Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS ! Thank you to CNC Technologies for sponsoring this special in-person interview, recorded just prior to HAI Heli-Expo 2024. This recording took place in beautiful Beverly Hills, California, at the famous Lou’Mar restaurant. CNC Technologies has assembled an impressive team of distinguished public safety aviators. In this two-part series, host Jon Gray had the opportunity to speak with their team in a panel-style conversation t...
Jul 22, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 180
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS ! Thank you to MD Helicopters for sponsoring this special in-person interview with Jake Durham and Drew Muench from the Oxford Police Department Aviation Unit. The Oxford Police Department chose the MD Helicopters 530F model as its primary airborne mission platform due to its exceptional versatility and performance characteristics, tailored to their operational needs. The MD530F's agility and maneuverability make it ideal for ...
Jul 18, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 179
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS ! Thank you to MD Helicopters for sponsoring this special in-person interview with Jake Durham and Drew Muench from the Oxford Police Department Aviation Unit. The Oxford Police Department chose the MD Helicopters 530F model as its primary airborne mission platform due to its exceptional versatility and performance characteristics, tailored to their operational needs. The MD530F's agility and maneuverability make it ideal for ...
Jul 15, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 178
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS ! In this two-part series, Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down Dr. Tania Glenn, to discuss the importance of mental health for first responders. Dr. Tania Glenn is the president of Tania Glenn and Associates, a clinical practice in Central Texas that is focused on promoting resilience and providing critical care to first responders and veterans. As a leading national clinician in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder...
Jul 11, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 177
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS ! In this two-part series, Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down Dr. Tania Glenn, to discuss the importance of mental health for first responders. Dr. Tania Glenn is the president of Tania Glenn and Associates, a clinical practice in Central Texas that is focused on promoting resilience and providing critical care to first responders and veterans. As a leading national clinician in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder...
Jul 08, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 176
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS ! This episode was recorded on location in Washington, D.C., from the U.S. Park Police aviation hangar, as part of The Hangar Z Vertical Valor Road tour. We felt this was a great episode to release on Independence Day, the Fourth of July, 2024, which is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the Un...
Jul 04, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 175
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS ! This episode was recorded from the Vertical HeliCASTS studio at HAI Heli-Expo in March. Co-hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray had the opportunity to talk with Lieutenant Clay Lacey from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) about the Axnes wireless intercom system and how it has helped Texas DPS improve communications and situational awareness during flight operations. Lt Lacey, a distinguished member of the Texas DPS, b...
Jul 01, 2024•51 min•Ep. 174
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts! In this episode, Jack Schonely and I preview APSCON 2024, happening in Houston, Texas, from July 29th to August 3rd. We are joined by the Airborne Public Safety Association's Executive Director and CEO, Dan Schwarzbach, and Training Program Manager, Dan Knight. APSCON 2024 is the annual conference for public safety aviation professionals worldwide, offering educational programs, hands-on training, networking opportunities, an...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 173
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, we talk about the ongoing battle against wildfires in Southern California, a region where the threat of wildfires persists year-round. For this conversation, we have the privilege of welcoming Desiree Horton and co-host Tony Webber to uncover the tireless efforts and evolving strategies employed by SoCal agencies to combat wildfires in a region where the fire season never truly ends. First, we have Desiree Ho...
Jun 24, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 172
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS ! In this two-part series, co-hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down with Helene Balmir, a pilot from the Phoenix Police Department. Born to a French-Canadian mother and a Haitian father who immigrated to New York in the 1960s, Helen grew up in Montreal, Canada. She is the youngest of three sisters. From a young age, Helen was an avid skier, hitting the slopes before she could walk and competing in downhill skiing until she...
Jun 20, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 171
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS ! In this two-part series, co-hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down with Helene Balmir, a pilot from the Phoenix Police Department. Born to a French-Canadian mother and a Haitian father who immigrated to New York in the 1960s, Helen grew up in Montreal, Canada. She is the youngest of three sisters. From a young age, Helen was an avid skier, hitting the slopes before she could walk and competing in downhill skiing until she...
Jun 18, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 170
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this two-part series, co-hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down with Andre Schabron. Andre is an accomplished helicopter pilot holding an Airline Transport Pilot certificate (ATPL) with experience across varied environments. With a professional demeanor and a proactive approach, he excels in team settings and thrives under pressure. His aviation experience encompasses flying in controlled airspaces and remote regions, i...
Jun 13, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 169
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this two-part series, co-hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down with Andre Schabron. Andre is an accomplished helicopter pilot holding an Airline Transport Pilot certificate (ATPL) with experience across varied environments. With a professional demeanor and a proactive approach, he excels in team settings and thrives under pressure. His aviation experience encompasses flying in controlled airspaces and remote regions, i...
Jun 11, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 168
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS ! In this two-part series, hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down with Kris Stone, owner and handler of K9 Torque and the Huey Vets crew from EMU Inc. In this conversation, the EMU Crew discusses their work with K9 Torque, a detection dog trained to find electronic storage devices. Torque specializes in finding flash drives and SD cards to help investigators gather evidence against child sexual predators and traffickers. To...
Jun 06, 2024•53 min•Ep. 167
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this two-part series, hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down with Kris Stone, owner and handler of K9 Torque and the Huey Vets crew from EMU Inc. In this conversation, the EMU Crew discusses their work with K9 Torque, a detection dog trained to find electronic storage devices. Torque specializes in finding flash drives and SD cards to help investigators gather evidence against child sexual predators and traffickers. Tor...
Jun 04, 2024•51 min•Ep. 166
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS ! In this episode, we dive deep into the world of Airbox , a trailblazing company reshaping the landscape of situational awareness technology. During this episode, hosts Richard Brandon and Jon Gray sit down with Airbox Systems co-founder and CEO, William Moore and director, Gerry Hill, for an exclusive insider's look at their groundbreaking journey. Airbox isn't just a software company; it's a lifeline for those on the frontl...
May 30, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 165
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS ! In this episode, we dive deep into the world of Airbox , a trailblazing company reshaping the landscape of situational awareness technology. During this episode, hosts Richard Brandon and Jon Gray sit down with Airbox Systems co-founder and CEO, William Moore and director, Gerry Hill, for an exclusive insider's look at their groundbreaking journey. Airbox isn't just a software company; it's a lifeline for those on the frontl...
May 28, 2024•54 min•Ep. 164
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts ! In this two-part series, Mike Calhoun and Jon Gray sit down with Andrew Edgerton, chief pilot of the Fairfax County Police Department. The Fairfax County Police Department is the largest law enforcement agency in Virginia, serving a population of over 1.1 million residents. Fairfax County borders the Potomac River, with Washington, D.C., directly across on the northern and eastern banks. Edgerton discusses his experiences fl...
May 23, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 163
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts ! In this two-part series, Mike Calhoun and Jon Gray sit down with Andrew Edgerton, chief pilot of the Fairfax County Police Department. The Fairfax County Police Department is the largest law enforcement agency in Virginia, serving a population of over 1.1 million residents. Fairfax County borders the Potomac River, with Washington, D.C., directly across on the northern and eastern banks. Edgerton discusses his experiences fl...
May 21, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 162
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts ! In this two-part series Bryan Smith and Jon Gray sit down with Dr. Daphne “Pole” Ryan, or “Doc” as she is known in naval aviation. Ryan is a board-certified specialist in orthopedic physical therapy and an aviation specialist physical therapist. She has over two decades of experience and over 42,000 direct care patient hours. Ryan has spent the last seven years working directly with aviators to mitigate their spinal pain. Ry...
May 14, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 161
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts ! In this two-part series Bryan Smith and Jon Gray sit down with Dr. Daphne “Pole” Ryan, or “Doc” as she is known in naval aviation. Ryan is a board-certified specialist in orthopedic physical therapy and an aviation specialist physical therapist. She has over two decades of experience and over 42,000 direct care patient hours. Ryan has spent the last seven years working directly with aviators to mitigate their spinal pain. Ry...
May 09, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 160
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts ! In this episode of The Hangar Z Podcast, Mike Calhoun and Jason Quinn from the Real ResQ Podcast speak with James Hickman, the chief pilot at Two Bear Air Rescue. Join us as we unravel the story of Hickman’s aviation career, from his humble beginnings in Oregon to the peaks of Montana. The ultimate mission of Two Bear Air Rescue is saving lives. Based near Whitefish, Montana, Two Bear Air Rescue provides world-class aviation...
May 07, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 159
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS. In this long-anticipated two-part series, we sit down with U.S. Army pilot CW5 Allen C. Mack, who authored the riveting book Razor 03 . In Razor 03 , Mack shares his behind the scenes perspective of The Horse Soldiers in the war in Afghanistan. Mack discusses the hunt for Osama bin Laden, and his shoot-down during Operation Anaconda. Years later, he chased Bowe Bergdahl, rescued hostages in Iraq and a survivor from the Kunar ...
May 02, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 158
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS. In this long-anticipated two-part series, we sit down with U.S. Army pilot CW5 Allen C. Mack, who authored the riveting book Razor 03 . In Razor 03 , Mack shares his behind the scenes perspective of The Horse Soldiers in the war in Afghanistan. Mack discusses the hunt for Osama bin Laden, and his shoot-down during Operation Anaconda. Years later, he chased Bowe Bergdahl, rescued hostages in Iraq and a survivor from the Kunar ...
Apr 30, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 157
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast , brought to you by Vertical Helicasts ! In this two-part series, we sit down to talk with Capt Lee Majors from the Leon County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) in Florida. The LCSO has operated helicopters in support of law enforcement and public safety efforts in Tallahassee, Leon County, and the surrounding area since 1974. For the first 25 or so years, LCSO operated the only law enforcement helicopter in the Florida panhandle. Today, the LCSO Aviation Bureau is often m...
Apr 25, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 156
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast , brought to you by Vertical Helicasts ! In this two-part series, we sit down to talk with Capt Lee Majors from the Leon County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) in Florida. The LCSO has operated helicopters in support of law enforcement and public safety efforts in Tallahassee, Leon County, and the surrounding area since 1974. For the first 25 or so years, LCSO operated the only law enforcement helicopter in the Florida panhandle. Today, the LCSO Aviation Bureau is often m...
Apr 23, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 155
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast , brought to you by Vertical Helicasts ! This will be another one of our Vertical Helicasts Mash-Up episodes with Halsey Schider from The Helicopter Podcast and Jason Quinn from the Real ResQ Podcast. In this episode we introduce our newest Vertical host, Val Medved, who will be hosting the new Vertical MRO Podcast—the first episode drops today. The Vertical MRO Podcast explores the world of helicopter maintenance, repair, and overhaul. The episodes feature helico...
Apr 18, 2024•58 min
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast , brought to you by Vertical Helicasts ! In this three-part series, Jeff Ratkovich and Jon Gray sit down with the industry's best airborne tactical instructors to discuss the importance of training and collaboration in the industry. This series has an all-star lineup up including Jack Schonely, Clay Lacey and Nick Minx. Schonely spent over 30 years with the Los Angeles Police Department. He is a nationally recognized expert in suspect tactics and perimeter contain...
Apr 16, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 153
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast , brought to you by Vertical Helicasts ! In this three-part series, Jeff Ratkovich and Jon Gray sit down with the industry's best airborne tactical instructors to discuss the importance of training and collaboration in the industry. This series has an all-star lineup up including Jack Schonely, Clay Lacey and Nick Minx. Schonely spent over 30 years with the Los Angeles Police Department. He is a nationally recognized expert in suspect tactics and perimeter contain...
Apr 11, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 152
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast , brought to you by Vertical Helicasts ! In this three-part series, Jeff Ratkovich and Jon Gray sit down with the industry's best airborne tactical instructors to discuss the importance of training and collaboration in the industry. This series has an all-star lineup up including Jack Schonely, Clay Lacey and Nick Minx. Schonely spent over 30 years with the Los Angeles Police Department. He is a nationally recognized expert in suspect tactics and perimeter contain...
Apr 09, 2024•51 min•Ep. 151
