The Helicopter Podcast

Epizódy

• 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,...
• Episode #182: How Heli Austria Built a Global Helicopter Operation | Roy Knaus 16.06.2026 53min

  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...
• 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...
• 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...
• 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 ...
• 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...
• 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...
• 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...
• 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...
• Episode #174: Fighter Pilot Lessons, Backcountry Flying, and a Water Ditching | Steve Cox - The Helicopter Podcast 21.04.2026 1h 24min

  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...
• 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...
• 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 ...
• Episode #171: François Lassale, of VAI on Safety and Pilot Decision-Making - The Helicopter Podcast 24.03.2026 1h

  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 Francois Lassale, president and ceo of Vertical Aviation International, for a first conversation on leadership, safety culture, and decision-making in aviation. The discussion opens with Halsey sharing a formative lesson from his early flying career — the importance of knowing when to say no. In an industr...
• Episode 170: Scenario-Based Training and Future of Safety | Glen White – The Helicopter Podcast 17.03.2026 50min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! Recorded live at European Rotors 2025, this episode of The Helicopter Podcast features a conversation between Halsey Schider and Glen White from EuroSafety about helicopter training, safety culture, and the growing European market. The conversation begins with Europe’s expanding role in the global helicopter industry and the unique dynamics shaping training and operations across the region. From private...
• Episode #169 - The Royal Navy, Just Culture, and the Pursuit of Zero | Nick Mayhew – The Helicopter Podcast 10.03.2026 1h 7min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey Schider sits down with longtime helicopter pilot and safety advocate Nick Mayhew to explore a career shaped by military aviation, hard lessons, and an unwavering commitment to safety. Nick shares his journey from the Royal Navy into helicopter operations, including tense moments in night flying and high-risk environments that reinforced one simple ...
• Episode #168: Climb Higher, Innovation, and the Future of Robinson Helicopters – The Helicopter Podcast 03.03.2026 1h 1min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey Schider sits down with David Smith, ceo of Robinson Helicopters, during European Rotors in Cologne, Germany, for a conversation that blends storytelling, innovation, and the future of rotorcraft. The discussion centers on Robinson’s new book, Climb Higher, a global project led by husband-and-wife team of photographer and book developer Jon Davison an...
• Episode #167: From Army Interrogator to Combat Pilot, Michael Benton Part II - The Helicopter Podcast 24.02.2026 57min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this two-part conversation on The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey Schider continues his discussion with Michael Benton, turning the focus toward accident investigation, safety culture, and how aviation organizations learn after things go wrong. Drawing from his experience as an NTSB party member and safety leader within air medical operations, Michael walks through what actually happens after a...
• Episode #166: From Army Interrogator to Combat Pilot, Michael Benton Part I - The Helicopter Podcast 17.02.2026 58min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this two-part conversation on The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey Schider sits down with Michael Benton, whose career in aviation began in an unexpected place. Before flight school, Michael served as a U.S. Army interrogator and Korean linguist, a background that shaped how he evaluates human behavior, decision-making, and risk. That path ultimately led him into Army warrant officer flight...
• Episode #165: Testing, Certification, and the Making of the H140 | Airbus Helicopters – The Helicopter Podcast 10.02.2026 38min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey Schider sits down with Dirk Petry, vice president of the light twin helicopters program at Airbus Helicopters, to discuss the unveiling of the H140 and what it takes to design a helicopter with life-saving missions at its core. Recorded around the excitement of European Rotors, the conversation explores how the H140 was shaped through direct collabo...
• Episode #164: Real-World Instruction: Jeremiah Griffith with Horizon Helicopters - The Helicopter Podcast 03.02.2026 58min

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey sits down with Jeremiah Griffith of Horizon Helicopters to talk about instruction, experience, and what it takes to operate safely in high-risk real-world environments. From utility flying and powerline awareness to decision making in training, Jeremiah shares how a calm, deliberate teaching style helps build confident, capable pilots. The conversation o...