The Hangar Z Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 284 – Tactical Communication w/ LAPD’s Manny Dickerson & Lee Owen, Canyon AeroConnect Part 1 Aug 25, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts and in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.
Listen closely for your chance to win awesome prizes from Heli Life! Throughout 2025, every episode of The Hangar Z Podcast will reveal a secret word. Once you catch it, head to contests.verticalhelicasts.com to enter!
In this episode, host Jack Schonely sits down for an in-depth conversation with Manny Dickerson of the LAPD and Lee Owen from Canyon AeroConnect to discuss tactical communications.
In this conversation, Manny and Lee share their personal journeys in the field of aviation communication. They explore the importance of effective communication for Tactical Flight Officers (TFOs), the challenges they face, and the impact of technology on their operations.
Plus, they discuss the evolution of radio technology for TFOs, the significance of maintenance in communication systems, and the training necessary to manage workload effectively.
The discussion emphasizes the need for preparedness and the impact of reliable communication systems in ensuring officer safety and operational success.

Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, Canyon AeroConnect and Summit Aviation.

Episode 283 - Combat, Coast Guard, and Cruising Antarctica: Tony Lumpkin’s Story Part 2 Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.
Listen closely for your chance to win awesome prizes from Heli Life! Throughout 2025, every episode of The Hangar Z Podcast will reveal a secret word. Once you catch it, head to contests.verticalhelicasts.com to enter!
On today’s episode of The Hangar Z Podcast, Jack Schonely and guest host Bryan Smith are honored to welcome Tony Lumpkin, call sign “Lumpy,” for a compelling conversation.
Tony has a truly unique aviation background, having flown multiple airframes across military and civilian sectors. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Tony was commissioned into the U.S. Marine Corps where he piloted the CH-46 and completed three tours in Iraq. He shares some of his incredible experiences and lessons learned from flying in the sandbox.
But his story doesn’t end there. He later transferred into the U.S. Coast Guard where he piloted a Black Hawk, conducting high-risk rescues. After his military service, Tony invited Bryan to join him on a one-of-a-kind flying assignment: piloting a helicopter off a luxury cruise ship in one of the most stunning and unforgiving places on earth, Antarctica.
A big thank you to Bryan Smith for leading this insightful conversation with his friend “Lumpy.”
Please don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to the Hangar Z Podcast. We appreciate your support.
Thank you to our sponsors Precision Aviation Group, Spectrolab and Robinson Helicopter.

Episode 282 - Combat, Coast Guard, and Cruising Antarctica: Tony Lumpkin’s Story Part 1 Aug 18, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.
Listen closely for your chance to win awesome prizes from Heli Life! Throughout 2025, every episode of The Hangar Z Podcast will reveal a secret word. Once you catch it, head to contests.verticalhelicasts.com to enter!
On today’s episode of The Hangar Z Podcast, Jack Schonely and guest host Bryan Smith are honored to welcome Tony Lumpkin, call sign “Lumpy,” for a compelling conversation.
Tony has a truly unique aviation background, having flown multiple airframes across military and civilian sectors. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Tony was commissioned into the U.S. Marine Corps where he piloted the CH-46 and completed three tours in Iraq. He shares some of his incredible experiences and lessons learned from flying in the sandbox.
But his story doesn’t end there. He later transferred into the U.S. Coast Guard where he piloted a Black Hawk, conducting high-risk rescues. After his military service, Tony invited Bryan to join him on a one-of-a-kind flying assignment: piloting a helicopter off a luxury cruise ship in one of the most stunning and unforgiving places on earth, Antarctica.
A big thank you to Bryan Smith for leading this insightful conversation with his friend “Lumpy.”
Please don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to the Hangar Z Podcast. We appreciate your support.
Thank you to our sponsors Night Flight Concepts, Summit Aviation and Robinson Helicopter.

Episode 281 - 5th Anniversary Special: Celebrating with Fighter Pilot Podcast Host Vincent "Jell-O" Aiello Part 2 Aug 14, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.
Listen closely for your chance to win awesome prizes from Heli Life! Throughout 2025, every episode of The Hangar Z Podcast will reveal a secret word. Once you catch it, head to contests.verticalhelicasts.com to enter!
This special two-part series is five years in the making, due to the fact we are celebrating the fifth anniversary of The Hangar Z Podcast.
Hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely reflect on the journey of the podcast, its impact on the aviation community, and the inspiration drawn from guests like Jell-O, the host of The Fighter Pilot Podcast.
Each year, a special guest is selected to help celebrate the anniversary of The Hangar Z Podcast. A guest is sought after that has uniquely shaped the public safety aviation community or directly inspired the creation or direction of The Hangar Z Podcast.
Today’s guest directly inspired the creation of The Hangar Z Podcast, as The Fighter Pilot Podcast was the first aviation podcast that the creator of the Hangar Z listened to and enjoyed.
Today, The Hangar Z Podcast welcomes an accomplished naval aviator with over 8,964 days of active duty, 3,807 flight hours, and 705 carrier landings—263 at night. His combat missions include 78 flights over Iraq, 25 countries across four continents, and 187 days in Afghanistan. He’s experienced 12 moves, participated in three carrier deployments with no ejections, shoot downs, or D.C. tours. His career is filled with remarkable memories. Please join us in welcoming Vincent Aiello to The Hangar Z Podcast!

Thank you to our sponsors CNC Technology, Metro Aviation and SHOTOVER.

Episode 280 - 5th Anniversary Special: Celebrating with Fighter Pilot Podcast Host Vincent "Jell-O" Aiello Part 1 Aug 11, 2025

Show notes

Thank you to our sponsors CNC Technology, Metro Aviation and SHOTOVER.

Episode 279 - Beyond the Horizon: The Journey of Omaha Police Chief Pilot Frank Peck Part 2 Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.
Listen closely for your chance to win awesome prizes from Heli Life! Throughout 2025, every episode of The Hangar Z Podcast will reveal a secret word. Once you catch it, head to contests.verticalhelicasts.com to enter!
In this episode, Jon Gray and Jack Schonely have a conversation with Chief Pilot Frank Peck of the Omaha Police Department. Frank brings a unique and well-rounded perspective to law enforcement aviation, having spent many years with the Nebraska State Patrol, including time as a K9 handler where he experienced firsthand the value of air support. He eventually shifted his focus to aviation, advancing from a part-time Tactical Flight Officer to Captain and Chief Pilot of the Aviation Support Division.
During his tenure, Frank led significant expansions in aircraft capabilities, mission equipment, and aviation facilities, all while actively supporting troopers from the air. He now brings that wealth of experience to the Omaha Police Department, where he continues as Chief Pilot. Known for his hands-on leadership style, Frank is committed to continually improving every aspect of the unit he leads.
Don’t forget to like and subscribe to The Hangar Z Podcast. We truly appreciate the support so we can bring these important conversations to you.

Thank you to our sponsors Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing, Quantum Helicopter and Precision Aviation Group.

Episode 278 - Beyond the Horizon: The Journey of Omaha Police Chief Pilot Frank Peck Part 1 Aug 04, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.
Listen closely for your chance to win awesome prizes from Heli Life! Throughout 2025, every episode of The Hangar Z Podcast will reveal a secret word. Once you catch it, head to contests.verticalhelicasts.com to enter!
In this episode, Jon Gray and Jack Schonely have a conversation with Chief Pilot Frank Peck of the Omaha Police Department. Frank brings a unique and well-rounded perspective to law enforcement aviation, having spent many years with the Nebraska State Patrol, including time as a K9 handler where he experienced firsthand the value of air support. He eventually shifted his focus to aviation, advancing from a part-time Tactical Flight Officer to Captain and Chief Pilot of the Aviation Support Division.
During his tenure, Frank led significant expansions in aircraft capabilities, mission equipment, and aviation facilities, all while actively supporting troopers from the air. He now brings that wealth of experience to the Omaha Police Department, where he continues as Chief Pilot. Known for his hands-on leadership style, Frank is committed to continually improving every aspect of the unit he leads.
Don’t forget to like and subscribe to The Hangar Z Podcast. We truly appreciate the support so we can bring these important conversations to you.

Thank you to our sponsors Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing, Night Flight Concepts and Spectrum Aeromed.

Episode 277 - Answering the Call with Tactical Flying’s Ryan Welch Part 2 Jul 31, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.
Listen closely for your chance to win awesome prizes from Heli Life! Throughout 2025, every episode of The Hangar Z Podcast will reveal a secret word. Once you catch it, head to contests.verticalhelicasts.com to enter!
In this episode, host Jon Gray, along with co-hosts Jack Schonely and Bryan Smith, sit down for an in-depth conversation with Tactical Flying’s Ryan Welch.
Ryan, a seasoned law enforcement officer turned Major League Baseball authenticator, shares his remarkable journey from serving 16 years with the San Diego Police Department to becoming a senior tactical flight officer, specializing in airborne thermal imaging and airborne law enforcement tactics.
In the conversation we discuss the vital role of training, mentorship, and community involvement, as well as the evolution of technology in law enforcement operations. From scenario-based training to the integration of unmanned systems, Ryan, a tactics instructor for Tactical Flying, provides invaluable insights into ensuring operational safety and effectiveness, highlighting the critical importance of ongoing, continuous training.
Whether you’re interested in aviation, law enforcement, or leadership, this episode delivers expert knowledge and inspiring stories from a truly accomplished professional.

Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, Garmin and Metro Aviation.

Episode 276 - Answering the Call with Tactical Flying’s Ryan Welch Part 1 Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

Thank you to our sponsors BLR Aerospace, Robinson Helicopter and SHOTOVER.

Episode 275 - The Courage of Hajime ‘Jimmy’ Sagane and Japan’s Rescue Pilots During the Fukushima Disaster Part 2 Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.
Listen closely for your chance to win awesome prizes from Heli Life! Throughout 2025, every episode of The Hangar Z Podcast will reveal a secret word. Once you catch it, head to contests.verticalhelicasts.com to enter!
In this two-part series, hosts Jon Gray and guest co-host Terry Miyauchi speak with prior Japanese Coast Guard Pilot Hajime "Jimmy" Sagane.
Jimmy speaks excellent English, but for the best experience, we recommend watching this episode on our HeliCASTS YouTube page to enjoy the benefits of closed captioning. During our conversation, Jimmy recounts the historic and tragic events that unfolded after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan on March 11, 2011. This devastating quake triggered a massive tsunami that claimed over 20,000 lives and critically damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant's cooling system.
Jimmy shares gripping firsthand accounts of the heroic efforts during Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami, including the challenges of search-and-rescue missions, the use of helicopters in cooling efforts, and the emotional weight of recovery work.
Join us as we dive into a compelling conversation about resilience, preparedness, and the dedication of those who serve in public safety aviation.

Thank you to our sponsors Robinson Helicopter, Spectrolab and Wysong Enterprises.

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