Rotary Wing Show – Helicopter News, Safety, Training & Pilot Stories
Stay current on the world of helicopters with The Rotary Wing Show—your go-to podcast for helicopter news, pilot stories, and aircrew insights. Each episode brings you the latest helicopter industry news, real-world experiences from pilots and crew, and practical advice for those flying—or aspiring to fly—rotorcraft professionally or recreationally. From air medical and firefighting to military, utility, and offshore operations, we cover the full spectrum of helicopter missions and career paths. You'll hear firsthand accounts from experienced aviators around the globe, plus in-depth coverage of new technologies, safety issues, and aircraft developments. Whether you're in flight school, flying EMS, running sling ops, or just passionate about helicopters, The Rotary Wing Show delivers valuable insight from those who live and breathe rotary aviation. Hosted by aviation author and helicopter pilot Max Trescott, the show is part of the Aviation News Talk Network. 📡 Visit https://rotarywingshow.com for show notes, photos, and more. ✈️ Follow us for updates, behind-the-scenes extras, and links to the latest helicopter news stories. Keywords: Helicopter podcast, helicopter news, helicopter pilot stories, rotary aviation, helicopter aircrew, rotorcraft careers, aviation podcast, helicopter safety
Episodes
See Helicopter News headlines and link to listener survey below.
In this episode, Max talks with helicopter instructor Jay Bunning to explore the maneuvers that most frequently injure or kill helicopter instructors—auto-rotations, simulated engine failures, and off-airport operations. Based on real accident cases, the newest Airman Certification Standards, and decades of training experience, this episode provides a deep masterclass...
In this episode of the Rotary Wing Show, Max Trescott replays a powerful conversation from Aviation News Talk Episode 37, featuring California Highway Patrol pilot Jan Sears. Jan recounts the dramatic night of October 8, 2017, when he and fellow CHP aircrews helped rescue dozens of people trapped by the Atlas Peak Fire, one of the catastrophic Northern California wildfires that claimed 41 lives and destroyed more than 5,700 structu...
Max talks with Jay Bunning about the crash of a Robinson R66, VH-KFT, in Australia that claimed the life of its pilot on October 26, 2023. In addition to the final report, ATSB created a video about the crash. The accident offers vital lessons for all pilots flying teetering-rotor systems such as the R22, R44, R66, Bell 206, 505, and others.
Mentioned on the Show
Max talks with Jay Bunning, CFI and creator of helicoptertrainingvideos.com, for Part 2 of their series on Helicopter Training Safety: Preventing Student Errors. Following up from Part 1, Jay brings real-world accident examples and practical strategies for instructors to manage common mistakes during training flights.
We need your help to improve the show! To do that, we need you to take our Rotary Wing Show Listener Survey. We have...
Max welcomes Jay Bunning, flight instructor, FAA Safety Team representative, and founder of HelicopterTrainingVideos.com, for Part 1 of a two-part discussion on helicopter training safety and preventing dangerous student errors.
Mentioned on the Show
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Building a Safer Training Program
Jay describes how accide...
Helicopter Human Factors & Safety Lessons for All Pilots takes a deep dive into the psychology, stress responses, and decision-making processes that shape helicopter safety. Host Max Trescott interviews Richard Mornington-Sanford, a world-renowned instructor, consultant for Robinson Helicopter Company, and author of Keep Your RPM in the Green. Listeners can also enter a giveaway to win a copy of Richard's book, by listening to...
Max Trescott talks with Ken Solosky, the NYPD's Chief Pilot on 9/11, about his experiences managing helicopter operations on one of the most catastrophic days in American history. Though Ken wasn’t flying at the moment of the attacks, he was on the ground coordinating the NYPD’s aviation response. He recounts how what began as a seemingly routine aircraft accident quickly escalated into a full-blown national emergency. The aviation...
This episode originally ran on the Aviation News Talk podcast. In it, Max Trescott interviews Dr. John Trowbridge, a physician and former senior Aviation Medical Examiner, to tackle a hidden yet critical safety topic: how over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications contribute to general aviation accidents. Studies have found that up to 40% of fatal accidents involve pilots with impairing substances in their system—ranging ...
Max Trescott is joined by DPE Matt Johnson for a comprehensive and engaging mock oral checkride focused on the private helicopter pilot certification. This episode, one of the most popular styles in the Rotary Wing Show and Aviation News Talk history, simulates the real-world experience of sitting for an FAA practical test, complete with detailed discussions of eligibility, regulations, systems knowledge, and scenario-based questio...
In this special episode of The Rotary Wing Show, titled Top 10 Helicopter Stories + Helicopter News, aviation podcaster Max Trescott officially takes the reins from longtime host Mick Cullen. The episode celebrates the legacy of the podcast while looking forward to its new direction—with Max blending classic storytelling and timely helicopter news.
Mick kicks things off by sharing how he created the show in Australia to connect heli...
The flying you will get to hear about in this episode is a reminder about the difference your helicopter skillset can make to people that are in harms way, and that there is nothing quite like these machines. It also earnt those involved distinguished flying crosses. In September 2020, the California National Guard rescued nearly …
Continue reading "RWS 113 – 2020 Creek Fire California Rescues w/ US National Guard"
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Kylle Fenton is an Air Crew Officer (ACO) involved in air rescue and ambulance operations supporting NSW, Australia communities. He is more accustomed to being the one to bring the resources, rescue and safety to others in “the worst day of their life”. In this episode Kylle tells a gripping story of when he and …
James Koens is a Check and Training Aircrew Officer on very expensive rescue/aeromedical helicopters. He also finds time to be a helicopter charter pilot, Army Reserve aircrewman, volunteer rural firefighter and a podcast host. This episode is being pushed out the door half cooked so that you can hear it sooner. Please forgive any short …
Continue reading "RWS 111 – Rescue Helicopter Crew Duties to 4300km R22 Ferry Through Remote A...
Have you applied the idea of situational awareness to weather before? Knowing what the weather was doing, what the weather is now and what it will be in the future. With access to the right weather products and knowing more about how they are developed you can level up your pre-flight weather assessment. Weather is …
Continue reading "RWS 110 – Better Weather Situational Awareness with Matt Johnson"
The post RWS 110 – Bett...
You have probably seen the video clip on social media multiple times – a OH-58 comes into land and as it touches down the blades contact another helicopter ground running beside it. Both aircraft are destroyed in spectacular manner but luckily there is no loss of life. In this episode we give a lot more …
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As aircrew we spend a huge amount of time training for different circumstances and emergencies. Dealing with a burning flare in your cockpit fired from a wingman’s aircraft is not one of these circumstances!! Add in the complications of being a few thousand feet in the air, over hostile controlled land and in a sealed …
Continue reading "RWS 108 – Sharing an Apache Cockpit with a Burning Flare with Clive Richardson"
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Halfway through 2021, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) put out a call for assistance for information from the aviation community. What they are looking for is feedback or more information about any ground handling incidents on Robinson type helicopters, especially focused on the aft tail cone bulkhead or tail rotor gearbox areas If you …
Continue reading "RWS 107 – ATSB Request for Information with Robert Chopin"
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Cattle are big business in Australia. Rough round numbers has us at 25 million head of cattle and the industry employs somewhere around 200,000 people. Australia is the 3rd largest beef exporter in the world. The cattle industry also contributes a sizable chunk of the annual helicopter hours flown in Australia. One set of figures I …
Continue reading "RWS 106 – Mustering with Sam Chisholm"
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Chatter in the cabin starts to die down, you have reduced power and started to bleed back the airspeed. Outside your world is starting to shrink as the conditions start to deteriorate. You lean forward in your seat to try and see a little further ahead. The VSI is showing a descent as you keep …
Continue reading "RWS 105 – Enroute Decision Point with Miles Dunagan"
The post RWS 105 – Enroute Decision Point with Miles Dunagan app...
How would you like to have been holding a steady hover and taking off and landing at 3 hours of helicopter flight time? Chris Ryan couldn’t afford helicopter lessons so he built himself a simulator to practice at home. His instructor was so impressed at his progress that he encouraged Chris to turn the simulator …
Continue reading "RWS 104 – Virtual Reality Simulators 2021 Revisit with Chris Ryan"
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