Former F-18 and Blue Angels pilot, Scott Kartvedt, takes us behind the scenes of flying in Top Gun: Maverick. In this episode hear behind-the-scenes stories of how some of the most realistic flying scenes are made. Scott tells us about his time in the Navy, flying as a Blue Angel and on the Patriots Jet team, and "dogfighting" with a helicopter whi…

In 1996, astronaut Tom Henricks became the first Space Shuttle pilot/commander to log 1,000 hours in space. Tom tells us about his time as an F-4 pilot and F-16 test pilot, astronaut training, flying four Space Shuttle missions including two as a commander, and the challenges of flying at Mach 25. This one is going to be cool! Key Takeaways: Tom's …

From aggressor training to the F-15, the United States military addressed several shortcomings after the Vietnam War. Today, we are excited to speak with a retired F-4 and F-15 fighter pilot, Colonel Dick Anderegg. In this episode, Dick tells us about his time in Vietnam, the mistakes the US air military made during the war, the lessons learned alo…

For Mental Health Awareness Month, we explore the critical challenges pilots face while suffering from mental health issues and discuss possible individual and organizational solutions. Our guests are United Airlines Pilot, Troy Merritt, and Neurologist and Aircrew Brain Health Researcher, Dr. William "Billy" Hoffman. Troy discusses his personal ex…

Explore the evolution of cabin safety and learn how it could save your life. Today, we are excited to talk with retired Cabin Safety Specialist, and Wings Over the Rockies Volunteer, Denisekaren "DK" Deaderick. DK has been in this field for over 40 years and was the first Black woman to hold the position of FAA Cabin Safety Inspector. In this episo…

Today, in celebration of National Volunteer Month, we are excited to speak with Wings Over the Rockies volunteer, Phil Mentesana. Phil shares personal stories about his time as an Electronic Warfare Officer on the B-52, flying the F-4 in Vietnam, and his time as a captain for United Airlines. He has many firsts in his career including being a part …

A first-of-its-kind virtual reality spacewalk experience. Space Explorers: THE INFINITE is a captivating immersive journey inspired by NASA missions aboard the International Space Station. Join us as we hear from creator Félix Lajeunesse who tells us how THE INFINITE project got started, how they filmed and created this experience, working with ast…

In celebration of Women's History Month, dive into the story of the first female Air Force pilots and their roles during World War II. Today's episode tells us about the lives and history of The Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP. The WASP helped the United States domestic war effort by ferrying aircraft, towing targets for live anti-aircraft g…

Fly to all fifty states in this in-depth conversation about a record-breaking flight and airplane. Today, we are excited to speak with world-record-holding pilot, Michael Combs. Michael tells us about his death-defying moment, his record-breaking flight to all fifty states, and why you should never give up on your dreams. We will also hear about hi…

The first Black astronaut candidate talks about his experiences with the astronaut program in this in-depth conversation about his pioneering space journey. Welcome to Season 4 of Behind the Wings, which means 10 new episodes coming your way! It’s February, and in celebration of Black History Month, we are excited to speak with the first Black astr…

The Behind the Wings Podcast is back this February with Season 4 and 10 new episodes! Hear from Ed Dwight Jr, the first Black astronaut candidate, world record holder Michael Combs, and dive into topics like The Mental Health Pilot Parodox and the history of The Women Airfare Service Pilots (WASP). New episodes come out every other Monday, starting…

An American MiG-23 pilot reveals long-held secrets in this in-depth conversation about a declassified program, Constant Peg. On today's show, we’ll meet John Mann who flew in the first-of-its-kind adversary training program, Constant Peg, and take a deep dive into some of the most popular questions we got from you, our listeners. Established in 197…

This episode will dive into the history of some of the world’s first astronomers, exploring how their knowledge has been passed down for more than 60,000 years. We are going to the southern hemisphere to learn about Australia’s Indigenous astronomy, and the impact it has on our world today. Our guest today is Peter Swanton! Peter is a Gamilaraay ma…

The Tuskegee Airmen were an experiment by the US Army Air Corps to determine whether Black pilots could handle military flying. It turns out they could! But the Tuskegee Airmen fought a second battle – one against racial discrimination. With an impressive combat record and war accomplishments, the success of the Tuskegee Airmen helped influence the…

This episode will dive into the cutting-edge realm of AI in aviation, with a particular focus on its military applications. From autonomous wingmen drones to predictive maintenance, we will explore the opportunities and risks of AI as it transforms the landscape of aerial warfare. Our guest today is Col Tucker Hamilton, callsign “Cinco”. As the Chi…

On today’s show we’re getting an inside look at the design, testing and manufacturing processes at Honeybee Robotics, as they build a key component for the Orion Spacecraft, and a new lunar drill. Don your bunny suits, because we are excited to bring you inside a clean-room and experience first-hand how space hardware is made from prototype through…

This episode will dive into the world of hypersonic flight, and how new methods of heat management could help usher in a new era for high-speed flight. Join us as we look through the lens of a heat management company, Reaction Engines who is pushing the limits of technology in engines, to enable the next generation of hypersonic flight. Hypersonic …

Explore the pivotal role of aviation in the Vietnam War alongside former USAF Chief of Staff General Ron R. Fogleman (Ret). Join us as we talk with Ron Fogleman, who takes us along his personal journey to becoming Chief of Staff and helps us uncover the strategic importance of aircraft during the Vietnam War. Ron has over 8,500 hours of flight time…

This episode will dive into the world of orbital infrastructure – both the challenges and opportunities - through the lens of an on-orbit spacecraft refueling company, Orbit Fab, who aims to create gas stations in space. Join us as we talk with Adam Harris, the Chief Commercial Officer at Orbit Fab, who gives us insight on the state of LEO (low ear…

This episode will dive into the story of Kim “KC” Campbell, one of the few pilots ever to land the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog” manually. Kim is a graduate from the United States Air Force Academy. She has flown 1,800 hours in the A-10 Warthog and more than 100 combat missions including in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, Kim rece…

The Behind the Wings Podcast is back for Season 3! This episode delves into the legacy of the iconic Apollo program and its profound influence on NASA's ambitious Artemis Program. In celebration of the 54th anniversary of Apollo 11 and the Apollo Program, we’ve got an exciting two-part conversation for today’s episode. Our esteemed guests, Dr. Teas…

Calling all aviation lovers, space nerds, history buffs, and futurists – The Behind the Wings® Podcast is back for Season 3! Ready or not, strap in, because we have 10 great episodes coming up. It’s time to Go... Behind the Wings! We’ve got a lot to explore – stories about how history shapes aviation today, trailblazers in space, and up-close looks…

What is it about Colorado? Coloradans have had a major impact across every aspect of aviation and space exploration. Our state produced the first American flying ace, the first civilian helicopter ambulance service, and the first female airline pilot. We’ve grown astronauts and executives, entrepreneurs and visionaries, and the aerospace industry h…

This episode will dive into the story of Tracy "JackieO" LaTourrette, Colorado’s first lady fighter pilot. LaTourrette graduated from the United States Air Force Academy before women were even authorized to fly combat aircraft. After working in the back of an AWACS airfract, she moved to a window seat, becoming one of the first female fighter pilot…

Gain insight into the newest branch of the U.S. military- the Space Force. In this episode, we explore the creation and operations of the Space Force, the newest branch of the United States military. From its roots as a small office within the Air Force to its current status as a fully-fledged branch, we delve into the challenges and successes of t…

Explore the topic of pilot pathways – how people navigate the path to becoming a pilot. Our guests are Erika Armstrong and Val Blome. We will dive into Erika’s personal journey as outlined in her memoir “A Chick in the Cockpit”, where she shares her experiences as a woman in a male-dominated industry. The book provides a behind-the-scenes look at t…

Meet the unlikely cast of characters who came together to reunite Col. James Randall with a piece of his past. We will get into many topics today all connecting back to one long-lost helmet belonging to an F-105 pilot who went down during the Vietnam War. The helmet belonged to Retired Col. James Randall. Col. Randall was a proud member of the Tusk…

There’s space for everybody.” But we know little about how differently-abled people will respond to low-gravity environments and the unique challenges that can arise in human space flight. Mission: Astro Access - a crew of disabled scientists, aerospace professionals and artists based in America - is planning its second mission to explore how diffe…

In this episode of Behind the Wings, we are talking about the James Webb Space Telescope! A next generation deep-space telescope that NASA launched in December 2021. It’s the most powerful telescope ever built, with the ability to see further and clearer into space than any previous telescope. It’s advanced design, sensors, and technology will allo…

Today, we are going deeper with a company called MissionGo who is using drones to do a variety of things from infrastructure inspections to medical and commercial cargo. Our guests are MissionGo President Chris Corgnati and Director of Flight Operations Ryan Henderson. Last time on episode 4 we discussed drone soccer, and the regulatory challenges …

Strap in folks, we are going to Space with a very special guest who blazed her own trail, defying the grip of Earth’s gravity, and breaking a glass ceiling into the cosmos. Our Guest today is Retired NASA Astronaut Eileen Collins. Col. Collins has lived an amazing life, and though she has retired from the NASA astronaut program, her mission to shar…

The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a non-profit organization that serves as the civilian auxiliary of the USAF. Its membership includes everyone from younger cadets to their more senior members, totaling more than 56,000 volunteers across the US. The CAP started just 6 days before Pearl Harbor, and they served a unique, and relatively active role, patro…

Ready or not, strap in, because we have got 10 great episodes coming up for Season 2. It’s time to Go... Behind the Wings! We’ve got a lot to explore – stories about how history shapes aviation today, trailblazers in space, and up-close looks at iconic aircraft of the past, present and future. There’s a lot of cool stories coming up in Season 2, so…

In today’s show, we’re going to go Behind the Wings of a cutting-edge space vehicle – The Orion Spacecraft, and the Artemis Missions - with Lockheed Martin systems engineer and Integration senior manager Kerry Timmons. Kerry leads a team of engineers at Lockheed Martin, working on Orion’s vehicle requirements - from the advanced electrical systems …

Today’s show is a conversation with Allissa Battocletti Noffke – a 'professor' of spacewalking! Allie works for the flight operations directorate at NASA’s Johnson Space Center – NASA’s center for human space flight based in Houston Texas - where she specializes in EVAs or Extra Vehicular Activities. Most of her work has focused on the Internationa…

We are all familiar with the name Amelia Earhart, but do we really know what she was like or what she believed in? Today’s show is a conversation with Sammie Morris. Sammie is the Head Archivist at the Purdue University archives and special collections where they hold some of the most extensive collections on Amelia Earhart, one being donated by Am…

Today’s show is a conversation with Robert Arnold, the grandson of Hap Arnold – the Father of the air force. Arnold urged an independent air arm which he lived to see authorized in 1947 – he started flying with the Signal Crops in what could be described as a ‘wild west’ era in aviation - setting altitude records, and in WWI was the first aerial ob…

Today’s show is a conversation with Jonna Doolittle, the granddaughter of James H. Doolittle – who shares great insights into the American military general and aviation pioneer. It was great to get the family insights from Jonna, and as always, the historical context. Doolittle won air races, was a test pilot, completing the first outside loop, som…

Today’s show is a conversation with Steve Lindsey who is a former U.S. Air Force (USAF) pilot and NASA astronaut with more than 30 years of flight test experience. Today, he is VP of Strategy at Sierra Space where he leads design, development, testing and operational employment of the Dream Chaser® spacecraft, a modern, reusable, lifting-body space…

This will be our first show with two guests – Kyle Sanders and Dawn Zoldi - and we’re talking drones! We’ll explore new E-Sports like drone soccer, artificial intelligence, the role of drones in combat, and the legal issues that arise with drone law. Students are getting involved with drones at the high school level and even younger. There's so muc…

Today’s show is a conversation with Sharon Caples McDougle, a modern-day hidden figure, crew chief, and manager of the Space Shuttle Crew Escape Equipment Processing Department. She is the first Black woman to serve in those roles. She has had an amazing career and we’re going to dive into her journey. Sharon is a former NASA spacesuit technician. …

Today’s show is a conversation with Mike Rabens who is president of the F-14 Tomcat Association – who’s mission, they say, is to to preserve the history of the greatest fighter jet the US Navy has ever flown. Membership is open to anyone who has flown, worked on, or just plain loves the F-14 aircraft. Mike is graduate of the Navy Fighter Weapons Sc…

General Carl A. Spaatz was the first chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force and one of the most influential people in early U.S. Air Force History. Born in Boyertown, Penn. on June 28, 1891, Spaatz had a full career, beginning with the newly formed air corps and was one of the first military aviators in the U.S. Army. In this episode, we look at Spaa…

Calling all aviation lovers, space nerds, history buffs, and futurists – Behind the Wings® is now also a podcast! Published every other Monday.By Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum™