Behind the Wings

Latest Episodes:

50 Years of the F-16 - PBS S7 Miniseries Episode 3 Nov 06, 2025

Show notes

How the F-16 became a combat legend around the world, and what it takes to build them.

Welcome to Part 3 of our 4-part bonus podcast miniseries on the making of Behind the Wings PBS Season 7!

In this episode, Director Cray Novick and Host Tracy LaTourrette share stories from filming around the U.S. to learn more about the history behind the Fighting Falcon. Join us as we discuss the dangerous first flight, touring the only manufacturing plant, technical upgrades, and test-flying the Viper fresh off the production line. This one is going to be cool!

Check out the full-length video on PBS or our YouTube channel. We can't wait to show you what we've been working on!

Full Season Premiere Schedule:

PBS:
Episode 1 – The Hurricane Hunters: November 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 2 – Building the International Space Station: November 6, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT
Episode 3 – 50 Years of the F-16: November 13, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 4 – Unlocking Asteroid Secrets: November 13, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT

Wings’ YouTube Channel:
Episode 1 – The Hurricane Hunters: November 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 2 – Building the International Space Station: November 13, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 3 – 50 Years of the F-16: November 20, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT
Episode 4 – Unlocking Asteroid Secrets: November 27, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT

Chapters:

(00:00) - Intro

(00:35) - Tracy's F-16 Background

(02:28) - Why We Chose the Viper

(03:37) - Aircraft Maintenance and Improvements

(04:47) - The Last Manufacturing Plant

(06:48) - Touring the Production Line

(08:51) - Test Flying Fighting Falcons

(09:47) - The Aircraft Design

(13:22) - The Dangerous First Flight

(14:17) - F-16 Legacy

(16:32) - Outro

Building the International Space Station - PBS S7 Miniseries Episode 2 Oct 30, 2025

Show notes

How the world's largest spacecraft taught us to live and work in space.

Welcome to Part 2 of our 4-part bonus podcast miniseries on the making of Behind the Wings PBS Season 7!

In this episode, Director Cray Novick and Host Tracy LaTourrette share stories from filming around the U.S. to learn more about building the International Space Station. Join us as we discuss astronaut training in the enormous Neutral Buoyancy Lab pool, assembling the ISS in orbit, life on board, and how mission control helps solve disasters in real time. This one is going to be cool!

Check out the full-length video on PBS or our YouTube channel. We can't wait to show you what we've been working on!

Full Season Premiere Schedule:

Chapters:

(00:00) - Intro

(00:32) - The Idea Behind Space Stations

(01:11) - Forming International Partnerships

(01:45) - Assembling the ISS

(04:51) - Living Onboard the Station

(05:59) - Mission Control

(07:15) - The Neutral Buoyancy Lab

(10:36) - The Vehicle Mockup Assembly Building

(12:00) - Looking Towards the Future

(12:44) - Retiring the ISS

(13:57) - Outro

The Hurricane Hunters - PBS S7 Miniseries Episode 1 Oct 23, 2025

Show notes

What does it take to fly into a hurricane, and why is it important?

Welcome to Part 1 of our bonus podcast miniseries on The Making of Behind the Wings PBS Season 7. In this episode, Director Cray Novick and Host Tracy LaTourrette discuss stories they heard while filming The Hurricane Hunters. Join us as we explore the dare that started it all, the modified aircraft and its technology, and how the team saves millions of lives every year. This one is going to be cool!

Check out the full-length episode on PBS or our YouTube channel on November 6. We can't wait to show you what we've been working on!

Full Season Premiere Schedule:

Chapters:

(00:00) - Intro

(00:56) - Why Pick This Topic?

(02:01) - The Hurricane Hunters' Origin Story

(03:11) - A Personal Story

(04:20) - The Flight Crew

(06:27) - Why Fly Into a Hurricane?

(07:57) - How the Information Is Used

(08:53) - The Aircraft

(09:54) - The Pilot's Perspective

(10:25) - The Equipment

(11:14) - The Flight Brief

(12:25) - Why Propellers Are Better than Engines

(13:20) - The Missions

(14:16) - The Future

(15:10) - Advice

(16:16) - Outro

Collecting Space Dust from Asteroid Bennu - Episode 63 Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

University of Arizona Professor and OSIRIS-REx Principal Investigator Dr. Dante Lauretta explains how asteroids could reveal the origins of life on Earth.

In this episode, we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the asteroid sample collection on October 20 and explore the spacecraft’s design, the daring Touch-And-Go maneuver, challenges the team overcame, and what we’ve learned so far from the materials returned from Asteroid Bennu. Our knowledge of space is rapidly evolving, and we still have so much more to learn.

This special release features the full-length conversation with Dante from our upcoming Season 7 of Behind the Wings on PBS. To dive deeper into the OSIRIS-REx mission, watch the video premiere on November 27 on our YouTube page. This one is going to be cool!

The regular podcast will take a short mid-season break and return on November 24. In the meantime, check out our upcoming weekly mini-series: The Making of Behind the Wings PBS Season 7!

Resources:

Chapters:

(00:00) - Intro

(02:43) - Aerospace Beginnings

(06:07) - Antarctic Collection Mission

(09:36) - Why Go to an Asteroid?

(11:57) - Designing OSIRIS-REx

(14:16) - Earning NASA Funding

(17:33) - Michael Drake's Passing

(21:53) - The Challenge of Microgravity

(24:35) - Testing the Spacecraft

(26:51) - Launch Day

(30:26) - Why was Asteroid Bennu Chosen?

(31:47) - First Images

(33:33) - Unexpected Obstacles when Landing

(36:35) - The Touch-And-Go System

(45:51) - Returning O-REx to Earth

(52:06) - Removing the Samples

(53:46) - Space Rock Testing

(55:17) - What Have We Learned so Far?

(57:48) - Are We Alone in the Universe?

(59:51) - Future Missions

(01:01:48) - Dante's Advice

(01:03:06) - Outro

The Making of Behind the Wings PBS S7 Miniseries Trailer Oct 16, 2025

Show notes

We're excited to announce our special four-part podcast miniseries featuring stories from the making of our newest Behind the Wings PBS season!

Director Cray Novick and Host Tracy "Jackie'O" LaTourrette discuss our upcoming episodes: "The Hurricane Hunters," "Building the International Space Station," "50 Years of the F-16," and "Unlocking Asteroid Secrets." Join us to hear inside tales you won't find anywhere else. This is going to be cool!

Miniseries episodes come out every Thursday starting October 23. Also, check out the new season on PBS or at our YouTube channel beginning November 6. We can't wait to show you what we've been working on!

Our regular podcast episodes will take a mid-season break after Episode 63 and return on November 24.

Full Season Premiere Schedule:

How Black Holes Could Unlock the Mysteries of the Universe - Episode 62 Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Theoretical Physicist Andrew Strominger explains what exactly black holes are and how they could tell us about the beginning of the cosmos.

In this episode, Andrew discusses the questions behind black holes, the strange physics at their event horizon, what they reveal about the nature of space and time, and how he, Stephen Hawking, and Malcolm Perry helped develop the theory that "soft hairs" may store information on black holes' surface. From leading minds like Einstein, Hawking, and Strominger, our understanding of these celestial bodies is constantly evolving, and we still have so much to learn. This one is going to be cool!

Resources:

Chapters:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:59) - Andrew's Favorite Theories

(04:11) - Aerospace Beginnings

(05:53) - From Commune to Harvard

(08:24) - What Is a Black Hole?

(12:29) - The Different Types

(14:17) - How They Form

(15:52) - How Far Are They from Earth?

(16:06) - Why Should We Study Black Holes?

(17:38) - Why Doubt Is a Valuable Tool

(19:37) - The Information Paradox

(22:22) - Working Alongside Stephen Hawking

(24:12) - Soft Hairs

(26:29) - The Holographic Principle

(30:31) - Can Black Holes Be Used for Travel?

(31:19) - "Interstellar" Time Dilation

(34:14) - Why Isn't a Black Hole Considered a Vacuum?

(35:02) - The Future of Physics

(36:15) - Andrew's Advice

(37:04) - Outro

Landing a Helicopter on a Bank Robber's Car - Episode 61 Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

Pilot Mike Silva recalls a high-speed chase that ended when his news helicopter stopped a fleeing criminal’s stolen car, allowing police to save a hostage's life.

Welcome to Season 7 of the Behind the Wings podcast! In this episode, Mike discusses Huey missions in Vietnam, piloting Copter4 at Denver CBS, returning to combat as the oldest Black Hawk aviator in Iraq, and saving lives during intense missions. From the Fire Base Mary Ann battle to flying alongside dangerous tornadoes, he has done it all in a career spanning more than 50 years. This one is going to be cool!

Resources:

Chapters:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:36) - Which Aircraft Taught You the Most About Flying?

(02:19) - Mike's Favorite Aircraft

(03:17) - Aviation Beginnings

(04:05) - Joining the Army

(05:37) - Flight Training

(07:24) - Going to Vietnam

(08:03) - Lessons Learned From Vietnam

(08:50) - Flying the UH-1

(09:43) - Huey Roles

(10:26) - Fire Base Mary Ann Battle

(14:39) - Returning Home

(15:28) - Working for CBS

(17:02) - Landing on a Bank Robber's Car

(23:14) - Journey to Iraq

(25:18) - Encountering Snipers

(26:10) - Vietnam vs. Iraq

(27:05) - Awards and Honors

(27:54) - Mike's Advice

(29:15) - Outro

Behind the Wings Season 7 Trailer Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

The Behind the Wings podcast is back with Season 7 and 10 new episodes! From the mysteries of black holes to the hovering capabilities of the Harrier Jump Jet, and the final flight of the SR-71 Blackbird, we've got some incredible stories and guests lined up!

New episodes come out every other Monday, starting next week with Pilot Mike Silva, famously known for landing his news helicopter on a fleeing bank robber's car. Subscribe wherever you listen, because this season is going to be cool.

See you next week for Season 7 of Behind the Wings. In the meantime, check out our past episodes!

Why the F-22 Transformed Stealth - Episode 60 Aug 11, 2025

Show notes

Retired Fighter Pilot Randy "Laz" Gordon explains how the F-22 changed the air battlefield and why it was built to win the first fight.

In this episode, Randy discusses the 70-plus aircraft he has flown, his combat career, test-flying fighter jets, and how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of aviation. We’ll also explore some of the Raptor's surprising similarities to civilian Cessna aircraft, and why, in some ways, the Skyhawk is a harder airplane to manage. From flying a zeppelin to iconic planes like the F-15, "Laz" has done it all. This one is going to be cool!

Episode 60 marks the end of Season 6. We will be taking a short break, but are excited to bring you more stories in Season 7, coming this fall.

Resources:

Chapters:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:35) - Flying 70+ Aircraft

(02:47) - Aviation Beginnings

(06:10) - The USAFA

(09:03) - What Makes a Good Pilot?

(11:29) - Flight Training

(13:18) - The F-15 vs. F-16

(15:59) - Flying the A-10

(17:44) - Combat in Iraq

(21:08) - Flying the F-22

(26:08) - Cessna vs. F-22

(28:11) - Raptor Mindset

(31:11) - Radar-absorbing Material

(32:39) - Stealth Airframe

(35:55) - Supercruise

(39:41) - The Human and the Jet

(42:18) - Test Flying Aircraft

(44:43) - Why the F-15 was Hard to Master

(45:24) - A Dangerous Moment

(48:05) - How AI Will Impact Aviation

(53:34) - F-22 Legacy

(55:13) - Randy's Advice

(57:40) - Outro

How Orbital Debris Could End Space Exploration - Episode 59 Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

Astrophysicist Dr. Jonathan McDowell explains how the ever-growing problem of space junk is threatening satellites, science missions, and even spaceflight as we know it.

In this episode, Jonathan discusses orbital debris, anti-satellite missiles, clean-up efforts, and how one incident could cause a communication blackout for decades. In the lawless realm of low Earth orbit, we could see a future where space exploration comes to a halt altogether. However, some companies are testing solutions that aim to alleviate the problem before it's too late. There is a lot to learn!

Resources:

Chapters:

(00:00) - Intro

(01:32) - Space Junk Overview

(05:11) - Small Debris Damage

(07:54) - Aerospace Beginnings

(09:37) - Tracking Launches

(11:39) - Dodging Debris

(15:21) - Anti-Satellite Missiles

(20:36) - Space Air Traffic Control

(23:27) - Safer Altitudes

(24:47) - The End of the ISS

(29:17) - How Space Junk is Blocking Research

(31:52) - Billboards in Space

(33:47) - Satellite Designs

(35:05) - Cleaning Up

(36:07) - Jonathan's Advice

(38:14) - Outro

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