Send us a textIn Episode 46 of “The Helicopter Podcast,” we are joined by Sean Casey from RotorCorp, a prominent figure in the helicopter parts industry for over 12 years! Sean shares insights into their journey, the challenges they’ve faced, and their role and impact on the helicopter industry.RotorCorp is also celebrating a recent milestone – receiving the President's E-Award for exporting! This honor acknowledges five years of outstanding export sales growth and is a testament to the resil...
Send us a textIn this episode of "The Helicopter Podcast," we hear from Spencer Bailey, Chief Pilot for Skyskopes. Spencer shares his journey through flight school after working as a paramedic and how he became a CFI and Air-Medical pilot before taking on his current role as Chief Pilot of SkySkopes. He also discusses the challenges and rewards of flying helicopters and offers valuable insights into the process of building a FAR 135 Certificate. Great chatting with a very experienced pilot an...
Send us a textGet ready for an exciting podcast episode, as our guest today is Dan Doepker! Dan is a skilled, dual-rated pilot with experience in both fixed-wing and Rotorwing aircraft. He currently flies for Columbia Helicopters, where he maneuvers some of the largest helicopters in the world, such as the CH-47 Chinooks and Vertol 107s. Halsey is thrilled to chat with Dan and pick his brain about these colossal machines. Dan also shares his podcast, "Aloft with Dan," where he engages wi...
Send us a textIn this episode of "The Helicopter Podcast," we are joined by Roger Maynulet, an experienced helicopter pilot with nearly two decades of flying under his belt. Roger shares his extensive industry knowledge, discussing his time flying in Africa and various other jobs throughout his career.As a current Area Pilot for Air Methods, Roger takes us through his preparation process for working at a new base, emphasizing the importance of safety in all aspects of the job. But it's not ju...
Send us a textWelcome to Episode 16 of our podcast, with special guest: Zack Robinson, an air medical pilot and helicopter broker with a wealth of experience in the industry. In this episode, Zack shares his unique journey in helicopter aviation and his experience thus far.Join us as we dive into Zack's experiences and learn about the challenges and rewards of working in the helicopter industry. Whether you're a seasoned professional or simply curious about the industry, this episode will be ...
Send us a textIn this episode, we have a special guest, Ben Clayton, the CEO of Life Flight Network.Ben started his time at Life Flight Network in 2015 as a baseline pilot, and in just seven short years, he worked his way up to the CEO position. In this interview, Ben shares his experience transitioning from military to civilian flying and how he went from Pilot to CEO of one of the largest Air Ambulance Operations in the United States!Ben and Halsey also discuss the critical importance of sa...
Send us a textWelcome to another episode of our podcast! Today, we have a special guest, Kathryn Purwin, the owner and CEO of Helinet, a leading helicopter services provider based in California. In this episode, we had the opportunity to chat with Kathryn about her fascinating journey in the aviation industry, the history and evolution of Helinet, and her experiences as a CEO in a male-dominated industry.Kathryn has an incredible story to share. Her late husband, Alan Purwin, was a highly res...
Send us a textWelcome to this week's episode of the Helicopter Podcast! This week's guest is Ian Swett, an aviation professional passionate about flying helicopters. In this episode, we dive into Ian's fascinating journey into helicopter aviation, exploring his early inspirations and the pivotal moments that sparked his now successful career as a Commercial Helicopter Pilot. Join us as we learn about his experiences as a student pilot, flight instructor, helicopter tour pilot, and current pos...
Send us a textThis week, Halsey talks shop with Dan Deutermann. Dan spent his military career flying in both the Navy and Coast Guard. Since retirement, Dan has made his way into the civilian sector, most recently flying a corporate Bell 429. While in the military, Dan founded The Squadron, an aviation risk management company that performs a mix of audits and operational assessments, safety-related training, operational training, and consulting on operation aspects (from procurement to ...
Send us a textThe Helicopter Podcast Episode #9 Halsey chats it up with Stephen Ryan, pilot, and founder of The Rotor Break, a helicopter-specific blog allowing industry professionals to share their "day in the life" stories. Even though Halsey and Stephen were born on nearly opposite ends of the Earth, they both, from a very young age, were looking skyward and imagining the day they could control the machines flying above. Stephen set some airframe goals on what he "had" to fly, and he'...
Send us a textMr. Erik Thresher joins The Helicopter Podcast to discuss his industry experience and journey thus far. We also discuss how his passion for helicopters, coupled with his entrepreneurial spirit, led to his company, Helicopter Safety Services. Among other safety topics discussed in this episode, Erik introduces Halsey to his "Thresher's 10% rule." We had a blast talking helicopters, safety, and everything in between. To learn more about Erik and his company, Helicopter Safety...
Send us a text The Helicopter Podcast Episode #7 This week Halsey chats with New Zealand native and now Canadian utility pilot, Nick Falloon. They discuss Nick's path from learning in NZ, to flying tours, among other Australian operations. Additionally, Nick discusses his most current venture of flying in the Yukon and the process it takes to convert your license in Canada. Off-airport landings, chainsawing logs for makeshift helipads, and external load operations are just part of your d...
Send us a textThe Helicopter Podcast Episode #6 On this week's episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey chats with his powerhouse round table of industry professionals! They discuss training, how they funded their training, and other industry-related topics, including the tragic Kobe Bryant accident. Each of these guys brings a perspective of the industry as they see it and speaks about their pathway into becoming a professional pilot. This open-ended discussion brings such value to our...
Send us a textBefore the ink had time to dry on his temporary Commercial Pilot Certificate, Trent Vick had landed a SIC (Second in Command) position for a heavy lift operator in the Pacific Northwest. Since that point, Trent has done some Ag flying, worked as a CFI, SIC in the Sky Crane fighting fire, and now is flying various missions, including Heli-Skiing for his current employer. This episode is loaded with a ton of great content! Big thanks to Trent Vick for being such a fantastic ...
Send us a textJojo Rose completes his part-two interview with Halsey, focusing on the civilian use of the UH-60 Blackhawk. Jojo talks about how these aircraft came to be open in the civilian market, discusses the process from acquisition to restricted category civilian flying, and even shares his experience with an ECU failure, resulting in an emergency landing. This Podcast was so much fun to record. If you have ever wondered about the civilian use of the Blackhawk, this is a must-listen! Th...
Send us a text"I am pushing ten thousand hours, and I am still learning every day!" - Johannes "Jojo" Rose imparts his wisdom and discusses his vast experience in Episode #3 of The Helicopter Podcast. Precision long line, powerline flying, logging in the Kmax, and fighting fire with the Blackhawk are just a few of the operations that Jojo has flown! Halsey and Jojo talk shop, including an engine failure in an MD 600N last year. This is an episode you don't want to miss! Thanks for joini...
Send us a textThis week, Halsey strikes up a conversation with Emily Spates.Halsey and Emily met at Flight School. Emily talks about using the GI Bill for flight training, how she landed her first Turbine helicopter job and eventually landing a seat in the Bell 407 for fire and other utility missions. Big thanks to Emily for being a great guest!
Send us a textIn this podcast, the Owner of Sellacopter, Halsey Schider, and Sales Consultant, Sean Moretz discuss their background and current flying experience. Sean and Halsey met at Hillsboro Aero Academy in Hillsboro, Oregon, where Sean was a Designated Pilot Examiner and is a DPE for all levels of FAA pilot certificates.We will have a DPE every couple of months, so if you're still in training, you can post questions that you would also ask your DPE prior to taking your check ride.
Send us a textWelcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS!In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey Schider connects with Todd Schultz, co-founder of the Pamas Mission, an organization dedicated to providing medical flights and humanitarian aid in the Philippines. Although Todd no longer flies directly for the mission, his impact continues as he actively trains the next generation of missionary pilots, preparing them to navigate the unique challenges o...