Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! Thank you to CNC Technologies for sponsoring this special in-person interview, recorded just prior to HAI Heli-Expo 2024. This recording took place in beautiful Beverly Hills, California, at the famous Lou’Mar restaurant.   CNC Technologies has assembled an impressive team of distinguished public safety aviators. In this two-part series, host Jon Gray had the opportunity to speak with their team in a panel-style conversation that covers a wide variety of important topics pertaining to public safety aviation.   CNC ..read more

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS!   Thank you to MD Helicopters for sponsoring this special in-person interview with Jake Durham and Drew Muench from the Oxford Police Department Aviation Unit.    The Oxford Police Department chose the MD Helicopters 530F model as its primary airborne mission platform due to its exceptional versatility and performance characteristics, tailored to their operational needs.    The MD530F's agility and maneuverability make it ideal for various law enforcement tasks, including surveillance, search-and-re ..read more

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS!   Thank you to MD Helicopters for sponsoring this special in-person interview with Jake Durham and Drew Muench from the Oxford Police Department Aviation Unit.    The Oxford Police Department chose the MD Helicopters 530F model as its primary airborne mission platform due to its exceptional versatility and performance characteristics, tailored to their operational needs.    The MD530F's agility and maneuverability make it ideal for various law enforcement tasks, including surveillance, search-and-re ..read more

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this two-part series, Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down Dr. Tania Glenn, to discuss the importance of mental health for first responders. Dr. Tania Glenn is the president of Tania Glenn and Associates, a clinical practice in Central Texas that is focused on promoting resilience and providing critical care to first responders and veterans.   As a leading national clinician in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Dr. Glenn specializes in creating effective programs designed to mitigate traumatic ..read more

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this two-part series, Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down Dr. Tania Glenn, to discuss the importance of mental health for first responders. Dr. Tania Glenn is the president of Tania Glenn and Associates, a clinical practice in Central Texas that is focused on promoting resilience and providing critical care to first responders and veterans.   As a leading national clinician in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Dr. Glenn specializes in creating effective programs designed to mitigate traumatic ..read more

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! This episode was recorded on location in Washington, D.C., from the U.S. Park Police aviation hangar, as part of The Hangar Z Vertical Valor Road tour.    We felt this was a great episode to release on Independence Day, the Fourth of July, 2024, which is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America.   Jack Schonely and Brent Bundy from Vertical Valor Magazin ..read more

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! This episode was recorded from the Vertical HeliCASTS studio at HAI Heli-Expo in March.   Co-hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray had the opportunity to talk with Lieutenant Clay Lacey from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) about the Axnes wireless intercom system and how it has helped Texas DPS improve communications and situational awareness during flight operations.    Lt Lacey, a distinguished member of the Texas DPS, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the podcast.   Since his spec ..read more

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! This episode was recorded from the Vertical HeliCASTS studio at HAI Heli-Expo in March.   Co-hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray had the opportunity to talk with Lieutenant Clay Lacey from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) about the Axnes wireless intercom system and how it has helped Texas DPS improve communications and situational awareness during flight operations.    Lt Lacey, a distinguished member of the Texas DPS, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the podcast.   Since his spec ..read more

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this episode, we talk about the ongoing battle against wildfires in Southern California, a region where the threat of wildfires persists year-round. For this conversation, we have the privilege of welcoming Desiree Horton and co-host Tony Webber to uncover the tireless efforts and evolving strategies employed by SoCal agencies to combat wildfires in a region where the fire season never truly ends.    First, we have Desiree Horton, a trailblazer in public safety aviation with over three decades of experience ..read more

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS! In this two-part series, co-hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down with Helene Balmir, a pilot from the Phoenix Police Department. Born to a French-Canadian mother and a Haitian father who immigrated to New York in the 1960s, Helen grew up in Montreal, Canada. She is the youngest of three sisters. From a young age, Helen was an avid skier, hitting the slopes before she could walk and competing in downhill skiing until she was 17. She attended a Catholic high school but took a brief detour from her academic pursuits fo ..read more