Vertical Magazine

2 days ago | verticalmag.com | Jen Nevans

Published on: June 5, 2025Estimated reading time 14 minutes, 37 seconds. The radio crackled with urgency — an active shooter was terrorizing the streets of Azusa, California. Jim Moss and his Air Rescue 5 team were already nearby, searching for missing hikers in the canyon. In an instant, their routine mission transformed into a high-stakes rescue operation. “He started shooting up cars.

1 week ago | verticalmag.com | Lisa Gordon

Published on: May 28, 2025Estimated reading time 30 minutes, 48 seconds. More than 16,000 first responders were mobilized to fight the massive fires that ignited Southern California in January 2025. They included ground firefighters, aerial crews, California National Guard members, highway patrol officers, and transportation teams. International contingents from Canada and Mexico were on the scene, too, including Canadair CL-415 water bombers from Quebec.

1 week ago | verticalmag.com | Mark Huber

Published on: May 27, 2025Estimated reading time 18 minutes, 30 seconds. Airbus Helicopters is using several helicopter test beds to explore new technologies for its current family of rotorcraft and future vertical-lift aircraft. The company is currently working on several research and technology bricks that are aimed at making its aircraft more fuel efficient, while offering performance and mission flexibility.

2 weeks ago | verticalmag.com | Jen Nevans

Published on: May 22, 2025Estimated reading time 18 minutes, 36 seconds. When a distress call came in about a hiker stranded on the face of a cliff, the crew of Henry 1 — the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office helicopter — sprang into action. Tactical flight officer (TFO) Larry Matelli scanned the rugged terrain of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, searching for any trace of the missing man. Every second mattered. The nighttime rescue posed a unique set of challenges.

2 weeks ago | verticalmag.com | Gerrard Cowan

Published on: May 19, 2025Estimated reading time 12 minutes, 13 seconds. Lithium-ion batteries have seen growing demand from helicopter manufacturers, providing advantages in maintenance, weight and beyond. As a leading developer of lithium-ion battery packs for aviation, True Blue Power has seen substantial growth in demand in recent years, with requirements expected to continue in the coming decades, according to the company and its key partners.