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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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,...