The Hangar Z Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 145- Dutch National Police Air Support with Harald Brink Part I Mar 14, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts!

In this two-part series, host Jon Gray sits down with Harald Brink.

Brink is based with the Dutch National Police, National Expertise and Operations, Air Support Unit, based at Amsterdam Airport since 2009. Brink has been a police officer since the early 1990s.

Since its inception in 1953, the Dutch Police Aviation Service has relentlessly served as the nation’s eyes in the sky. The unit operates two satellite offices, one at Rotterdam-The Hague Airport and one at Volkel AFB.

Operating around the clock with a fleet of aircraft that includes nine helicopters, the Air Support Unit serves as watchful guardians, covering a vast expanse of 16,000 square miles on a mission to protect and serve.

Brink started to work for the police 32 years ago, first in patrol in the city of The Hague. Later, he transferred to the National Police Force. Since 2009 he has been a tactical flight officer in the Air Support Unit. Progressing to be a technical flight officer (TFO) instructor and examiner since 2012.

The Dutch Police Aviation Service is not merely an airborne patrol. It actively upholds aviation law by ensuring compliance with regulations and guaranteeing a high standard of safety and efficacy in every mission — from search-and-rescue tactics to safeguarding national borders through aerial surveillance.

Thank you to our sponsors Robinson Helicopters, SHOTOVER and Wysong.

Episode 144- Tennessee Highway Patrol with Kevin Hart Part II Mar 10, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts!

In this engaging two-part series, Jeff Ratkovich and Jon Gray sit down for a conversation with a close friend, former colleague, and Gray’s certified flight instructor (CFI) at Ontario Police Department, Kevin Hart

Hart is a seasoned professional in aviation and law enforcement. With a bachelor's degree in environmental studies from UC Santa Barbara, he brings a solid academic foundation to his multifaceted career.

Hart's journey began as a fixed-wing certified flight instructor (CFI) before transitioning to law enforcement, where he served as a deputy Sheriff for the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

His subsequent move to the Ontario Police Department marked over 14 years of dedicated service, during which he ascended from patrol to aviation. Hart’s roles included serving as a tactical flight officer before earning the coveted position of pilot. Notably, he also assumed the pivotal role of the aviation unit's primary certified flight instructor.

Relocating to Nashville in 2021, Hart continued his contributions to aviation, working as a helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) pilot for Air Evac.

Hart and Ratkovich are now both pilots for the Tennessee Highway Patrol, with Hart based out of Nashville and Ratkovich in West Tennessee.

Hart is enjoying life outside of California living in the country and working around his property tending to the chickens, fishing, and fantasizing about surf trips.

Thank you to our sponsors Metro Aviation, Precision Aviation Group and Bell.

Episode 143 - Tennessee Highway Patrol with Kevin Hart Part I Mar 08, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts!

Hart's journey began as a fixed-wing certified flight instructor (CFI) before transitioning to law enforcement, where he served as a deputy Sheriff for the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Relocating to Nashville in 2021, Hart continued his contributions to aviation, working as a helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) pilot for Air Evac.

Hart and Ratkovich are now both pilots for the Tennessee Highway Patrol, with Hart based out of Nashville and Ratkovich in West Tennessee.

Hart is enjoying life outside of California living in the country and working around his property tending to the chickens, fishing, and fantasizing about surf trips.

Thank you to our sponsors Bell, SHOTOVER and Garmin.

Episode 142- Breaking Barriers: Desiree Horton's Path to Becoming a Fire Pilot Part II Mar 06, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts.

In this two-part series, we sit down to talk with Desiree Horton. With 33 years of aviation expertise and over 10,000 flight hours under her belt, Horton brings a wealth of experience to the world of public safety aviation. Currently serving as a fire/rescue pilot for Kern County Fire Department, she has dedicated her career to protecting lives and property from the skies.

Horton embarked on her aviation journey in 1990 in Southern California, navigating some of the busiest airspace and operating out of the Van Nuys Airport, one of the busiest airports. Her diverse background includes flying tours, charter flights, news coverage, traffic watch, and movie production work. For almost half of her career, she honed her skills in various aviation roles before realizing her dream of becoming a fire pilot.

The path to becoming a fire pilot was challenging in the early days, with limited opportunities for those without prior experience. Undeterred, Horton financed her own training for long line and mountain courses, securing a position with a company willing to give her a chance. She made history by becoming the first female pilot on an exclusive use contract for Region 5 with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).

After years of serving as a contract pilot for the USFS, Horton achieved her goal of working for a fire department in Southern California. In 2013, she joined Cal Fire as a full-time female fire helicopter pilot, dedicating almost seven years to the organization. Continuing her trailblazing career, she moved on to the Orange County Fire Department in her hometown, where she became the first woman to work in air operations and as a pilot for the department.

Currently, Horton is breaking new ground with the Kern County Fire Department as their first-ever female fire/rescue pilot. Driven by a desire to encourage women to explore opportunities in public safety aviation, she aspires to overcome obstacles and promote a positive culture within the industry.

Thank you to our Sponsors CNC Technologies, Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing and Metro Aviation.

Episode 141 -Breaking Barriers: Desiree Horton's Path to Becoming a Fire Pilot Part I Feb 29, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts.

Continuing her trailblazing career, she moved on to the Orange County Fire Department in her hometown, where she became the first woman to work in air operations and as a pilot for the department.

Currently, Horton breaking new ground with the Kern County Fire Department as their first-ever female fire/rescue pilot. Driven by a desire to encourage women to explore opportunities in public safety aviation, she aspires to overcome obstacles and promote a positive culture within the industry.

Thank you to our Sponsors Robinson Helicopters, SHOTOVER and Metro Aviation.

Episode 140- Flying the Presidential Seal: Bobby Swartz's HMX-1 Legacy Part II Feb 25, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts.

In this two-part series, we are honored to sit down with Bobby Swartz to discuss his remarkable aviation career. Swartz’s military aviation story began with Naval Aviation Flight training from 2009 to 2011.

In 2012, he completed the MV-22B Initial Pilot Qualification and underwent rigorous flight training, laying the foundation for a career filled with notable achievements.

Swartz’s career trajectory led him through various impactful roles within the Marine Corps, showcasing expertise and flight leadership at every step. He initially served as a Ground Safety Officer in VMM-561 in Miramar and VMM-265 in Okinawa, Japan while continuing to learn the Osprey. His dedication to safety and excellence has been a consistent thread throughout his career.

The majority of Swartz’s career was spent at VMM-161, in San Diego at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, where he held key positions such as Director of Safety & Standardization and Aviation Safety Officer while attaining Night Systems Instructor and Flight Lead designations in the Osprey.

Swartz’s dedication and excellence led him to Washington, D.C., where he was assigned to the prestigious Marine Helicopter Squadron One a.k.a. HMX 1, which is in charge of transportation of the U.S. President, Presidential Staff, and dignitaries worldwide.

Since leaving active duty in 2021 Swartz has earned the title of first officer at a major U.S. airline flying the 737 and continues to serve the United States as a Marine Corps reservist flying the Osprey out of Miramar.

Thank you to our sponsors Precision Aviation Group, Metro Aviation, and Astronautics Corporation of America

Episode 139- Flying the Presidential Seal: Bobby Swartz's HMX-1 Legacy Part I Feb 23, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts.

In 2012, he completed the MV-22B Initial Pilot Qualification and underwent rigorous flight training, laying the foundation for a career filled with notable achievements.

Thank you to our sponsors Bell, Dallas Avionics, and SHOTOVER

Episode 138- Elevating Safety: AEM's Impact on Public Safety Aviation Part II Feb 22, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts.

In this two-part series, we sit down to talk about Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing and how they are helping to improve the public safety aviation industry.

Joining us for this conversation is Tony Weller the Director of sales and marketing for AEM and Sean Rickards the chief pilot and Director of Operations for Yellowhead Helicopters.

Tony Weller has been with AEM for over 7 years. Tony also spent many years working in the education field as a teacher and Head of Department, with positions in Australia, the UK, and Canada.

Sean Rickards is a professional pilot with over 30 years of experience with over 10,000+ flight hours.

In 2001, Sean joined Yellowhead Helicopters as a Base Manager and, within a few years, earned the position of Regional Manager for Yellowhead Helicopters' northern operations. In 2014, Sean was appointed as the Director of Operations for Yellowhead Helicopters. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in guiding the company through a significant period of growth as the company expanded to over 40 aircraft.

His passion for aviation, dedication to safety, and ability to navigate complex operations have firmly established him as a respected figure in the helicopter industry."

Yellowhead Helicopters is a privately held Canadian company that has been providing commercial helicopter solutions to the public, industry and government since 1975.

From helicopter bases strategically located throughout British Columbia and Alberta they have a wide mission set that includes aerial firefighting, utility work and tourism which includes heliskiing for over 45 years.

For more than a decade, Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing (AEM) has provided customer-driven solutions to the aviation industry with the design, development, and manufacture of avionics. They are an approved OEM supplier of aircraft components to several helicopter OEMs such as Bell, Boeing, Leonardo, Airbus Helicopters, and Sikorsky.

This is a very interesting conversation that highlights AEM’s commitment to developing outstanding mission equipment with the input of the end user.
Thank you again to AEM for sponsoring this episode of The Hangar Z Podcast.

Episode 137- Elevating Safety: AEM's Impact on Public Safety Aviation Part I Feb 20, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts.

In this two-part series, we sit down to talk about Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing and how they are helping to improve the public safety aviation industry.

Joining us for this conversation is Tony Weller the Director of sales and marketing for AEM and Sean Rickards the chief pilot and Director of Operations for Yellowhead Helicopters.

Tony Weller has been with AEM for over 7 years. Tony also spent many years working in the education field as a teacher and Head of Department, with positions in Australia, the UK, and Canada.

Sean Rickards is a professional pilot with over 30 years of experience with over 10,000+ flight hours.

His passion for aviation, dedication to safety, and ability to navigate complex operations have firmly established him as a respected figure in the helicopter industry."

Yellowhead Helicopters is a privately held Canadian company that has been providing commercial helicopter solutions to the public, industry and government since 1975.

This is a very interesting conversation that highlights AEM’s commitment to developing outstanding mission equipment with the input of the end user.

Helicasts MASHUP: HAI Heli Expo 2024 Feb 17, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, the three Vertical Helicasts Hosts, Halsey Schider of The Helicopter Podcast, Jon Gray of The Hangar Z Podcast, and Jason Quinn of The Real ResQ discuss their excitement for the upcoming HAI event and the podcast lineups they have planned. They also talk about the networking opportunities and the chance to reconnect with industry colleagues and professionals.
Make sure to come visit the trio at HAI Heli Expo this year! They are at booth 5716, with a 'Meet and Greet' scheduled for Wednesday February 28th from 3-5pm. And if you see any of the hosts walking around the expo, don't hesitate to say hi!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected