Steve "FREQ" Cox — Fighter Pilot, Aviation Analyst & Creator

The Aviator

Equal Parts Elite Training
and Raw Passion

Steve Cox is a retired Air Force fighter pilot turned airline captain and adventure-seeking aviator. Over 21 years in the U.S. Air Force he flew the F-15C Eagle as an instructor pilot and operational test & evaluation pilot, working at the leading edge of advanced flight and weapon systems — and building a proven record in flight test and aviation risk mitigation.

Today he flies as a Boeing 737 captain for a major U.S. airline, owns and flies a 1964 Beechcraft S35 Bonanza, and built — riveted, wired, and test-flew — his own bush plane: the RANS S-21 “Backcountry Bogey.”

Callsign “FREQ” — earned for a few reasons, some of which are still classified.

A former NCAA D1 swimmer at Cal Poly who grew up in Southern California, Steve survived the ditching of his first Bonanza in the Columbia River in 2020 — an experience that sharpened his lifelong obsession with flight safety. He holds a Master’s degree in Aviation Safety, mentors young pilots, and shares it all through the lens of his channel, Cleared Direct.

For Media & Networks

An Aviation Analyst
Who’s Lived the Story

When aviation makes headlines, audiences deserve more than speculation. Steve explains what actually happened — in plain language, on camera, with the authority of someone who has flown the jets, run the test programs, and investigated the risks.

Mishap & Incident AnalysisTrained in flight safety and risk mitigation, with a master’s degree behind it.

Military AviationF-15C air dominance, fighter operations, and flight test — from someone who was in the seat.

Airline OperationsCurrent Boeing 737 captain with insight into the world of Part 121 flying.

General & Backcountry AviationBuilder, owner, and pilot fluent in the fast-growing GA and bush-flying culture.

Television iCrime with Elizabeth VargasOn-air aviation expert — the Trevor Jacob intentional-crash episode View ↗ Podcast The Helicopter Podcast — Ep. 174Fighter Pilot Lessons, Backcountry Flying, and a Water Ditching Listen ↗ Podcast Backcountry Aviation RadioSteve Cox is “Cleared Direct” to Alaska in his RANS S-21 Outbound Listen ↗ Podcast Pilot to PilotBackcountry Flying Adventures: Embracing the Freedom Listen ↗

Keynotes Speaking EngagementsEpic Aircraft Fly-In with Trent Palmer (Sept 2025) · Patagonia Bush Pilot Fly-In, Argentina · classified fighter test operations

Lt Col Steve Cox in flight suit beside an F-15C

The Logbook

7,500+ Hours.
One Obsession.

Licensed on his 21st birthday — October 22, 1997 — Steve has logged over 7,500 hours across everything from fabric-and-tube taildraggers to frontline fighters.

MilitaryF-15C Eagle

Air dominance fighter — Instructor Pilot & Operational Test & Evaluation Pilot

2,400+ hrs

CommercialBoeing 737

-400/700/800/900ER & MAX-9 — Captain, major U.S. airline

2,400+ hrs

ExperimentalRANS S-21 “Backcountry Bogey”

Bush plane — built, instrumented, and test-flown by Steve; flown to Alaska and back

Builder & Pilot

General Aviation1964 Beechcraft S35 Bonanza

Classic V-tail cross-country machine — owned and flown

Owner

Also in the logbook: F-16 Viper T-38 Talon T-37 Tweet Stearman Long-EZ Lancair 360 Van’s RV-6 Kitfox Cessna 152 / 172 / 210 Piper Warrior II …and counting

Steve Cox on the ramp in front of an F-15

Steve Cox in the cockpit of the Backcountry Bogey

For Brands & Sponsors

Test-Pilot Rigor.
Creator Reach.

Cleared Direct is where aviation products get flown, torn down, and explained by a career test pilot — to an audience of pilots, builders, and buyers who trust Steve precisely because he doesn’t cut corners. Integrations, dedicated reviews, long-term partnerships, and head-to-head showdowns that audiences actually watch.

18.3K Subscribers 293 Videos 238K Top Video Pilots & Builders Audience

Featured on the channel: Beringer Wheels & Brakes · Catto Propellers · Rotax · Continental · Lycoming · RANS Aircraft · collaborations with Mike Patey, Trent Palmer & the backcountry creator community.