UND Aerotalk records onsite in Oshkosh

UND Aerospace podcast takes its show on the road, recording conversations with aviation professionals and alumni at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh

Last September, UND Aerospace launched a new venture: a podcast called Aerotalk.

With new episodes released each Monday, the podcast has explored industry insights, alumni stories, student life and more. Nearly a year after its launch, Aerotalk took on a new challenge — recording on location at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Matt Opsahl, UND assistant chief flight instructor, hosts the podcast and typically spends his time asking questions. At AirVenture, Opsahl reflected on his experience hosting Aerotalk and what it was like to take the podcast outside the studio.

A 2000 UND graduate, Opsahl worked as a flight instructor after graduation before joining Piedmont Airlines in 2003. He returned to UND in 2005 to teach the Jet Transition Course, which helps students transition from flying at UND to working for an airline. He later became course manager and assistant chief flight instructor.

While the jump from flying airplanes to hosting a podcast might seem unusual, Opsahl also has nearly 30 years of radio experience.

“I started radio back in ’97 in Grand Forks,” Opsahl said. “My parents told me that I had to get a job, and I had always wanted to try it, so I applied at a radio station, and now I’ve been there 30 years. When I first started, we had CDs and carts, and now it’s all just touchscreens. So, that’s definitely helped with Aerotalk and the interviewing side of things.”

When Amanda Perez, UND Aerospace marketing and communications specialist, proposed launching the podcast last year, Opsahl was a natural choice to host.

“Amanda came up to me and said, ‘We are starting a podcast and you’re going to be the host,’” Opsahl joked. “That’s basically how it went. It’s fun to interview people, and I enjoy it. It’s great hearing good backstories, so there really wasn’t much pushback on my end.”

Producing each episode is a joint effort between Perez and Opsahl. Scheduling guests, developing questions, recording and editing mean that each episode requires hours of work.

“It’s quite the production, actually,” Opsahl said. “Seeing the amount of work on the backside that goes into the podcast is impressive. It’s not just slapping a camera on and talking.”

Taking the podcast on the road

UND Aerospace’s week at AirVenture presented a new opportunity for Aerotalk. With aviation professionals, alumni and enthusiasts gathered in one place, the team brought a mobile recording setup to the grounds of Wittman Regional Airport.

Recording in the middle of the world’s largest aviation gathering came with some challenges.

“It’s a little different standing during the interview versus sitting in a nice, air-conditioned seat,” Opsahl said. “It’s a very different environment. I think the biggest thing is just the sheer noise. We had to stop several times because of the airshow right over our heads and we couldn’t hear each other. That definitely makes it a little more challenging, but it’s a fun challenge.”

It was not only the podcast’s first trip to AirVenture, but Opsahl’s first time attending the event as well.

“It’s overwhelming,” Opsahl said. “The sheer size of the show — when I drove in the first day on Sunday, when you come over the bridge and actually see the grounds, it’s overwhelming. Just the number of planes and tents all compacted into one airport, and watching the arrivals and departures, yet it is all so organized. It’s pretty mind-boggling.”

Throughout the week, Opsahl spoke with guests representing a range of aviation and aerospace experiences. Episodes recorded at AirVenture feature everyone from Ford Tri-Motor pilots and EAA volunteers to aircraft owners and meteorologists.

Despite the challenges of recording on location, Opsahl had an emphatic answer when asked whether he would do it again.

“Yes, yes and yes,” he said. “We’ve spoken to so many people, but I would love to speak with more. I really would like to interview more alumni. It’s great seeing what our alumni have done with their aircraft and careers and talking to them about other aspects of the aviation industry outside of just flying. It’s really opened my eyes about what people are out doing who graduated from UND Aerospace.”

Aerotalk is available on most podcast platforms and can be watched on the UND Aerospace YouTube channel.

About the author:

Averie Eixenberger is a communications and writing intern for UND Aerospace.