Frank Kanauka is a helicopter pilot and former army aviator. In this conversation, Frank and I will discuss his early training in the Warrant Officer program during the Vietnam War, and the events leading up to his survival of a mid-air collision in Cambodia.
Personal and private flights account for the largest percentage of helicopter accidents — despite making up just 3% of hours flown. So how can we fix this?Our guests today are Scott Tyrell — a former FAA accident investigator — and Arvid Albanese — a business owner and private pilot. As co-sponsors of the personal/private segment of the US Helicopter Safety Team, Scott and Arvid promote safety ideas for those pilots who might not have easy access to the learning resources other sectors of the...
Chris Hill is the senior director of safety for Vertical Aviation International — formerly, HAI. In his role, Chris seeks out new ways to promote and adhere to safety culture. In this conversation, Chris and I will examine the importance of open dialogue in safety; why we should feel motivated to share the lessons we’ve learned from our shortcomings, and withhold judgement from others doing the same.
Chris Baur of Hughes Aerospace returns to the show to tell us about The Hughes App, a new all-in-one flight aid, complete with maps, charts, camera feeds, weather data, risk assessment functions, and many more flight supplements.
Alida Soemawinata is a helicopter pilot from Australia. In her current position, Alida flies medical services in Borneo, delivering doctors, supplies, and other aid to remote villages across the island. In this conversation, I’ll speak with Alida about her career and outlook on aviation. She’ll talk about her operations in Borneo, including her experience flying the the Bo 105. We’ll look at the rich history of that airframe, and why it’s endured so many years. Then, we’ll speak about th...
Marcus Bauer is a pioneer of accident reconstruction — using a painstaking process, Marcus builds virtual recreations of accidents, down to the most crucial details. His work has helped international authorities, manufacturers, and operators, identify the root cause of accidents, so they might prevent similar ones in the futureIn this conversation, I’ll speak with Marcus about his unique line of work. We’ll delve into his process, from gathering eyewitnesses testimony, to analyzing video, and...
With the increased popularity of drones and UAVs, our airspace is only getting busier. Knowing this, how can pilots keep the highest level of awareness in a more crowded environment? Our guest today is Mike O’Donoghue. Mike is an aviation consultant based in the UK. With decades of experience as a pilot and examiner, Mike studies how emerging technologies can support the human element of aviation. In this conversation, I’ll speak with Mike about his research into electronic conspicu...
In this special episode of Push to Talk, I’m speaking with three remarkable women from across the helicopter industry as part of Women in Aviation Worldwide week. 1) Stephanie Bell is the director of key accounts at Collins Aerospace. Raised by a father who built and flew experimental helicopters, Stephanie developed a love for engineering that she carries with her today. I’ll speak with Stephanie about the latest innovations at Collins, and the spirit of invention that has guided her li...
Those of us who have enjoyed a life in aviation need to face a simple truth; that all the safety knowledge in the world is useless if we don’t successfully pass it down. Our guest today is J Heffernan. J is a lifelong aviator with a wide variety of experience, from flying in presidential unit HMX-1, to working in safety roles at HAI, Sikorsky, and Air Evac Lifeteam. Since 2018, he’s helped run Helicopter Safety Alliance, an organization devoted to bringing SMS knowledge to small operator...
Bill Hopper is a maintenance instructor at Air Evac Lifeteam, an EMS provider based in Missouri. With decades of experience as a pilot and maintainer, Bill spends his time moulding the next generation of aviation professionals.In this conversation with Bill, we’ll examine an instructor’s relationship with their students. Bill will tell us about his approach to teaching, and the values he finds most important to instill in a fledgling aviator. We’ll talk about scenario-based training, an...
Fred North has worked as a stunt pilot and aerial coordinator on some of highest-grossing films of the last twenty years. From Marvel, to James Bond, and Mission Impossible, his aerial performances have helped blockbuster movies bring to life their most thrilling moments. In this conversation with Fred, we’ll look at his unique profession from a pilot’s perspective. Fred will walk us through his process — from conceptualizing stunts, to selecting the right ship, to performing in the touc...
In this final installment, Bruce and Chris discuss ways pilots can prevent and recover from spatial disorientation during flight. For more information, and for a full list of Helicopter Safety Enhancements, please visit https://ushst.org/h-se-details/
In this third episode, Bruce and Chris look at the science of aerodynamics and how to implement it during flight.For more information, and for a full list of Helicopter Safety Enhancements, please visit https://ushst.org/h-se-details/
In this second episode, Bruce and Chris discuss how to manage risk during flight. For more information, and for a full list of Helicopter Safety Enhancements, please visit https://ushst.org/h-se-details/
In this four part mini-series, Bruce Webb and Chris Baur are taking a deep-dive into four different safety enhancement concepts researched and published by the US Helicopter Safety Team. In this first episode, Bruce and Chris look at HSE 19A: Improving Safety Culture. For more information, and for a full list of Helicopter Safety Enhancements, please visit https://ushst.org/h-se-details/
After a two-month hiatus, Push to Talk will return in January with a new batch of conversations featuring more insightful figures across the world of aviation. Thierry Couderc is the Vice Chair of the European Helicopter Association. In this conversation, Thierry and I will speak about aviation regulation in a changing world. Theirrey will tell us about his work integrating drones into European airspace, and some of the challenges he’s faced doing so. We’ll speak about Bird St...
Joe Gonzalez is an aviation instructor at Tarrant County College. In this conversation, we’ll examine the current state of aviation education. What new challenges do advancements in technology, such as ForeFlight, present to fledgling aviators? Joe will tell us about the landscape of the industry for new pilots, and why he believes that now is the perfect time to get a foot in the door.
Tom Nef and Peter Anderson are pilots for S.T.A.R.S. , an air ambulance organization providing care to rural, remote, and indigenous communicates across Western Canada. In this conversation, we’ll break down some of the technical aspects of flying in such a remote environment, and discuss the mental element of flying air ambulance; how a sense of community can give pilots relief in emotionally challenging roles.
In this episode of Push to Talk, I’ll be looking back to my time flying helicopter relief in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Joining me today is Retired Army Chief and Purple Heart recipient Frank Kanaka, who flew alongside me those five days. Frank and I will look back and delve into the devastation we witnessed, share our experience navigating city through our relief efforts, and reflect on the kindness and hospitality we received in the face of so much sufferi...
Faith Ortega is a Helicopter A&P Mechanic at Air Evac Lifeteam in St. Louis, Missouri. Faith runs the popular “HowToHelicopter” Tiktok and Instagram accounts, where she provides viewers a look into the industry with career advice and day-in-the-life style content.In this conversation with Faith, we’ll examine aviation outreach in today’s world.Faith will break down the origins of HowToHelicopter; how the page she started as a fun pastime grew a following of over two hundred thousand...