The Future in Flight Podcast

Aviation in Motion: Purpose, Props, and Safety

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🎧 Episode Summary

What happens when a hand-built Shelby Daytona Coupe, a cross-country Cannonball Run, and a youth aviation nonprofit collide? In this episode, host Shawn Staerker takes listeners on an unforgettable journey where speed meets purpose and aviation becomes a force for generational change.

The story begins with Chris Holder (Concorde Battery Corporation) and Charlie Duffie (CJ Aviation)—two lifelong aviation enthusiasts undertaking a bold mission: driving a 408-horsepower Shelby Daytona Coupe coast-to-coast in just 31 hours to raise funds for Tango 31 Aero Club, a youth aviation program that has transformed dozens of young lives. Their run honors the legacy of Kevin Lacey, Tango 31’s founder, whose passion for mentoring underserved youth through aircraft restoration and flight training continues to inspire the aviation community after his passing.

From there, Shawn shifts gears—literally and figuratively—into aviation innovation, spotlighting Hartzell Propellers and their new Falcon Series, which brings century-old engineering expertise into the affordable aviation market by cutting propeller weight in half without sacrificing reliability.

The episode closes with a fascinating deep dive into one of aviation’s most important safety tools: the phonetic alphabet. Shawn unpacks its wartime origins, international testing, and why words like Alpha, Bravo, and Niner are carefully engineered to save lives in noisy cockpits and across language barriers.

This episode is about legacy, persistence, and community—and how aviation thrives when people refuse to let good ideas, or good people, be forgotten.

✨ Key Points

🏁 31 Hours for Tango 31

  • Chris Holder and Charlie Duffie attempt a Southern Cannonball Run from Jacksonville Beach, FL to San Diego, CA.
  • Goal: 31 hours, symbolizing Tango 31 Aero Club.
  • Mission: Raise $1M to make Tango 31 self-sustaining after the loss of founder Kevin Lacey.
  • Tango 31 students rebuild donated aircraft and learn to fly them—many go on to aviation careers.
  • Over $70,000 in commitments pledged immediately after the mission was announced.
  • Ultimate vision: Expand Tango 31 into a nationwide model for youth aviation education.

    • 🛩️ Giving Back Through Aviation

    • Kevin Lacey’s legacy lives on through the students he mentored.
    • Over 40 youth have gone through Tango 31 since 2017.
    • Alumni now work as pilots, A&P mechanics, and for companies like Cirrus Aircraft.
    • “No pressure, no diamonds” becomes the guiding philosophy of the mission.

      • ⚙️ Hartzell Propellers & Affordable Aviation

      • Hartzell Propellers has been innovating since 1917.
      • The Falcon Series is designed for engines like the Rotax 916.
      • Weight reduced from ~40 lbs to ~20 lbs—major performance gains.
      • Mission-specific prop design supports LSA, kit aircraft, and modern sport flying.
      • OEM partnerships (CubCrafters, Van’s) can reduce costs for builders and pilots.

        • 📡 The Aviation Phonetic Alphabet

        • Developed through WWII and finalized internationally by ICAO and NATO.
        • Designed to eliminate confusion across languages, accents, and poor radio quality.
        • Examples:
          • Alpha (ALFA) for global pronunciation
          • Tree, Fife, Niner for clarity
          • Used worldwide by pilots, ATC, emergency services, and beyond.
          • One of aviation’s most successful safety innovations.

            • 🕒 Chapter Timestamps

            0:00 – 1:30 | Introduction: Speed, purpose, and aviation community

            1:31 – 9:40 | 31 Hours for Tango 31: The Cannonball Run mission
            9:41 – 11:00 | Honoring Kevin Lacey & the legacy of Tango 31
            11:01 – 16:20 | Hartzell Propellers: Century-old innovation meets modern flying
            16:21 – 22:30 | Propeller evolution, weight savings, and mission-based design
            22:31 – 33:30 | The aviation phonetic alphabet: History, safety, and global impact
            33:31 – End | Final reflections, community call-to-action, and closing thoughts

            🔗 Links & Resources

            • Tango 31 Aero Club:
              • https://www.t31aeroclube.com/
            • Concorde Battery Corporation:
              • https://www.concordebattery.com/
            • CJ Aviation:
              • https://www.mcfarlaneaviation.com/cj-aviation/
            • Hartzell Propellers:
              • https://www.hartzellprop.com/
            • AviNation USA / Aviation Magazine:
              • https://www.avinationusa.com/
            • Creative Relay Media:
              • https://creativerelaymedia.com/

               

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              The Future in Flight PodcastBy Creative Relay Media