Episode 72: Honoring Matt Pagano: APSA’s 2025 Technical Specialist Award winner

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Vertical Magazine.The Vertical MRO Podcast recorded this special episode live from the Vertical Valor booth at APSCON, the Airborne Public Safety Association's annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Host Jon Gray is joined by guest host Jeff Ratkovic from the Hangar Z Podcast to honor the service of Matt Pagano, maintainer for the Riverside (California) Police Department Air Support Unit. Matt was recently recognized with the 2025 Airborne Public Safety Aviation Technical Specialist Award.The Technical Specialist Award is given to an individual whose aviation maintenance efforts for a law enforcement agency are performed extraordinarily well, above and beyond what is normally expected. Their efforts bring distinction to themselves, their department, and to the Airborne Public Safety Association. A central focus of the discussion is Riverside’s transition from the MD 500 helicopter to the Airbus H125 — a shift that has required Matt to prepare new facilities, adapt to evolving mission equipment, and lean on the broader helicopter community for support. Matt shares how mentorship, teamwork, and knowledge-sharing within the aviation industry have been essential in navigating this change.Together, Jon, Jeff, and Matt dive into the importance of building a culture of safety and trust, investing in tools and training, and recognizing the legacy of beloved aircraft like the MD 500. Special thanks to our sponsors, Vertical Aviation International, Robinson Helicopter and SAFE Structure Designs.