All Episodes

May 5, 2025 33 mins

Air Boss Kellie Hudson tells us how she balances spectacle and safety while controlling intense air show skies.


In this episode, Kellie discusses her path from air traffic controller to air boss, managing the airspace over AirVenture Oshkosh, and ramp bossing the Super Bowl. From coordinating warbirds and jet teams to managing emergencies on the flight line, she shares what it takes to keep the skies and ground running smoothly. This one is going to be cool!

Resources:

Chapters:

  • (00:00) - Intro
  • (01:03) - What is an Air Boss?
  • (02:14) - Balancing Safety and Spectacle
  • (02:35) - Aviation Beginnings
  • (03:51) - Controlling From the Tower
  • (05:18) - ATC Misconceptions
  • (05:56) - Military vs. Civilian ATC
  • (07:00) - Controlling the Nellis Air Force Base Tower
  • (08:46) - Red Flag Exercises
  • (10:12) - Air Boss Origins
  • (11:49) - Managing the Airspace
  • (12:42) - Working at Air Shows
  • (15:22) - Air Show Risks
  • (17:08) - Air Bossing Oshkosh
  • (19:58) - Ramp Bossing the Super Bowl
  • (21:58) - Air Force One
  • (22:18) - Ramp vs. Air Boss Roles
  • (22:56) - Air Show Emergencies
  • (25:16) - Training
  • (26:26) - The Future of ATC and Air Boss Roles
  • (27:06) - Staffing Shortages and Aviation Incidents
  • (30:18) - Kellie's Advice
  • (31:43) - Outro

Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.