The Hangar Z Podcast

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.

Today’s episode was recorded at the Vertical Valor Plus booth, on the floor of APSCON in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We are honored to welcome Wade Bourassa, pilot and supervisor of the Saskatoon Police Aviation Unit. Wade is the 2026 recipient of the Airborne Public Safety Association's Robert L. Cormier Memorial Award, recognizing his extraordinary commitment to advancing law enforcement aviation.

While Wade has built an exceptional career serving the Saskatoon Police Service, his impact extends far beyond his own unit. Through his willingness to mentor others, share his expertise, provide instruction, and offer guidance, he has helped strengthen aviation programs across both Canada and the United States. Join us as we discuss Wade's career, his passion for public safety aviation, and the leadership and dedication that earned him one of the profession's highest honors.
Thank you to our sponsors Airbus, MD Helicopters and SHOTOVER.

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.

In this special two-part series, hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely are joined by L.A. City Fire Department (LAFD) pilot and safety officer Joel Smith for an inside look at the high-stakes world of LAFD Air Operations.

Joel breaks down the tactical precision and intense training required to battle massive, wind-driven California wildfires like the Palisades in the Leonardo AW139, navigate extreme downdrafts in the Santa Anas, and manage chaotic multi-agency airspace stacks. 

He also details the unique, demanding pathway of promoting from firefighter to mission-command pilot, highlighting the partnership and high standards shared with LAPD Air Support.

The conversation takes a deep dive into modern aviation safety management systems (SMS), root-cause hazard analysis, and the danger of operational complacency. Drawing from his role as unit safety officer, Joel explains how he is working on the industry-wide challenge of fatigue management through data, objective readiness scores, and his company, Hero Aviation. 

By bridging operational experience with smart technology, Joel is helping crews across public safety make safer, data-backed go/no-go decisions.

Connect with Joel Smith & Hero Aviation:
Website: heroaviationusa.com
Instagram: @heroaviationusa

Thank you to our sponsors Metro Aviation,  Onboard Systems Hoist & Winch,  and Precision Aviation Group.

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.

In this special two-part series, hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely are joined by L.A. City Fire Department (LAFD) pilot and safety officer Joel Smith for an inside look at the high-stakes world of LAFD Air Operations.

Joel breaks down the tactical precision and intense training required to battle massive, wind-driven California wildfires like the Palisades in the Leonardo AW139, navigate extreme downdrafts in the Santa Anas, and manage chaotic multi-agency airspace stacks. 

He also details the unique, demanding pathway of promoting from firefighter to mission-command pilot, highlighting the partnership and high standards shared with LAPD Air Support.

The conversation takes a deep dive into modern aviation safety management systems (SMS), root-cause hazard analysis, and the danger of operational complacency. Drawing from his role as unit safety officer, Joel explains how he is working on the industry-wide challenge of fatigue management through data, objective readiness scores, and his company, Hero Aviation. 

By bridging operational experience with smart technology, Joel is helping crews across public safety make safer, data-backed go/no-go decisions.

Connect with Joel Smith & Hero Aviation:
Website: heroaviationusa.com
Instagram: @heroaviationusa

Thank you to our sponsors CNC Technologies, Dallas Avionics and Metro Aviation.

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.

In this special two-part series, hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely are joined by L.A. City Fire Department (LAFD) pilot and safety officer Joel Smith for an inside look at the high-stakes world of LAFD Air Operations.

Joel breaks down the tactical precision and intense training required to battle massive, wind-driven California wildfires like the Palisades in the Leonardo AW139, navigate extreme downdrafts in the Santa Anas, and manage chaotic multi-agency airspace stacks. 

He also details the unique, demanding pathway of promoting from firefighter to mission-command pilot, highlighting the partnership and high standards shared with LAPD Air Support.

The conversation takes a deep dive into modern aviation safety management systems (SMS), root-cause hazard analysis, and the danger of operational complacency. Drawing from his role as unit safety officer, Joel explains how he is working on the industry-wide challenge of fatigue management through data, objective readiness scores, and his company, Hero Aviation. 

By bridging operational experience with smart technology, Joel is helping crews across public safety make safer, data-backed go/no-go decisions.

Connect with Joel Smith & Hero Aviation:
Website: heroaviationusa.com
Instagram: @heroaviationusa

Thank you to our sponsors Metro Aviation,  Onboard Systems Hoist & Winch,  and Precision Aviation Group.

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus.

In this special two-part series, hosts Jon Gray and Jack Schonely are joined by L.A. City Fire Department (LAFD) pilot and safety officer Joel Smith for an inside look at the high-stakes world of LAFD Air Operations.

Joel breaks down the tactical precision and intense training required to battle massive, wind-driven California wildfires like the Palisades in the Leonardo AW139, navigate extreme downdrafts in the Santa Anas, and manage chaotic multi-agency airspace stacks. 

He also details the unique, demanding pathway of promoting from firefighter to mission-command pilot, highlighting the partnership and high standards shared with LAPD Air Support.

The conversation takes a deep dive into modern aviation safety management systems (SMS), root-cause hazard analysis, and the danger of operational complacency. Drawing from his role as unit safety officer, Joel explains how he is working on the industry-wide challenge of fatigue management through data, objective readiness scores, and his company, Hero Aviation. 

By bridging operational experience with smart technology, Joel is helping crews across public safety make safer, data-backed go/no-go decisions.

Connect with Joel Smith & Hero Aviation:
Website: heroaviationusa.com
Instagram: @heroaviationusa

Thank you to our sponsors CNC Technologies, Dallas Avionics and Metro Aviation.