Pilot Mike Silva recalls a high-speed chase that ended when his news helicopter stopped a fleeing criminal’s stolen car, allowing police to save a hostage's life.

Welcome to Season 7 of the Behind the Wings podcast! In this episode, Mike discusses Huey missions in Vietnam, piloting Copter4 at Denver CBS, returning to combat as the oldest Black Hawk aviator in Iraq, and saving lives during intense missions. From the Fire Base Mary Ann battle to flying alongside dangerous tornadoes, he has done it all in a career spanning more than 50 years. This one is going to be cool!

Resources:

• Wings Museum's Huey
• The UH-1 Huey (Wikipedia)
• The UH-60 Black Hawk (Lockheed Martin)
• The World: The Massacre at Fire Base Mary Ann (Time)
• 1988 Denver Police Chase (YouTube)

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:36) - Which Aircraft Taught You the Most About Flying?
• (02:19) - Mike's Favorite Aircraft
• (03:17) - Aviation Beginnings
• (04:05) - Joining the Army
• (05:37) - Flight Training
• (07:24) - Going to Vietnam
• (08:03) - Lessons Learned From Vietnam
• (08:50) - Flying the UH-1
• (09:43) - Huey Roles
• (10:26) - Fire Base Mary Ann Battle
• (14:39) - Returning Home
• (15:28) - Working for CBS
• (17:02) - Landing on a Bank Robber's Car
• (23:14) - Journey to Iraq
• (25:18) - Encountering Snipers
• (26:10) - Vietnam vs. Iraq
• (27:05) - Awards and Honors
• (27:54) - Mike's Advice
• (29:15) - Outro

The Behind the Wings podcast is back with Season 7 and 10 new episodes! From the mysteries of black holes to the hovering capabilities of the Harrier Jump Jet, and the final flight of the SR-71 Blackbird, we've got some incredible stories and guests lined up!

New episodes come out every other Monday, starting next week with Pilot Mike Silva, famously known for landing his news helicopter on a fleeing bank robber's car. Subscribe wherever you listen, because this season is going to be cool.

See you next week for Season 7 of Behind the Wings. In the meantime, check out our past episodes!

Retired Fighter Pilot Randy "Laz" Gordon explains how the F-22 changed the air battlefield and why it was built to win the first fight.

In this episode, Randy discusses the 70-plus aircraft he has flown, his combat career, test-flying fighter jets, and how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of aviation. We’ll also explore some of the Raptor's surprising similarities to civilian Cessna aircraft, and why, in some ways, the Skyhawk is a harder airplane to manage. From flying a zeppelin to iconic planes like the F-15, "Laz" has done it all. This one is going to be cool!

Episode 60 marks the end of Season 6. We will be taking a short break, but are excited to bring you more stories in Season 7, coming this fall.

Resources:

• Special Lecture: F-22 Flight Controls (YouTube)
• Randy's Bio
• The F-22 Raptor (Lockheed Martin)

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:35) - Flying 70+ Aircraft
• (02:47) - Aviation Beginnings
• (06:10) - The USAFA
• (09:03) - What Makes a Good Pilot?
• (11:29) - Flight Training
• (13:18) - The F-15 vs. F-16
• (15:59) - Flying the A-10
• (17:44) - Combat in Iraq
• (21:08) - Flying the F-22
• (26:08) - Cessna vs. F-22
• (28:11) - Raptor Mindset
• (31:11) - Radar-absorbing Material
• (32:39) - Stealth Airframe
• (35:55) - Supercruise
• (39:41) - The Human and the Jet
• (42:18) - Test Flying Aircraft
• (44:43) - Why the F-15 was Hard to Master
• (45:24) - A Dangerous Moment
• (48:05) - How AI Will Impact Aviation
• (53:34) - F-22 Legacy
• (55:13) - Randy's Advice
• (57:40) - Outro