Behind the Wings

Major Eric “Porky” Scheibe flew more than 2,087 hours in the AV-8B Harrier II. Now he reflects on the aircraft’s final Marine Corps flight and the people who made its missions possible. In this episode, Host Rick Crandall talks with Scheibe about flying the “jump jet,” supporting Marines on the ground, and helping close the Marine Corps’ last operational Harrier squadron, VMA-223. From his first h...

From the Marine Corps’ final Harrier squadron to the SR-71 Blackbird, Season 9 of Behind the Wings brings you the people and stories behind extraordinary aircraft. Join host Rick Crandall for 10 new episodes featuring the most exciting stories from across aerospace. Behind the Wings began in support of Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum’s mission to educate and inspire. More than 80 epi...

Go inside Constant Peg, the once-secret Cold War program that gave American fighter pilots the rare opportunity to train against real Soviet MiG aircraft. In this special bonus episode, get a full-length lecture from former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot John Mann. A veteran of the F-4 Phantom II, F-15 Eagle and Operation Desert Storm, Mann flew MiG-21s and MiG-23s with the Red Eagles during Constan...

What can a few grains of asteroid dust tell us about the origins of life on Earth? In this episode, Host Rick Crandall talks with NASA astrochemist José C. Aponte about the organic chemistry preserved inside asteroid Bennu. From NASA’s OSIRIS-REx sample-return mission to amino acids, nucleobases, and the mystery of life’s left-handed molecules, Aponte explains how scientists search for clues to ou...

NASA’s Meredith McKay discusses how diplomacy, trust, and international cooperation are helping turn ambitious space missions into reality. In this episode, Host Rick Crandall talks with Meredith McKay, Deputy Associate Administrator in NASA’s Office of International and Interagency Relations, about the partnerships behind humanity’s next steps into space. From the hard-earned lessons of the Inter...

As wildfires grow larger and more complex, pilots, firefighters, scientists, and aviation experts are developing new ways to protect communities from the air. In Episode 78, Host Rick Crandall revisits interviews about wildfire aviation originally recorded in 2021. From Colorado’s East Troublesome Fire and infrared-equipped Pilatus PC-12s to single-engine air tankers, Firehawk helicopters, and nig...

Brigadier General Micah “Zeus” Fessler shares stories about flying the F-15 and F-22, traces Colorado fighter aviation from early biplanes to the F-16, and today's homeland defense mission. In this episode, Host Rick Crandall talks with “Zeus” about the aircraft, missions, training, and people that shaped his military career, including combat operations, Weapons School, and the Colorado Air Nation...

Air Force veteran Art Elser reveals what it took to fly low, slow, and exposed as a forward air controller during the Vietnam War. In this episode, Host Rick Crandall talks with former forward air controller Art Elser about flying more than 400 combat missions in the Cessna O-2A Skymaster and O-1E Bird Dog. From directing air support over the Ho Chi Minh Trail to helping Special Forces teams under...

NASA’s RAVEN aircraft is helping researchers explore one of aviation’s biggest next steps: electric vertical takeoff and landing. NASA’s RAVEN aircraft is helping researchers explore one of aviation’s biggest next steps: electric vertical takeoff and landing. In this episode, Host Rick Crandall talks with NASA researchers Siena Whiteside and Jason Welstead about RAVEN, the Research Aircraft for eV...

Rob “Z-Man” Zettel shares his story from inside one of the Air Force’s most secret Cold War programs, Project Constant Peg. In this episode, Host Rick Crandall talks with Z-Man, a retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and former member of the legendary 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron, the “Red Eagles,” about what it was like to fly real Soviet MiG fighters in the Nevada desert. From the F-4 Pha...

Jim “JB” Bell shares his story from inside one of the Air Force’s most secret Cold War programs, Project Constant Peg. In this episode, Host Rick Crandall talks with Jim, a retired crew chief of the legendary 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron, about what it took to keep MiG fighters flying in the Nevada desert. From maintaining MiG-17s, MiG-21s, and MiG-23s at Tonopah Test Range to flying on unm...

Major General John Barry shares his story of leadership through some of the most consequential moments in modern aerospace and national security history. In this episode, Host Rick Crandall talks with John Barry, a fighter pilot, combat leader, former NASA official, and retired U.S. Air Force Major General. From Cold War alert missions in the F-4 Phantom to command at Luke Air Force Base, from sur...

Retired Col. Thomas Kirk shares his story of surviving solitary confinement for two years as a prisoner of war at the “Hanoi Hilton." In this episode, Host Rick Crandall talks with Tom, a fighter pilot, squadron commander, and Vietnam War POW. From one of the most intense air-combat battlefields in history to the harrowing story that followed, Kirk explores what it took to persevere through the un...

Season 8 of Behind the Wings podcast is here. Hosted by Rick Crandall, the next 10 episodes deliver first-hand accounts from across the aerospace world, spanning historic combat missions, classified Cold War programs, and pivotal moments in space exploration. This season continues the show’s focus on connecting past, present, and future through the people who lived it. Release Schedule: New episod...

Get an inside look at NASA’s Quesst mission and the effort to bring supersonic flight back over land, without the disruptive sonic boom. For more than 50 years, civil aircraft in the U.S. have been effectively barred from flying supersonic over land, not because of speed, but because of noise. NASA aims to change that paradigm with the X-59, a purpose-built experimental X-plane designed to reshape...

Retired Pilot Col. John “Warman” Stewart discusses his Vietnam combat sorties and how the Super Sabre saved his life. In this episode, we explore the history of the North American F-100, John’s Air Force career, his first supersonic flight, and what it was like operating one of the most important fighters of the Cold War. We also get an in-depth walkaround to understand how the Super Sabre's desig...

Human Factors Engineer Cynthia Hudy shares what it takes to design a spacecraft around the people who fly it. We explore Cynthia’s role designing the systems inside Orion, from displays and controls to life support, radiation protection, and the everyday realities of living in deep space. We also discuss how astronaut feedback and human-in-the-loop testing are shaping Artemis II, the first crewed...

NFL Alum and Pilot Jimmy Graham shares stories about stunt flying and how it helped him relax when off the field. In this episode, we discuss how Jimmy earned his pilot certificates during his football career, airshow aerobatics, and his restored 1957 Army Beaver and Vietnam-era UH-1 Huey. We also explore Jimmy's role as Chairman of the EAA Young Eagles program, and his commitment to inspiring fut...

Retired Fighter Pilot Lt. Col. Tammy Barlette shares how flying the A-10 prepared her for operating UAVs like the MQ-1. In this episode, she discusses the Warthog's capabilities, combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, controlling the Predator and Reaper drones, returning to jets after a spinal injury, and how she now shares lessons from the flight deck as a mental performance trainer. As air sup...

Retired Test Pilot Rogers E. Smith recalls flying the final SR-71 Blackbird flight and how a fuel leak grounded the aircraft forever. In this episode, we discuss his Canadian and American military careers, flying experimental aircraft for NASA, and piloting a MiG-25 at 80,000 feet in Russia. From first to fourth-generation fighters, Rogers has flown nearly every U.S. jet and then some, all without...

Retired AV-8B Pilots Capt. Frank “Pugs” Smith and Lt. Col. Luke “Warren” Jacobs take us behind the iconic Jump Jet and its 40-year legacy. We are back with our regularly scheduled podcast! In this episode, they discuss carrier operations, vertical takeoff and landing, the challenges of maintaining the aircraft, and how the fighter performed its missions. The Harrier remains one of aviation’s bolde...

How OSIRIS-REx's journey to Asteroid Bennu could reveal clues to the origins of life on Earth. Welcome to the finale of our 4-part bonus podcast miniseries on the making of Behind the Wings PBS Season 7! In this episode, Director Cray Novick and Host Tracy LaTourrette share stories from filming around the U.S. to learn more about OSIRIS-REx's journey to Asteroid Bennu. Join us as we discuss how me...

How the F-16 became a combat legend around the world, and what it takes to build them. Welcome to Part 3 of our 4-part bonus podcast miniseries on the making of Behind the Wings PBS Season 7! In this episode, Director Cray Novick and Host Tracy LaTourrette share stories from filming around the U.S. to learn more about the history behind the Fighting Falcon. Join us as we discuss the dangerous firs...

How the world's largest spacecraft taught us to live and work in space. Welcome to Part 2 of our 4-part bonus podcast miniseries on the making of Behind the Wings PBS Season 7! In this episode, Director Cray Novick and Host Tracy LaTourrette share stories from filming around the U.S. to learn more about building the International Space Station. Join us as we discuss astronaut training in the enorm...

What does it take to fly into a hurricane, and why is it important? Welcome to Part 1 of our bonus podcast miniseries on The Making of Behind the Wings PBS Season 7. In this episode, Director Cray Novick and Host Tracy LaTourrette discuss stories they heard while filming The Hurricane Hunters. Join us as we explore the dare that started it all, the modified aircraft and its technology, and how the...