The Hangar Z Podcast

Jon Gray
  • 4.9 (98)
  • AVIATION
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast where we explore the personnel and equipment behind the missions in Public Safety Aviation. 

  1. Episode 336 - Yvette Tuning: One Officer’s Journey from Cancer to Advocacy and Resilience Part 1

    2D AGO

    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 upside down—losing her Federal Aviation Administration medical, navigating multiple incorrect diagnoses, and learning firsthand how critical second opinions can be. She shares the physical and emotional toll of cancer treatment, the fight to beat cancer, and the uphill battle to return to work and regain her medical certification. This is an inspiring story of perseverance in the face of uncertainty, but it doesn’t stop there. Yvette also discusses an officer-involved shooting she was part of, the lasting impact of critical incidents, and what strong, authentic leadership looks like inside an aviation unit—especially when things don’t go according to plan. This episode is honest, emotional, and motivating, and it highlights what’s possible when you refuse to quit, even when the odds are stacked against you. Our conversation contains adult topics and language. Settle in—this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Thank you to our sponsors Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing, Precision Aviation Group and Robinson Helicopter.

    1 hr
  2. Episode 335 Blades of Valor Tour 2026: Inside Miami-Dade Fire Air Rescue Part 2

    5D AGO

    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 promote the good work these agencies do and highlight the standard of excellence they set.  Thank you to the 2026 Blades of Valor sponsor, Switlik, and the support of Massif Flight Suits. Without your sponsorship and support, this tour would not be possible. These teams serve as the benchmark for the public aviation community. Our mission is to share their stories of unwavering commitment, courage, innovative leadership, teamwork, and technological innovation from agencies setting the standard in public safety aviation, inspiring others to raise the bar in service and safety. Today’s episode was recorded inside the hangar at Miami-Dade Fire Air Rescue, and we’re joined by Capt Jason Vanbuskirk and pilot Alberto Camacho. We’ll dive into the recent regional fly-in held at the base, a Vertical Valor Plus air-to-air photo and video shoot that included the department’s Marine Unit, and an in-depth overview of air rescue operations. You’ll also hear a detailed description of the Leonardo AW139, from crew makeup and mission sets to the equipment that makes these missions possible. And of course, we’ll talk about the incredibly diverse area of operations, spanning dense urban environments, the Everglades, and open water. This is another great discussion on mission readiness and the training required to stay current in a wide variety of skillsets. Many thanks to Vertical Valor Plus, and all our sponsors, for making this Blades of Valor Tour possible. This is a one-of-a-kind tour that includes photography, videography, print, and podcasting. Stayed tuned for lots of original content in the weeks and months ahead.  Thank you to our sponsors CENTUM, SHOTOVER and Wysong Enterprises.

    1h 11m
  3. Episode 334 Blades of Valor Tour 2026: Inside Miami-Dade Fire Air Rescue Part I

    MAR 2

    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 promote the good work these agencies do and highlight the standard of excellence they set.  Thank you to the 2026 Blades of Valor sponsor, Switlik, and the support of Massif Flight Suits. Without your sponsorship and support, this tour would not be possible. These teams serve as the benchmark for the public aviation community. Our mission is to share their stories of unwavering commitment, courage, innovative leadership, teamwork, and technological innovation from agencies setting the standard in public safety aviation, inspiring others to raise the bar in service and safety. Today’s episode was recorded inside the hangar at Miami-Dade Fire Air Rescue, and we’re joined by Capt Jason Vanbuskirk and pilot Alberto Camacho. We’ll dive into the recent regional fly-in held at the base, a Vertical Valor Plus air-to-air photo and video shoot that included the department’s Marine Unit, and an in-depth overview of air rescue operations. You’ll also hear a detailed description of the Leonardo AW139, from crew makeup and mission sets to the equipment that makes these missions possible. And of course, we’ll talk about the incredibly diverse area of operations, spanning dense urban environments, the Everglades, and open water. This is another great discussion on mission readiness and the training required to stay current in a wide variety of skillsets. Many thanks to Vertical Valor Plus, and all our sponsors, for making this Blades of Valor Tour possible. This is a one-of-a-kind tour that includes photography, videography, print, and podcasting. Stayed tuned for lots of original content in the weeks and months ahead.  Thank you to our sponsors CENTUM, Dallas Avionics and Onboard Systems Hoist & Winch.

    1h 18m
  4. Episode 333 - Blades of Valor Tour 2026: Inside Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Part 2

    FEB 26

    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 veterans who bring that experience to one of the most versatile aviation units in the country. We'll take a deep dive into the Bell 429 and why it's such an outstanding platform for the wide range of missions this unit must be ready to handle.   The conversation also covers how the aviation unit works closely with specialized teams including SWAT, K9, and Marine units, the extensive training cycle required to stay sharp across so many skill sets, and what emergency preparedness in Florida really looks like-from daily operations to major natural disasters.  This is a great discussion on mission readiness, teamwork, aviation done right, so let’s get started. Thank you to our sponsors CNC Technologies, Precision Aviation Group and Spectrolab.

    1h 18m
  5. Episode 332 - Blades of Valor Tour 2026: Inside Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Part I

    FEB 23

    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 veterans who bring that experience to one of the most versatile aviation units in the country. We'll take a deep dive into the Bell 429 and why it's such an outstanding platform for the wide range of missions this unit must be ready to handle.   The conversation also covers how the aviation unit works closely with specialized teams including SWAT, K9, and Marine units, the extensive training cycle required to stay sharp across so many skill sets, and what emergency preparedness in Florida really looks like-from daily operations to major natural disasters.  This is a great discussion on mission readiness, teamwork, aviation done right, so let’s get started. Thank you to our sponsors Robinson Helicopter, Rotorcraft Support and Spectrolab.

    1h 17m
  6. Episode 331 - High-Flying Guardians: The Evolution of Fort Worth's Air Support Part 2

    FEB 19

    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 Kiowa, completing two combat tours in Iraq, before later transitioning to Black Hawks with the National Guard and flying medevac for Air Methods. That experience ultimately led him to Fort Worth PD.  Alex is also an Army veteran who joined Fort Worth PD and worked his way into aviation, first serving as a reserve TFO before earning a full-time position in the unit.  Together, we dig into changing the culture within an aviation unit, the challenges and wins of developing and formalizing a TFO program, operating the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, and share impactful experiences flying over Fort Worth. Along the way, we also take a deep dive into the OH-58D Kiowa, its capabilities, and why it left such a lasting impression on those who flew it. Please take a moment to like and subscribe to the Hangar Z Podcast. We appreciate your support. Thank you to our sponsors Robinson Helicopter, Summit Aviation and Technisonic Industries Limited.

    1h 11m
  7. Episode 330 - High-Flying Guardians: The Evolution of Fort Worth's Air Support Part I

    FEB 16

    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 Kiowa, completing two combat tours in Iraq, before later transitioning to Black Hawks with the National Guard and flying medevac for Air Methods. That experience ultimately led him to Fort Worth PD.  Alex is also an Army veteran who joined Fort Worth PD and worked his way into aviation, first serving as a reserve TFO before earning a full-time position in the unit.  Together, we dig into changing the culture within an aviation unit, the challenges and wins of developing and formalizing a TFO program, operating the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, and share impactful experiences flying over Fort Worth. Along the way, we also take a deep dive into the OH-58D Kiowa, its capabilities, and why it left such a lasting impression on those who flew it. Please take a moment to like and subscribe to the Hangar Z Podcast. We appreciate your support. Thank you to our sponsors Rotorcraft Support, Inc., Summit Aviation and Trakka Systems.

    1h 13m
  8. Episode 329 - Global Perspectives: Leo Stolk, deputy flight operations manager, Dutch National Police

    FEB 12

    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 operations to law enforcement aviation, highlighting his extensive career and the challenges he faced during military missions in Afghanistan. The conversation delves into the critical role of international collaboration in enhancing law enforcement operations while also exploring the integration of drones in aviation.  Leo emphasizes their complementary function alongside helicopters, showcasing the importance of training in adapting to these innovations.  He also addresses the evolving public perception of law enforcement and how communication plays a pivotal role in aviation operations. For newcomers to the aviation industry, Leo offers invaluable advice, stressing the significance of continuous learning and effective communication. Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, CNC Technologies and Precision Aviation Group.

    47 min
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4.9
out of 5
98 Ratings

About

A podcast where we explore the personnel and equipment behind the missions in Public Safety Aviation. 

Information

  • Creator
    Jon Gray
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    338
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Hangar Z Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Hangar Z Podcast

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