The Helicopter Podcast

Episoade

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  Episode #190: Guimbal, Building a Better Trainer | Raphael Yver 18.08.2026 1h 4min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Raphael Yver, director of sales and support at Guimbal, to explore the story behind one of the most distinctive helicopter manufacturers in the industry. Raphael shares the remarkable journey of company founder Bruno Guimbal, whose passion for engineering and aviation led him from building aircraft as a student to creating a helicopter designed specifically...
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  Episode #189: The GT50 First Fire - A Milestone for Hill Helicopters | Jason Hill 11.08.2026 1h 13min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this special update episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey Schider welcomes Jason Hill back to the show to discuss one of the biggest milestones in Hill Helicopters' journey—the successful first run of the GT50 turbine engine. Two years after Jason's first podcast with Halsey in which shared his vision for designing and manufacturing a modern helicopter from the ground up, the conversation catches...
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  Episode #188: The Human Side of Helicopter EMS | Graham Ritter 04.08.2026 1h 3min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with longtime friend and fellow Air Evac Life Team pilot Graham Ritter for a conversation that goes far beyond flying helicopters. The two reflect on their time training together at Air Evac and how their careers, families, and perspectives have evolved over the years. Along the way, they discuss the realities of helicopter EMS, the impact those missions can hav...
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  Episode #187: Leadership Lessons from Precision Helicopters | Mark Paulson & Ty Burlingham 27.07.2026 1h 2min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Ty Burlingham, chief pilot, and Mark Paulson, director of maintenance at Precision, to discuss what it takes to grow a successful helicopter operation while maintaining the culture and standards that got you there. Ty shares his unconventional path into aviation, from studying at Oregon State University to discovering helicopters through an introductory fli...
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  Bonus Episode: Air Angels | The Helicopter Community That Answered Hurricane Helene 23.07.2026 40min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! When Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the southeastern United States, entire communities were cut off by flooding, landslides, and destroyed infrastructure. In those critical first days, civilian helicopter pilots from across the country stepped up to deliver supplies, rescue stranded residents, and support relief efforts where few others could. Halsey sits down with Valerie Smaldone and Monty Hobbs...
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  Episode #186 Why Business Aviation Needs Better Advocates | Ian Lumpp 21.07.2026 1h

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Ian Lumpp, executive sales director at GlobalAir.com, to discuss the role business aviation plays in the broader aviation ecosystem and the challenges the industry faces moving forward. Ian shares insights from his involvement with the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), highlighting the importance of educating policymakers, industry stakeholders,...
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  Episode #185: Developing the Next Generation of Long-Line Pilots | Andre & Kimberly Hutchings 14.07.2026 49min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Andre and Kimberly Hutchings, co-founders of Volo Mission, to discuss what it takes to develop skilled external load pilots and build a culture of safety, leadership, and continuous learning. Drawing on decades of experience in helicopter operations and training, Andre and Kimberly share their perspectives on the unique demands of long-line and external load...
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  Episode #184: Why Strong Pilot-Maintenance Relationships Matter | Keith Moreland 07.07.2026 1h 1min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Keith Moreland of Rotorcraft Services Group (RSG) to discuss the relationships, communication, and leadership principles that help keep aviation operating safely and effectively. Drawing on decades of experience supporting operators across the helicopter industry, Keith shares why strong pilot-maintenance relationships are built on trust, responsiveness, an...
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  Episode #183: The Importance of Quality Maintenance | Joe LaRue 23.06.2026 1h 5min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Joe LaRue of Prairie Air, recorded at Verticon 2026, to talk about how the rotorcraft industry is evolving at the operator level. Joe shares his path into aviation and how that led to building Prairie Air into a maintenance and operations-focused business centered around Robinson helicopters. The conversation highlights the importance of quality maintenance,...
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  Episode #182: How Heli Austria Built a Global Helicopter Operation | Roy Knaus 16.06.2026 52min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Roy Knaus of Heli Austria to discuss the company's journey from a small family operation to one of Europe's most established helicopter operators. Roy shares the history of Heli Austria, founded by his father in the 1980s, and reflects on the growth that has taken the company from a fleet of just three helicopters to nearly 40 aircraft supporting a wide rang...
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  Episode #181: 65 Years of Enstrom Helicopters | Todd Tetzlaff 09.06.2026 51min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, host Halsey Schider sits down with Todd Tetzlaff, senior vice-president of regulatory affairs and global relations at Enstrom Helicopter, to talk about how a legacy manufacturer continues to adapt in today’s market. Todd shares perspective on Enstrom’s long history in the industry and what it takes to stay relevant, from navigating an increasingly complex certification environment, to su...
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  Episode #180: From Army Rangers to 160th SOAR | Ryan Walters 31.05.2026 1h 22min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey Schider sits down with Ryan Walters to talk about his path from Army Ranger to pilot in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. Ryan shares how his time in the Ranger Regiment shaped his perspective early on, and how working alongside the 160th during that period ultimately influenced his decision to transition into aviation through the warrant of...
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  Episode #179: Guest #1 Returns! | Sean Moretz on Networking and Memorable Flights 26.05.2026 1h 1min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey Schider sits down with Sean Moretz—returning as the show’s very first guest more than 170 episodes later. Sean talks through how his role as a designated pilot examiner (DPE) has shaped his career, and how relationships built early in aviation tend to come full circle over time. Through that work, he’s stayed closely connected to pilots at key moments in ...
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  Episode #178: The MD 500 Training Advantage | JD Parsons 19.05.2026 1h 14min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey Schider sits down with JD Parsons of Colorado Highland Helicopters to talk about a different approach to flight training. JD shares his path from trucking entrepreneur to helicopter operator, and how that background shaped the way he thinks about flight school. The conversation focuses on challenging traditional training models, including his use of the M...
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  Episode #177: Burnout and Stepping Back in Aviation | Jesse Munns 12.05.2026 1h 6min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey Schider sits down with Jesse Munns, founder of Awakened, Iron and Soul, to talk about career transitions, mental health, and the realities of stepping back in aviation. Jesse shares his experience working in HEMS, describing the buildup of fatigue and burnout that led to a moment where he recognized he couldn’t keep going at the same pace. The conversatio...
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  Episode #176: HEMS Safety, Data, and Decision-Making | Steve Soliz of Bell 03.05.2026 48min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey Schider sits down with Steve Soliz from Bell to discuss the evolving landscape of helicopter emergency medical services. Steve brings a global perspective to the conversation, breaking down how HEMS operations are adapting through advancements in avionics, autopilot systems, and data-driven mission planning. The discussion focuses on how these tools are r...
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  Episode #175: Beyond Drones: Building Aviation Networks | Cory Vinger - The Helicopter Podcast 28.04.2026 1h 5min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey Schrader sits down with Cory Vinger to talk about the evolution of drone technology—and where his focus is shifting next. Cory shares his path from aerospace engineering and flight training into the early days of unmanned aviation, building experience in utility inspections as drone capabilities advanced from basic imaging to tools like LiDAR, infrared, a...
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  Episode #174: Fighter Pilot Lessons, Backcountry Flying, and a Water Ditching | Steve Cox - The Helicopter Podcast 21.04.2026 1h 23min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey Schider sits down with Steve Cox, fighter pilot, airline pilot, and creator of the Cleared Direct YouTube channel, for a wide-ranging conversation about aviation, risk, and the lessons learned from real-world flying. Steve shares the path that led him from military fighter jets to airline operations and into the world of experimental and backcountry avi...
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  Episode #173: From Greenland Operations to Mountain Flying Safety | Simon Whitinger – The Helicopter Podcast 14.04.2026 50min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, recorded live at European Rotors 2025 in Cologne, host Halsey Schider sits down with helicopter pilot and author Simon Whitinger for a wide-ranging discussion about operations, training, and knowledge sharing in the helicopter community. The conversation opens with Simon’s flight training and career pathways, including Simon’s flight training experiences in Cana...
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  Episode #172: Safety, Drones, and the Future of Robinson Helicopters – The Helicopter Podcast 07.04.2026 1h 3min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, recorded at Verticon 2026, Halsey Schider sits down with David Smith, ceo of Robinson Helicopters, and Paul Fermo, president of Robinson Unmanned, to discuss safety, innovation, and where the industry is heading next. The conversation opens with a look at recent safety improvements across the helicopter industry, including lower accident rates and the continued ...