Behind the Wings

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Episodes

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Behind the Wings

Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum™•wingsmuseum.org

Wings Over the Rockies has a new podcast! Based on our hit YouTube and PBS series of the same name, the Behind the Wings podcast will cover everything from aviation history to the future of space exploration with thought leaders and experts in the industry. This one's going to be cool!

Episodes

Episode 8 - The Radical Life of Legendary Aviatrix Amelia Earhart

We are all familiar with the name Amelia Earhart, but do we really know what she was like or what she believed in? Today’s show is a conversation with Sammie Morris. Sammie is the Head Archivist at the Purdue University archives and special collections where they hold some of the most extensive collections on Amelia Earhart, one being donated by Amelia’s husband, George Palmer Putnam, himself. Amelia also worked with and taught at Purdue University just before her last flight. We are going to di...

Sep 19, 2022•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Episode 7 - Hap Arnold “The Father of the Air Force”

Today’s show is a conversation with Robert Arnold, the grandson of Hap Arnold – the Father of the air force. Arnold urged an independent air arm which he lived to see authorized in 1947 – he started flying with the Signal Crops in what could be described as a ‘wild west’ era in aviation - setting altitude records, and in WWI was the first aerial observer to report his observations using Radio. In WWII, he directed air activities for the nation's global war against Germany and Japan. Under him th...

Sep 05, 2022•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Episode 6 - Family Insights on Aviation Pioneer Jimmy Doolittle

Today’s show is a conversation with Jonna Doolittle , the granddaughter of James H. Doolittle – who shares great insights into the American military general and aviation pioneer. It was great to get the family insights from Jonna, and as always, the historical context. Doolittle won air races, was a test pilot, completing the first outside loop, something most people thought was impossible. In WWI he was active with the Signal Corps’ Aviation Section, but never saw combat. In WWII, Doolittle was...

Aug 22, 2022•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Episode 5 - An Astronaut's Vision for the Future of Space Exploration

Today’s show is a conversation with Steve Lindsey who is a former U.S. Air Force (USAF) pilot and NASA astronaut with more than 30 years of flight test experience. Today, he is VP of Strategy at Sierra Space where he leads design, development, testing and operational employment of the Dream Chaser® spacecraft, a modern, reusable, lifting-body space system for uncrewed and crewed transportation to low-Earth orbit. We have a Dream Chaser HL-20 mockup at Wings Museum – so it’s a great opportunity t...

Aug 08, 2022•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Episode 4 - Drones: From E-Sports to Industry

This will be our first show with two guests – Kyle Sanders and Dawn Zoldi - and we’re talking drones! We’ll explore new E-Sports like drone soccer, artificial intelligence, the role of drones in combat, and the legal issues that arise with drone law. Students are getting involved with drones at the high school level and even younger. There's so much opportunity with this growing field. U.S. Drone Soccer co-founder Kyle Sander discusses how drone sports get young people involved with building, an...

Jul 25, 2022•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Episode 3 - Sharon McDougle on Being a Modern Day Hidden Figure

Today’s show is a conversation with Sharon Caples McDougle, a modern-day hidden figure, crew chief, and manager of the Space Shuttle Crew Escape Equipment Processing Department. She is the first Black woman to serve in those roles. She has had an amazing career and we’re going to dive into her journey. Sharon is a former NASA spacesuit technician. She suited up Mae Jaemison, the first Black Woman to go to Space, worked on the SR-71 with pressure suits, and now tells her story in all kinds of way...

Jul 11, 2022•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Episode 2 - Mike Rabens on the F-14 Tomcat

Today’s show is a conversation with Mike Rabens who is president of the F-14 Tomcat Association – who’s mission, they say, is to to preserve the history of the greatest fighter jet the US Navy has ever flown. Membership is open to anyone who has flown, worked on, or just plain loves the F-14 aircraft. Mike is graduate of the Navy Fighter Weapons School, Top Gun, a commander on US Naval Test Pilot School, with more than 4,700 flight hours in 58 aircraft, and more than 700 carrier landings. Today ...

Jun 27, 2022•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Episode 1 – Keith Seiwell on Carl Spaatz's Life and Legacy

General Carl A. Spaatz was the first chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force and one of the most influential people in early U.S. Air Force History. Born in Boyertown, Penn. on June 28, 1891, Spaatz had a full career, beginning with the newly formed air corps and was one of the first military aviators in the U.S. Army. In this episode, we look at Spaatz' biography, but also what his story meant for the formation of the U.S. Air Force that we know today. Support Behind the Wings by making a financia...

Jun 13, 2022•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Trailer | Behind the Wings

Calling all aviation lovers, space nerds, history buffs, and futurists – Behind the Wings® is now also a podcast! Published every other Monday.

Jun 04, 2022•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast