Pilot to Pilot

Spirit Airlines officially ceased operations on May 2 at 3am, and in this episode Justin sits down with Jim Higgins, Professor of Aviation at the University of North Dakota, to unpack what happened and what comes next.

They dig into the chain of events that brought one of the country's most recognizable low-cost carriers to a halt — from a business model under pressure, to two Chapter 11 reorganizations, to the spike in oil prices that finally pushed Spirit past the point of recovery. Jim breaks down why the federal bailout package fell apart, why no other airline stepped in to acquire Spirit despite multiple asks, and how $9 billion in debt made a merger virtually impossible.

The conversation also turns to the roughly 2,000 Spirit pilots now entering an already active hiring market. Justin and Jim talk through how the majors are likely to respond, what this means for regional pilots and pilots holding CJOs, and why Spirit aviators have a strong reputation among hiring departments across the industry. They also cover the resources available through ALPA, the importance of leaning on the aviation community, and the often-overlooked mental health side of losing a job you loved.

Whether you're a Spirit pilot, a regional pilot watching the hiring landscape shift, or simply someone trying to make sense of what just happened to a 34-year-old airline with an impeccable safety record, this episode offers context, perspective, and a reminder that the industry takes care of its own.

If you know a Spirit pilot, reach out. A letter of recommendation, a connection, or just a conversation can go a long way.

🎙️ Pilot to Pilot Magazine — Volume 002 is out now. Get yours at pilottopilothq.com/mag

Sponsors — please support the people who support the show: • Avemco Insurance — Save 5% as a Pilot to Pilot listener. Call (888) 635-4297 or visit avemco.com/4297-owner (owners) or avemco.com/4297-non-owner (non-owners) • Textron Aviation — Built for lifelong aviators. Plan your next chapter at txtav.com/stepup • Garmin — Plan, file, fly, log with the Garmin Pilot app • Allworth Airline Advisors — Register for their latest webinar at allworthfinancial.com/justin • Learn the Finer Points — Save 10% off your first year at learnthefinerpoints.com/justin 

State of the Industry!

Spirit's on the brink, Scott Kirby is publicly floating a United–American merger, and the entire airline industry feels like it's holding its breath. Welcome to silly season.

Jim Higgins, professor of aviation at the University of North Dakota and former MEC chair, returns to the Pilot to Pilot Podcast to break down everything happening across the majors right now — and what could happen next.

In this episode, Justin and Jim dig into:

• Where pilot hiring actually stands in 2026 (and the FAPA numbers that tell the real story) • What verbiage in earnings calls and press releases signals trouble before furloughs hit • Fuel prices, the Strait of Hormuz, and how a war on the other side of the world hits your paycheck • The Spirit situation and what bankruptcy vs. liquidation would actually mean • The United–JetBlue rumors — and whether "merging with American" was a smokescreen • Seniority list integration, ALPA merger protocols, and why Southwest hired an M&A law firm • What Delta, Alaska, and Southwest would HAVE to do if a United mega-merger goes through • The Allegiant–Sun Country deal nobody's talking about • Could Delta go international by buying foreign carriers outright?

Drop a comment with YOUR merger prediction. We'll be wrong together.

NEW SPONSOR ALERT!! Truly honored to have Avemco as new sponsor for the podcast. save 5% on your aircraft insurance by with Avemco. Call  (888) 635-4297 or visit www.avemco.com/4297-owner - www.avemco.com/4297-nonowner!

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This is one of the most raw, honest, and inspiring aviation stories you'll ever hear. Evan Davis didn't take a traditional path to becoming an Alaska pilot—he fought through addiction, FAA scrutiny, and personal demons to get there. His story proves that your past doesn't define your future, and that the aviation community has room for second chances when you're willing to do the hard work. Evan Davis was eight hours into his flight training when his AME asked the question that changed everything: have you ever struggled with alcohol? He told the truth — and the FAA grounded him before he ever soloed. More than a decade later, Evan is a PC-12 medevac captain based in Wasilla, Alaska, flying out of Kotzebue two weeks a month, north of the Arctic Circle. In this conversation, he walks Justin through the whole arc: getting honest on his medical application, a Valentine's Day slip two months into sobriety, the HIMS program, and the year of breathalyzers, AA meetings, and flight simulator hours that rebuilt his life. From there, it's the flying story pilots come here for — a 90-hour trip into the Frank Church, a Cessna 182 used to commute to work, a chance resume drop in Homer that turned into a job offer, and eventually Bettles, the Brooks Range, and medevac work on the western coast of Alaska. Evan talks honestly about the weather that moves differently above the Arctic Circle, why saying "no" is the most important skill in the cockpit, what four months of darkness does to you, and why the pilots who make it in Alaska are almost always the ones who can live with other humans in a village for two weeks at a stretch. A story about addiction, second chances, and what it actually takes to fly in one of the last wild places left.

Happy Flying, 

Justin

NEW SPONSOR ALERT!! Truly honored to have Avemco as new sponsor for the podcast. save 5% on your aircraft insurance by with Avemco. Call  (888) 635-4297 or visit www.avemco.com/4297-owner - www.avemco.com/4297-nonowner!

What does it take to walk away from a two-decade law enforcement career — including 13 years on SWAT — and start over as a pilot? Josh Schirard did exactly that, and in this episode he breaks down every step of the journey.

Josh is now a corporate pilot flying Hawker 800s and Lear 60s, a professional skydiver with the REMAX Skydive team, and the author of the upcoming book Burn Your Boats. He's also one of the most thoughtful guests we've had on the show when it comes to the mindset side of aviation.

In this episode we talk about:

• How skydiving pulled him back into aviation after years away
• His ATP flight training experience — the good, the hard, and what he'd do differently
• How SWAT-level decision-making and crew resource management overlap more than you'd think
• Building flight time as a jump pilot and why he skipped the CFI route
• How he landed his first corporate gig through pure networking
• Whether the airlines are in his future — and why he keeps his options open
• His philosophy on personal minimums, comfort zones, and why you need to push the gap between the two

Whether you're thinking about a career change into aviation, grinding through your ratings, or already flying professionally and wondering what's next — this episode is for you.

Happy Flying, 
Justin

Most pilots dream of smooth 10,000-foot runways.

Tyler Flagg trained to land a 30,000-pound aircraft on a 25-foot dirt strip… in total darkness.

After 9/11 changed his life trajectory, Tyler went from zero aviation background to flying Special Operations missions around the globe. With minimal information and maximum responsibility, he deployed into multiple combat theaters — moving elite teams into places most people will never see on a map.

In this episode:

1. The unconventional path into Air Force Special Ops
2. What it feels like to deploy with barely 250 flight hours
3. Flying through Saharan fuel-risk zones and Pacific icing
4. The culture differences inside military aviation
5. Why humility matters more than ego in elite units
6. Building a company after walking away from a “dream job”

This one is raw, honest, and packed with perspective.

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