Story Stop Day 1: Beringer Aero and Michelin

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Summary

The very first Story Stop Tour episode drops Shawn right into the action on Day One of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, tracking down two brands that flew with the “Runway to Oshkosh” delivery crew.

First stop: Beringer Aero, where Shawn learns how a French racing-brake company became a leading name in general aviation wheels and brakes — and gets a plain-English lesson in braking physics and heat dissipation from the technical team.

He also has a chance to sit down with Doma Andreka, Chief Delivery Pilot for Tecnam US, about how Beringer’s brakes and wheels were a part of “every stop along the journey” of the Runway to Oshkosh flight.

Second stop: a household name that’s been part of aviation since before the Wright brothers, where Shawn traces the company’s path from an 1908 volcano-top flying competition to Allied maps in WWII to the Space Shuttle — before landing on today’s lighter, more sustainable aircraft tires.

Plus, we talk to Patrick McAlee from Extreme Flight and Justin von Linsowe from Full Throttle Formation team about the practical application of Michelin aircraft tires.

Key Points

  • Origin story: The Beringer started in 1985 as a racing brake manufacturer for cars and motorbikes before pivoting fully into aviation in the early 2000s, eventually selling off its non-aviation business to focus on the aircraft market.
  • The color has a purpose: The brand’s signature bright red (and other bold colors) comes from an anodizing pigment originally developed for UV-resistant signage — it just happens to also resist fading on brake components.
  • Braking, explained simply: Braking converts kinetic energy into heat through friction; using aluminum instead of steel helps the system dissipate that heat faster, which is the core engineering thesis behind the product.
  • US manufacturing expansion: Beringer’s North American operations, based in Greenville, South Carolina, recently received FAA PMA approval to begin manufacturing in the US, with a target of bringing production over from France in the near term.
  • An unlikely neighbor: That same South Carolina hub sits just a couple of miles from Michelin’s North American aviation operations — two French-born aviation suppliers now next door to each other in the US.
  • Michelin’s deep aviation roots: Michelin helped establish one of the first aero clubs in France, laid out the world’s first concrete runway, ran the Michelin Cup (which the Wright brothers once won), supplied maps to the Allies for the Normandy invasion, and was the original tire supplier for the Space Shuttle.
  • Today’s tire lineup: Michelin’s current general aviation tire, developed in part through collaboration with the Beringer on the experimental market, is TSO certified even though the market segment it targets doesn’t strictly require it — because Michelin tests every tire regardless.
  • Sustainability angle: Denser, firmer tire compounds mean better shock absorption for pilots and less rubber shed into the environment — a detail echoed by aerobatic performer Pat McAlee.
  • Community impact: The Full Throttle Formation Team started during COVID by flying smoke hearts over hospitals to thank first responders, and has since grown into a recognized home-built aviation air show act — including a flyover send-off for the US Men’s Soccer team ahead of the World Cup.

Timestamps

TimeSegment
00:03Cold open — introducing the Story Stop Tour concept
00:34Setting the scene at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
01:03Origin story of the Beringer, from racing brakes to aviation
04:35The story behind the brand’s signature color
07:23Braking performance and the physics of heat dissipation
10:12Runway to Oshkosh delivery flight recap with the chief pilot
13:00Sponsor break — Flyte Sunglasses
14:20Michelin segment begins — aviation history from 1908 to the Space Shuttle
20:44Michelin-sponsored aviators — Patrick McAlee/ExtremeFlight and the Full Throttle Formation Team
26:44Episode close and sign-off

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