The Vertical MRO Podcast

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . In this episode, Ronnie sits down with Mike Kunkel, safety management system program manager at PG&E , to discuss his path through aviation and the experiences that shaped his approach to safety leadership. The conversation begins with Mike’s early flying experiences in Alaska and his time...

Welcome to another episode of Vertical MRO Tech Talk presented by Bell . In this episode of Vertical MRO Tech Talk presented by Bell, host Jon Gray is joined by Greg Judd, along with Gabriel Leveille and Jason Estaphan, to discuss the Garmin G1000. This conversation provides a deeper understanding of how the system can directly support maintainers in their day-to-day work. As avionics platforms co...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . For this episode, Jon Gray sits down with Don Lockie of Aviation Resources Group and Peter Van Dael, product manager at Navi-Gate , for a live conversation recorded on the show floor at Verticon 2025. While logistics often happens behind the scenes, it plays a critical role in keeping aircraft...

Welcome to Vertical MRO Alerts, presented by Bell ! In this Alert, Product Support Engineering (PSE) Manager Marc Dubé is joined by Gilbert Gaudreault, 407 PSE Lead, to discuss the release of Garmin G1000H NXi Software 24 and the associated service directives issued for Bell 407GXi operators. Marc and Gilbert explain why Bell released an Alert Service Bulletin for certain aircraft equipped with tw...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . Recorded live during the 2025 Vertical MRO conference, this panel discussion explores what continues to attract people to the helicopter maintenance industry—and what the industry must do to support the next generation of maintainers. Featuring insights from Dale Martel of Okanagan College , M...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . In this episode of Vertical MRO, recorded live as part of the Blades of Valor 2026 tour, hosts Jon and Jack sit down with Jerry Zsigo, aircraft maintenance technician with Miami Dade Air Rescue . Jerry shares what it takes to maintain aircraft in one of the most demanding environments in aviat...

The Vertical MRO Podcast continues its special Flying Bulls conversation with Anthony Hill and Werner Horvath from the Red Bull Flying Bulls . Following Vertical MRO’s milestone 100th episode, hosts Jon Gray and Faith Ortega reconnect for part II with the Flying Bulls technical team in Salzburg, Austria, while recording from the Vertical MRO studio. Anthony and Werner take a deeper dive into the r...

The Vertical MRO Podcast welcomes Anthony Hill and Werner Horvath from the Red Bull Flying Bulls . To celebrate episode 100 we recorded remotely with the Red Bull Flying Bulls maintenance team, they were on the floor of Hangar 7 in Salzburg, Austria, we participated from our studio. Anthony Hill and Werner Horvat join hosts Jon Gray and Faith Ortega for a wide‑ranging conversation about what it ta...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . In this episode of Vertical MRO, hosts Jack and Jon sit down with Thomas Edison, director of maintenance for the Broward Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit . Thomas shares his path into aviation maintenance and what it takes to support mission-critical aircraft in a law enforcement environment, wh...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . Recorded live in Kelowna during the 2025 conference, this episode of Vertical MRO features a panel discussion with Don Lockie of ARG Aviation Resources Group—returning to the podcast—and John Ross, logistics supervisor at Eagle Copters Maintenance Ltd. Together, they break down the realities o...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . In this special crossover episode of the Vertical MRO Podcast, we team up with the hosts of Cancelled for Maintenance —Six and MBP—for a conversation that brings the fixed-wing and rotor world together. What starts as a simple collaboration quickly turns into a deeper look at the shared realit...

In this episode of Vertical MRO, the team breaks down what to expect from the 2026 MRO Conferences in Kelowna, BC, and Irving, Texas. Building on feedback from previous events, this year’s conferences are expanding in both scale and focus. The discussion highlights the shift toward deeper technical content, more real-world problem-solving, and sessions that reflect the challenges maintainers and o...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . In this special crossover episode of the Vertical MRO Podcast, we team up with the hosts of Cancelled for Maintenance —Six and MBP—for a conversation that brings the fixed wing and rotor world together. What starts as a simple collaboration quickly turns into a deeper look at the shared realit...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . As part of the 2026 Blades of Valor tour, Jon Gray and Mike Reyno travelled to meet with the United States Coast Guard to better understand the maintenance culture supporting one of the most demanding rotorcraft missions in the world. Recorded on location, this episode features Chief Warrant O...

Welcome to another episode of Vertical MRO Tech Talk presented by Bell . In this episode, host Jon Gray is joined by Bell experts Greg Judd and Michael Doucette for a focused discussion on track and balance for the Bell 212—a critical maintenance task that directly affects vibration, performance, and overall aircraft health. While often approached as a routine adjustment, achieving consistent resu...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . Recorded live at Verticon 2026, this episode is hosted by Terrence Eissfeldt and Jon Gray and features a conversation with Wendell Dunaway of PHI Aviation , whose career in helicopter engines spans decades across the industry. Wendell’s path into aviation started long before hangars and test c...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . Recorded live at the Vertical MRO Conference in Kelowna and hosted by Jon Gray, this panel brings together voices from across the helicopter maintenance ecosystem to unpack the real issues facing MRO suppliers today—and how those challenges are reshaping the industry. Panelists include Marc Le...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . This episode was recorded live on location at the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit as part of the 2026 Blades of Valor tour. Hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely sit down with Matt Callander, an avionics technician serving the unit who also happens to be a pilot, to explore a perspec...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . This episode was recorded live on location at the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit as part of the 2026 Blades of Valor tour. Hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely sit down with Matt Callander, an avionics technician serving the unit who also happens to be a pilot, to explore a perspec...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . In this episode, Hosts Ronnie Ries and Howie Murray sit down with Adrienne Robinson, vice president of business development at Panterra Heli Support USA , for a grounded conversation on how leasing strategies, data, and maintenance realities intersect on the shop floor. With more than four dec...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . In this episode, Hosts Ronnie Ries and Howie Murray sit down with Adrienne Robinson, vice president of business development at Panterra Heli Support USA , for a grounded conversation on how leasing strategies, data, and maintenance realities intersect on the shop floor. With more than four dec...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . In this episode, Jon Gray and David sit down with Shad R. Sitz—aviation safety leader, firefighting veteran, and founder of 44 North Aviation—for a candid conversation on leadership, safety, and the realities of operating in high-risk environments. Shad shares his path from growing up on a ran...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . In this episode, Jon Gray and David sit down with Shad R. Sitz—aviation safety leader, firefighting veteran, and founder of 44 North Aviation—for a candid conversation on leadership, safety, and the realities of operating in high-risk environments. Shad shares his path from growing up on a ran...

Welcome to another episode of Vertical MRO Tech Talk presented by Bell . In this Bell Tech Talk episode, host Jon Gray is joined by Eric Lachance, 525 product support engineering lead, and Gilbert Gaudreault, 407 product support engineering lead, to walk through the structural repair process—from initial damage identification to engineering-approved repair solutions. Drawing on decades of experien...

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast , brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus . Recorded live at the Kelowna Vertical MRO Conference , this panel—hosted by Ronnie Ries—brings together operators who have spent the past year implementing Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS) across their fleets. With Ronnie guiding the discussion, the panelists share what motivated the...