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Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, where we explore the fascinating world of helicopter maintenance, repair, and overhaul. Our episodes feature MRO experts who share invaluable tribal knowledge and stories that are sure to inspire current and aspiring industry maintainers.
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Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus. In this episode, Jon Gray and David sit down with Shad R. Sitz—aviation safety leader, firefighting veteran, and founder of 44 North Aviation—for a candid conversation on leadership, safety, and the realities of operating in high-risk environments. Shad shares his path from growing up on a ranch to leading complex aviation and firefighting operations, offering a perspective shaped by decad...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus. In this episode, Jon Gray and David sit down with Shad R. Sitz—aviation safety leader, firefighting veteran, and founder of 44 North Aviation—for a candid conversation on leadership, safety, and the realities of operating in high-risk environments. Shad shares his path from growing up on a ranch to leading complex aviation and firefighting operations, offering a perspective shaped by decad...
Welcome to another episode of Vertical MRO Tech Talk presented by Bell. In this Bell Tech Talk episode, host Jon Gray is joined by Eric Lachance, 525 product support engineering lead, and Gilbert Gaudreault, 407 product support engineering lead, to walk through the structural repair process—from initial damage identification to engineering-approved repair solutions. Drawing on decades of experience supporting Bell aircraft, they explain how structural repair requests are reviewed, analyzed, ...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus. Recorded live at the Kelowna Vertical MRO Conference, this panel—hosted by Ronnie Ries—brings together operators who have spent the past year implementing Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS) across their fleets. With Ronnie guiding the discussion, the panelists share what motivated their organizations to adopt HUMS, the research and purchasing considerations that shaped their decisi...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Magazine. In this episode, Jon Gray moderates a timely panel discussion with industry leaders who come together for a wide-ranging conversation on what it truly takes to manage helicopter fleets in today’s MRO environment. Recorded at Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing’s facility in Kelowna, Canada, the discussion blends real-world operational experience with long-term thinking around pe...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Magazine. In this episode of the Vertical MRO Podcast, Jon Gray and co-host Howie Murray sit down with Brad Leonard, owner of KonectaUSA, and Dave Schilling, director of business development, to explore one of the quiet challenges facing modern maintenance operations: reliable connectivity inside the hangar. As MRO teams become increasingly digital—relying on tablets, cloud-based manuals,...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Magazine. This episode of the Vertical MRO Podcast was recorded on location at the inaugural Vertical MRO Conference in Kelowna, British Columbia. The MRO Conference in Kelowna featured six different panels where MRO professionals shared their expertise. In this panel conversation, John Gray brings together a multi-generational group of maintainers to reflect on the themes sparked by t...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Magazine. In this episode of the Vertical MRO Podcast, host Jon Gray sits down with aviation veteran Terrence Eissfeldt, whose four-decade career spans from Okanagan Helicopters to founding Boundary Aviation Solutions his own consulting business. Terrence shares stories from his early days in the industry, his family’s deep aviation roots, and the pivotal moments that shaped his path fr...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Magazine. In this episode of the Vertical MRO Podcast, host Jon Gray sits down with aviation veteran Terrence Eissfeldt, whose four-decade career spans from Okanagan Helicopters to founding Boundary Aviation Solutions his own consulting business. Terrence shares stories from his early days in the industry, his family’s deep aviation roots, and the pivotal moments that shaped his path fr...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Magazine. In this episode of Vertical MRO Podcast, hosts Ronie, Scott, Terrence and Jon, along with producer and host David, reflect on the past year. We have an opportunity to discuss highlights, and the growth of the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) community developed through the podcast and the Vertical MRO Conference. We also talk about the excitement surrounding the next generat...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Magazine. Recorded live at the inaugural Vertical MRO Conference in Kelowna, British Columbia, this episode features a panel discussion on one of the industry’s most transformative topics: Technology and the future of rotorcraft maintenance. Hosted by Jon Gray, this conversation brings together Seth Hardage, CEO of Rotorcraft Repair and Manufacturing; Ronnie Ries, vice president of mark...
Welcome to Vertical MRO Alerts, presented by Bell! In this Alert, Product Support Engineering Manager Marc Dubé is joined by Sebastien Rousseau, Product Lead for the Bell 429, to walk operators through two service directives released simultaneously—a new Alert Service Bulletin (ASB 429-25-69) and an accompanying Operational Service Notice (OSN). These directives address non-conforming crew and passenger seat covers installed on certain Bell 429 aircraft. Marc and Sebastien explain how additi...
Welcome to Vertical MRO Alerts, presented by Bell! In this Alert, Product Support Engineering Manager Marc Dubé is joined by Sebastien Rousseau, Product Lead for the Bell 429, to walk operators through the recently released Alert Service Bulletin concerning the main and tail rotor hydraulic servos on the Bell 429. This episode explains why the bulletin calls for a one-time inspection of the MCV driver rods, following a supplier notification regarding potential non-conforming components. Marc...
Welcome to another episode of Vertical MRO Tech Talk presented by Bell. In this Bell Tech Talk episode, host Jon Gray is joined by Dawn Lehto and Tad Morley from Bell for an in-depth conversation on the real-world challenges and advancements of autopilot and avionics systems in modern rotorcraft. Drawing from years of hands-on field experience, Dawn and Tad break down common autopilot troubleshooting issues, including friction-related faults, system relearning challenges, and why so many pro...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Magazine. In this, the second part of our two-part Vertical MRO Podcast series, hosts Jon Gray and Ronnie Ries sit down with Don Lockie of Aviation Resource Group, a seasoned expert in international shipping and logistics, to unpack the high-stakes world of moving aviation assets across the globe. Don shares his journey into the aviation industry and the lessons learned from decades of ...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Magazine. In this two-part Vertical MRO Podcast series, hosts Jon Gray and Ronnie Ries sit down with Don Lockie of Aviation Resource Group, a seasoned expert in international shipping and logistics, to unpack the high-stakes world of moving aviation assets across the globe. Don shares his journey into the aviation industry and the lessons learned from decades of navigating complex logis...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Magazine. This special edition of the Vertical MRO Podcast brings you a fast-paced series of conversations recorded live at the 2025 Irving MRO Conference. Host Jon Gray and Producer David Kreutzkamp sit down with a wide range of voices—from operators and technicians to students, MRO leaders, and innovators—to capture the energy, challenges, and ideas shaping helicopter maintenance today. ...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Magazine. In this episode of the Vertical MRO Podcast, hosts Jon Gray and Ronnie Ries sit down with Jamie Wood, the CEO and Founder of the bio-technology platform Autonomic. Jamie is changing the way people think and learn about their brains. Through neuroscience based products and cutting edge technologies, her mission is to elevate human potential by bringing personalized brain health sol...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Magazine. In this two-part Vertical MRO Podcast series, hosts Jon Gray and Faith Ortega have an engaging conversation with Dale Neubauer, an airfame and powerplant (A&P) mechanic and CEO of HeliLadder; and Drew Benton Jr., owner of Helicopter Maintenance Solutions. During the conversation, our guests explore their journeys in the helicopter community. They discuss the professional chall...
Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Magazine. In this two-part Vertical MRO Podcast series, hosts Jon Gray and Faith Ortega have an engaging conversation with Dale Neubauer, an airfame and powerplant (A&P) mechanic and CEO of HeliLadder; and Drew Benton Jr., owner of Helicopter Maintenance Solutions. During the conversation, our guests explore their journeys in the helicopter community. They discuss the professional chall...
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