Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Bray is the Commanding Officer of 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron, the Royal Canadian Air Force unit supporting the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM).

In Part 1, Chris shares his journey from growing up outside the military to becoming a special operations aviator and leading one of the RCAF's most demanding helicopter squadrons. We discuss RCAF pilot training, flying the CH-146 Griffon, Operation IMPACT, and the experiences that shaped his career.

This episode also offers a rare look behind the curtain of Canadian Special Operations Aviation, exploring what it takes to earn a place at 427 Squadron and the mindset, professionalism, and leadership required to serve within one of Canada's most unique aviation communities.

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More stories from RCAF and mission aviation pilots

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CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) Introduction and bio
(00:03:47) Why Chris Chose the Canadian Armed Forces
(00:04:36) Discovering a Passion for Helicopters
(00:10:47) Learning the Mission at JRCC Halifax
(00:13:13) Surviving RCAF Pilot Training
(00:14:05) Learning to Fly Rotary Wing
(00:16:02) The Leap from Fixed Wing to Helicopters
(00:17:54) Mastering Confined Area Flying
(00:19:23) When Flying Finally Clicked
(00:20:13) Earning a Spot at 427 Squadron
(00:21:10) How Special Operations Aviators Are Selected
(00:23:30) First Impressions of 427 Squadron
(00:25:28) How 427 Squadron Evolved
(00:26:24) Starting Out in B Flight
(00:29:29) First Operational Deployments
(00:31:39) Flying on Operation IMPACT
(00:32:08) Operating in a Combat Threat Environment
(00:33:11) What Makes Special Operations Aviation Different
(00:36:40) The Future of Canada's Tactical Helicopter Fleet
(00:39:11) Inside a Special Operations Mission
(00:41:02) Growing into Leadership
(00:42:04) From Pilot to Leader
(00:47:06) Becoming a Special Operations Flight Lead
(00:48:04) Leadership Under Pressure
(00:50:24) Returning to Operation IMPACT as Detachment Commander
(00:51:24) Leading Aircrew in a Threat Environment
(00:52:24) Building the Future Force
(00:54:26) Lessons from Strategic Leadership
(00:57:48) Coming Up in Part 2

Every military aviator carries stories that stay with them long after the aircraft shuts down.

To mark the milestone of 100 episodes, we're looking back at the moments that revealed the true weight of military aviation. This second retrospective shifts from learning to fly to learning what comes after. A pilot's first time facing enemy fire, split-second decisions under pressure, devastating loss, the invisible burdens many carry home, and the resilience that keeps crews moving forward.

Featuring stories from fighter pilots, search and rescue crews, tactical helicopter crews, transport crews, and more, including the CF-18 Hornet, the CH-146 Griffon, and many other aircraft, this episode explores the realities of operational military aviation through the voices of those who lived it.

Whether you've been with us since Episode 1 or you're discovering The Pilot Project for the first time, The First 100 Series is the best place to start.

If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. The Canadian Forces Member Assistance Program (CFMAP) provides confidential assistance to Canadian Armed Forces members, veterans, and their families. You can contact them at:

1-800-268-7708
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/programs/member-assistance.html

CHAPTERS

(00:00:58) Introduction
(00:03:03) Act 1: Contact - Greg Juurlink - I was a brand new FO
(00:07:20) Eric Kenny - The missile exploded between us
(00:09:26) Troy Clarke - Is this what SAR is going to be?
(00:13:00) Anthony Dyer - My first CASEVAC ever
(00:14:50) Davis Clark - You don't know if it's a threat or not
(00:17:05) Act 2: The Line - Greg Juurlink - We got shot up
(00:23:00) Bob Wade - Escorting MiGs to Canada
(00:25:45) Dan McWilliams - Never fly into vortices
(00:28:40) Pete Wright & Greg Hudson - This is what we signed up for, let's go!
(00:30:39) Niels Olson - You don't know which way is up
(00:31:22) Dan McWilliams - Less than a wingspan above the ground
(00:32:12) Niels Olson - Certified Cocaine Boat!
(00:34:27) Bob Wade - One of you is going to die
(00:35:29) Act 3: The Ones We Lost - Greg Juurlink - Angel Flights in Afghanistan
(00:37:08) Vic Weston - Tom "Toast" McQueen
(00:40:38) Anthony Dyer - It's a smell you never forget
(00:41:43) Dan McWilliams - Timothy Kirk Leuty
(00:43:02) Rich MacDougall - Jenn Casey
(00:49:16) Mike Houle - Shattering Grief
(00:53:13) Act 4: The Burden - Greg Juurlink - A full bucket
(00:55:33) Bryan Morrison - I'm not OK
(00:58:45) Vic Weston - I'm not good to go
(00:59:58) Paul Goddard - You can't save everybody
(01:01:22) Dan McWilliams - Fears that last
(01:02:35) Lyndsay Olson - The Hardest Deployment
(01:04:41) Niels Olson - The Weight of Distance
(01:05:20) Janet Musters - Everything AND the Kitchen Sink
(01:06:36) Rich MacDougall - Your life has just changed forever
(01:08:59) Act 5: Blue Skies and the Way Forward - Bob Wade - A consequence of doing what you did
(01:10:03) Bryan Morrison - The value of my career vs everything else
(01:12:03) Anthony Dyer - Better or bitter
(01:13:45) Greg Juurlink - The most important thing is asking for help
(01:15:00) Bob Wade - I miss the boys
(01:15:52) Vic Weston - Honouring Tom "Toast" McQueen
(01:17:42) Rich MacDougall - She was a force to be reckoned with
(01:19:37) Paul Goddard - As good as it gets
(01:20:01) Mike Houle - Don't Hide the Pain
(01:20:26) Vic Weston - Keep movin' forward
(01:20:43) Outro and Special Thank You

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More stories from RCAF and mission aviation pilots

New listener? Start here!

For 100 episodes, The Pilot Project Podcast has explored the world of military and mission aviation through the people who have lived it.

In Part 1 of our retrospective series, The Climb, we look back at the making of military aviators.

From the first moments that sparked the dream, to the grind of training, the edge of high-performance flying, and the toll service can take even in peacetime, this episode traces the journey behind the wings.

These are the moments that shaped them, and the reasons they kept going.

CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) Intro/Cold open
(00:01:31) Act 1: The Spark - Dan McWilliams - First Fighter Flight
(00:03:09) Bob Wade - The Wonder of the Golden Hawks
(00:03:46) Mike Houle - Hercs Over the Lake
(00:05:05) Vince C-Benoit - Wheat Fields in Afghanistan
(00:05:57) Rock Veilleux - Gliding with Air Cadets
(00:08:44) Act 2: The Grind - Mike Houle - The Firehose
(00:09:58) Dan Conway - First Real Doubts
(00:10:11) Brian Kilroy - The Pressure Cooker
(00:13:38) Pete Musters - P is for Pilot
(00:14:17) Dan McWilliams - Owning Mistakes
(00:14:45) Jeff Foreman - Scale Change
(00:15:09) Dan McWilliams - Fighter Dreams Derailed
(00:17:57) Dan Conway - 98% Awesome
(00:18:55) Act 3: The Edge - Skye Simpson - The Imposter
(00:20:10) Bryan Morrison - The Culture Shock
(00:20:54) Ian Wookey - Realizing You're Terrible at Flying Helicopters
(00:22:26) Rock Veilleux - Flying the Hawk
(00:24:40) Brian Kilroy - The Edge of Capability
(00:28:52) Skye Simpson - A Stick of Gum
(00:30:39) Rock Veilleux - The Ejection
(00:39:16) Act 4: The Toll - Dan McWilliams - Twisted Bits of Aluminum
(00:40:17) Duncan MacIsaac - How Many Lives Did They Save?
(00:41:48) Dan McWilliams - BAM! It Was Over.
(00:43:25) Bob Wade - The Weight of Instructing
(00:44:16) Rock Veilleux - The Road to Recovery
(00:48:34) CFMAP Information
(00:48:59) Act 5: Why We Fly - Blake McNaughton - Brothers and Sisters
(00:49:56) Rich MacDougall - Most Memorable Flight
(00:50:52) Jeff Foreman - This Is Your Captain Speaking
(00:51:28) Rich MacDougall - 25 Years Ago, That Was Me
(00:52:03) Blake McNaughton - A Gig Like Nothing Else