The Vertical MRO Podcast

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus.

In Part II of their conversation with aviation leader Ray Bennett, hosts Ronnie Ries and Faith Ortega take a deeper look at how the aviation industry responds when safety is put to the test.

Drawing on firsthand experience supporting operators through major industry events, Ray shares his perspective on accident response, crisis decision-making, and the challenges organizations face when critical information is limited and stakes are at their highest.

The discussion includes reflections on the 2016 EC225 accident and the far-reaching changes that followed across engineering, maintenance, monitoring, and operational practices. Ray provides insight into the realities of fleet groundings, industry-wide investigations, and the difficult decisions leaders must make in the immediate aftermath of a major event.

Part II offers a thoughtful look at how aviation learns from tragedy, why continuous improvement matters, and how those lessons ultimately contribute to a safer industry for everyone.

Special thanks to this episode's sponsors, Robinson Helicopter and Metro Aviation.

Also, be sure to check out Vertical MRO's Instagram channel for even more awesome content highlighting the awesome work being done to keep the rotorcraft community flying!

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus.

For this episode of Vertical MRO, hosts Ronnie Ries and Faith Ortega sit down with aviation leader Ray Bennett for a conversation about the people, values, and experiences that shape safety in aviation.

Drawing from a career that spans operators, maintenance organizations, manufacturers, and industry leadership roles, Ray reflects on the lessons learned throughout his journey and the importance of integrity, accountability, and engineering rigor in aviation maintenance.

The discussion explores how strong safety cultures are built, why leadership matters, and the role every technician, engineer, and manager plays in creating an environment where concerns can be raised and lessons can be shared. Along the way, Ray shares stories from the field that illustrate how small decisions can have lasting impacts on both safety and organizational culture.

Part I focuses on the foundations of aviation safety and the leadership principles that help organizations build trust, resilience, and operational excellence.

Special thanks to this episode's sponsors, Alipine Aerotech and Precision Aviation Group

Also, be sure to check out Vertical MRO's Instagram channel for even more awesome content highlighting the awesome work being done to keep the rotorcraft community flying!

Welcome to Vertical MRO Alerts, presented by Bell!

In this Alert, Bell 429 Product Support Engineering Lead Sebastien Rousseau discusses Alert Service Bulletin 429-26-74, which introduces a one-time inspection of certain Bell 429 main rotor mast assemblies for machining marks on the inner diameter.

Sebastien explains Bell's investigation that these machining marks can affect mast fatigue life, and the required actions based on the mast's accumulated hours. He also reviews the compliance timelines, inspection requirements, and the latest updates included in Revision A, including mandatory borescope use and a simplified inspection procedure that reduces the maintenance required to accomplish the bulletin.

Maintainers who have questions or are uncertain about their inspection findings are encouraged to contact Bell Product Support for assistance.

For full details and compliance requirements, operators should always refer directly to Alert Service Bulletin 429-26-74.

The full library of episodes is available to listen to on demand.
We want to hear from you! – [email protected]
Need help with your Bell helicopter? – [email protected]

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus.

In Part II of their conversation, Jon Gray, Howie, and Reinaldo Caceres of Nabu Pro shift their focus to one of aviation maintenance's biggest long-term challenges: preserving knowledge before it leaves the industry.

As experienced maintainers retire, decades of troubleshooting experience, operational lessons, and hard-earned insights risk disappearing with them. The discussion explores how AI and modern knowledge management tools could help capture and organize that expertise, making it accessible to future generations of technicians and operators.

Drawing on real-world examples from the maintenance community, the conversation examines the value of institutional knowledge, the importance of mentorship, and the opportunities technology presents to bridge the gap between experienced maintainers and those just entering the industry.

Part II offers a thoughtful look at how aviation can use technology to preserve expertise, support workforce development, and strengthen maintenance organizations for the future.

Special thanks to this episode's sponsors, Alpine Aerotech and Precision Aviation Group

Also, be sure to check out Vertical MRO's Instagram channel for even more awesome content highlighting the awesome work being done to keep the rotorcraft community flying!

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus.

In Part II of their conversation, Jon Gray, Howie, and Reinaldo Caceres of Nabu Pro shift their focus to one of aviation maintenance's biggest long-term challenges: preserving knowledge before it leaves the industry.

As experienced maintainers retire, decades of troubleshooting experience, operational lessons, and hard-earned insights risk disappearing with them. The discussion explores how AI and modern knowledge management tools could help capture and organize that expertise, making it accessible to future generations of technicians and operators.

Drawing on real-world examples from the maintenance community, the conversation examines the value of institutional knowledge, the importance of mentorship, and the opportunities technology presents to bridge the gap between experienced maintainers and those just entering the industry.

Part II offers a thoughtful look at how aviation can use technology to preserve expertise, support workforce development, and strengthen maintenance organizations for the future.

Special thanks to this episode's sponsors, Alpine Aerotech and Precision Aviation Group

Also, be sure to check out Vertical MRO's Instagram channel for even more awesome content highlighting the awesome work being done to keep the rotorcraft community flying!

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus.

For this episode of Vertical MRO, host Jon Gray and co-host Howie sit down with Reinaldo Caceres, founder and CEO of Nabu Pro, to explore how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape aviation operations and maintenance.

A commercial pilot turned technology entrepreneur, Reinaldo shares the journey that led him from the cockpit into software development and explains why he believes AI has the potential to become one of the most impactful tools available to aviation professionals.

The conversation focuses on practical applications rather than hype. Jon, Howie, and Reinaldo discuss how AI can help maintenance and operations teams work more efficiently, reduce administrative burdens, analyze information faster, and support better decision-making without replacing the expertise and judgment of experienced professionals.

Part I explores where AI is already delivering value today and how aviation organizations can begin leveraging these tools while maintaining the human oversight that remains critical to safe operations.

Special thanks to this episode's sponsors, Rotorcraft Support Inc, Alpine Aerotech and Airbus.

Also, be sure to check out Vertical MRO's Instagram channel for even more awesome content highlighting the awesome work being done to keep the rotorcraft community flying!

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus.

In Part II of this conversation, Ronnie continues the discussion with Mike Kunkel of PG&E on the realities of building and sustaining a just culture in aviation operations.

The episode focuses on the challenges organizations face when trying to move from compliance-driven safety programs toward environments built on trust, accountability, and open communication. Mike shares lessons learned from aviation safety management, including common leadership mistakes that can discourage reporting and weaken safety culture over time.

The conversation also explores the importance of feedback loops, workforce engagement, and creating systems that encourage continuous learning instead of blame.

For aviation professionals across maintenance and operations, this episode provides practical insight into the human side of safety and the long-term work required to build resilient teams.

Special thanks to this episode's sponsors, Rotorcraft Support Inc and Metro Aviation.

Also, be sure to check out Vertical MRO's Instagram channel for even more awesome content highlighting the awesome work being done to keep the rotorcraft community flying!

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus.

In this episode, Ronnie sits down with Mike Kunkel, safety management system program manager at PG&E, to discuss his path through aviation and the experiences that shaped his approach to safety leadership.

The conversation begins with Mike’s early flying experiences in Alaska and his time supporting law enforcement aviation operations, offering a firsthand look at the operational environments, decision-making, and responsibilities that come with mission-driven flying.

As the discussion develops, Mike shares how those experiences influenced his perspective on aviation safety, communication, and organizational culture.

For operators, maintainers, and aviation professionals, Part I provides a grounded look at the real-world operational background behind today’s conversations around safety management and just culture.

Special thanks to this episode's sponsors, Precision Aviation Group and Robinson Helicopter.

Also, be sure to check out Vertical MRO's Instagram channel for even more awesome content highlighting the awesome work being done to keep the rotorcraft community flying!

Welcome to another episode of Vertical MRO Tech Talk presented by Bell.

In this episode of Vertical MRO Tech Talk presented by Bell, host Jon Gray is joined by Greg Judd, along with Gabriel Leveille and Jason Estaphan, to discuss the Garmin G1000. This conversation provides a deeper understanding of how the system can directly support maintainers in their day-to-day work. As avionics platforms continue to evolve, systems like the G1000 have become more than just flight deck tools—they are increasingly valuable resources for troubleshooting, diagnostics, and operational insight.

The conversation explores the progression from earlier systems to newer configurations like NXi, highlighting improvements in processing speed, internal memory, and system integration. These advancements have significantly reduced update times, simplified database management, and improved the ability to diagnose faults more precisely. For maintainers, this means less time chasing ambiguous issues and more confidence in identifying root causes.

Beyond hardware and software improvements, the discussion emphasizes the importance of engaging with the system itself. From navigating system pages to interpreting flight and fault data, building familiarity with the G1000 allows technicians to better leverage available information and avoid unnecessary component changes. The ability to access and interpret log files, system messages, and historical data is becoming an essential skill set in modern rotorcraft maintenance.

As avionics systems continue to advance, the gap between operations and maintenance continues to narrow. This conversation highlights how maintainers who invest time in understanding these platforms are better equipped to support both the aircraft and the mission.

We want to hear from you! – [email protected]
Need help with your Bell helicopter? Email us at [email protected] or visit https://www.bellflight.com/support/commercial. 

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Plus.

For this episode, Jon Gray sits down with Don Lockie of Aviation Resources Group and Peter Van Dael, product manager at Navi-Gate, for a live conversation recorded on the show floor at Verticon 2025.

While logistics often happens behind the scenes, it plays a critical role in keeping aircraft, components, and maintenance operations moving. Don and Peter share insights from years of experience coordinating aircraft transportation, navigating international regulations, and solving the unexpected challenges that can arise when moving high-value aviation assets around the world.

The conversation explores how supply chains have evolved since COVID, the importance of planning logistics early in a project, and why waiting too long to make transportation decisions can lead to unnecessary costs and delays. From regulatory requirements to practical decision-making, the discussion highlights the often-overlooked work that helps keep maintenance and operational schedules on track.

Whether you're moving a component across a border or relocating an entire aircraft, this episode offers practical lessons on planning, communication, and the partnerships required to make aviation logistics successful.

Special thanks to this episode's sponsors, Rotorcraft Support Inc and Metro Aviation.

Also, be sure to check out Vertical MRO's Instagram channel for even more awesome content highlighting the awesome work being done to keep the rotorcraft community flying!