Coffee In A Hangar

• Kitty Banner | Glacier Pilot in Talkeetna Alaska | Coffee In A Hangar Ep 24

  Sponsor: sportaircraftseats.comjoin our email list: coffeeinahangar.comKitty's book: https://www.amazon.com/Wings-Her-Dreams-Alaska-Glacier/dp/1880654512Avalanches, tailwheel failures, and hunters who won’t take no for an answer.** In this episode of *Coffee in a Hangar*, legendary Alaska pilot **Kitty Banner** shares raw, riveting stories from the 1970s and beyond—learning to fly in Talkeetna, hauling climbers to Denali, glacier landings with no go-around, a tailwheel assembly shearing off at rotation, and the unglamorous realities of guiding hunters and rescuing overdue mountaineers. She also talks mentorship, flying with John Denver for his seaplane rating, and what it really takes to thrive in the mountains.Guest: Kitty Banner — glacier & backcountry pilot; co-founder of **K2 Aviation**; lifelong mentor to new pilots.What you’ll hear* The avalanche on Mount Huntington that swallowed the valley in snow fog* “If in doubt, don’t” — the decision-making mantra that saved lives* Tailwheel failure at rotation and nursing the airplane home* Early Talkeetna days: scalping climbers, radio tents on the glacier, and night landings in orange light* Seaplane instruction for **John Denver** (and how procedural discipline matters)* Hunters, heavy loads, and how to say “no” when safety is on the line* Mentorship from WWII WASP pilot **Carolyn Cullen** and the importance of women in aviation00:00 Welcome & cold open02:10 Kitty’s path to Alaska & early mishaps08:55 Glacier ops: slots, crevasses, and “no go-around” realities18:40 The Mount Huntington avalanche25:30 Tail issues after takeoff — diagnosis in the gorge33:20 Hunters, loads, and safety boundaries41:05 Mentors: WASP pilot Carolyn Cullen & Amelia Earhart connections49:10 Flying with John Denver (seaplane rating story)57:30 “If in doubt, don’t” — lessons for today’s pilots1:05:00 Family, backcountry flying, and raising the next generationSupport the show:* Join the email list for updates & behind-the-scenes: **coffeeinhangar.com*** Read Kitty’s book ***Wings of Her Dreams*** (link in description)* **Sport Aircraft Seats** — My company making quick-install seat upholstery kits for GA aircraft. Design your kit and learn why inspection-friendly upholstery matters: **sportaircraftseats.com**Safety note:This podcast contains personal accounts from professional pilots in unique environments. These stories are not training guidance. Always follow current regulations, POH/AFM procedures, and get qualified instructionComment your favorite moment, a lesson you’re taking into your own flying, or who we should interview next.

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• Flying Across Alaska With No Engine | Bryan Friedrichs | Coffee In A Hangar - Ep 23

  Sponsored by: Sportaircraftseats.comCoffeeinahangar.com to sign up for our email listWhat if you could travel hundreds of miles across the mountains of Alaska—with nothing but a 5-pound ball of fabric on your back?My guest today, Bryan Friedrichs, does exactly that. He’s one of only a handful of adventurers in the state combining cross-country paragliding, mountaineering, and packrafting into single, mind-bending wilderness traverses. Imagine launching from a remote alpine ridge, catching thermals to 7,000 feet, crossing glaciers, and then landing on the banks of questionable rivers to float back to civilization.In this episode, we dive deep into:✦ How Bryan links thermals and ridges to fly 40–50 miles deep into the mountains✦ The razor-thin decision points between “epic flight” and multi-day walkout✦ Understanding mountain wind flow and valley weather✦ How paragliders read the texture of the air through dozens of tensioned lines✦ The gear it takes to blend paragliding with packrafting in Alaska’s backcountry✦ The mental toughness needed to commit to days of uncertainty, with no engine and no easy outsIf you’re a pilot—fixed-wing or otherwise—this episode is packed with insights that will sharpen your understanding of the invisible forces shaping mountain flying.

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• 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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