Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:23:31 — 65.8MB)

Interviews about aerospace journalism, a hybrid car/airplane, the Piper Pilot 100 series aircraft, Stratux ADS-B, the Electric Jetpack, and a Wings and Wheels event at an aviation museum.

Segments this episode:

Rob Mark

Rob publishes the Jetwhine blog and is the senior editor at Flying Magazine. He describes the need for more aerospace journalists, or more accurately, people who are knowledgeable about aerospace and are skilled communicators. Rob and a group of aviation writers have formed the 21st Century Aerospace Writers Facebook group, a resource for aerospace communicators and providing mentorship for those who aspire to be aerospace communicators.

Rob previously talked about the Facebook group on Podcasting on a Plane Episode 52, The Next Generation of Aerospace Communicators.

Sam Bousfield

Sam is the CEO of Samson Switchblade, a company working to create a hybrid car/airplane and bring it to market. The design seeks to provide personal transportation. The company expects first flight in the coming months.

Samson Switchblade

Elise Wheelock

Elise Wheelock is a Product Marketing Coordinator at Piper Aircraft. She is in the enviable position of flying around the country in Piper’s newest product offering for the training market, the Pilot 100 series aircraft. We look at the background of the plane, what makes the Piper 100 so compelling, and the aircraft’s sales success despite not yet being in production. Elise is a recent UND graduate and her story is compelling.

Piper Pilot 100

Sean Chuplis

Sean is CEO of Crew Dog Electronics. We first spoke with Crew Dog Electronics at AirVenture 2018 and in this interview, we follow up with Sean to discuss their safety-in-the-cockpit successes and new products. We also hear a little about his career and speaking engagements at AirVenture 2019.

Pete Bitar

Pete is the founder and CEO of Electric Jet Aircraft. Last year at Oshkosh he was in the Innovations Pavilion with his newly crafted 4-fan “verticycle” prototype. This year Pete moved to the Urban Air Mobility pavilion and he came with his new Electric Jetpack. Pete designs, manufactures, and flight tests the vehicles himself. He tells us about his vision and his participation in the GoFly competition.

Karl Erickson

Karl is the aircraft conservator at the Owls Head Transportation Museum. He manages the restoration, maintenance, and flight of the airplanes. Karl tells us about some of the aircraft in the collection. We talk about the diversity of volunteers – where they come from, what their backgrounds are, why they volunteer, and how they are trained. 

Linda Grant

Linda is a volunteer at the Owls Head Transportation Museum. At the 2019 Wings & Wheels event, she provided the pre-flight briefing and helped load people into the two Stearman aircraft for their rides.

Max and Micah

The two each took a ride in a Stearman, and relate some impressions of their flights.

Sophie Gabrion

Sophie is the communications director at the Owls Head Transportation Museum. We learn about the museum exhibits, marketing, and digital presence. The museum hosts eighteen annual events, including the New England Auto Auction and programs for youngsters and their families.

John Harris

John is a volunteer and trustee at the Owls Head Transportation Museum. We talk about the 1941 Aeronca Defender he donated to the museum, the role of a trustee, and museum goal setting.

Max and Micah

The boys wrap up the day at the Owls Head Transportation Museum Wings and Wheels event with their impressions. For more event images, see the event Photo Album.