Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Scott Hennen: All the right people are here. I mean, to get from here to there, I'm talking like Elon Musk. Like ingenuity is happening right here. Right. And even I don't dismiss Kevin o' Leary's role in all this.
[00:00:13] Intro: Welcome to Hangar X Studios, where former fighter pilot and host John Ramstead takes us on a journey across aerospace as it enters an historic period of innovation and transformation.
Our guests include aviation experts, pilots, financiers, military leaders, and innovators of all types.
Buckle up for another episode of Hangar X.
Hey, welcome to HangarX Studios. And today we are live at the Hive in Grand Forks, North Dakota. And we got Scott Hennen on today. I'm so excited about this. Scott, welcome to the podcast.
[00:00:51] Scott Hennen: First of all, thanks, John.
[00:00:52] John Ramstead: You are, you've been called the Rush Limbaugh of the Midwest.
You have been on the radio since 1984.
You have interviewed some of the most prominent people. But today I want to really focus on a little bit. I want to hear about your background. But you've been covering this whole ecosystem around Grand Forks and the Air Force and drones and UAS and aviation, in addition to many other things, though. But ever since, ever since it was this ecosystem that exists today was even probably a concept. But first of all, let's start and tell us a little bit about your background and how did you, how did you get into this incredible career you've had?
[00:01:30] Scott Hennen: Well, you said it well. And it's, it's a labor of love to be on the radio every day. And having done that in North Dakota since 1984 and started the first talk show, as they're now known, in 1986. And then a guy by the name of Rush Limbaugh came along in 1988 and talk radio took off. And so a big part of what.
[00:01:50] John Ramstead: I do is you kind of rode that wave a little bit.
[00:01:52] Scott Hennen: Yeah. Yeah. And my folks were in the business.
I grew up, you know, in a good faith filled, you know, rock solid family and with conservative values. And so I along the way kind of shaped those. And then my high school years, Ronald Reagan was president. So I'm like, I want to get into this. I want to talk about this stuff. And so started messing with that a little bit in the high school, and then again, because my parents were in the business, I literally didn't know anything else. So it's just all I've done started part time when I was 12 years old and came to Grand Forks. And Grand Forks really was kind of where I was a pup. I came here at 18, 19 years old and in the business. And my dad at that time had left the business because of the whole Carter years in the economy. So he was off working for somebody else. And I went to work for somebody else and came to love Grand Forks and moved to Fargo in 2001 and cover all of North Dakota and western Minnesota, Montana and South Dakota now.
[00:02:45] John Ramstead: Yeah, it's fantastic. Now bring us back 1984, you started.
What have you seen and watched in the kind of, this development of what's happened here in Grand Fort, specifically over the last 20, 30 years.
[00:03:00] Scott Hennen: So I would say Tom Clifford is a name that comes to mind. And for anybody that wants to really understand kind of the DNA of North Dakota, you should read a book called the Clifford Years.
[00:03:09] John Ramstead: Okay.
[00:03:09] Scott Hennen: He led the University of North Dakota for better than two decades and was just an extraordinary leader, Literally one of the top icon leaders that still to this day is mentioned. Any president of the University of North Dakota gets hired, is like, well, is it like Clifford? Are you gonna have Clifford? Like, you know, whatever. And Tom Clifford had genius in many ways. Reason we have a medical school here. And he did something very unique at the time. He hired a guy by the name of John Odegaard and they started the center of Aerospace Sciences and actually put a college of aerospace within. And at the time, you just didn't do that. Right. You did a business school. You know, you do, you know, all the different faculties that you would do in colleges within a university system, but you didn't have aerospace.
[00:03:53] John Ramstead: Yeah, I hadn't thought of that before, but that's pretty forward thinking because. And you don't think of, like, North Dakota as a place where you have a. What is now like one of the largest pilot training, aviation training centers in the world.
[00:04:04] Scott Hennen: Exactly. And, you know, at the time they were, I remember they, they had a citation chat. Like, UND is a citation jet. It's got a logo on the side of it. And I mean, very visionary. And that's when all that started. And then they started, obviously to get into the space side. They were training pilots for, you know, Chinese and international companies. And there was just a lot of genius there. And. And that was really the spark that was kind of the spark that has led to this evolution. What's been super fun is to see, you know, kind of how that original vision, probably just on some whiteboard in the President's office at Twombly hall at und, started and now what's happening with it. Because I think what is happening now, which, you know, again, I think the state is blessed with very good political leaders and the access to those political leaders by people who are innovators, who are uber smart entrepreneurs, who have a great product, they can connect with those political leaders in a way they can't in California or even Minnesota or New York or whatever. Right. So a good idea has a fighting chance in North Dakota because of that access to the right people. And Governor John Hoeven, I think at the time, now a senator saw the genius of what was possible here with the University of North Dakota because of that and the private sector and the air base and how all three of those could come together. So he set out on a mission to get us the, you know, what now is the test site, what now is Grand Sky. All of that started there was put on steroids after Governor Hoban, when Governor Burgum came in and just kept growing and growing and growing. Sanford deserves a lot of credit, the Lieutenant governor under Burgum, but that access to all of them and then able to pull this lever and that lever and that lever just takes everything from 0 to 50 a lot quicker. And so I feel like we're on the cusp of something just extraordinary here. That is great for und, that is great for North Dakota. But most importantly is important on a level that I don't think most Americans understand. And that is to beat China, to keep China in check. Right. You know, and you go, what the heck? What are you talking about? I mean, you go from aerospace school to. To taking on China. I mean, it's that important. I mean, the Grand Forks Air Force Base next to a whole lot of airspace that isn't in California or super populated areas. You know, this first test site, you know, Northrop Grumman being an early adopter, grand sky. And Boeing's out there, Tom Sawyer, Boeing, Harris, you know, all the General Atomics. My gosh, you know, I.
Incredible. When you look at the Blue family and their innovation, they recognize that. So there's such a.
[00:06:42] John Ramstead: Well, and we just interviewed Dana from the UND Aerospace foundation and the investments they've made in infrastructure and Gorman Field and new majors around drone piloting and operations and business around drones. I mean, they're continuing to make significant investments.
[00:06:58] Scott Hennen: Right. And you raise a good point because there goes back to again, the aerospace was one thing to have a school, the Aerospace School of Sciences. But then they said, let's do a foundation because then we can be more nimble and we can react to the private sector and we can partner with these people and let entrepreneurs go Turn these thoroughbreds loose.
[00:07:15] John Ramstead: Right.
[00:07:15] Scott Hennen: That's the genius, I think, of this whole thing and where it's going. And again, I do believe it's about we win, they lose.
[00:07:21] John Ramstead: Yeah.
[00:07:21] Scott Hennen: That's what this is all about. It's about we win, they lose. And. Yeah. Are there private sector applications for all this and all the things. Yes. But what it gets me most excited of, you know, grand sky, the hive and what it's doing here for, you know, people that are just super smart in this, combined with UND and great leadership there and with the state of North Dakota, you know, and our elected leaders. There are just so many players there that this is. This is. It's good to be us right now.
[00:07:52] John Ramstead: Yeah. And I want to ask you a question. So I've done a lot of work up at Grand Sky Air Force Base. And their mission is, you probably watched it, it's changed many times. It's been on the BRAC list many times.
[00:08:02] Scott Hennen: Are you talking specifically about grand sky or the Air Force base?
[00:08:04] John Ramstead: Air Force Base itself, which is now the headquarter. The 319th Reconnaissance Wing is all military. UAS rolls up to that one command right there.
[00:08:14] Scott Hennen: Correct.
[00:08:15] John Ramstead: We're have Colonel Monroe on tomorrow, who's a friend of mine. But how is that impacted now? That. That is really stable. And there's. It seems like it's really important for the Air Force to have the synergy and work with Grand Forks. But I'd love your opinion because you've been inside this.
[00:08:30] Scott Hennen: Yeah. So here's what I think. I think we should think of. The United States Air Force is like the biggest aircraft carrier on the planet. Okay. And it does a lot of things, but it doesn't move fast. Right. Just kind of this big behemoth in the middle. A lot of good from it, but really, it could go a little bit this way or a little bit that way, but it's not going to, like, turn around on a dime. Okay. So that's the Air Force base. I think what Grand Forks has done very well. UND has done very well. Grand sky has done very well, is say, we got this. We got this. Let us show you. And again, good political leadership says, okay, we're going to trust that you guys are going to take a part of our airfield and you're going to do some good with it. And I think what's happened here is this whole ecosystem in Grand Forks and has really shown the Grand Forks Air Force Base. You can trust us. Okay. You can trust us. We got this. The test site, you know, the FAA angle, all of the different pieces have sort of had them go. Maybe these guys know what they're doing. Now, mind you, again, it takes really, really, really good political leadership to maneuver that landmine. And we have a member of the Armed Services Committee and Senator Kevin Kramer. Right. Who now is in charge of the subcommittee that is over the Air Force, the Army, the National Guard, every piece, the Navy, every peace, Space Force.
There's one component he's not, and I forget which one, but I mean, literally, then you have John Hobart, who is like doggone bone tenacious. I mean, you do not want to be between John Hoen and something he wants because you're going to get. You're going to get ground down till you get it. So he's over there on the military probe side. Kevin is over here on the. And Kevin's a big thinker. He's four steps ahead. So I think with that one, two punch, what's going to happen? I wouldn't be surprised if the F47 is here. I wouldn't be surprised that all of the ISR things that we have no idea what are being talked about in skiffs are going to be here. I think, you know, things we don't know about that the Space Force now is thinking about how important to win against China.
I think we're going to win more than our fair share, and I think all of that's going to happen.
[00:10:43] John Ramstead: We have a Space Force base just.
[00:10:44] Scott Hennen: North of here, 100%, and a lot.
[00:10:46] John Ramstead: Of people aren't aware of that, but that is where almost all the R and D testing is happening.
[00:10:50] Scott Hennen: Exactly right. And by the way, there was. There was a time during the first Trump administration where the Space Force was going to be underneath the Air Force. That would have been bad. Back to my giant aircraft carrier. Move slow thing. Now you take a really innovative agency and you put it under a really slow one.
And our senators won that battle. Kevin Cramer, very instrumental to saying no, no, no, no, no, went to the wall with President Trump. Mike Pence, then the Vice President. Trump had recognized our US Senator as the guy that was the godfather of the Space Force and kept it independent. So there's a lot of political capital there amongst the people we're talking about that I think will put the Grand Forks Air Force Base in a really good position to be tip of the spear on all this going forward. And I believe that only happens because the senators, our governor, the whole political ecosystem now have the example of what the combination of und grand sky and, you know, the Northern Test site, all of that ecosystem, what it's done with that space.
[00:11:50] John Ramstead: So over a very long period of time, there's been tremendous intentionality and leadership and investment into creating this aerospace culture ecosystem, incubator accelerators from drones all the way through fixed wing. I'd love your thoughts. If you put on your futurist hat, Scott, and say, okay, what does this look like? 2, 3, 4, 5 years out right now, economically and globally, I think there's so much more opportunity as AI drones, the relationship with China, dsi, those drones possibly even being shut off. Opportunities, opportunities here in the US But I'd just love your thoughts.
[00:12:31] Scott Hennen: Way above my pay grade, but everything you said, I think is true.
I'm not, you know, equipped to go where is this going to go? But I know all the right people are here.
[00:12:42] John Ramstead: Okay.
[00:12:43] Scott Hennen: All the right people are here. I mean, to get from here to there, I'm talking like Elon Musk, like ingenuity is happening right here. Right. And even I don't dismiss Kevin o' Leary's role in all this.
[00:12:54] John Ramstead: Right.
[00:12:54] Scott Hennen: You know, and I think, you know, some version of those two and what they are going to. Elon Musk is already under the hood a little bit about Grand Forks. I know that from Senator Kramer. So there's already discussions going on about different pieces. And then you take Kevin o' Leary and what he's recognizing, what he could.
[00:13:10] John Ramstead: Do to me, grant people to understand that. Kevin o' Leary. Could you explain his role here in the hive and.
[00:13:15] Scott Hennen: Yeah.
[00:13:15] John Ramstead: What's happening?
[00:13:16] Scott Hennen: I always joke about Kevin o' Leary because I don't know of many people that could raise $10 billion in 10 minutes to buy TikTok. But that's like he did that on a Saturday over lunch. Right. I mean, the guy is just like, amazing and obviously has the power to connect great ideas with capital. Right. He's investor and he's going to do it. He's already doing it. Doing it right here. Now, I think the combination of those.
[00:13:37] John Ramstead: Here in Grand Forks.
[00:13:37] Scott Hennen: Correct.
[00:13:38] John Ramstead: Specifically.
[00:13:39] Scott Hennen: And even, you know, Grand Forks is the epicenter, I think, of what Kevin o' Leary has recognized in North Dakota, but he's doing it in other places. And the state has got smart, great legislative leadership a few years ago said, we got a lot of bounty in oil.
Let's take the 30% of the oil revenue generated in taxes and let's put it in a fund and then let's take part of that fund and it's earning and invest back in North Dakota. That brings guys like Kevin o' Leary in to say, wow, you got it. Let me match that. Let's do great things. So I think the combination of the people involved are going to get to a place that we can't even fathom, that is going to defend America in a way we can't possibly comprehend. And all of that, by the way, isn't going to come from Elon Musk or Kevin o' Leary or Kevin Kramer or John Hoeven or any of these players. Andy Armacost at und. It's going to come from the ingenuity of entrepreneurs.
But they're going to, they're going to find a safe haven here and a way to get from point A to point B much quicker than they would anywhere else. And this line of, of work in this ecosystem, speed is the need. Right. So we can do it better. I think it's a national model. I think guys like Elon Musk and o' Leary and our political leaders could say, hey, California, you ought to do it. You know, you ought to do it. Austin, Texas, whatever.
But we're so far ahead. Everybody else right now, well, we should.
[00:14:58] John Ramstead: Bring it to Fort Worth, Texas next.
[00:15:00] Scott Hennen: Yeah, well, you can, you can have our crumbs.
I think the idea is big enough that that should happen at some point. But Grand Forks is so far ahead of the curve right now. I think it happens here first wor the beta. We're the test model for what's happening.
[00:15:13] John Ramstead: Yeah. So just on a personal note, you've had an incredible career.
You've interviewed Trump, Netanyahu, world leaders.
Like, what's the one thing that stands out to you over this incredible career that you're most proud of?
[00:15:28] Scott Hennen: That's a hard question to answer, but you're right. I've had some great interviews. People always ask me that, like, what was it like interviewing President Trump?
And he put you at ease so quick. It was fun. Every phone call, I want to know.
[00:15:38] John Ramstead: It was like interviewing Johnny Ryan. I heard he was kind of talk.
[00:15:42] Scott Hennen: About the hot Live at the Hive, baby. You can't come to the Hive without Johnny Bryan.
I love interviewing everybody. I honestly don't get nervous at anything. The only time I've ever sort of had a knee knock moment was Rush Limbaugh actually in an event with him because it just. To me, he was so iconic and so the standard and the goat of all time in the radio, viz, that I was nervous spending time with Rush. He was a dear friend.
Miss him? Miley, America's anchorman. But otherwise, I don't get nervous. I don't. None of that, really. I know. In other words, I don't go home to my kids and go, hey, I interviewed Donald Trump today. I don't know. You know, and they don't care about many interviews. In fact, you know what? There's one interview my kids got excited about. In the entire time I've been on the radio, you know, who was Kevin o' Leary? Because they've been to watch Shark Tank. I mean, they're like, oh, my good dad interviewed Kevin o' Leary. Otherwise, they don't care.
But it's funny, if you had to say what thing is I'm probably most proud of, it would be my 18 years behind the microphone as the voice of the University of North Dakota hockey team at Ralph Inglestown.
[00:16:43] John Ramstead: All right, let's go.
[00:16:46] Scott Hennen: Go Fighting Sioux. Yeah. So it was a lot of years and a lot of fun, but one of the many reasons that program and that university are so special to this town and the whole state.
[00:16:56] John Ramstead: Yeah. Well, there's nothing better in my mind than watching college hockey.
[00:17:01] Scott Hennen: Oh, amen. Yeah, Amen. They care. Every day is a dog fight. It isn't, like, mailed in at the NHL level and they spin up at the playoffs. It's every game.
[00:17:09] John Ramstead: Every game is a dog fight. Absolutely.
[00:17:11] Scott Hennen: 100%.
[00:17:12] John Ramstead: Yeah. Well, Scott, thank you for your time. There's so much more that we could talk about. I'd love to have you back on as a regular guest and do some topical things, but it's just been a pleasure to get to meet you.
[00:17:21] Scott Hennen: Enjoyed it. Thank you.
[00:17:21] John Ramstead: Yeah. Thank you, sir.
[00:17:22] Scott Hennen: You better take care.
[00:17:23] John Ramstead: All right.
