Ryan is a helicopter pilot that I met in Antarctica. We played in a band together on The Ice and became great friends last summer.
In this episode we talk about Ryan’s background as a pilot and why he transitioned from fixed wing aircraft to helicopters. We also talk about what it’s like flying in harsh environments such as Antarctica and how the helicopters are transported to The Ice... and what maintenance is required for such extreme environments.
Ryan recently appeared on Discovery Channel’s new docu-series, Everest Rescue where his efforts rescuing climbers in Nepal on Mt. Everest were documented. The series will be airing later this month and you should definitely check it out. He also talks about what that experience was like and how vastly different it is than flying scientist around in Antarctica.
We also dive into the physics of how to safely land a helicopter if the engine loses power. This is a fascinating maneuver known as Auto Rotation and is a very dangerous, last resort maneuver that every helicopter pilot practices continually.
Ryan also tells us what dinosaur he would choose to be if in fact he could choose to be any dinosaur, what he would do if he were the last person on earth, and the one person he would have drinks with if he could have drinks with anyone dead or alive.