All Fire No Smoke Podcast

Nicole Malachowski, the first woman Thunderbird pilot, joins to share her remarkable journey of resilience and leadership. She opens up about breaking barriers in the military, honoring the legacy of the WASP, facing censorship, and the power of mentorship, authenticity, and allies in driving change.

In Part 2 of our conversation, our hosts continue exploring Heather 'Princess' Fox’s journey and her connection to Merryl. Building on last week’s insights, Heather dives deeper into leadership communication—sharing advanced strategies for leading large teams toward bold goals, while staying grounded, authentic, and human throughout the process.

This week, our hosts explore the inspiring journey of Heather 'Princess' Fox and her unique connection to Merryl. Heather shares powerful insights on leadership communication, offering practical strategies for guiding large teams toward ambitious goals—while staying authentic, approachable, and human every step of the way.

In this episode of All Fire No Smoke, Dragon Lady Merryl Tengesdal sits down with CFI and business jet pilot, and entrepreneur Amber Brierly for a wide-ranging conversation about aviation, community, and the fundamentals of flying — recorded in the unique setting of a Falcon 7X cabin (because why not?)Amber shares her journey from growing up in New Zealand to becoming a U.S. citizen and building a career in business aviation and general aviation. Together, Merryl and Amber explore the challenges of transitioning between different aircraft types, the critical importance of stick-and-rudder skills in the age of automation, and what it takes to navigate unconscious bias and find your confidence in the cockpit.This episode is both a technical and emotional look at what it means to fly — and why community, mentorship, and emotional intelligence are as vital as flight hours.

In our State-of-the-State Mid-Season Check-In, hosts Caroline "Blaze" Jensen and Merryl "Dragon Lady" Tengesdal share personal updates, discuss the challenges of navigating current events, and emphasize the importance of self-care and resilience. They reflect on their experiences in the military, the impact of small interactions, and the significance of personal growth.

Fighter Pilots on Merit, Mentorship, and the DEI DebateIn this episode, Ryan “Motor” Riley and Caroline “Blaze” Jensen—former Thunderbirds, combat pilots, and longtime wingmen—get real about diversity, equity, and inclusion in military aviation in their experiences flying together and the careers that followed. Drawing from deployments, flight training, and years in elite squadrons, they explore what truly matters in building a lethal, unified force: trust, mentorship, and performance under pressure. From challenging assumptions to advocating for a wide talent pipeline without lowering standards, Merryl, Motor, and Blaze offer an unfiltered take on what diversity should look like in high-stakes environments—and why it can't come at the cost of competence.

Flying the F-16. Leading the Thunderbirds. Fighting for instructors.Ryan “Motor” Riley pulls back the curtain on what it’s really like to fly one of the most advanced fighter jets in the world and perform precision maneuvers with the Thunderbirds. But this episode goes beyond the stick and rudder. Riley talks about the weight of leadership, balancing egos and morale, and what it meant to be the guy who spoke up for instructors when others didn’t. From flying the F-16 and T-38 to championing the T-6 as a more capable training platform, Motor shares how every role—whether in combat, in the airshow circuit, or behind the scenes—shaped his view of service, teamwork, and what really moves the needle in military aviation. No fluff, just straight talk from a pilot who’s done it all.

Erasing History? Why the Military is Quietly Removing Stories of Trailblazing Women and People of ColorThis episode confronts a disturbing trend: the quiet removal of pioneering service members’ stories—like that of Betty Preszler, the first woman to fly and eject from the F-16—from official military websites. We explore why these narratives matter, how they’ve inspired generations, and what’s at stake when they’re erased. Preszler and fellow voices argue that far from dividing units, these stories build pride, resilience, and a more inclusive force. From leadership struggles to recruiting impact, this discussion sheds light on a broader effort to rewrite history—and why pushing back matters now more than ever.