BushWheel Announcement?!?!? Sean Mclaughlin Exclusive Interview | Coffee In A Hangar - Ep 22
Sponsored by: Sportaircraftseats.comCoffeeinahangar.com to sign up for our email listIn this episode of Coffee In A Hangar, Sean Mclaughlin, CEO of Alaska Gear Company, shares his wild journey from buying a struggling Super Cub fuselage shop to building a 130,000 sq. ft. aviation powerhouse with 80+ employees. Along the way, he faced FAA audits, near business collapses, and the challenge of innovating certified aircraft parts in one of the toughest industries on earth.✈️ Topics we cover:How a failing backwoods welding shop turned into a multi-million-dollar aviation brand.The difficulty of innovating in the certified aircraft parts world.The inside story on Airframes Alaska’s transformation into Alaska Gear Company.Is there really a new Bush wheel model in the works?Why most aviation startups fail — and how Shawn beat the odds.How to grow in “micro-markets”.If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to survive — and thrive — in the business of bush flying, this episode pulls back the curtain.
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His Dad Was The World's First Bush Pilot | Richard Wien Interview | Coffee In A Hangar - Ep 21
Sponsored by: Sportaircraftseats.comCoffeeinahangar.com to sign up for our email listRichard's Book - The Flying Wiens: https://www.amazon.com/Flying-Wiens-Richard-Wien/dp/157833876XJames T. Hutchison Repairing Fairchild 71 Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQn5DRSstq8Olaf Swenson's Book - Northwest Of The WorldIn the 1920s, the first Alaskan aviators flew into a world that was constantly trying to kill them. With no maps, compasses that were inaccurate, unreliable engines, and open cockpit airplanes... These pilots operated over hundreds of miles of hostile un-improving wilderness, with no fields, roads or runways to land on. And all this with the same old terrible Alaskan weather.They weren’t just aviators, they were cartographers, inventors, backcountry mechanics, explorers, and arctic survival experts. Willing to walk hundreds of miles at the drop of a hat, or repair an engine under a tarp in a blizzard. From polar flights, to connecting america with Asia, Many paid the ultimate price with their lives to pave the way for modern cross continental travel and the commercial aviation industry that we know today.My guest today is the living bridge to that era, his name is Richard Wien. In the 1920s His father Noel Wien at only 24 years old, started Alaska’s first commercial flying operation. Noel is widely regarded as the first bush pilot. And his son Richard grew up flying with and learning from those original bush pilots. He is here to tell us the story of these aviation pioneers.
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How to Survive Alaska’s Backcountry | Stories & Advice from Legend Pilot and Guide Kirk Ellis | Coffee In A Hangar - Ep 20
What happens when the engine mount on your bush plane breaks mid-flight? Or when you run out of gas 43 miles offshore on the Arctic sea ice at -30°F?In this episode you’ll hear:-Why staying calm in harsh flying conditions can save your life.-What happens when you grab a live wounded wolf with your bare hands-The genius (and slightly insane) way to inflate a flat aircraft tire with a campfire 🔥-How a four place Cub is better than a regular one.-What it really takes to live, fly, and survive in Alaska’s backcountryThis episode is packed with jaw-dropping tales of old-school aviation, wilderness grit, and survival smarts. At the heart of the episode is the Ellis family, masters of landing on strips, glaciers, and gravel bars so unimproved, most pilots wouldn’t even consider them. Their hard-earned wisdom came not from textbooks, but from bent props, and long walks.Today, we’re joined again by Kirk Ellis, he’s here to share with us more of the incredible stories and lessons he’s learned through a lifetime of operating in these conditions.
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Extreme weather | Alaska Peninsula Pilot - Guy Morgan | Coffee In A Hangar - Ep 19
Join our email list: https://coffeeinahangar.comSponsor Sport Aircraft Seats: https://sportaircraftseats.comIn this episode of Coffee and a Hangar, we sit down with Guy Morgan — a lifelong bush pilot, fisherman, and mechanic who spent his career navigating the brutal weather, shifting winds, and volcanic terrain of the Alaska Peninsula. 🌋 From dodging volcanic eruptions to flying in hurricane force winds, Guy’s stories are jaw-dropping — and his aviation wisdom is priceless.We discuss:How Guy started flying at 14Narrowly missing a fatal crash due to quick thinkingWhat it takes to land in multiple wind directions on a short stripLessons from Alaskan pilot Babe AlsworthWhy staying safe sometimes means stepping outside the FAA’s rulebookThe mindset needed for frequently landing, taking off, and flying in 100+ mph windsThis episode is packed with flying insights and stories you won’t want to miss!
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Helio Rescue In Devils Canyon And Other Crazy Alaskan Stories | Coffee In A Hangar - Ep 18
Join our email list: https://coffeeinahangar.comSponsor: https://sportaircraftseats.comGrab his book: https://www.amazon.com/No-Sequel-Life-Heart-Pilot/dp/B0CY9N9YYJDevil's Canyon Rescue Podcast: -Part 1: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5PnrNkWcp7glYggwSFb0PE?si=3Q-vZhT4Q1yusdGQZQamYA&nd=1&dlsi=77417b5616cb42f9 -Part 2: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2AdzZGmi4DvqjZnJ80WbBY?si=rTmbMJR-Sw-LFHEc050e7Q&nd=1&dlsi=ede29b39c07342d1In this episode of Coffee In a Hangar, meet Jerry Jacques — bush pilot, hunting and rafting guide, lodge owner, and author of No Sequel to Life. Jerry’s adventures blur the line between Alaskan legend and survival epic.We dive into:Jerry’s runaway trip to Alaska at 16Nearly drowning in a Class V+ rapid named Devil's CanyonFlying illegally for years before getting caught by the FAA — and how that saved his lifeA wild story of a gravel bar landing crash… that was intentionalLiving alone in a trapper’s cabin — starving — before being rescued and adopted by an Alaskan Native familyThe deep cultural and survival significance of salmon in rural AlaskaA death defying rescue in Devil's Canyon with his Helio CourierEnding up on the front lines in UkraineWhether you're into aviation, off-grid survival, whitewater legends, or just jaw-dropping true stories, this one is a must-listen. Jerry Jacques might be the most adventurous man we've had on yet!
Interview with pilots who tell stories about their adventures, lessons learned and laughs had. Mainly Alaska based bush pilots who tell stories of growing up in the wilderness of the last frontier.
Canada - english