The Vertical MRO Podcast

• Episode 76: Voices from the Irving MRO Conference - Insights from Across the Industry

  Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Magazine.This special edition of the Vertical MRO Podcast brings you a fast-paced series of conversations recorded live at the 2025 Irving MRO Conference. Host Jon Gray and Producer David Kreutzkamp sit down with a wide range of voices—from operators and technicians to students, MRO leaders, and innovators—to capture the energy, challenges, and ideas shaping helicopter maintenance today.Across these mini-segments, you’ll hear insights on workforce development, training pipelines, culture building, leadership, parts support, real-world problem-solving, and what keeps people passionate about this MRO community year after year. Featured guests include Lewis University and Rising Aviation students, as well as team members from Leonardo, Leading Edge Aerospace, Ace Aeronautics, Camp Systems, SAFE Structure Designs, TurboLyft and also our friend Dr Kodey Bogart — each offering a unique perspective on where our industry is today and where it’s heading.Whether you were at the conference or experiencing it for the first time through this episode, this recap highlights the collaboration, passion, and shared mission that continue to drive helicopter maintenance forward.Special thanks to our sponsors, Rotorcraft Support Inc, Vertical Aviation International and Rotorcraft Repair & Manufacturing.

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• Episode 75: The Neuroscience of Aviation: Sleep, Focus & Stopping Burnout with Jamie Wood

  Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Magazine.In this episode of the Vertical MRO Podcast, hosts Jon Gray and Ronnie Ries sit down with Jamie Wood, the CEO and Founder of the bio-technology platform Autonomic.Jamie is changing the way people think and learn about their brains. Through neuroscience based products and cutting edge technologies, her mission is to elevate human potential by bringing personalized brain health solutions to the masses. During the conversation we explore the critical role of cognitive performance in aviation maintenance and operations. Jamie shares her work with aviation maintenance colleges and organizations, where she has built effective programs to help address burnout and improve focus and mental sharpness. Together, we unpack how fatigue, hydration, nutrition, and sleep directly affect safety and high performance in the hangar and beyond.This is a must-listen for anyone passionate about human performance, aviation safety, and creating an environment that empowers teams to thrive.Jamie’s work focuses on supporting driven individuals in high-demand environments that rely heavily on their cognitive abilities, this includes helicopter maintainers, executives, leaders, employees, athletes, and students. Jamie is a speaker, mentor, brain performance expert, and researcher. Having bootstrapped her brain performance technology company and brought a scientifically proven cognitive enhancement solution to market, Jamie understands the unique demands placed upon the brains of highly driven individuals in high-performance environments. Jamie has worked with some of the most exciting up and coming leaders in tech, gaming, extraction, marketing, student organizations, and big data. Her workshops and training programs are in North America's VCs, Accelerators and Academic Institutions.Jamie has led groundbreaking research studies looking at brain health in high-stress environments using Mobile EEG, and sits on the cutting edge of brain health technology working alongside world leading neuroscientists. She has worked with over 100 founders and is a sought after speaker for Fortune 500 companies and top tech conferences including the Vertical MRO Conference. Special thanks to our sponsors, Robinson Helicopter, Rotorcraft Support Inc and Airbus.

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• Episode 74: The HeliLadder Revolution: A Conversation with Dale Neubauer and Drew Benton Jr. - Part II

  Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Magazine.In this two-part Vertical MRO Podcast series, hosts Jon Gray and Faith Ortega have an engaging conversation with Dale Neubauer, an airfame and powerplant (A&P) mechanic and CEO of HeliLadder; and Drew Benton Jr., owner of Helicopter Maintenance Solutions.During the conversation, our guests explore their journeys in the helicopter community. They discuss the professional challenges faced by helicopter technicians, the importance of teamwork and communication, and the critical nature of ensuring aircraft are airworthy.Dale talks about how his experiences in the helicopter air ambulance sector impacted his personal and professional life. He shares a personal story you won't want to miss that highlights the impact of maintenance on patient outcomes, and the lessons learned from both successes and failures in the field.Dale talks about the motivation for him and his wife and Susie to create and launch HeliLadder in 2015, starting from their garage with a shared vision to improve aircraft maintenance safety and efficiency. Dale’s 30 years of experience in aircraft maintenance provided the foundation for creating the world’s first modular and portable workstand. Driven by a passion for changing how maintenance is performed, Dale and Susie’s work at HeliLadder continues to prioritize safety, comfort, and quality. Dale’s background and commitment underscore the company’s mission to support safe, efficient, and reliable aircraft maintenance, making a tangible difference in the aviation industry through innovative solutions and unwavering dedication.Special thanks to our sponsors, Airbus, Metro Aviation and Rotorcraft Repair & Manufacturing.

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• Episode 73: The HeliLadder Revolution: A Conversation with Dale Neubauer and Drew Benton Jr. - Part I

  Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Magazine.In this two-part Vertical MRO Podcast series, hosts Jon Gray and Faith Ortega have an engaging conversation with Dale Neubauer, an airfame and powerplant (A&P) mechanic and CEO of HeliLadder; and Drew Benton Jr., owner of Helicopter Maintenance Solutions.During the conversation, our guests explore their journeys in the helicopter community. They discuss the professional challenges faced by helicopter technicians, the importance of teamwork and communication, and the critical nature of ensuring aircraft are airworthy.Dale talks about how his experiences in the helicopter air ambulance sector impacted his personal and professional life. He shares a personal story you won't want to miss that highlights the impact of maintenance on patient outcomes, and the lessons learned from both successes and failures in the field.Dale talks about the motivation for him and his wife and Susie to create and launch HeliLadder in 2015, starting from their garage with a shared vision to improve aircraft maintenance safety and efficiency. Dale’s 30 years of experience in aircraft maintenance provided the foundation for creating the world’s first modular and portable workstand. Driven by a passion for changing how maintenance is performed, Dale and Susie’s work at HeliLadder continues to prioritize safety, comfort, and quality. Dale’s background and commitment underscore the company’s mission to support safe, efficient, and reliable aircraft maintenance, making a tangible difference in the aviation industry through innovative solutions and unwavering dedication.Special thanks to our sponsors, Vertical Aviation International, HeliLadder and Robinson Helicopter.

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• Episode 72: Honoring Matt Pagano: APSA’s 2025 Technical Specialist Award winner

  Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Magazine.The Vertical MRO Podcast recorded this special episode live from the Vertical Valor booth at APSCON, the Airborne Public Safety Association's annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Host Jon Gray is joined by guest host Jeff Ratkovic from the Hangar Z Podcast to honor the service of Matt Pagano, maintainer for the Riverside (California) Police Department Air Support Unit. Matt was recently recognized with the 2025 Airborne Public Safety Aviation Technical Specialist Award.The Technical Specialist Award is given to an individual whose aviation maintenance efforts for a law enforcement agency are performed extraordinarily well, above and beyond what is normally expected. Their efforts bring distinction to themselves, their department, and to the Airborne Public Safety Association. A central focus of the discussion is Riverside’s transition from the MD 500 helicopter to the Airbus H125 — a shift that has required Matt to prepare new facilities, adapt to evolving mission equipment, and lean on the broader helicopter community for support. Matt shares how mentorship, teamwork, and knowledge-sharing within the aviation industry have been essential in navigating this change.Together, Jon, Jeff, and Matt dive into the importance of building a culture of safety and trust, investing in tools and training, and recognizing the legacy of beloved aircraft like the MD 500. Special thanks to our sponsors, Vertical Aviation International, Robinson Helicopter and SAFE Structure Designs.

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