The Naval Aviation Ready Room Podcast with Legends and Leaders

In this episode of The Naval Aviation Ready Room podcast, host Ryan Keys speaks with Dave Lorenzo, a former Marine Corps F-8 Crusader pilot and Vietnam War veteran, as he shares powerful stories of survival, service, and mentorship. From being shot down in combat to a decades-long commercial aviation career and continued service at the National Naval Aviation Museum, Dave offers a remarkable look...

In this compilation from The Naval Aviation Ready Room Podcast, host Ryan Keys brings together powerful stories from across generations of naval aviators. From WWII night operations to modern SAR missions, these accounts reveal the decision-making, sacrifice, and resilience that define naval aviation's finest traditions.

In this episode of The Ready Room Podcast, host Ryan Keys sits down with WWII and Korean War veteran Captain Clyde "Cash" Barber, who recounts his extraordinary experience flying PBY Catalinas during the innovative "Black Cat" night operations. From enlisting at age 17 to pioneering radar-based stealth attacks against Japanese shipping, Captain Barber shares how his squadron revolutionized night w...

In this episode of The Ready Room Podcast, host Ryan Keys speaks with Captain Tim “Lucky” Kinsella, U.S. Navy (Ret.), former Commanding Officer of NAS Pensacola. From facing an active shooter on base to navigating hurricanes and global pandemics, Capt. Kinsella shares a powerful account of crisis command, emotional endurance, and the responsibility of representing the Navy on the world stage.

The evolution of POW studies is reshaping the future of military preparedness. In this episode, Dr. John Albano, retired Army Colonel, flight surgeon, and Program Manager at the Robert E. Mitchell Center for POW Studies, shares how decades of research on Vietnam POWs are transforming resilience training, reintegration protocols, and medical readiness for tomorrow’s conflicts.

Experience an extraordinary journey into one of naval aviation’s most profound stories as former POW Captain Charlie Plumb recounts his 2,103 days of captivity in North Vietnam. From ingenious communication methods and maintaining faith under extreme circumstances to crafting measuring devices from light bulbs, Plumb’s account offers powerful lessons in resilience, leadership, and human ingenuity....

In this episode of The Naval Aviation Ready Room Podcast, host Ryan Keys sits down with Captain Steve Scheibner, former Navy P-3 Orion pilot, Scheibner recounts his extraordinary journey from Cold War anti-submarine warfare missions to a life-changing near miss on September 11, 2001, when a last-minute schedule change kept him off American Airlines Flight 11. His story explores how fate, faith, an...

In this episode of The Naval Aviation Ready Room Podcast, guest host Pat Everly flips the script, interviewing regular host Ryan Keys about his remarkable career in Naval Aviation. From their shared beginnings at Naval Academy prep to commanding helicopter squadrons, Keys reflects on leadership challenges, maintaining squadron morale, and the pivotal role of mentorship. Listeners will gain unique...

In this episode of The Naval Aviation Ready Room Podcast, host Ryan Keys sits down with Commander Michael Ross, USCG, whose career spans Army combat aviation in Iraq to Coast Guard search and rescue missions in Alaska and beyond. Now Executive Officer at Coast Guard Air Station San Diego, Ross shares insights on adapting leadership across service cultures, making life-or-death decisions in high-st...

In this episode of The Naval Aviation Ready Room podcast, host Ryan Keys is joined by Sterling Gilliam, Director of the National Naval Aviation Museum, to share insights from his 30-year naval aviation career, the preservation of naval aviation heritage, and the museum's mission to inspire future generations.

In this episode of The Ready Room Podcast, host Ryan Keys sits down with Commander Hunter Scott, whose sixth-grade history project led to the exoneration of USS Indianapolis Captain Charles McVay. From uncovering a decades-old injustice to serving as a naval aviator, Scott shares how determination, research, and advocacy can influence military history and a life of service.

The Ready Room Podcast, presented by The Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. , explores the people, missions, and milestones that shaped naval aviation. Hear firsthand stories from veterans, aerospace leaders, and historians in this immersive series on aviation history, leadership, and innovation.