H-Hour

Dean Stott MBE returns to H‑Hour for a long‑form sit‑rep on life after the Special Boat Service. We dig into evacuations in Israel and beyond, the “ground truth” versus the media monster, the reality of being PNG’d by MOD, and why outdated secrecy policies are still shaping the lives of ex‑SF operators. Dean talks surfing and fighting at 49, cycling 14,000 miles, celebrity routes for ex-SF, and how he thinks about risk, family and doing things “the European way” in an American healthcare system. If you haven’t heard the icebreaker, start there for the backstory – then come here for what happened next.

Instagram: instagram.com/deanstott

X: x.com/DeanStottSBS

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dean-stott-mbe-24725880

Website: deanstott.com

If you want more conversations like this, where we dig into evacuations, PNG decisions and the reality of life after Tier 1 service, get behind H‑Hour on Patreon at patreon.com/hkpodcasts. Patrons see the guest list early, shape the icebreaker episodes with their own questions, and get access to private Q&A calls – including the one we’re lining up with Dean Stott MBE.
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This 20‑minute icebreaker with Dean Stott MBE warms you up for the full H‑Hour conversation in Episode 289. Patron‑submitted questions go straight for the deep end: lizards and BBC war‑crime allegations, SAS/SBS selection myths, resilience in chaos, jungle weapon safety, and whether “good enough” is ever actually good enough. It’s short, sharp and a bit spicy, and it rolls directly into the main episode – so let your app autoplay into #289 for the full sit‑rep on Dean’s life after Tier 1.

You can follow Dean on Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and via deanstott.com. To submit your own questions for future icebreakers and get early access to guest lists and live Q&As, support H‑Hour on Patreon at patreon.com/hkpodcasts.
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Support the show
 
Free H-Hour giveaways and exclusive access to guests. https://patreon.com/hkpodcasts
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H-Hour on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@HHourPodcast

What happens when your “office” is a helicopter and your job is to bring an emergency room to the streets of London in under seven minutes? In this episode I sit down with Adele Dobler, a helicopter air ambulance pilot with London’s Air Ambulance, to unpack what it really takes to fly lifesaving missions over one of the world’s busiest cities.
We get into how Adele went from dreaming about helicopters to strapping into the left‑hand seat, what it’s like to land on tower blocks and motorways, and how the aircraft becomes a mobile resus room when someone is having the worst day of their life. We talk decision‑making under pressure, managing fear, and the reality of carrying a team and a patient’s chances on your shoulders at 1,000 feet.
Adele also shares lessons from her book “Free to Fly: Lessons in Managing Workplace Fear From an Air Ambulance Pilot” – how to lead when everyone’s looking at you, why “imposter syndrome” can become an unhelpful identity, and practical ways to show up as yourself in high‑consequence environments.
If you enjoy this conversation and want to support H‑Hour and help me keep these episodes coming, you can back the show on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/hkpodcasts. Patrons get access to bonus Q&As (including the Adele icebreaker episode), early releases, and the chance to submit questions for future guests.
Follow and support Adele:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adele_the_heli_pilot/
Book – “Free to Fly: Lessons in Managing Workplace Fear From an Air Ambulance Pilot”: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Free-Fly-Managing-Workplace-Ambulance/dp/B0B5PYSWLN/
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This episode is sponsored by Sin Eaters Guild - sineatersguild.co.uk
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Free H-Hour giveaways and exclusive access to guests. https://patreon.com/hkpodcasts
H-Hour on Substack: https://hughkeir.substack.com
H-Hour on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWSj4p05MUbVlHmFu3y
H-Hour on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@HHourPodcast

Join the H-Hour Patron Community at patreon.com/hkpodcasts***** For this Icebreaker with helicopter pilot and author Adele Dobler, I put patron questions to her about arriving on people’s worst days, fear, and decision-making under pressure before rolling into the full episode. She explains how she compartmentalises trauma on London’s highest-priority trauma jobs, separating “keeping the aircraft and crew safe” from the emotional weight of what’s happened on the ground, and why she sees that as protective but possibly “not the healthiest” long term. We talk near‑death experiences and “bonus time,” how almost dying in a car roll at 19 changed her attitude to regret, and why she thinks the key is committing fully rather than half‑stepping decisions. Adele compares confidence to building calluses, argues against imposter syndrome, breaks down when to act fast versus when to slow down in the cockpit, and gets into how fear should be managed rather than removed, from diving boards and public speaking to skydiving. She also tackles gendered reactions to a “lady pilot,” lack of default trust, and why women’s negative comments often reflect their own constrained sense of what’s possible, before we sign off and roll straight into the long‑form conversation.

Adele's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/adele_the_heli_pilot/
Adele's Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Free-Fly-Managing-Workplace-Ambulance/dp/B0B5PYSWLN/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.G_wIYgzGcR7dhCvsBJvBvT8aUANnqWODWx9tUlfiRALGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.DEWUPd4ANKLA8d30-J18CgttBr5ad04JcTGgC57iJD0&dib_tag=se&keywords=adele+dobler&qid=1782069703&sr=8-1
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H-Hour on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@HHourPodcast

In this powerful follow-up conversation, Frank returns to share the extraordinary story of how he survived a life-threatening accident on the M3, lost his leg, and fought his way back from the edge of death. He speaks candidly about the split-second decisions, the long road through recovery, and the sheer force of mindset, training, and instinct that kept him alive.
The discussion also goes far beyond the accident itself. Frank reflects on the challenge of leaving the military, the loss of identity that can come with stepping outside that world, and the importance of purpose, standards, and accountability in civilian life. He and Hugh also explore the psychology of high-pressure decision-making, the value of military training, and why having a clear “why” matters so much after service.
Frank also talks about his remarkable achievements after injury, including rowing across the Atlantic and setting records as part of the world’s first all-amputee crew, before going on to row solo to South America. Throughout the episode, he offers honest, insightful reflections on resilience, recovery, and the responsibility to keep wounded service personnel in the nation’s conscience.
You can follow Frank here: https://leespencer.co.uk/
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This episode is sponsored by Sin Eaters Guild - sineatersguild.co.uk
Support the show
 
Free H-Hour giveaways and exclusive access to guests. https://patreon.com/hkpodcasts
H-Hour on Substack: https://hughkeir.substack.com
H-Hour on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWSj4p05MUbVlHmFu3y
H-Hour on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@HHourPodcast