Author: Xtended

Entering the aviation scene with his PPL at 17, Chris Taylor went on to have an amazing career flying over 400 aircraft types, a Royal Navy career flying Wasp and Lynx, leading to becoming a Test Pilot at the Empire Test Pilot School at Boscombe Down, later going on to become a Tutor at the ETPS. He later joined the UK Civil Aviation Authority as an aeroplane and rotary craft test pilot.

Gene Mikulka is the producer and a presenter on Talking Space the leading podcast on space and space exploration topics. Gene has been our ‘go to’ expert for space exploration updates having appeared five times on Xtended over the past 10 years. In this episode we look at the current plans for the ISS, how Boeing’s Starliner has faired on its LEO flight to the ISS. We also discuss SpaceX, Mars exploration and deep space exploration.

Bryan Wheelz is an Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic who has worked across multiple aircraft types. He has worked in aviation maintenance supervisory and management positions and is passionate about aircraft safety. He is also the host of the podcast ‘The Good the Bad and the Ugly: The Aviation Maintenance Industry – Raw’!

Michael Napier is an experienced author with multiple published titles to his name. An ex-RAF Tornado pilot with combat experience over Iraq, he is thorough in his research and, because of his knowledge of air warfare, is highly qualified to write on the subject. His latest book Flash Points – Air Warfare in the Cold War is the focus for discussion in this episode.

Graeme Rendall is an aviation and unidentified aerial phenomena historian, researcher and author who is a frequent guest on UAP-related podcasts. He has written books on Northumberland aviation history, a trip around north-east Siberian airfields and two titles dealing with UAP (UFOs) – one on the “Foo Fighters” of World War 2 and another concentrating on pilot and aircrew sightings between 1950 and 1952.