#137 Scott "Fester" Fredrick | F-16 Fighter Pilot | Surviving an Ejection over the Pacific Ocean

The Afterburn Podcast

In July 2012, F-16 pilot Scott “Fester” Fredrick found himself in a fight for survival over the frigid North Pacific. What began as a routine movement flight from Misawa to Eielson turned into a catastrophic engine failure, forcing him to eject over open ocean and spend more than six hours in 55-degree water before rescue.

In this episode, we dive into Fester’s incredible career — from chasing the B-2 Spirit during flight test, to combat over Iraq, to his harrowing ejection and rescue. We talk pilot training lessons, split-second decision making, survival training that saved his life, and how perspective changes after you’ve stared death in the face.

Whether you’re into aviation, military history, or just a great story of resilience and skill under pressure, this one delivers.

Have a story? Program and partnership inquiries: https://theafterburnpodcast.com/contact/

🛫 Become a Fighter/Bomber/Cargo/Tanker/RPA Pilot 🎯 : http://bogidope.com/?bd=tappodcast 🛫

Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) Prep with AFOQT Wingman https://afoqtwingman.com/Code: AFTERBURN for 10% off

🔺 Aviation & Defense Newsletter - https://bit.ly/AfterburnNewsletter 🔺

Become a Patron, Support the Show, & Gain Exclusive Benefits: https://www.patreon.com/c/theafterburnpodcast


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More description

In July 2012, F-16 pilot Scott “Fester” Fredrick found himself in a fight for survival over the frigid North Pacific. What began as a routine movement flight from Misawa to Eielson turned into a catastrophic engine failure, forcing him to eject over open ocean and spend more than six hours in 55-degree water before rescue.

In this episode, we dive into Fester’s incredible career — from chasing the B-2 Spirit during flight test, to combat over Iraq, to his harrowing ejection and rescue. We talk pilot training lessons, split-second decision making, survival training that saved his life, and how perspective changes after you’ve stared death in the face.

Whether you’re into aviation, military history, or just a great story of resilience and skill under pressure, this one delivers.

Have a story? Program and partnership inquiries: https://theafterburnpodcast.com/contact/

🛫 Become a Fighter/Bomber/Cargo/Tanker/RPA Pilot 🎯 : http://bogidope.com/?bd=tappodcast 🛫

Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) Prep with AFOQT Wingman https://afoqtwingman.com/Code: AFTERBURN for 10% off

🔺 Aviation & Defense Newsletter - https://bit.ly/AfterburnNewsletter 🔺

Become a Patron, Support the Show, & Gain Exclusive Benefits: https://www.patreon.com/c/theafterburnpodcast


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2025-08-22 92 min
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