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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

70:27

Episode #195: Supporting Presidential Helicopter...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/09/22

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Beau Prine of Aviation Academy Louisiana to discuss a career shaped by military aviation, maintenance excellence, and a passion for developing the next generation of aviation professionals. Before entering aviation education, Beau served as a CH-53 crew chief in the United States Marine Corps, including two tours with HMX-1—the squadron responsible for pres...

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68:56

Episode #194 - Flying Fighters, Combat Missions &...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/09/15

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with fighter pilot, author, and content creator C.W. Lemoine to talk about an aviation career that rarely followed the obvious path. Growing up in Louisiana, C.W. dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot, only to be told early on that his eyesight would likely prevent him from ever reaching that goal. Rather than letting that answer define his future, he continued lo...

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65:13

Episode #193: Behind the Uniform - Coast Guard...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/09/08

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Ryan Vandehei, a former Coast Guard helicopter pilot, to talk about his path into military aviation, the realities of Coast Guard flight training, and some of the personal challenges that have come with the journey. Ryan shares what drew him to the Coast Guard Academy with the goal of becoming a pilot and the highs and lows that followed—from struggling thr...

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64:51

Episode #192: Beyond the Policy - The People Behind...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/09/01

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! Aviation insurance can often feel like a complicated process, but behind every policy is a conversation about risk, experience, and finding the right solution. In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey sits down with Ryan Konrath of Wings Insurance and Michael Puglisi of IAT Insurance Group to explore the world of aviation insurance from both sides of the table. They discuss how brokers and unde...

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49:52

Episode #191: The Helicopter Simulator Built to...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/08/25

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Matthias Wendt, a dentist from Germany who has turned his passion for helicopters into an innovative STEM outreach effort designed to introduce young people to aviation. Matthias’ connection to helicopters started through curiosity rather than a career path. Despite numerous opportunities throughout his life to pursue aviation, his journey instead took him ...

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64:17

Episode #190: Guimbal, Building a Better Trainer |...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/08/18

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Raphael Yver, director of sales and support at Guimbal, to explore the story behind one of the most distinctive helicopter manufacturers in the industry. Raphael shares the remarkable journey of company founder Bruno Guimbal, whose passion for engineering and aviation led him from building aircraft as a student to creating a helicopter designed specifically...

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73:15

Episode #189: The GT50 First Fire - A Milestone for...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/08/11

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this special update episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey Schider welcomes Jason Hill back to the show to discuss one of the biggest milestones in Hill Helicopters' journey—the successful first run of the GT50 turbine engine. Two years after Jason's first podcast with Halsey in which shared his vision for designing and manufacturing a modern helicopter from the ground up, the conversation catches...

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63:20

Episode #188: The Human Side of Helicopter EMS |...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/08/04

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with longtime friend and fellow Air Evac Life Team pilot Graham Ritter for a conversation that goes far beyond flying helicopters. The two reflect on their time training together at Air Evac and how their careers, families, and perspectives have evolved over the years. Along the way, they discuss the realities of helicopter EMS, the impact those missions can hav...

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62:02

Episode #187: Leadership Lessons from Precision...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/07/27

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Ty Burlingham, chief pilot, and Mark Paulson, director of maintenance at Precision, to discuss what it takes to grow a successful helicopter operation while maintaining the culture and standards that got you there. Ty shares his unconventional path into aviation, from studying at Oregon State University to discovering helicopters through an introductory fli...

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40:06

Bonus Episode: Air Angels | The Helicopter Community...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/07/23

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! When Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the southeastern United States, entire communities were cut off by flooding, landslides, and destroyed infrastructure. In those critical first days, civilian helicopter pilots from across the country stepped up to deliver supplies, rescue stranded residents, and support relief efforts where few others could. Halsey sits down with Valerie Smaldone and Monty Hobbs...

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60:44

Episode #186 Why Business Aviation Needs Better...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/07/21

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Ian Lumpp, executive sales director at GlobalAir.com, to discuss the role business aviation plays in the broader aviation ecosystem and the challenges the industry faces moving forward. Ian shares insights from his involvement with the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), highlighting the importance of educating policymakers, industry stakeholders,...

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49:35

Episode #185: Developing the Next Generation of...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/07/14

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Andre and Kimberly Hutchings, co-founders of Volo Mission, to discuss what it takes to develop skilled external load pilots and build a culture of safety, leadership, and continuous learning. Drawing on decades of experience in helicopter operations and training, Andre and Kimberly share their perspectives on the unique demands of long-line and external load...

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61:28

Episode #184: Why Strong Pilot-Maintenance...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/07/07

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Keith Moreland of Rotorcraft Services Group (RSG) to discuss the relationships, communication, and leadership principles that help keep aviation operating safely and effectively. Drawing on decades of experience supporting operators across the helicopter industry, Keith shares why strong pilot-maintenance relationships are built on trust, responsiveness, an...

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65:31

Episode #183: The Importance of Quality Maintenance |...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/06/23

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,...

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53:15

Episode #182: How Heli Austria Built a Global...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/06/16

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...

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52:06

Episode #181: 65 Years of Enstrom Helicopters | Todd...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/06/09

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...

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83:00

Episode #180: From Army Rangers to 160th SOAR | Ryan...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/05/31

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...

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62:15

Episode #179: Guest #1 Returns! | Sean Moretz on...

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/05/26

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 ...

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74:06

Episode #178: The MD 500 Training Advantage | JD Parsons

The Helicopter Podcast ·

2026/05/19

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...

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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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