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PODCAST

The Helicopter Podcast

Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, with your host Halsey Schider! This podcast is for helicopter pilots, maintainers, and enthusiasts! Whether you"ve been in the industry for 30 years or are just someone that loves helicopters, this podcast is for you! The podcasts will feature guests from a wide array of industry sectors to have casual conversation, answer questions, give sound advice, and talk shop. Finally, a podcast produced by helicopter professionals for all types of helicopter people!

leisure aviation

All Episodes

66:05

Episode #177: Burnout and Stepping Back in Aviation |...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/05/12

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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49:18

Episode #176: HEMS Safety, Data, and Decision-Making...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/05/03

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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66:13

Episode #175: Beyond Drones: Building Aviation...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/04/28

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...

en-us

83:42

Episode #174: Fighter Pilot Lessons, Backcountry...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/04/21

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...

en-us

50:11

Episode #173: From Greenland Operations to Mountain...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/04/14

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...

en-us

63:19

Episode #172: Safety, Drones, and the Future of...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/04/07

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 ...

en-us

60:01

Episode #171: François Lassale, of VAI on Safety and...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/03/24

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...

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50:10

Episode 170: Scenario-Based Training and Future of...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/03/17

Send a text 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 owne...

en-us

67:22

Episode #169 - The Royal Navy, Just Culture, and the...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/03/10

Send a text 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 truth...

en-us

60:57

Episode #168: Climb Higher, Innovation, and the...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/03/03

Send a text 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 and wri...

en-us

57:18

Episode #167: From Army Interrogator to Combat Pilot,...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/02/24

Send a text 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 an acc...

en-us

58:20

Episode #166: From Army Interrogator to Combat Pilot,...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/02/17

Send a text 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 trai...

en-us

38:02

Episode #165: Testing, Certification, and the Making...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/02/10

Send a text 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 collaboratio...

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58:36

Episode #164: Real-World Instruction: Jeremiah...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/02/03

Send us a text 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 ope...

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63:55

Episode #163: Robyn Eagles: The People and Strategy...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/01/27

Send us a text Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey Schider sits down with Robyn Eagles, vice president of marketing at Robinson Helicopters, for an inside look at how one of the industry’s most recognizable manufacturers is reshaping its voice, visibility, and connection to the helicopter community. From a historically quiet, engineering-first company to a more open, story-driven organization, Robyn...

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51:40

Episode #162: Training, Culture, and the Helicopter...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/01/20

Send us a text Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey Schider sits down with Jamie and Jared from Hillsboro Heli Academy for a wide-ranging conversation about helicopter training, pilot culture, and what keeps people connected to the industry long after their first flight. The discussion explores how shared experiences in helicopters create lasting bonds, forming a brotherhood and sisterhood that spans ...

en-us

62:51

Episode #161: How Helicopters Support Critical...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/01/13

Send us a text Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey J. Schider sits down with Mark Wegele, director of operations for the Salt River Project, to explore how helicopters support critical infrastructure across the Phoenix region. Mark shares how SRP’s flight department uses helicopters for power line maintenance, environmental management, dam inspections, and utility operations, and why these missions d...

en-us

37:05

Episode #160 - European Rotors 2025: Workforce...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/01/06

Send us a text Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey Schider is joined by Dr. Frank Liemandt, Show Director, and Callum Clench, CEO of European Rotors, to unpack their takeaways from European Rotors 2025 in Cologne—an event that continues to grow in both scale and influence across the global helicopter industry. They reflect on why this year’s show stood out, from record attendance to deeper, more meaningful ...

en-us

33:52

Episode #159 - Inside the Stories Coming from...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2025/12/30

Send us a text Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this special solo episode of The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey Schider recaps his trip to European Rotors 2026 in Cologne, Germany, sharing what stood out from the show floor, the conversations he recorded with industry leaders, and the growing focus on safety and regulation across the European helicopter community. He reflects on the energy of Cologne—complete with its Christmas markets—and the valu...

en-us

46:47

Episode #158 - Holiday Highlights: The Helicopter...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2025/12/23

Send us a text Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this special holiday episode of The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey Schider looks back on a year packed with industry insights, personal milestones, and unforgettable conversations. From diving into helicopter training and safety with respected experts to exploring lessons borrowed from outside aviation, this season pushed the show forward in exciting new ways. Halsey shares the moments that shaped him...

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