Join the Coronado Public Library for a high-octane evening with Vincent “Jell-O” Aiello, former TOPGUN instructor, combat pilot, and host of the popular Fighter Pilot Podcast, as he shares stories from his gripping memoir, "Through the Yellow Visor."More than just dogfights and flybys, Aiello’s book offers an unfiltered look into the real world of naval aviation—where grit, resilience, and teamwork matter more than ego. From flight school challenges to combat missions over Iraq, his journey reveals the human side of life at Mach speed.Don’t miss this chance to meet the man behind the mic, hear what it’s really like to land on a moving aircraft carrier, and get a signed copy of the book that podcast fans have been waiting for.About the Book: Ride Along with a Real Top Gun and Get His View from the Cockpit. You’ve heard him as host of the Fighter Pilot Podcast. More than 100k listeners have been waiting for this book.Now ride along. From the cockpit of a Navy jet circling overhead, an aircraft carrier—1,000 feet long and displacing 98,000 tons—looks no bigger than a child’s toy. No wonder the fighter pilots call it a boat. Try landing on one of these bucking broncos without boltering.TOPGUN instructor and seasoned naval aviator, E. Vincent “Jell-O” Aiello takes readers on an exhilarating flight from being a wide-eyed eight-year-old peering into a jet’s cockpit at the Point Mugu Airshow to flying one. Not the Hollywood version by any means, Vincent explains his tough, terrifying, and trusted path to flying America’s war planes.From flying F/A-18 Hornets on missions worldwide, to serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, to teaching the art of air combat at TOPGUN, Jell-O brings you into the adrenaline-fueled world of naval aviation while proving that persistence is a pilot’s most valuable skill.After retiring from the Navy with more than 3,800 flight hours and 700 carrier landings, Vincent, now an airline pilot, hosts the popular Fighter Pilot Podcast, where he explores the fascinating world of air combat with stimulating revelations about—The complex, multi-million-dollar aircraft,The lethal weapons systems they employ, andThe fearless people who protect our country every single day.This is the personal story of a boy with big dreams who became the man behind the yellow visor.About the Author:Commander Aiello is native of California. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles and was commissioned through the Navy ROTC Program in August 1992. Commander Aiello attended Navy pilot training and was awarded the coveted wings of gold in August 1995. Following initial training in the F/A-18 Hornet with VMFAT-101 at MCAS El Toro, Santa Ana, California, Commander Aiello’s first operational assignment was with VFA86 at NAS Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida. During this tour he deployed to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH aboard the aircraft carriers USS GEORGE WASHINGTON and USS JOHN F. KENNEDY. In 2000, Commander Aiello reported to the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center at NAS Fallon, Nevada where he attended the Navy Fighter Weapons School, or TOPGUN, and remained on the staff as an instructor. In 2003 he was assigned to VFA97 in NAS Lemoore, California where he deployed to the Arabian Gulf aboard the carrier USS NIMITZ in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. In 2004 Commander Aiello attended the School of Naval Aviation Safety at the Naval Postgraduate School before reporting to VFA-94 in Lemoore for his department head tour. In 2005 he again deployed aboard NIMITZ to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf in support of OIF. Commander Aiello reported to the Strike Fighter Weapons School, Pacific at Lemoore in 2006 and remained until 2009 when he was assigned to the staff of Carrier Air Wing FIVE in NAF Atsugi, Japan where he deployed to the Western Pacific aboard GEORGE WASHINGTON. Commander Aiello’s next assignment came in 2010 to the staff of Commander, U.S. THIRD Fleet, San Diego, California where he deployed to Afghanistan as an ‘individual augmentee’ with a Joint Special Operations Command task force in support of Operation ALLIED FORCE. During this assignment Commander Aiello completed a Masters of Business Administration degree from the Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. In 2013 Commander Aiello returned to NSAWC in Fallon where he served as Program Manager for the Navy’s F-16 adversary fleet. In 2015 Commander Aiello reported to the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest at NAS North Island, California where he served as the F/A-18 Integrated Project Team Military Program Manager and F/A18A-F Hornet and Super Hornet functional check pilot. Commander Aiello retired from the US Navy in March, 2017 following nearly 25 years of faithful and honorable service. He accrued 3,800 total flight hours including 3,200 in all models of the F/A-18 and nearly 200 in the F-16A/B. He has flown more than 70 combat missions over Iraq and performed over 700 carrier-arrested landings. His decorations include two Meritorious Service Medals, three Air Medals, four Navy Commendation Medals, and numerous personal and unit decorations. Commander Aiello is married to the former Beth Grimm of Rogers, Arkansas; they reside in Coronado, California with their three sons: Slater, Anthony, and Dawson.Visit: https://coronado.librarycalendar.com/event/summer-festival-hold-34692Coronado Public Library on Facebook / Instagram
