How Blades of Valor Turned a Vision Into a Powerful Public Safety Story Part I | Ep 380

Welcome back to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS, in partnership with Valor Plus. We're glad you're with us, because today we're pulling back the curtain on one of our favorite projects of the year—the 2026 Blades of Valor Tour through Florida.For this special episode, we've brought together the entire team that made the tour possible. Joining us are editor-at-large and photographer Brent Bundy; photographer and videographer Scott Kellerman; my co-host, Jon Gray; and I'm Jack Schonely. Together, we travelled across the Sunshine State, visiting four outstanding aviation units to capture their stories through photography, print, video, and, of course, the Hangar Z Podcast.Today, we're taking you behind the scenes to share what it really takes to produce a project like this. We'll talk about the incredible cooperation and hospitality we received from all four aviation units, the detailed planning and safety considerations behind coordinating air-to-air photo shoots, an unforgettable airboat ride through the Florida Everglades, and a few stories about the late nights—and plenty of laughs—we shared while staying together at a Vrbo in Clearwater.If you've ever wondered what goes into creating the content you see in Vertical Valor magazine, on Hangar Z, and across our social media platforms, this episode is for you. So sit back, buckle up, and join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the 2026 Blades of Valor Tour.To see the 2026 Blades of Valor Road Tour videos, check out these links:- Highlights from the 2026 Blades of Valor Road Tour w/ The Hangar Z Podcast - Blades of Valor - Leonardo AW139 – An in-flight podcast w/ Miami-Dade Fire Captain Jason Vanbuskirk- Helicopter Walkaround: Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Bell 429 | 2026 Blades of Valor Road Tour- Helicopter Walkaround: U.S. Coast Guard’s MH-60T Jayhawk | 2026 Blades of Valor Road Tour- The Crew Behind Palm Beach Sheriff's Law Enforcement Helicopter Ops | 2026 Blades of Valor Road Tour- Helicopter Walkaround: Broward Sheriff Office’s Airbus H125 | 2026 Blades of Valor Roar TourThank you to our sponsors Metro Aviation, Robinson Helicopter and Summit Aviation.