, what?” situation.

This episode picks up with Doober and the ongoing saga of bringing YL-37 back from the brink. The aircraft is not just old. It is stubborn. Furthermore, every step forward seems to uncover two new problems.

At first, it looks manageable. Then reality shows up. Parts are rare. Systems are tired. And the deeper you go, the more you realize this is not just a restoration. It is a resurrection.

Consequently, the team has to make decisions that are equal parts engineering and gut instinct. Do you rebuild? Replace? Or walk away? (Spoiler: nobody walks away.)

Meanwhile, the human side of this story becomes the real hook. The persistence. The frustration. The small wins that feel huge. Actually, those moments are what keep the whole thing moving.

Then comes the turning point. A breakthrough that shifts everything. But does it stick? Or is this just another setup for the next problem?

By the end, YL-37 is more than a machine. It represents effort, risk, and a refusal to quit. And yeah… you will absolutely wonder if you would have stuck with it this long.

This episode proudly sponsored by DCArtworks.net and OneSkin at https://www.oneskin.co/SoThereIWas #oneskinpod #sponsored #ad