This episode will dive into the cutting-edge realm of AI in aviation, with a particular focus on its military applications. From autonomous wingmen drones to predictive maintenance, we will explore the opportunities and risks of AI as it transforms the landscape of aerial warfare. Our guest today is Col Tucker Hamilton, callsign “Cinco”. As the Chief of AI test and operations for the USAF, Col Hamilton is at the cutting edge of researching, testing, and implementing artificial intelligence in th...
Oct 09, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today’s show we’re getting an inside look at the design, testing and manufacturing processes at Honeybee Robotics, as they build a key component for the Orion Spacecraft, and a new lunar drill. Don your bunny suits, because we are excited to bring you inside a clean-room and experience first-hand how space hardware is made from prototype through manufacturing! Tune in to hear from Andrew Maurer and Isabel King of Honeybee, as we get a behind the scenes tour at their production facility in Lon...
Sep 25, 2023•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast This episode will dive into the world of hypersonic flight, and how new methods of heat management could help usher in a new era for high-speed flight. Join us as we look through the lens of a heat management company, Reaction Engines who is pushing the limits of technology in engines, to enable the next generation of hypersonic flight. Hypersonic flight refers to speeds of more than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5. Once you start talking about hypersonic speeds, there are lots of chall...
Sep 11, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Explore the pivotal role of aviation in the Vietnam War alongside former USAF Chief of Staff General Ron R. Fogleman (Ret). Join us as we talk with Ron Fogleman, who takes us along his personal journey to becoming Chief of Staff and helps us uncover the strategic importance of aircraft during the Vietnam War. Ron has over 8,500 hours of flight time, including 315 combat missions where he logged 806 hours. During one of those missions, he was shot down while flying the F-100 Super Sabre and was r...
Aug 28, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast This episode will dive into the world of orbital infrastructure – both the challenges and opportunities - through the lens of an on-orbit spacecraft refueling company, Orbit Fab, who aims to create gas stations in space. Join us as we talk with Adam Harris, the Chief Commercial Officer at Orbit Fab, who gives us insight on the state of LEO (low earth orbit), orbital infrastructure, and explains how on-orbit refueling could be a key part of enabling this new era in space activity more sustainably...
Aug 14, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast This episode will dive into the story of Kim “KC” Campbell, one of the few pilots ever to land the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog” manually. Kim is a graduate from the United States Air Force Academy. She has flown 1,800 hours in the A-10 Warthog and more than 100 combat missions including in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, Kim received the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism, as she skillfully recovered her battle-damaged aircraft following an intense close air support missio...
Jul 31, 2023•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Behind the Wings Podcast is back for Season 3! This episode delves into the legacy of the iconic Apollo program and its profound influence on NASA's ambitious Artemis Program. In celebration of the 54th anniversary of Apollo 11 and the Apollo Program, we’ve got an exciting two-part conversation for today’s episode. Our esteemed guests, Dr. Teasel Muir Harmony, curator of the Apollo Collection at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, and NASA Astronaut Harrison Schmitt, who walked on...
Jul 17, 2023•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Calling all aviation lovers, space nerds, history buffs, and futurists – The Behind the Wings® Podcast is back for Season 3! Ready or not, strap in, because we have 10 great episodes coming up. It’s time to go... Behind the Wings! We’ve got a lot to explore – stories about how history shapes aviation today, trailblazers in space, and up-close looks at iconic aircraft of the past, present, and future. New episodes are published every other Monday, starting on July 17th, 2023. You can find the Beh...
Jul 10, 2023•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast What is it about Colorado? Coloradans have had a major impact across every aspect of aviation and space exploration. Our state produced the first American flying ace, the first civilian helicopter ambulance service, and the first female airline pilot. We’ve grown astronauts and executives, entrepreneurs and visionaries, and the aerospace industry has brought hundreds of thousands of jobs and hundreds of billions of dollars into our state’s economy. In fact, Colorado has the nation’s second large...
Apr 10, 2023•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast This episode will dive into the story of Tracy "JackieO" LaTourrette, Colorado’s first lady fighter pilot. LaTourrette graduated from the United States Air Force Academy before women were even authorized to fly combat aircraft. After working in the back of an AWACS airfract, she moved to a window seat, becoming one of the first female fighter pilots in the Air Force and flew the F-16 Fighting Falcon, earning numerous accolades for her skill and leadership. LaTourrette flew direct Presidential pr...
Mar 27, 2023•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Gain insight into the newest branch of the U.S. military- the Space Force. In this episode, we explore the creation and operations of the Space Force, the newest branch of the United States military. From its roots as a small office within the Air Force to its current status as a fully-fledged branch, we delve into the challenges and successes of the Space Force as it works to defend and protect American interests in space. Our guest, Colonel Marcus Jackson, is the Commander of Space Base Delta ...
Mar 13, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Explore the topic of pilot pathways – how people navigate the path to becoming a pilot. Our guests are Erika Armstrong and Val Blome. We will dive into Erika’s personal journey as outlined in her memoir “A Chick in the Cockpit”, where she shares her experiences as a woman in a male-dominated industry. The book provides a behind-the-scenes look at the aviation industry, including the challenges and joys of flying, the grueling training process, and the personal sacrifices necessary to succeed. Va...
Feb 27, 2023•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Meet the unlikely cast of characters who came together to reunite Col. James Randall with a piece of his past. We will get into many topics today all connecting back to one long-lost helmet belonging to an F-105 pilot who went down during the Vietnam War. The helmet belonged to Retired Col. James Randall. Col. Randall was a proud member of the Tuskegee Airmen, who were some of the first Black aviators in the US military and helped to desegregate the US armed forces in 1948. They proved themselve...
Feb 13, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast There’s space for everybody.” But we know little about how differently-abled people will respond to low-gravity environments and the unique challenges that can arise in human space flight. Mission: Astro Access - a crew of disabled scientists, aerospace professionals and artists based in America - is planning its second mission to explore how different people navigate space travel. What challenges arise, and surprisingly, what advantages might different abilities have? Our guests today are Eric ...
Jan 30, 2023•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Behind the Wings, we are talking about the James Webb Space Telescope! A next generation deep-space telescope that NASA launched in December 2021. It’s the most powerful telescope ever built, with the ability to see further and clearer into space than any previous telescope. It’s advanced design, sensors, and technology will allow it to time travel to some of the first galaxies that formed, learn about exoplanets that could be capable of supporting life. We are joined by Lee F...
Jan 16, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today, we are going deeper with a company called MissionGo who is using drones to do a variety of things from infrastructure inspections to medical and commercial cargo. Our guests are MissionGo President Chris Corgnati and Director of Flight Operations Ryan Henderson. Last time on episode 4 we discussed drone soccer, and the regulatory challenges that this quickly growing industry faces as it takes on autonomous flight, air taxi services and more, so if you want a great introduction on drones g...
Jan 02, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Strap in folks, we are going to Space with a very special guest who blazed her own trail, defying the grip of Earth’s gravity, and breaking a glass ceiling into the cosmos. Our Guest today is Retired NASA Astronaut Eileen Collins. Col. Collins has lived an amazing life, and though she has retired from the NASA astronaut program, her mission to share her story and inspire the next generation of explorers is far from over. Many of us can only dream of a career like hers - from her achievements as ...
Dec 19, 2022•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a non-profit organization that serves as the civilian auxiliary of the USAF. Its membership includes everyone from younger cadets to their more senior members, totaling more than 56,000 volunteers across the US. The CAP started just 6 days before Pearl Harbor, and they served a unique, and relatively active role, patrolling the Atlantic coast during WWII. Today their mission includes youth mentorship, and aerial assistance with missions like search and rescue, fire ...
Dec 05, 2022•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ready or not, strap in, because we have got 10 great episodes coming up for Season 2. It’s time to go... Behind the Wings! We’ve got a lot to explore – stories about how history shapes aviation today, trailblazers in space, and up-close looks at iconic aircraft of the past, present and future. There’s a lot of cool stories coming up in Season 2, so stick around. You can find the Behind the Wings podcast wherever you listen. Episodes come out every two weeks – starting Monday Dec 5th with an awes...
Dec 01, 2022•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast In today’s show, we’re going to go Behind the Wings of a cutting-edge space vehicle – The Orion Spacecraft, and the Artemis Missions - with Lockheed Martin systems engineer and Integration senior manager Kerry Timmons. Kerry leads a team of engineers at Lockheed Martin, working on Orion’s vehicle requirements - from the advanced electrical systems to human integration for the Artemis I and II missions. With the Artemis program we’ll be able to explore uncharted parts of the moon, and learn more ...
Oct 17, 2022•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today’s show is a conversation with Allissa Battocletti Noffke – a 'professor' of spacewalking! Allie works for the flight operations directorate at NASA’s Johnson Space Center – NASA’s center for human space flight based in Houston Texas - where she specializes in EVAs or Extra Vehicular Activities. Most of her work has focused on the International Space Station. Whenever astronauts need to make a repair, or check on maintenance issues, they need to exit the station and go for a space walk. In ...
Oct 03, 2022•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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. General Carl Spaatz National USAAF Museum (sp...
Jun 13, 2022•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 
