Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts.This is Part One of a two-part series with Tyler Boeddeker and Sean MacHale from Massif, and aviation apparel company that creates and produces some of the world’s finest flame-resistant (FR) gear.

Massif was founded in 1999 by two passionate visionaries who set the bar high for quality and excellence in everything they do. Randy Benham, one of Massif’s founders, was a Jenny Lake search-and-rescue (SAR) crew member in Grand Teton National Park who understood the demands of rugged, unpredictable and hazardous work conditions.

On a mission to fill the gap and solve the problem, Massif partnered with the specialized Los Angeles based knitting mill Antex, and a core group of extraordinarily dedicated people. 

Together, they invented never-before-seen FR fabrics and applied them to innovative clothing designs for numerous climates and contexts. 

Boeddeker is a U.S. Navy veteran, having served in the Navy for six years as a Naval Aircrewman, with three deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve. He has multiple certifications as a rescue swimmer, SAR Petty Officer, SERE graduate, and more. 

He’s now worked as a government sales manager for nearly four years. He is also a certified civilian rescue swimmer, EMT-B, and Wilderness EMT, and a licensed skydiver! 

MacHale is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, having served 10 years as a Marine Corps tiltrotor crew chief on the MV-22 Osprey. MacHale is in-tune with the aviation world. 

He has deployed with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), and the 15th MEU in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2009 and Operation Inherent Resolve in 2015. MacHale is a licensed private pilot, skydiver and scuba diver, but will also indulge in sailing, surfing, and any outdoor activity!

In this episode, Boeddeker and MacHale talk about their military careers and their path to Massif. They also talk about some funny experiences during their active duty time.

Thank you to sponsors Metro Aviation, Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing and MD Helicopters.