Flybynightpodcast

02/06/2023

Check out the new episodes "How Are You Still Alive?" Parts 1 & 2 on Fly By Night. It's the amazing story of a pilot who turned to smuggling drugs and somehow survived crashes only to be caught and sentenced to life in prison. And in a odd twist, find out who this pilot's brother is, and the very famous serial killer he prosecuted.

Find it here on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-11-how-are-you-still-alive-part-1/id1525615317?i=1000613051711&itsct=podcast_box&itscg=30200&ls=1

Available on the Fly By Night website:
https://flybynightpodcast.com

17/05/2023

ANOTHER NEW EPISODE OF FLY BY NIGHT!

Episode 12 "How Are You Still Alive?" premiered yesterday and is the story of a pilot who cheated death a number of times as he smuggled ma*****na from Colombia, Jamaica and Belize into Florida. When he was caught, Billy Dekle was sentenced to life in prison. Part 1 of a two part series on Dekle. You can find it here on Apple Podcasts:

‎Show Fly By Night, Ep EP 11 How Are You Still Alive? Part 1 - May 15, 2023

09/05/2023

"Snow on The Palms", is a new episode of Fly By Night released yesterday May 8th!

It tells the story of a wealthy Palm Beach pilot who became an international drug smuggler bringing ma*****na in from the Bahamas and co***ne from Colombia.

Check it out on Apple Podcasts and please take the time to leave a rating and review for the whole series.
https://apple.co/44W1LnI

These are stories of America’s drug smuggling pilots and the people who chased them; stories of conspiracy, dangerous flying, of greed, adventure and murder.

04/05/2023

FLY BY NIGHT NEW EPISODE!

In "Co***ne...A Bear...and a Final Word on Drew Thornton" Fly By Night brings you three new interviews.

Hear exclusive interviews with a detective who worked with Thornton; a childhood friend, and the producer/director of the new documentary "Co***ne Bear: The True Story."
https://flybynightpodcast.com.

If you haven't heard the first four episodes that tell this story, check them out first.

02/05/2023

COCAINE...A BEAR...AND A FINAL WORD ON DREW THORNTON
A NEW EPISODE OF FLY BY NIGHT

In this new episode of Fly By Night we re-visit the Drew Thornton story with new interviews, including an exclusive interview with retired Lexington police detective/narcotics officer Drexel Neal who served with Thornton.

Also in the show are one of Thornton's childhood friends and the producer/director of the recent documentary with the real story not told in the comedy/horror movie based very loosely on the Thornton story. https://flybynightpodcast.com

05/04/2023

Look for some great Fly By Night news soon! The picture below provides a hint.

In the meantime, you can help by sharing this link with interested friends and tell them how you feel about the show. Ask them to download and listen to the currently available episodes.
https://flybynightpodcast.com

17/03/2023

Thanks to everyone who has "liked" a post for this podcast. Much appreciated!

But if you want to make a real difference, follow the show link and download all eight episodes so that you can listen to at any time. You have the power to really help the show grow with downloads, listens, and especially by subscribing.

Follow the link below to the show website, and there you'll find easy links to Fly By Night on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and many other providers.

You can help Fly By Night grow-possibly a second season!

These are stories of America’s drug smuggling pilots and the people who chased them; stories of conspiracy, dangerous flying, of greed, adventure and murder.

17/03/2023

When Melanie Flynn disappeared on January 25th, 1977, she was on her way to drop off some documents. Eight days later her car was found, and seven months later, a fisherman found her purse at the Kentucky River. Her remains have never been found.

Shortly after her disappearance, as a possible informant, she was connected to several Lexington, KY narcotics detectives who were later found to have smuggled drugs by airplane into Kentucky.
Melanie Flynn's story is told in Episode 3 of the true crime podcast Fly By Night. Listen and download wherever you get your podcasts.

These are stories of America’s drug smuggling pilots and the people who chased them; stories of conspiracy, dangerous flying, of greed, adventure and murder.

15/03/2023

Seconds after takeoff, as the DC-7 departed Barstow, CA to pick up ma*****na in Columbia, the barely-trained pilots had their hands full when first one engine failed and then a second. With an airplane that no longer wanted to fly, they made a fateful and tragic decision...hear the story in "Close Enough To Dying" in Fly By Night

These are stories of America’s drug smuggling pilots and the people who chased them; stories of conspiracy, dangerous flying, of greed, adventure and murder.

10/03/2023

As the story goes, in one strange night a group of California hippies (or a motorcycle gang depending on who you believe), went from small time thieves to vowing to turn their lives around and build a commune to live a life of "peace and love". To finance that, they became drug smugglers. Listen to the "Brotherhood of Eternal Love" on Fly By Night.

Here's the link to that episode on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brotherhood-of-eternal-love/id1525615317?i=1000492790722

Fly By Night tells stories of pilots who used their skills to run drugs, and of the people who chase

04/03/2023

A pilot less plane crashed on the night of September 11, 1985. In its wake were the deaths of its pilot, whose body now lay in a Knoxville, TN driveway, and a dead bear who was to become famous years later. Listen to Episode One of Fly By Night at https://flybynightpodcast.com.

These are stories of America’s drug smuggling pilots and the people who chased them; stories of conspiracy, dangerous flying, of greed, adventure and murder. Told through interviews with flyers who chose to use their skills to move contraband into th...

01/03/2023

Who was the pilot who threw out the coke that killed the real Co***ne Bear?

26/02/2023

Invest 1 minute and 38 seconds to meet pilots who used their skills to smuggle drugs in the 70’s and 80’s, and the people who chased them. The series begins with the story of a pilot who had been a corrupt cop and helped build one of the largest aerial smuggling rings in the country. On the night of September 10th, 1985, Drew Thornton strapped co***ne and weapons to his body, turned on the autopilot, and jumped to his death.

‎Show Fly By Night, Ep Fly By Night Trailer - Jul 29, 2020

25/02/2023

Drew Thornton was a former Lexington, KY narcotics detective, skydiver and pilot who who became one of the most prolific drug smugglers in the 1980's. https://apple.co/3Sw7lXO

On the morning of September 11th, 1985 his body was found in a driveway in Knoxville, TN. Strapped to him were bundles of coke and weapons. In his wake were mysterious disappearances and the death of a very unfortunate black bear as featured in the recent film Co***ne Bear.

For the story of Drew Thornton and his co-conspirators, check out Fly By Night, the podcast on drug running pilots and those who chased them.

23/02/2023

There is a lot of buzz about the movie Co***ne Bear set to be released tomorrow. The publicity says it's based on a true story, and well, that's a little bit true.

It's true that a bear ate bundles of coke thrown from a plane. But that's where the movie and reality begin to diverge.

The coke was jettisoned by the plane's pilot Drew Thornton who was to die soon afterward when his parachute failed to open properly. And, it's also very possible that much of the coke was thrown overboard by another man who survived the flight and his first parachute jump.

Thornton's body was found the next morning in the driveway of a Knoxville man, and then the long and complicated story became public; the story of Thornton's transition from Lexington, KY narcotics detective into one of the key players in a widespread drug smuggling ring.

For a deep look into the conspiracy only hinted at by the movie, listen to "Fly By Night", a podcast with the real story. Visit flybynightpodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts. And share with a friend!

28/09/2020

Patty Wagstaff is a special guest presenter for Episode 8 of Fly By Night, the episode that premiered this morning.
A three-time national aerobatic champion and member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, Patty shares the story of charismatic pilot Wally Thrasher whose long smuggling career apparently ended in a mysterious crash in Belize.
You can hear the episode on Apple Podcasts and others (please subscribe and leave a rating!). https://podcasts.apple.com/.../fly-by-night/id1525615317

27/09/2020

Sneak preview of Fly By Night E8: Brotherhood of Eternal Love.

Full episode available Monday September 28th on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and others.

Check it out on Apple Podcasts and please leave a rating!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fly-by-night-trailer/id1525615317?i=1000486529467&mt=2&app=podcast

25/09/2020

What do a stuffed black bear nicknamed "Pablo Escobear"and an episode of the series "Justified" have in common with a self-styled ninja drug smuggling pilot?

Find out by listening to "Fly By Night" on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get yours.
https://podcasts.apple.com/.../fly-by.../id1525615317...

And leave a rating please!
It will take 2-3 seconds to click on the rating of your choice. As a thank you, I'll do something for you that takes 2-3 seconds.

Seriously, just ask a question in the comments section here about anything you hear in the show and I'll do my best to answer.

20/09/2020

New episode of "Fly By Night" for you on Monday September 21st! Meet a cargo and corporate pilot by day, who flew very different cargo at night.

All episodes of "Fly By Night" are free by subscribing at Apple Podcasts or where you get your podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fly-by-night-trailer/id1525615317?i=1000486529467&mt=2&app=podcast

19/09/2020

18/09/2020

Fan of the series "Justified'?

Fun fact:
The opening scene of Episode 1 of Season 4 of "Justified" features the story of a skydiver found dead, loaded down with co***ne and weapons. That scene is based on the real story of Drew Thornton, a pilot and former narcotics cop from Lexington, KY turned aerial drug smuggler. Thornton's story is featured in the first four episodes of "Fly By Night", now available where you get your podcasts.

Here is the show on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fly-by-night/id1525615317

Thanks in advance for subscribing and for leaving a rating!

17/09/2020

On the night of September 11, 1985, pilot and former narcotics office Drew Thornton turned drug smuggler strapped co***ne and weapons to his body and leapt to his death. His story begins this popdcast that tells of drug smugglers and those who chased them. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Find it here on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fly-by-night/id1525615317

30/08/2020

"The Death of Drew Thornton", Episode Four of "Fly By Night" premiers Monday, August 31st. Here's a preview of that episode. "flybynightpodcasts

01/08/2020

The show trailer for Fly By Night, a new aviation true crime podcast is now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. The first full episode premiers on August 10th with the story of a group of Lexington, KY narcotics officers turned aerial drug smugglers. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fly-by-night/id1525615317