A podcast that explores the personnel and equipment behind the missions in Public Safety Aviation.
Episodes
Celebrating episode 400 with SEAL, podcaster, and author, Andy Stumpf part 1 | Ep 400
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.Today's guest is someone who has built an extraordinary career by embracing challenges, pushing limits, and continually reinventing himself. Andy Stumpf is a retired U.S. Navy SEAL, internationally recognized public speaker, entrepreneur, host of the hugely successful Cleared Hot podcast, and
End of an Era: 26 Years on the Perimeter with Jack Schonely | Ep 399
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.In this special episode, Jack Schonely shifts to the guest seat as Jon Gray sits down with him to reflect on the conclusion of an era: Stepping away from teaching his renowned tactical course, “Apprehending Fleeing Suspects,” after 26 years of instruction.Fresh off delivering his final class at Lo
Tania Glenn: Practical Ways to Stay Resilient This Holiday Season | 398
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.We're excited to welcome back Dr. Tania Glenn. If you'd like to learn more about Tania's incredible background, be sure to check out Episodes 176 and 177, along with her mental wellness update in Episode 340.As we head into the holiday season, this conversation couldn't come at
Behind the Badge and Flight Suit: The Spouses' Perspective part 2 | Ep 397
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.Today we're bringing you a very special episode, as we welcome two guests who have been behind the scenes throughout our law enforcement careers — and throughout the journey of this podcast — our wives, Shawna Gray, also known as Mrs. Z, and Tracy Schonely.For years, they've experienced
Behind the Badge and Flight Suit: The Spouses' Perspective part 1 | Ep 396
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.Today we're bringing you a very special episode, as we welcome two guests who have been behind the scenes throughout our law enforcement careers — and throughout the journey of this podcast — our wives, Shawna Gray, also known as Mrs. Z, and Tracy Schonely.For years, they've experienced
Training for the Aftermath: Survival, Egress, and Recovery with Doug Brimmer & RJ Garwood
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.This episode was recorded on location at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s (SBCSD’s) hangar, immediately following their 2026 training fly-in. Host Jon Gray sits down with returning guests Doug Brimmer (SBCSD) and RJ Garwood (retired Huntington Beach Police Department pilot) to disc
Supporting Law Enforcement Beyond the Sale: Dallas Avionics part 2 | Ep 394
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.We're coming to you from the show floor at ECHO 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where we're joined by Kenny Hall and Cody Klaehn from Dallas Avionics. Although they took very different paths to get there, both have become familiar faces throughout the law enforcement aviation communi
Supporting Law Enforcement Beyond the Sale: Dallas Avionics part 1 | Ep 393
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.We're coming to you from the show floor at ECHO 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where we're joined by Kenny Hall and Cody Klaehn from Dallas Avionics. Although they took very different paths to get there, both have become familiar faces throughout the law enforcement aviation communi
Public Safety's Next Chapter: Workforce Evolution in Modern Policing, part 2 | Ep 392
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.In this special two-part series of the Hangar Z Podcast, hosts Jon Gray and Jeff Ratkovich explore how modern public safety agencies can overcome critical work force development hurdles.Joined by Roe Conn, chief of strategic initiatives for the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and Ryan Harbison, pres
Public Safety's Next Chapter: Workforce Evolution in Modern Policing, part 1 | Ep 391
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.In this special two-part series of the Hangar Z Podcast, hosts Jon Gray and Jeff Ratkovich explore how modern public safety agencies can overcome critical work force development hurdles. Joined by Roe Conn, chief of strategic initiatives for the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and Ryan Harbison, pre
Chief Gillespie: How leadership and aviation helped reduce crime | Ep 390
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.In this episode, we're joined by Chief Brandon Gillespie of the Modesto Police Department. Building on our previous conversations in Episodes 372 and 373 with Lieutenant Hicks and Lieutenant Souza, we take a closer look at the leadership behind the department's success. Chief Gillespie s
Earning the buy-In: Professionalism, politics, and building in-house advocates part 2 | Ep 389
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.Celebrating the sixth anniversary of the Hangar Z Podcast, host Jack Schonely steps into the lead chair, alongside Jon Gray, for a comprehensive two-part panel dedicated to one of the most critical, yet frequently overlooked, elements of airborne public safety: Internal and external unit marketing
Beyond the mission: The strategy behind justifying your air support program part 1 | Ep 388
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.Celebrating the sixth anniversary of the Hangar Z Podcast, host Jack Schonely steps into the lead chair, alongside Jon Gray, for a comprehensive two-part panel dedicated to one of the most critical, yet frequently overlooked, elements of airborne public safety: Internal and external unit marketing
Elevate and Connect: Creating impact past the call part 2 | Ep 387
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.In this special two-part series, hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely are joined by Vertical Plus editor-at-large Brent Bundy and Delaware State Police aviation commander Jeff Whitmarsh for a conversation about leadership, trust, and developing a high-performing multi-mission aviation unit.We break do
Leadership & Trust: The power of consistency with Delaware State Police part 1 | Ep 386
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.In this special two-part series, hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely are joined by Vertical Plus editor-at-large Brent Bundy and Delaware State Police aviation commander Jeff Whitmarsh for a conversation about leadership, trust, and developing a high-performing multi-mission aviation unit.We break do
Wade Bourassa’s blueprint for smarter police aviation part 2 | 385
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.Today’s episode was recorded at the Vertical Valor Plus booth, on the floor of APSCON in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We are honored to welcome Wade Bourassa, pilot and supervisor of the Saskatoon Police Aviation Unit. Wade is the 2026 recipient of the Airborne Public Safety Association's Robert
Wade Bourassa’s blueprint for smarter police aviation part 1 | 384
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.Today’s episode was recorded at the Vertical Valor Plus booth, on the floor of APSCON in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We are honored to welcome Wade Bourassa, pilot and supervisor of the Saskatoon Police Aviation Unit. Wade is the 2026 recipient of the Airborne Public Safety Association's Robert
Data, Fatigue & Innovation: Joel Smith on Building Hero Aviation part 2 | 383
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.In this special two-part series, hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely are joined by L.A. City Fire Department (LAFD) pilot and safety officer Joel Smith for an inside look at the high-stakes world of LAFD Air Operations.Joel breaks down the tactical precision and intense training required to battle ma
Flying the Frontlines: Inside L.A. City Fire with Pilot Joel Smith part 1 | 382
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.In this special two-part series, hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely are joined by L.A. City Fire Department (LAFD) pilot and safety officer Joel Smith for an inside look at the high-stakes world of LAFD Air Operations.Joel breaks down the tactical precision and intense training required to battle ma
Tactical Labs, Zero Ego, Real Training: Why ECHO 2026 Is a Must-Attend | Bonus
Welcome to this special joint episode of the Hangar Z Podcast and the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, brought to you by HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.In this special episode, Jon Gray of Hangar Z and Blake Shrider and Mike Fadale of the Valor Flight Crew, preview the 2026 ECHO Public Safety Aviation Conference.High-quality public safety aviation training doesn’t need a massive price tag. Th
How Blades of Valor Turned a Vision Into a Powerful Public Safety Story Part 2 | Ep 381
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus. We're glad you're with us, because today we're pulling back the curtain on one of our favorite projects of the year—the 2026 Blades of Valor Tour through Florida.For this special episode, we've brought together the entire team that made the tour possible. Joining us are e
How Blades of Valor Turned a Vision Into a Powerful Public Safety Story Part I | Ep 380
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus. We're glad you're with us, because today we're pulling back the curtain on one of our favorite projects of the year—the 2026 Blades of Valor Tour through Florida.For this special episode, we've brought together the entire team that made the tour possible. Joining us are e
Nicholas Ianiero - APSCON 2026 - Maintainer of the Year | Ep 379
Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Valor Plus.For this episode of Hangar Z, recorded live at APSCON 2026 in Fort Lauderdale, hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely sit down with Nicolas Ianiero, aircraft maintenance engineer with Canadian Helicopters supporting the York Regional Police Air Support Unit and the recipient of the 2026 APSA Technician of the
Todd Jager Shares the Hard-Earned Lessons That Changed Aviation Tactics Part 3 of 3 | Ep 378
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.This is a three-part podcast! Make sure you listen to all three.Today, we're honored to welcome retired San Diego Police Department Chief Pilot Todd Jager. Todd is a true aviation professional with more than 10,000 hours of rotorcraft flight time, over 1,000 hours in fixed-wing aircraft,
Todd Jager Shares the Hard-Earned Lessons That Changed Aviation Tactics Part 2 of 3 | Ep 377
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.This is a three-part podcast! Make sure you listen to all three.Today, we're honored to welcome retired San Diego Police Department Chief Pilot Todd Jager. Todd is a true aviation professional with more than 10,000 hours of rotorcraft flight time, over 1,000 hours in fixed-wing aircraft,
Todd Jager Shares the Hard-Earned Lessons That Changed Aviation Tactics Part 1 of 3 | Ep 376
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus. This is a three-part podcast! Make sure you listen to all three.Today, we're honored to welcome retired San Diego Police Department Chief Pilot Todd Jager. Todd is a true aviation professional with more than 10,000 hours of rotorcraft flight time, over 1,000 hours in fixed-wing aircraft
Over the black ocean: Teamwork, determination, and the rescue of 3 survivors Part 2 | Ep 375
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.On today's episode, we're honored to welcome Deputy Jonathan Lazada and Deputy Chase Gomez of the Indian River County Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit. Jonathan and Chase are the recipients of the Airborne Public Safety Association's Aircrew of the Year Award, as well as the FLIR Vision Awar
Over the black ocean: Teamwork, determination, and the rescue of 3 survivors Part I | Ep 374
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.On today's episode, we're honored to welcome Deputy Jonathan Lazada and Deputy Chase Gomez of the Indian River County Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit. Jonathan and Chase are the recipients of the Airborne Public Safety Association's Aircrew of the Year Award, as well as the FLIR Vision Awar
How Has Modesto’s New Air Unit Made a Positive Impact on Public Safety? Part 2 | Ep 373
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus. In this episode we are heading to Modesto, California, to hear how a brand-new air support unit was built from the ground up, and how it’s already changing the way the department fights crime, protects officers, and serves the community.Lt Mike Hicks and Lt Kalani Souza were both involved fr
How Has Modesto’s New Air Unit Made a Positive Impact on Public Safety? Part 1 | Ep 372
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus. In this episode we are heading to Modesto, California, to hear how a brand-new air support unit was built from the ground up, and how it’s already changing the way the department fights crime, protects officers, and serves the community.Lt Mike Hicks and Lt Kalani Souza were both involved fr
What makes a tactical training legacy last for over 25 years? Part 2 | Ep 371
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus. In this special two-part series, hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely are joined by Clay Lacey of the Texas Department of Public Safety and Harald Brink of the Dutch National Police to explore the 25-plus-year legacy of Jack Schonely’s tactical training. From individual officer safety to agency-wide
What makes a tactical training legacy last for over 25 years? Part 1 | Ep 370
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus. In this special two-part series, hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely are joined by Clay Lacey of the Texas Department of Public Safety and Harald Brink of the Dutch National Police to explore the 25-plus-year legacy of Jack Schonely’s tactical training. From individual officer safety to agency-wide
Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Air Unit: Longline rescue and air support part 2 | EP 369
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.On today's episode, we're taking you to California's Central Valley as we visit the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office Air Support Unit. Joining us are Deputy AJ Nikkel and Deputy Tyler Liburdi, who both serve as pilots and tactical flight officers. We'll explore the
Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Air Unit: Longline rescue and air support part 1 | EP 368
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.On today's episode, we're taking you to California's Central Valley as we visit the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office Air Support Unit. Joining us are Deputy AJ Nikkel and Deputy Tyler Liburdi, who both serve as pilots and tactical flight officers. We'll explore the
The Danger You Can't See: Fatigue in Public Safety Aviation Part 2 | Ep 367
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Valor Plus. Today's episode is a special collaboration with our friends from the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, and we're tackling a topic that impacts every one of us in aviation — fatigue. Joining us for this outstanding panel discussion are the hosts of the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, Mike Fad
The Danger You Can't See: Fatigue in Public Safety Aviation Part 1 | Ep 366
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Valor Plus. Today's episode is a special collaboration with our friends from the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, and we're tackling a topic that impacts every one of us in aviation — fatigue. Joining us for this outstanding panel discussion are the hosts of the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, Mike Fad
APSA 2026 Northeast Director Candidates | Ep 365
Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS in partnership with Valor Plus.On today’s episode, we’re pleased to welcome the two candidates for the Airborne Public Safety Association’s Northeast Regional Director position. Joining us are Eric Bourn of the South Berwick Police Department and Lt. Jason Baxley of the Delaware State Police.This special episode provides an oppo
The Digital Front Line: Social Media Strategy for Public Safety with Tamrin Olden Part 2 | Ep 364
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.In this comprehensive two-part conversation, Jon Gray and Jack Schonely are joined by Tamrin Olden, founder of TOC Public Relations, to discuss why social media has become a mission-critical tool for modern public safety. Moving beyond the "ancillary duty" mindset, Tamrin e
The Digital Front Line: Social Media Strategy for Public Safety with Tamrin Olden Part 1 | Ep 363
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.In this comprehensive two-part conversation, Jon Gray and Jack Schonely are joined by Tamrin Olden, founder of TOC Public Relations, to discuss why social media has become a mission-critical tool for modern public safety. Moving beyond the "ancillary duty" mindset, Tamrin e
How Glenn Daley's Experience Shapes Aviation Safety Part 3 | Ep 362
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus. Our guest is retired Lieutenant Glenn Daley of the New York City Police Department Aviation Unit. Glenn’s career in airborne law enforcement spans decades of service, leadership, instruction, and experience, that has taken him around the world. This conversation is powerful, emotio
How Glenn Daley's Experience Shapes Aviation Safety Part 2 | Ep 361
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus. Our guest is retired Lieutenant Glenn Daley of the New York City Police Department Aviation Unit. Glenn’s career in airborne law enforcement spans decades of service, leadership, instruction, and experience, that has taken him around the world. This conversation is powerful, emotio
How Glenn Daley's Experience Shapes Aviation Safety Part I | Ep 360
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus. Our guest is retired Lieutenant Glenn Daley of the New York City Police Department Aviation Unit. Glenn’s career in airborne law enforcement spans decades of service, leadership, instruction, and experience, that has taken him around the world. This conversation is powerful, emotio
Inside SR3: Revolutionizing Rescue Training | Ep 359
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus. This episode was recorded live from the floor of VAI Verticon 2026 in Atlanta at the Vertical Plus booth. In this episode we catch up with two returning guests and highly respected rescue and aviation professionals, retired Las Vegas Metro officer and owner of SR3 Rescue Concepts, Dave
Episode 358 - Blades of Valor Tour 2026: Inside Broward Sheriff's Office Part 3
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.This three-part series comes to you from the hangar at Broward Sheriff's Office as part of the 2026 Blades of Valor Tour, where we had the opportunity to interview Sgt Paul Seda and pilot Carl Spear.The Blades of Valor Tour spotlights public safety aviation units recognized for outst
Episode 357 - Blades of Valor Tour 2026: Inside Broward Sheriff's Office Part 2
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.This three-part series comes to you from the hangar at Broward Sheriff's Office as part of the 2026 Blades of Valor Tour, where we had the opportunity to interview Sgt Paul Seda and pilot Carl Spear.The Blades of Valor Tour spotlights public safety aviation units recognized for outst
Episode 356 - Blades of Valor Tour 2026: Inside Broward Sheriff's Office Part 1
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.This three-part series comes to you from the hangar at Broward Sheriff's Office as part of the 2026 Blades of Valor Tour, where we had the opportunity to interview Sgt Paul Seda and pilot Carl Spear.The Blades of Valor Tour spotlights public safety aviation units recognized for outst
Episode 355 - Trends in the Helicopter Industry Featuring Terry Miyauchi Part 2
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.In this two-part series of The Hangar Z Podcast, host Jon Gray is joined by OG co-host Jeff Ratkovich and industry veteran Terry Miyauchi.The conversation takes us on a deep dive into the evolving landscape of public safety aviation. Fresh off his transition from Bell to launching his own
Episode 354 - Trends in the Helicopter Industry Featuring Terry Miyauchi Part 1
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.In this two-part series of The Hangar Z Podcast, host Jon Gray is joined by OG co-host Jeff Ratkovich and industry veteran Terry Miyauchi.The conversation takes us on a deep dive into the evolving landscape of public safety aviation. Fresh off his transition from Bell to launching his own
Episode 353 - The Foundation of Honor: A Police Week Special with Craig Floyd Part 2
Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.This episode is being released during Police Week 2026, a time set aside to honor the brave men and women in law enforcement who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to others. It’s a week of reflection, remembrance, and gratitude for our fallen brothers and sisters.Today’s guest is som
Episode 352 - The Foundation of Honor: A Police Week Special with Craig Floyd Part 1
Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.This episode is being released during Police Week 2026, a time set aside to honor the brave men and women in law enforcement who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to others. It’s a week of reflection, remembrance, and gratitude for our fallen brothers and sisters.Today’s guest is som
Episode 351 - Mike Durant: Blackhawk Down and Beyond Part 2
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.Today, we are truly honored to be joined by Michael J. Durant—retired Chief Warrant Officer 4, Night Stalker, and MH-60 Black Hawk pilot—whose story is one of extraordinary courage, resilience, and unwavering determination.In this episode, Mike takes us all the way back to his very f
Episode 350 - Mike Durant: Blackhawk Down and Beyond Part 1
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.Today, we are truly honored to be joined by Michael J. Durant—retired Chief Warrant Officer 4, Night Stalker, and MH-60 Black Hawk pilot—whose story is one of extraordinary courage, resilience, and unwavering determination.In this episode, Mike takes us all the way back to his very f
Episode 349 - APSCON 2026: What to Expect in Fort Lauderdale
This episode of The Hangar Z Podcast is brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.The Hangar Z Podcast welcomes Airborne Public Safety Association CEO/Executive Director Dan Schwarzbach, APSA President Dave Ellis and Broward Sheriff's Office Sergeant Paul Sada.In this episode of The Hangar Z Podcast, we have the opportunity to talk about APSCON 2026 ahead o
Episode 348 - Navigating Mental Wellness with Dave Wuertz: Peer Support in Action Part 2
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus. Today’s episode is a powerful and deeply human conversation centered on service, trust, and taking care of one another in some of the most demanding environments imaginable. Our guest is Dave Wuertz, manager of peer support for PHI Air Medical. Dave’s story is shaped by a lifetime of service in t
Episode 347 - Navigating Mental Wellness with Dave Wuertz: Peer Support in Action Part 1
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus. Today’s episode is a powerful and deeply human conversation centered on service, trust, and taking care of one another in some of the most demanding environments imaginable. Our guest is Dave Wuertz, manager of peer support for PHI Air Medical. Dave’s story is shaped by a lifetime of service in t
Episode 346 - John Nielsen: Transforming Law Enforcement Aviation Part 2
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.Today’s episode features a true pioneer in airborne law enforcement—retired California Highway Patrol (CHP) pilot John Nielson. With more than 11,000 hours as pilot in command and another 3,400 hours as a second-in-command, John’s career is a masterclass in dedication, innovation, an
Episode 345 - John Nielsen: Transforming Law Enforcement Aviation Part 1
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.Today’s episode features a true pioneer in airborne law enforcement—retired California Highway Patrol (CHP) pilot John Nielsen. With more than 11,000 hours as pilot in command and another 3,400 hours as a second-in-command, John’s career is a masterclass in dedication, innovation, an
Episode 344 - Coldstream Helicopters: Calm Under Fire in a Helicopter Crisis
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.Today’s episode comes to you from the floor of Verticon in Atlanta, recorded inside the Vertical Plus booth, where the energy of the industry and the people who drive it were on full display.Our guests are pilots Brian Dunn and Brian Atkinson of Coldstream Helicopters in Kelowna, Bri
Episode 343 - Blades of Valor Tour 2026: Inside U.S. Coast Guard Clearwater Part 2
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.Thank you to 2026 Blades of Valor Tour sponsor Switlik Survival Products and the support of Massif flight suits. Without your sponsorship and support, this tour would not be possible.Switlik Survival Products supports aviation, marine, military, and search-and-rescue with a wide variety o
Episode 342 - Blades of Valor Tour 2026: Inside U.S. Coast Guard Clearwater Part I
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.Thank you to 2026 Blades of Valor Tour sponsor Switlik Survival Products and the support of Massif flight suits. Without your sponsorship and support, this tour would not be possible. Switlik Survival Products supports aviation, marine, military, and search-and-rescue with a wide variety
Special Episode - Tim Lynn on Airspace Changes: Insights from a Veteran Pilot
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.On this special edition of show, we welcome Tim Lynn, a veteran law enforcement and news gathering pilot with 24 years of flight time in Southern California.We're going to discuss the recent dramatic and sudden changes in airspace throughout the country that seemed to start in the Lo
Episode 341 - The Future of Air Support: Pasadena's Vision
Welcome to the HangerZ podcast brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and partnered with Vertical Valor Plus. Today's episode was recorded on the floor of Verticon in Atlanta, at the Vertical Plus booth. We had a great week at Verticon and several great conversations and this was one of them. Today's guests are Lt Brad May and Sgt Dustin Gomez of Pasadena Police Department's Air Suppo
Episode 340 - Warriors and Healers with Dr. Tania Glenn: Moral Injury and Mental Wellness
Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor.Today we’re joined by a familiar and respected voice in the public safety community, Dr. Tania Glenn. Following her appearances on episodes 176 and 177 of the Hangar Z Podcast, she returns to the show to dive into one of the most critical topics facing our profession: mental wellness.Dr. Glenn
Episode 339 The Simple Leadership Principle That Builds Trust and Loyalty Part 2
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor +.Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, where we continue our ongoing series of conversations on leadership in law enforcement. In this episode, we’re joined by two exceptional leaders: Chief Ed Delmore of the Pelham Police Department and Chief Scott Hughes of the Hamilton Township Police Department.Bo
Episode 338 The Simple Leadership Principle That Builds Trust and Loyalty Part 1
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor +.Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, where we continue our ongoing series of conversations on leadership in law enforcement. In this episode, we’re joined by two exceptional leaders: Chief Ed Delmore of the Pelham Police Department and Chief Scott Hughes of the Hamilton Township Police Department.Bo
Episode 337 - Yvette Tuning: One Officer’s Journey from Cancer to Advocacy and Resilience Part 2
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.Today’s episode is a powerful and deeply personal conversation about courage, resilience, and determination. Our guest is retired Sgt Yvette Tuning of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Air Support Division.Yvette opens up about a life-changing cancer diagnosis that turned her world upsi
Episode 336 - Yvette Tuning: One Officer’s Journey from Cancer to Advocacy and Resilience Part 1
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus.Today’s episode is a powerful and deeply personal conversation about courage, resilience, and determination. Our guest is retired Sgt Yvette Tuning of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Air Support Division.Yvette opens up about a life-changing cancer diagnosis that turned her world upsi
Episode 335 Blades of Valor Tour 2026: Inside Miami-Dade Fire Air Rescue Part 2
Welcome back to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus. We’re excited to be on the third stop of the 2026 Blades of Valor Tour, coming to you from the beautiful state of Florida.The Blades of Valor Tour spotlights public safety aviation units recognized for outstanding service, and celebrates those who go above and beyond. We aim to prom
Episode 334 Blades of Valor Tour 2026: Inside Miami-Dade Fire Air Rescue Part I
Welcome back to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Plus. We’re excited to be on the third stop of the 2026 Blades of Valor Tour, coming to you from the beautiful state of Florida.The Blades of Valor Tour spotlights public safety aviation units recognized for outstanding service, and celebrates those who go above and beyond. We aim to prom
Episode 333 - Blades of Valor Tour 2026: Inside Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Part 2
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus. We are on our first stop of the 2026 Blades of Valor Tour. This is our third annual tour, and we are excited to be in the great state of Florida. Today we are with Lt Pilot Drew Nicoletti and Pilot Ron Bloezer from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit. Both are military
Episode 332 - Blades of Valor Tour 2026: Inside Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Part I
Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus. We are on our first stop of the 2026 Blades of Valor Tour. This is our third annual tour, and we are excited to be in the great state of Florida. Today we are with Lt Pilot Drew Nicoletti and Pilot Ron Bloezer from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit. Both are military
Episode 331 - High-Flying Guardians: The Evolution of Fort Worth's Air Support Part 2
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.In these episodes, Hangar Z hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray are joined by pilot Scott Hines and tactical flight officer (TFO) Alex Marti from the Fort Worth Police Department’s Aviation Unit. Scott brings a deep aviation background as an U.S. Army aviator who flew the Bell OH-58D Kio
Episode 330 - High-Flying Guardians: The Evolution of Fort Worth's Air Support Part I
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.In these episodes, Hangar Z hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray are joined by pilot Scott Hines and tactical flight officer (TFO) Alex Marti from the Fort Worth Police Department’s Aviation Unit. Scott brings a deep aviation background as an U.S. Army aviator who flew the Bell OH-58D Kio
Episode 329 - Global Perspectives: Leo Stolk, deputy flight operations manager, Dutch National Police
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.This episode was recorded on location in Cologne, Germany, at European Rotors.In this episode, host Jon Gray sits down with Leo Stolk, the deputy flight operations manager for the Dutch National Police.During the conversation, Leo shares insights into his journey from military operati
Episode 328 - Navigating the Skies: Tim Brennan's Path from Military to Maricopa Part 3
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.In this three-episode series, hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down with Tim Brennan, a pilot with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, to trace an extraordinary aviation journey shaped by service, leadership, and life-saving missions. Tim shares what it was like growing up in a
Episode 327 - Navigating the Skies: Tim Brennan's Path from Military to Maricopa Part 2
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.In this three-episode series, hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down with Tim Brennan, a pilot with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, to trace an extraordinary aviation journey shaped by service, leadership, and life-saving missions. Tim shares what it was like growing up in a
Episode 326 - Navigating the Skies: Tim Brennan's Path from Military to Maricopa Part 1
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.In this three-episode series, hosts Jack Schonely and Jon Gray sit down with Tim Brennan, a pilot with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, to trace an extraordinary aviation journey shaped by service, leadership, and life-saving missions. Tim shares what it was like growing up in a
Episode 325 - Beyond Borders: Avincis’ Global Response with Group CEO John Boag
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.This episode was recorded on location in Cologne, Germany, at European Rotors.In this episode, Jason Quinn, host of The Real ResQ Podcast, and Jon Gray, sit down with John Boag, the Group CEO of Avincis.Avincis is Europe’s largest operator of emergency aerial services, specializing in
Episode 324 - Intelligence-Led Aviation: Daniel Rosenberg & The Swedish National Police
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.This episode was recorded on location in Cologne, Germany, at European Rotors.In this episode, host Jon Gray sits down with Daniel Rosenberg from the Swedish National Police.Rosenberg is a remarkable guest whose journey in law enforcement has taken him from patrolling the streets of S
Episode 323 - International TFO Panel: Connecting Cultures in Policing Part 2
Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine.In this two-part series, we go international and speak with Hangar Z co-hosts and international instructors. The panel includes Harald Brink, chief tactical flight officer from the Dutch national police; Lt Clay Lacey from the Texas Department of Public Safety; and Jon Duke, a U.K. mi
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