Interview with Roger Cruickshank on the Eurofighter Typhoon

[@thelmaviaduct]

What a genuinely nice humble fella. Will buy his book too, suffered with depression since 2000, lost a couple of jobs due to the debilitating illness. Thanks for the interview.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thelma Viaduct he is a lovely bloke and doing wonders to help fight the stigma. I hope his book helps you Thelma and if you search for his book on FB there are plenty of links if you feel the need to visit them :)

[@malcolmhales8181]

Thelma, good luck with the job.

[@pauldg837]

What a great interview and such a fantastic guy. And to give his book profits to such deserving causes, has my total admiration. I will most certainly buy his book. I am currently suffering from a severe depression, and I find it so encouraging that Roger is bringing this to the fore through his own personal experiences. Thank you so much.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Paul DG your very welcome Paul. He is certainly doing a great job and I shall pass on your regards. Stay strong Paul.

[@Awesomes007]

Hang in there. Many know your type of pain and we’re fighting. Better days ahead.

[@pauldg837]

@@Awesomes007 Thank you for your nice comment.

[@randyrosy]

Great choice of an interview partner. A very empathic gentleman looking well beyond the horizon of his cockpit

[@4evaavfc]

Awesome interview. It's great to see an achieved fast jet pilot talking openly about depression and mental health.

[@studavies1967]

I have 7th y775y797t5t8587y55 858655855755e8y588858e8578876t5y7tytt5607y55ye5555s9er8ey88e59y6r7y7ryyr5yt5tyr55y8tt8ssr89f5y85ys8r8y58rteyy5r7tyt87y5t5yt7t55y5rt5e66r8t68688tey86r77yt58t7yt8yr665 7555s5t55r5e558t6e yr5t7t555t y7t6re5t5y77785e88 885ee55e 6fy6y8ey7y55y9yyr578yst8e8558r858575858t585t years y6y6758t7576ty575yt56e6957t555t8856 r6e6yty57y87tu57ty9575tt5y7 y6y6758t7576ty575yt56e6957t555t8856 is tt9556t5y

[@chrisp4170]

See also Joe Marler, England Rugby player, especially his interview with James Haskell

[@malcolmhales8181]

Depression killed my father. He's ex RAF, I really respect this young man for being so honest. I struggle sometimes with depression, but manage somehow. Great interview again.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Sorry to hear that, Malcolm.

[@garyfuzz2434]

What a great interview with a very humble guy.great insight to how the typhoon measures up and hope he has raised enough money to make a difference to a worthwhile cause.

[@bigcahoona7931]

Wow....this is one great guy! The amount of "action" he's seen is amazing! You can tell how he really cares about people and I find that incredible. Much respect.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Rog is a top bloke.

[@brabhamfreaman166]

Great interview with a really genuine personable chap, full of humility and plenty of life experience to share with the world. Will defo check out the book. Thanks.

[@christinecrockford1654]

I've suffers with bad depression all my life. I'm very lucky as learnt to deal with it, but with me it comes along for no apparent reason and somtimes ask myself why do i feel like this. But wow I bet your mum is watching you from the other side so proud of you. You certainty wow me. Thankyou xx

[@Aircrewinterview]

Christine Crockford Stay strong Christine and hopefully Rogers story can inspire you :)

[@alexpage7292]

These interviews are so interesting, I really love the informal feel and the fact that the pilots just enjoy chatting with you. I’m a huge fan of the Phoons so really enjoyed this one. The mental health discussion has also hit close to home for me so thanks so much for sharing

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers Alex

[@FPVREVIEWS]

Fighter pilot is a safer career than Nurse. That's what I got out of it. I also played EF2000 as a young kid. was a great sim at the time, and helped shape my life too. great interview and nice guy!

[@Aircrewinterview]

FPVREVIEWS cheers :)

[@--Dani]

Great interview, in , sure glad guys like that have our backs if trouble ever heats up as an American. 🇬🇧🇺🇸👍

[@The_Unintelligent_Speculator]

This guy is a top bloke. Done a few Q stints at Lossie and the Falklands with him. Had plenty of time for the rest of us!

[@Aircrewinterview]

He is indeed. A very personable chap.

[@gnashings]

Just an amazing person. I am really in awe of this man, to show this kind of emotion and sensitivity and insight, and just humanity is just incredible. What a genuinely good human. And then he got the the "what's your favourite aircraft?" question correct:D

[@SingaporeSkaterSam]

Working my way through these military pilot interviews is proving riveting but strangely masochistic - while they regale us with their prowess in the air and their dream careers I can at least console myself that I can probably ski better than them. Then this guy - elite pilot and Olympic downhill skier... ski tours on his off days... bastard! Great video, top man, obviously.

[@Aircrewinterview]

He has also visited the Palace to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in the Operational Honours List. Well deserved too!

[@paulyflyer8154]

What a man. Such a sad story. I'm getting the book today. Thank you.

[@matt-f1c]

Another inspirational guy, very humble and down to earth ..

[@richf6111]

Lovely , sincere guy who has been through hell. Mum was a nurse, has two sisters. I would also guess had pets growing up and didn't do the usual boarding, single sex school. Makes him come across as much more balanced than some of the other 'stiffer' pilots interviewed on this channel. It makes a world of difference having a connection with opposite sex when you are growing up. As is evident here, you see a person who is an elite airman, but obviously humble, empathetic and human.

[@Aircrewinterview]

He is a great guy, Rich.

[@rohampasha9667]

Rich F he didnt go to Eton colleague with thag accent

[@phillipneal9289]

Another excellent interview. Good to see the exposure being given (again) to mental health. Excellent work guys

[@Zinnia82]

Superb insight into the Typhoon and Roger himself. What a top bloke!

[@Aircrewinterview]

He is like a real life action man!

[@distortedreality4603]

Another brilliant video! For an aircraft geek like me, your videos are excellent! Informative and interesting and all the guys seem like genuinely nice people

[@KJV0812]

Sounds like a very humble fighter pilot. In his position, being humble... takes you a long way in any situation. Good video.

[@KJV0812]

Bumblebug73 Even American forces get garbage equipment, from personal experience. I think a nations military should always have the best equipment relative to what is going on in current battlefields. The problem is politics and poor budgets will always dictate what the military will have.

[@KJV0812]

Well either way, you guys know how to master what you have and I respect that.

[@AvengerII]

The Western air forces are facing some serious issues with the costs of the new equipment (it's WAY too expensive to operate at a decent tempo and get proper training) and training jets in general. In the US, they're being forced to keep a lot of the Teen Fighters well past the proper retirement date. F-15s going on to past 10,000-12,000 flight hours on frames that really were certified for 8,000 hours max but because they can't afford enough F-22s to replace the F-15 on one-for-one basis AND they don't want to rely on fighter-bombers (F-16, F-35) to replace dedicated air-superiority platforms! The other issue is training -- NOBODY can afford to train their pilots properly and get all the hours they need to come to grips with the new machines! It's at least $16,000/hr in gas, some planes going up to $30,000-$40,000 because of other issues that factor in addition to the gas (special maintenance -- stealth coatings and such)! In the US, there's no longer a proper lead-in jet to train for the new planes. Honestly, they should have retired the T-38 decades ago because it wasn't even up to really properly preparing pilots for the Fourth-Generation Fighters! (F-15, F-16, F-18.) They really need to get a trainer that's up to dealing with sustained high-G (better than 8G) and has performance characteristics closer to a frontline plane BUT is economical at the same time! T-38 or F-5 may be semi-economical but they're not representative of what's needed as a good lead-in trainer from what I understand. They're horrendously underpowered, don't accelerate anywhere near an average Fourth-Gen fighter-bomber(!), and can't simulate the G-force of the latest planes -- they're 6-7G sustained max, and that's with them losing thousands of feet of altitude in their max turn rates! Cheapest I can figure would have been to buy something like an F-5G (simplified F-20, minimum change to F404 engine, basic avionics/glass cockpit) but, of course, that didn't happen because the US military wanted to sell more F-16s! The good news is that the guys the Western alliances would probably fight in another war are in no better shape than us! Nobody can afford the new equipment, there's the usual breaking in/debug business (it takes 10 years to really employ these systems properly and get them semi-reliable), and again, training is probably not what it should be. You think our procurement systems are screwed up in the West, China is going in 3-4 different directions with as many fighter designs and they STILL can't manufacture reliable jet engines for their own planes! They're having to source fighter engines from Russia!!! And the Russians? They can afford a Fifth-Gen plane even less than any country in the West.

[@neuropilot7310]

Some of the finest fighter pilots are also the most humble people to meet. e.g Capt. Dale "snort" Snodgrass, the famous F-14 pilot.

[@spawnof200]

"In the US, they're being forced to keep a lot of the Teen Fighters well past the proper retirement date." sounds a alot like what happened to us with our lightnings - operated from 1959 to 1988

[@nicholasroberts6954]

Lovely lad - great series - I'm blowing my monthly data allowance watching all of these over Easter

[@Aircrewinterview]

He is a top bloke. I hope you don’t go over and get charged!

[@Aircrewinterview]

If you have Facebook you can join the Aircrew Interview group for the latest updates! facebook.com/groups/1005290989528280/

[@James-me6dx]

Amazing interview - just found it tonight and has both moved and inspired me :)

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks again James.

[@charalamposkatsogr8566]

Great interview. Very happy to see someone talking about mental health in between all the aircraft stuff. Thank you both.

[@jager6863]

Thanks Roger for the aviation stories and especially for your book and work in support of mental health. Well done.

[@darkedge8735]

What a great GREAT interview! HUGE respect for Roger.

[@ronpirie]

Thank you Roger Cruickshank for highlighting what is one of the biggest killers in our society today - mental health and lack of awareness/ support. Particularly poignant to me is the fact that your first taste of flight was at Dinnet, like myself (I grew up in Peterculter, just down the road) and the mention of your sister flying over Lochnagar. Lochnagar was my favourite mountain for rock AND winter climbing. I am 54 now but worked 30 years in the offshore drilling industry, where talk of depression would have sounded like an admission of weakness. Thankfully times are changing and more and more of us are losing that fear to admit we are struggling sometimes. I myself had a lot of "challenging" times, particularly during the breakdown of my marriage whilst working overseas. I know how it feels to contemplate that decision to press the STOP button. It is down to friends who understood me and who took notice, that I am still here today. It is also the support of those friends that gave me the courage to approach my neighbour (who was making some serious self harm attempts and had frequent 'door busting visits' from the police). I am glad to say that she has gone from almost daily 'events' to almost none in 3 months ... because, as she said in her own words, she feels it is OK to talk to someone now. We all need to keep a look out for each other, especially recently with lockdown etc

[@davidbarrett1487]

A truly nice honest man, yes life is not all plain sailing for almost everybody, we should all be aware that it is not a sign of weakness, we are human and complex. Compassion & care for everybody is extremely important for us all. 👍👍👍Top gun tells it straight. 🇬🇧

[@rckchp]

As an aviation aficionado (private pilot) I find the Aircrew Interview series very well done and enjoyable viewing. My only suggestion would be that the interviewer stand closer to the microphone.....sometimes hard to hear the questions he asks.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Glad to hear you enjoy the videos. Thanks for the feedback and we are in the middle of setting up a second mic so the questions can be heard clearly.

[@zooneylazoon4354]

Also, see if you can ask a question without prefixing it with “So” Just kidding. Terrific series!

[@paunixon]

Wonderful interview & thanks Roger for your candid words on mental health...and flying. Loved it. Bought book. My brother comitted suicide 35 years ago, and it still hurts. I was flying at the time, and it took the wind out of my sails and I stopped flying. I sail, ride and will likely get back to flying again soon. Cheers.

[@hughesja1975]

EF2000, what a sim! Wonder if Rog has ever seen DCS World? They are releasing a Spitfire soon (and a Harrier ;-)) Another great video in a compelling series

[@Aircrewinterview]

hughesja1975 you never know he might do! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@gbornitz]

They are even about to release the Typhoon in DCS

[@Feuerleger]

Typhoon is KING!!!

[@caleblarsen5490]

Said the Typhoon as a Raptor sneaks up and rips it to pieces.

[@manuwilson4695]

Good Man!...That's the kind of Typhoon pilot I want.

[@MurrayC]

My personal experience would be to talk to a stranger - the barber, the ticket collector, the person at the bus stop. Thank you for sharing and its not anyone's fault, including the person who took their life.

[@warrenchambers4819]

Best interview I have seen on this channel yet made me tear up. I know what he's talking about I've been there. Lost my wife to mental illness. Shits tough.

[@nicholasdavies8795]

What a nice chap! Well done to you!

[@lenfirewood4089]

So sorry to hear about your mum Roger - really admire the way you have handled such a terrible tragedy.

[@Aircrewinterview]

His book is excellent and worth picking up.

[@lenfirewood4089]

@@Aircrewinterview thank you as I am now looking forward to reading the book even more as I bought the kindle version straight after watching this video interview. Good work you are doing too btw - a big thumbs up from me.

[@graemedicks3139]

Awesome Guy and allround interview !

[@victornalin]

Great lad! And flies Typhoons and loves the Spitfire!

[@robadzso]

Thanks A/I, stellar interview! So much more than just aviation chit chat! I just watched it in one go and it kept me involved so much from the beginning on. An exemplary man with a mission, well multiple missions. Does he have a twin brother or what to cope with all of those activities?

[@finchleyflyer]

Superb. Fantastic stories from a current operational pilot, with huge enthusiasm for the Typhoon and flying in general. Has his tour on 6 Sqn finished now? What's he doing next?

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers Peter. It has, he is now on 29 Sqn at Coningsby. His first day there was the day after we filmed the interview.

[@WeeRosieOurFrenchie]

Still in awe of your achievements :-) keep it up

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks very much David, its much appreciated!

[@PhantomMark]

Ef2000 was an awesome game for its time.....so awesome to fly it for real, good lad.

[@robadzso]

Hey, looks like it's coming to DCS World. In about 2 more years at least, I guess? If you enjoyed EF 2000 have a look at it!

[@PhantomMark]

@@robadzso hahaha yes, sadly the German version it seems, I think I have pretty much every other module of DCS now, with park it with those :D

[@gr0wler147]

What a great guy.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Andrew Potter a very down to earth bloke.

[@iancouzens]

Cool genuine guy.

[@hgrgic]

EJ200`s are maybe the best part of the Typhoon aside from aerodynamics, amazing engines.

[@chrisp4170]

This guy is a star. If we went to war, these are the types of people that make you proud to be British and who you are happy are on your side. Awesome. The Typhoon is a good plane, sure, but the combination of that plane and people like this is what makes other nations sit up and take notice of our armed services. We may not have as many planes, ships and tanks as others, but we do have the best service people.

[@elizabethnilsson1815]

I use to follow you on the twitter and see what is happening in your world, and than I lost your twitter account and name, and there is come the covid. I never bouth your book that you wrote about your mother but it impressed me. Missed your though. Happy to find you again.

[@elizabethnilsson1815]

correction: I never bought

[@elizabethnilsson1815]

To fly the TYPHOON is not jus PREVELEGE but DEMAND of the VERY BEST OF A PILOTS.

[@ianrkav]

What's the aircraft he mentions at about 34:00 minutes? It sounds like he's saying 'curl.' If so what aircraft is that the codename for?

[@Aircrewinterview]

ianrkav it's a AN-26

[@paracelsus9510]

Thanks roger thanks for sharing talking about the darker shades we need to turn the rocks over in life

[@Aircrewinterview]

He is a top bloke.

[@simmat7753]

He’s filming at newark air museum

[@Aircrewinterview]

Yep

[@Aeronaut1975]

Drinking game: Every time he says "Epic bit of kit", take a shot of Vodka. See if you can still see straight by the end of the video :)

[@sgtrexy1479]

Newark air museum that's the Draken there

[@agdgdgwngo]

What a guy

[@mudabudda]

Great guy. I wonder what would happen if scotland get independence would his job go ?

[@mercyreaper5865]

I wish we could have done one with the v bomber guys.

[@Aircrewinterview]

We are working on these types of interviews for the future.

[@matthayward7889]

Aircrew Interview the guys who look after the Vulcan at Southend airport are brilliant, love their cockpit tours 👍

[@paracelsus9510]

I just can't get over it - look at our warriors , our knights in the sky - enlightened ,caring , compassionate men and women . The RAF has chosen so well in this man, these jets must be entrusted to the best of us - the word best invokes visions of cutthroat Machiavellian meritocracy in our society , which just like suicide , and depression , isn't commonly looked at . Every pilot and their families lives on an edge so to speak, risk and death are so complex . I wish I knew what it all meant but we never will if we do not come together and take our guards down and look at what's really going on , underneath the surface .

[@DJBoysToys]

lovely video

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks Declan.

[@Scoobydcs]

hes stood in front of a draken isnt he? great looking plane, especially for the time!

[@Aircrewinterview]

He is, it’s based at Newark Air Museum. It really was a great jet from that era!

[@bret9741]

I always worry, at least a little, that our enemies are learning not only our tactics but also building a knowledge base of our pilots and the foundation of how our pilots have arrived at their current tactics and capabilities. How little we know about our potential enemies. I’m thankful for the videos, don’t get me wrong. Im glad we have then and in a free society, I believe it’s important for the general population to see how amazing our Air Force is.

[@sfertonoc]

Yep, Typhoon is powerful. A minus of the Rafale is that it is comparatively underpowered. India chose it though because of nuclear capability and other things.

[@Twirlyhead]

Great interview. Subd.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Much appreciated.

[@mookie2637]

What's he standing next to? Draken?

[@Aircrewinterview]

mookie2637 it is

[@patthewoodboy]

Hawker Hunter

[@magna4100]

Saab Draken @ Newark Air Museum.

[@johnferguson5219]

The silver aircraft he's next to is a Vampire T11 'T' for Trainer. If you could see the entire aircraft, you'd see that it has yellow bands on the twin-booms and on each wing. This is what identifies aircraft of the FTC (Flying Training Command). I worked with and on these aircraft in the early-to-mid fifties - great!

[@Pow3llMorgan]

First one is a Royal Danish Air Force SAAB 35 Draken out of 729th squadron which, I'm afraid, has disbanded.

[@hondansx1000]

4 Foxhounds jeez...surprised they even let you get close

[@TechGaming45]

Great vid.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers.

[@TechGaming45]

Will defo get the book sometime next year.

[@Aircrewinterview]

You wont be disappointed.

[@Peorhum]

A record for saying "kit" in a hour

[@benterrell9139]

I wonder, ... Is an excellent bit of kit better or worse than an epic bit of kit. 🙂

[@sergarlantyrell7847]

What we want to know is how the Typhoon compares with the French Rafale...

[@colderwar]

Another veteran of EF2000 then :)))

[@paulsayer426]

Great video , suffered myself with deppression, such a taboo subject , what a life he`s had , the good and the bad.

[@willfoley1211]

gosh i loved EF2000

[@Feuerleger]

33:13 Through the Intelligence? How was the Code Name? May be MR. BOND? :-D

[@Scoobydcs]

Intercepting mig 31s? Wow didn't realise they put them up this way

[@Aircrewinterview]

Very occasionally they do.

[@UncleBoratagain]

Great airshow gadget but thats about it!

[@parkpunk2]

...bit...of...kit

[@het61yt]

Easily do a drinking game to that

[@planpitz4190]

I am not sure if giving some of this information is a good thing ...very entertaining though.Hope they coordinated with RAF PR beforehand.

[@aerogray2500]

Book bought.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Nice one.

[@paulsayer426]

Can't work out the jet behind him?

[@Aircrewinterview]

Saab Draken.

[@paulsayer426]

Yeah , got it now thanks, love your video`s , many thanks !

[@KRGruner]

What a great guy! Awesome interview. As far as the Typhoon, he obviously loves it but that aircraft won't be top-notch until it gets an electronically scanned radar. I know it's supposedly coming, but it's a crying shame that it's not even close to being operational. Second criticism of Typhoon is that it's a giant radar reflector. I don't care how much radar absorbent materials they stuck on that thing, it's just shaped to optimally reflect radar waves back to the emitter. What were they thinking? Look at the French Rafale, and you see something that was obviously designed with radar cross-section minimization in mind. Typhoon? LOL...

[@mudabudda]

On that note should the british government be training Scottish as it would be money wasted 🤔.

[@couchfighter]

IS IN FRONT OF A DRAKEN?

[@Aircrewinterview]

Correct.

[@มดดํา-ภ5ต]

เคยคิดว่าจะออกแบบใหม่ให้มากที่สุดระบบขั้นบังคับอาจจะทำอยู่ด้านขวามือแต่มีมุมองศาเสียงเข้าหาตัวนักบิน /

[@aguilanorte3859]

gay pilot? ??????????

[@distortedreality4603]

Another brilliant video! For an aircraft geek like me your videos are excellent and interesting! And all the guys you interview seem like genuinely nice people

[@Aircrewinterview]

lab rat thanks very much, I'm glad you enjoy them as much as I do filming them. They are lovely people and I have not met anyone yet with an ego.