Airplane Geeks Podcast

Antenna Films documents Burt Rutan as he builds the SkiGull, FBI investigates alleged IFE hacker, United Airlines offers bug bounty program, autistic child removed from flight, passenger prevented from making emergency call, and crowdfunding a startup airline. Guests Scott B and Sandy Guthrie are the Executive Producers and Co-Creative Directors of Antenna Films, which is producing the documentary film Looking Up, Way Up! The Burt Rutan Story. They are following Burt as he designs and builds the SkiGull plane which he intends to fly around the world in a “Walter Mitty flight” that avoids airports. Scott and Sandy tell us about the SkiGull and the film, but also give us some insights into Burt Rutan, the man. The team used Kickstarter to jumpstart the documentary since Burt is moving ahead quickly, but they intend to build a sustainable community around this project. Visit the documentary website at LookingUpWayUp.com and the project Facebook page. Scott and Sandy have been making films for more than 20 years and formed Antenna Films in 2000 to tell compelling stories. Their work has appeared on National Geographic, Discovery, A&E, Lifetime and Sundance TV. Antenna produced the award winning Virgin Galactic series following the development of the world’s first spaceline. Other credits include the first one-hour episode of Virgin Galactic: Will it Fly for National Geographic, and the Peabody Award and Cine Golden Eagle Award-winning specials Black Sky: The Race for Space and  Winning the X-Prize on Discovery. News FBI Investigating Claim Computer Expert Hacked Plane In-Flight Computer security expert Chris Roberts has told investigators that he hacked into the IFE system through boxes under the seats 15 to 20 times. He says he even "caused one of the airplane engines to climb resulting in a lateral or sideways movement of the plane." Law enforcement is investigating and says the electronics box under the seat shows signs of tampering. But they also say “there is no credible information to suggest an airplane's flight control system can be accessed or manipulated from its in-flight entertainment system.” United Airlines bug bounty program White hat hackers are invited to probe for bugs that affect United “websites, apps and/or online portals” in exchange for up to one million award miles. An autistic girl's entire family was kicked off a plane because she wanted a First Class meal Woman Claims She and Daughter With Autism Were Kicked Off United Airlines Flight A Range of Reactions to Airline’s Removal of Autistic Child A United Airlines pilot diverted a Portland flight to Salt Lake City to remove a family with an autistic 15 year old daughter. The situation developed after the girl required a hot meal. Was she disruptive? Some say no. Woman told she couldn't call suicidal husband during flight A woman on a Southwest Airlines flight received a text from her husband that read, “Karen, please forgive me for what I am about to do, I am going to kill myself." The cabin crew would not allow the call. Upon arrival at the gate, the woman called the police, but it was too late. Struggling start-up airline turns to crowdfunding for cash Avatar Airlines claims it's "poised to revolutionize the airline industry as 'the ultra-low fare' leader with no baggage fees (up to two) and fares as low as $19" on 581-seat Boeing 747-400 aircraft. Avatar has started a crowdfunding campaign. The Australia News Desk The boys are back with the sad news that the “Wings Over Illawarra” show had to be cancelled due to terrible weather. Deciding to go with military stories, the Desk opens with the news that two RAAF KC30As made multiple boom contacts off the coast of Brisbane recently. Although no gas was passed (that’s going to happen soon) it verifies that the boom is finally all but working! RAAF executes first boom contact with KC-30A Next they report that SQNLDR Andrew “Jacko” Jackson has flown the first RAAF F35.

The history of an early aviation pioneer, update on hidden city ticketing lawsuit, Jetblue starting flights to Havana, jet engine big data, a possible narrowbody future for Rolls Royce, Leap-1B begins flight testing, and the Airbus A400M crash. Guest Craig Harwood is a professional Engineering Geologist and as a hobby he enjoys researching and writing about history. His book Quest for Flight draws out of obscurity and documents the fascinating backstories in the conquest of the skies. The work and influence of American aviation pioneer John J. Montgomery serves as a framework for understanding the western contributions in the quest for flight in America. Montgomery was a scientific inventor in the late 1800’s who observed and tried to mimic bird flight. His research caused him to turn to soaring birds for inspiration and he demonstrated controlled flight with his manned gliders. We talk about societal attitudes toward flying at the time, the different motivations of early pioneers, and the roles of women in early aviation. We also discuss how the stories of others were overshadowed by the Wrights, who actively worked to protect their position as the originators of manned flight. Quest for Flight: John J. Montgomery and the Dawn of Aviation in the West is available from publisher The University of Oklahoma Press and Amazon.com. You can contact Craig Harwood via email. The 1946 movie Gallant Journey starred Glenn Ford as John J. Montgomery. News Judge throws out United Airlines lawsuit against 22-year-old Orbitz and hidden-city ticketing site Skiplagged agree to settlement A Chicago judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by United Airlines against a 22-year-old. Last November United Airlines and Orbitz filed a civil lawsuit in against Aktarer Zaman who created Skiplagged.com.  That site helps people with the “hidden city ticketing” strategy for low cost airfare. United and Orbitz claimed that Skiplagged provided “unfair competition” and promoted “strictly prohibited” travel. The suit was filed in the Northern District Court of Illinois, but the judge in Chicago has now ruled that court has no jurisdiction because Zaman didn't live or do business in that city. JetBlue will start a weekly flight from JFK to Havana every Friday, starting July 3 Travelers should make arrangements directly with Cuba Travel Services for these flights operated by JetBlue. Big Data in Planes: New P&W GTF Engine Telemetry to Generate 10GB/S The Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan jet engine has over 5000 sensors, creating 10 Gigabytes/second of data per engine, or 2.04 Terebits/second for a twin engine airplane. P&W estimates data streaming will reach 12 Petabytes each year and they have partnered with IBM to create the data center capacity. Rolls Royce Sees United Technologies as Possible Jet Engine Partner Rolls Royce, Pratt & Whitney and some other partners teamed up to form International Aero Engines in 1983 to produce the V2500 engine for the Airbus A320 family and McDonnell Douglas MD-90. In 2011, P&W bought out Rolls Royce, which effectively removed RR from the narrowbody market. Now the departing CEO of Rolls-Royce said P&W parent company United Technologies Corporation is an "obvious" potential partner. Leap-1B For 737 MAX Begins Key Flight Tests Competing with the P&W GTF on the A320 family is the CFM International Leap-1A. The Leap-1B is sole sourced for the B737 MAX. and the Leap-1C variant powers the Comac C919. Airbus A400M military transporter crashes on test flight, killing four An Airbus A400M military transport plane crashed outside Seville one mile from the airport, killing four test crew and injuring two others. The aircraft was on its maiden test flight before being delivered to Turkey. Listener Recording David Sudworth brings us his story of a perfect flying day in the UK. Mentioned Airplane Geeks on Instagram Global Pilot Life’s Top 10 Aviation Podcasts

Flying for Israel in its War of Independence, a Rafale fighter jet sale to Qatar, female fighter pilots, the Turkish Airlines CEO opines on pilot marriage, and major sporting events bring out private jets. Photo: Producer Nancy Spielberg and Harold Livingston Guest In 1948, a group of pilots smuggled surplus military airplanes out of the U.S., trained in Czechoslovakia, and flew for Israel in its War of Independence. Our guest Harold Livingston was one of those pilots. This story has been captured in the feature-length documentary film Above and Beyond, produced by Nancy Spielberg and directed by Roberta Grossman. Harold Livingston enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force after graduating from high school in 1942. After three years with the Air Transport Command in the European theatre, he went on to work for Trans World Airlines. In 1947, the United Nations voted to partition Palestine into two separate Arab and Jewish states. A former TWA colleague, Al Schwimmer, invited Harold to join an outfit being formed to fly munitions and aircraft to Jewish Palestine in support of the war that was to come. After returning from Israel in 1949, Harold served again in the U.S. Air Force as a civilian contractor in the Korean Air Lift. Harold is also a writer. His first novel, "The Coasts of The Earth" (1954), received a Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship Award. He has written nine novels and his credits include  "Star Trek, The Motion Picture," several other major films, and some one hundred television episodes including such shows as "Mission Impossible," and "Dynasty." Above and Beyond is available on iTunes and Amazon.com. You can also watch the documentary's trailer. Selected books by Harold Livingston No Trophy No Sword: An American Volunteer in the Israeli Air Force During the 1948 War of Independence Destination: Israel: How a Handful of Rag-Tag Flyers Helped to Save a Newborn Nation The Climacticon News France and Qatar seal $7 billion Rafale fighter jet deal Qatar is purchasing 24 Dassault Rafale fighter jets for 6.3-billion-euro ($7B US). This is the third sale this year of the fighter jets with 24 sold to Egypt and 36 to India. Female Fighter Pilots Taking Off in the IAF In 1995, pilot Alice Miller sought to take the Israeli Air Force pilot training exam, but was ejected on grounds of her gender. She petitioned the Israel High Court of Justice, which sided with her in 1996. Since then, 38 women completed the course and became pilots in the Israeli Air Force. Turkish Airlines CEO to Pilots: Get Married to Avoid Crashes Reportedly, the CEO of Turkish Airlines said that pilots should marry so that situations like what happened with the Germanwings crash in March can be avoided. A crazy photo of private jets flooding the Las Vegas airport before the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight Kentucky Derby Boosts Local FBOs Recent sporting events bring out the private jets and other general aviation aircraft. Is the business slump over? Listener Recording Pilot Bill from Victoria provides his own “Aviation Minute” and talks about a recent event with the local airport authority, NavaCanada, and about a hundred aviators. Mentioned Innovations in Flight Family Day and Outdoor Aviation Display, Saturday, June 20, 2015 at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Virginia. Airplane Geeks on Instagram Are we seeing the end of the era for the 'super-jumbo'? Should flight attendants eat First Class food onboard their flight? by Jamie Larounis in The Forward Cabin The Aviators 1960 Air Show Edwards AFB Credit Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.  

Training for UAS pilots, airport security screening expands for airport workers, the Navy looks at swarming UAVs, Delta Air Lines senior instructors to take upset prevention and recovery training, and airlines alerted to watch for hackers. Guest Vince Donahue is the Founder and President of Vortex UAS, which provides tailored solutions for businesses utilizing Unmanned Aircraft Systems (or UAS) including pilot training, consulting, and other UAS Services. We talk with Vince about the current state of unmanned aerial vehicles used for commercial purposes, including the FAA NPRM for commercial use of small UAS. Vince comments on the concerns of airplane pilots, the need for drone pilot training, and the sense and avoid technology that is key to safe operation of drones in the national airspace. Vortex UAS will be conducting a four hour introductory Training Course for unmanned aircraft pilots May 16th, 2015 at Chicago Executive Airport [KPWK]. Stakeholders should read and understand the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the Operation and Certification of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Vince has been a professional pilot for over a decade and is presently the chief pilot of a corporate flight department. He has 4 type ratings in airline, charter, and corporate aviation and he is a Certified Flight Instructor. Vince serves as one of the founding members of the AUVSI Heartland Chapter encompassing the states of Illinois and Wisconsin. He served as a Naval Flight Officer (NFO) aboard USS Midway and USS Independence in squadron VAW 115 and has 500 hours as NFO in 130 sorties, 70 of them in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Vince received several personal decorations including the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V for meritorious service during combat in the Persian Gulf War as an Aircraft Control Officer on the E-2C Hawkeye. News Feds Heighten Scrutiny of TSA Screeners and Aviation Staff to Thwart Insider Threat We previously talked about the story where guns were smuggled from Atlanta to New York aboard a Delta flight. The suspects in that case were staff at the airport. Now the TSA says they will implement increased electronic surveillance. And they are not fooling around. Effective immediately, random screening of airline employees throughout the workday and biennial criminal history checks. TSA hopes to replace the periodic background checks with “real-time recurrent” FBI background checks for all aviation workers. The recommendations come from a Department of Homeland Security Aviation Security Advisory Committee report. [PDF] US Navy goes tubular with autonomous swarming UAV demonstrations The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has been demonstrating swarming UAVs under the  Low-Cost UAV Swarming Technology (LOCUST) program. The LOCUST system launches a group of drones with tube launchers. It’s a compact system that can be used on ships, tactical vehicles, or aircraft. Once airborne, the drones share information and collaborate autonomously on both defensive and offensive missions. Delta To Boost Loss-Of-Control Prevention With New Instructor Training Delta Air Lines senior instructors are being sent to upset prevention and recovery training (UPRT) with ground, in-aircraft, and full-motion simulator instruction. The airline wants its pilots to better avoid or recover from loss-of-control (LOC) incidents. Feds Warn Airlines to Look Out for Passengers Hacking Jets Hackers Could Commandeer New Planes Through Passenger Wi-Fi Concerns have escalated that airliners might be vulnerable to hacking. A US Government Accountability Office report says some new passenger jets (787, A350, A380) have Wi-Fi passenger networks that share the same network as the avionics systems of the planes. The FBI and TSA have issued an alert to airlines advising them to watch for certain activity. The alert then describes the signs that flight crews should be looking for:

  Paramount Aviation Resources Group facilitates flying as an Expat, ONE Aviation Corporation brings together the Eclipse 550 and the Kestrel K350, a bill is introduced to privatize air traffic control in the US, another Washington D.C. incursio...

The Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Tour in Seattle, FAA systems security, airport perimeter breaches, a new airline quality study, and Airbus looks to provide A350 aftermarket services. Guest Sandy Ward is a 30+ year veteran of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry and is the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour in Washington State. We talk with Sandy about the variety of exhibits and educational opportunities offered to visitors of all ages, including what to expect on the Boeing Tour. We also discuss the Aviation Geekfest as well as the great aviation attractions that can be found in the area. The Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour is operated and managed by the Future of Flight Foundation, an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, in partnership with The Boeing Company and Snohomish County. The Future of Flight Aviation Center is a must-see aviation destination and is located in Everett, Washington, just twenty minutes north of Seattle. The Boeing Tour is the only publicly available tour of a commercial jet assembly plant in North America. News FAA hit by cyberattack, finds no damage A recent government audit warned the FAA that its air traffic control system is vulnerable to hacking. In February, an FAA administrative network was infected with a virus spread via email, but the FAA says no damage was done. AP investigation details perimeter breaches at US airports The Associated Press surveyed 31 airports and found 268 perimeter breaches since 2004. The surveyed airports handle three-quarters of U.S. commercial passenger traffic. San Francisco topped the list with 37, Philadelphia International had 25 and LAX with 24. Wichita State, Embry-Riddle release results of airline quality study The annual Airline Quality Rating report is a statistical study of major airline performance in the United States, conducted jointly by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Wichita State University. Three of the twelve U.S. airlines evaluated improved in 2014, one was unchanged, and eight airlines declined. These airlines posted the worst industry score since 2009. Airbus Eyes Major Role In A350 Aftermarket Support; First Customer Imminent Airbus wants to be a player in the aftermarket service sector of commercial aviation, and they are working on a 12-year deal with a European operator. The deal is believed to be an Airbus Flight Hour Services (FHS) agreement: operators pay a fee per flight hour for maintenance services. Airbus also offers a Total Support Package (TSP). Reportedly, Airbus are in talks with other potential service customers. The Australia News Desk Steve and Grant traveled to South Australia this week to provide commentary at the Barossa Airshow, located at Rowland Flat in the famous Barossa Valley wine region. They’re joined by their locally based reporter, Maikha Ly, who worked as ground crew for one of the many wonderful aircraft that were present for the airshow - in this case, an 87% scale replica WWI Nieuport bi-plane. In the news, the Australian Government has announced the purchase of a further two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft for the RAAF which will increase the fleet size to eight. They will be based at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland in a deal said to be worth $A1billion, $A300million of which is earmarked for infrastructure upgrades at the already crowded facility.  Of the stock of so called “white tail” C-17s left in the Boeing inventory, there are rumours that the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) may be considering the purchase of up to two aircraft….unless Airbus can do them a deal on a couple of A400Ms instead, of course. Listen at the end for a cameo appearance by Steve’s son, Chris, who was helping out as well Mentioned BrightLine Flex pilot flight bags Lightspeed Aviation Adventure Flight Bags The movie, Above and Beyond Other Seattle aviation attractions:

An Air Canada crash, Allegiant pilots try to strike, aviation safety in Asia, an advanced jet engine design, the classified Long-Range Strike Bomber, and TSA profiling. And it's not really all about Rob... News Air Canada flight involved in runway crash hit antenna array: TSB An Air Canada A320 touched down 1,100 feet short of the runway at the Halifax Airport, hitting an antenna array which damaged the landing gear, and skidded on its belly. Air Canada gives $5Gs to passengers from crash-landed Halifax flight Air Canada provided the money “to cover immediate and interim expenses." It does not cover any money that could be awarded in potential lawsuits. Pilot Strike at Allegiant Halted by Court Order Some 500 Allegiant Air pilots planned to strike the airline, but a federal judge granted the airline’s request and issued a restraining order against the labor action. The strike would have grounded Allegiant Air over the Easter and Passover holiday weekend. Asia's aviation industry confronts safety challenges after decade of turbocharged growth Does fast regional growth outpace the regulatory infrastructure? A Reversed, Tilted Future For Pratt’s Geared Turbofan? We see new aircraft about to enter service offering huge reductions in fuel consumption, but that’s not stopping people from thinking farther into the future with unique design concepts. The $80 billion Pentagon program that could slice up an aerospace business Northrop Grumman and Boeing are competing for the Pentagon’s classified Long-Range Strike Bomber. It’ll probably be called the B-3 and its valued at as much as $80 billion. TSA 'Behavior Detection" Program Targeting Undocumented Immigrants, Not Terrorists The Intercept says the SPOT program (Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques) catches illegal immigrants, not terrorists. The Australia News Desk Industry calls for rethink of new CASA charges CASA are increasing their rates yet many of us think they should first improve their processes. Air Mobility commander new deputy RAAF chief Warren McDonald next RAAF deputy chief We have a new RAAF DCAF (Deputy Commander Air Force). Prince Harry touches down in Darwin HRH Harry is ‘ere! Steve and Grant will be doing airshow commentary at the Barossa Airshow near Adelaide on Sunday. Listener Recording In light of the coverage of the Germanwings crash, Micah gives us News Reporting & the Sport of Speculation or The Surge in Sensational Surrealism. EVA Air Report Brian provides his experience with the EVA Air PR department. His report was published in AirwaysNews as Inflight Review: EVA Air LAX-TPE-HKG-LAX in First Class, and you can also read his full version, Trip Report LAX – TPE – HKG - LAX [PDF]. Mentioned Temperature in 787 battery cells spikes in cold conditions: NTSB 1976 Standard Atmosphere Calculator Calculate air temperature based on altitude. F-14 Design Evolution A video technical presentation by Mike Ciminera, an engineer from Northrop Grumman involved in designing the F-14. Google Targets Low-Cost ADS-B Out Avionics Market Above and Beyond This on demand film tells the amazing true story of Jewish American pilots who, in 1948, smuggled planes out of the U.S. and flew for Israel during its war for independence. Listener Photo of the Week Glen Towler took this photo while gliding for the first time in 30 years. Glen is an Oshkosh veteran and hopes to get his certificate one day. Credit Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.

Converting airliners to private/corporate jets, a ballistic recovery parachute deployment, American Airlines pilots approve their contract, the Bombardier Learjet 85 is on hold, and the B747-8 is chosen for Air Force One. Guest Kent Scott is CEO and Founder of Trident 737 ER, LLC, which is in the business of modifying the Boeing 737 into private/corporate jets. He's had a lifelong career in aviation that includes serving as President and COO of Emery Worldwide Airlines, Senior Flight Training Captain at American International Airlines (Kalitta), and VP-Flight Operations at Polar Air Cargo. Kent was also a 727 and DC-8 captain at Evergreen International Airlines, and Captain at Trans World Airlines, where he was elected head of the 4,000-member TWA Pilot union. News Video Shows Plane Using Parachute to Ditch into Ocean Near Maui A Cirrus SR-22 on a ferry flight to Australia with a low fuel indication deployed the recovery parachute over the ocean near Hawaii. A National Guard C-130 captured video of the event. Pilots Union Approves Contract With Airline Nearly 95 percent of the eligible American Airlines pilots voted, with about 66 percent of them approving a new contract. They’ll receive an immediate 23% pay increase, and a 3% annual increase for the next five years. Bombardier Learjet 85: Window of Opportunity Slams Shut The Learjet 85 is "on hold" due to "weakness of the market." Bombardier President and CEO Pierre Beaudoin says, "We will focus our resources on our two other clean-sheet aircraft programs under development, CSeries and Global 7000/8000." A number of manufacturing cost cutting strategies have run into difficulties. Limited Impact for Boeing in Air Force One Win Under the Presidential Airlift Recapitalization program, the Boeing 747-8 has been selected as the next-generation Air Force One. Airplane of the Week David Vanderhoof tells us the history of the Douglas F4D-1 Skyray. The Australia News Desk With Grant stuck half way between Melbourne and Sydney with car troubles and lack of connectivity, Ben Jones steps in to join Steve instead this week. Ben recently purchased a Cessna 172 on the east coast of Australia and flew it nearly 2,000nm back to his home base in Perth, Western Australia.  In this segment he talks about the buying experience, pre-purchase inspections and the 5 day trek back to Perth, dealing with the odd weather complication and instrument hiccup. Airplane Geeks on Ice In his 6th report, Juan Fernandez from McMurdo Bay in Antarctica tells us about rotorcraft at the continent at the bottom or the world. Mentioned The newly launched NATS blog includes an interactive 360 panorama view from inside Heathrow Tower in London, a view very rarely seen by members of the public. Credit Lufthansa 737-500 photo copyright Jurgen. Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.    

A symposium celebrating the formation of NACA 100 years ago, an AirAsia Flight 8501 update, slimline seats and passenger comfort, how to deboard quickly, and a Mars rover equipped with a drone. Guest Dr. Bill Barry is NASA’s sixth Chief Historian. Pr...

Managing airport customer service, new TSA security measures, guns on a plane, FAA NPRM rules, the NTSB 10 most wanted, new airline routes, and the inaugural Airplane Geeks Inflight Movie of the Month. Guest Dennis Hazell is Manager, Customer Service at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Dennis supports the terminal and airfield operations, while focusing on the overall customer service experience at Washington Dulles International Airport. Prior to joining the Airports Authority in June 2007, Dennis spent twenty-three years with American Airlines.  He began his career as a flight attendant, and accepted management positions in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Tulsa, Albany, Richmond, and Washington Dulles, where he spent the last ten years as the General Manager. He has also been involved in several community activities including Big Brothers/Big Sisters, The United Way, and working with The George Washington University-Virginia Campus in focusing attention on STEM education.  He also serves as a Board Director for the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce. Follow Washington Dulles International Airport on Twitter and Instagram. News TSA Considering New Security Measures for Airport Workers The Department of Homeland Security announced some additional security measures: enhanced screening for airline employees, some random security checks, and more patrols in secure areas by the TSA and law enforcement. The Aviation Security Advisory Committee has been asked to look into airport security. TSA: Inspector had .22-caliber revolver in carry-on bag An FAA Aviation Safety Inspector was passing through a security checkpoint at New York’s LaGuardia airport, after arriving from Atlanta, and a loaded firearm was discovered in his carry-on bag. He was arrested, saying it was his wife’s gun and he forgot he had it. Instrument Sim Rule Rescinded The FAA issued a final rule Dec. 3 that allowed up to 20 hours on an approved simulator for instrument training. Before that it was up to 10 hours. Now the FAA is withdrawing the rule. New rules are established through the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) process. The FAA normally issues an NPRM, followed by a public comment period before the final rule is released. Here, the FAA issued the rule first, with the comment period after. But in that case, if anyone objects to the rule, it is rescinded. Two people objected. NTSB 2015 Most Wanted List The annual TSA Most Wanted List represents the Board's 10 advocacy priorities. Some are directed at aviation, and some at other modes of transportation. New Routes can lead to lower fares Route expansions may not seem like exciting news, but they're a bigger deal than you probably think. Why? Because they often spark competition between airlines and drive down fares on multiple carriers. The Aviation Movie of the Month This week, David starts the inaugural Airplane Geeks Inflight Movie of the Month: Always, the modern retelling of A Guy Named Joe. So what did David think? 4 out of 5 props. The Australia News Desk Grant’s tired after completing his CASA panel interview process for aircraft maintenance management and Steve’s hungover after a few too many red wines with the “Infrequent Flyer” himself at the Members’ Reserve in the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Oh my!!! Despite this, the boys still manage to report on: More Qantas 767s flying to the Alice Springs boneyard (where a UT-Air Antonov 74-200 may wind up if it’s not careful!) Refurbished Ex-Australian Seasprites start arriving for service in New Zealand. CASA may not be able to regulate some drones, although the cops can certainly fine you if you stuff up with one! Aviation Museum Review Brian Coleman visited the Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum of New Jersey in Teterboro, New Jersey and brings us his report. Airplane Geeks on Ice Report 4 by Juan Fernandez from McMurdo Bay in Antarctica. See more at AirplaneGeeks.com/ice.

Creating content for airlines, a Chinese naval fighter emerges, strong airline passenger demand, record Boeing and Airbus deliveries, United flight attendants file OSHA complaint, the world’s safest airlines, and on-time performance at airports. Guest Al St. Germain is Senior Vice President, USA for Spafax, one of the leading inflight entertainment providers in the world.  Spafax provides content for over 30 different airlines, overseeing licensing, programming, fulfillment and technical services.  In addition to that role, Al serves as publisher of APEX Experience, the official media platform for the Airline Passenger Experience Association, one of the industry's leading trade groups. Prior to Spafax, Al worked at both Delta and United in roles ranging from brand management to product development.  At United, he worked particularly closely with the Onboard Services Group. Al started his career at noted branding firm Landor Associates, where he managed design projects ranging from airline liveries to airport counters to snack bags, all for Delta Air Lines.  Al was also part of the original team that came up with Delta Song. Visit Spafax.com and follow them on Twitter at @Spafax. Al tweets at @alstg. Find the APEX Experience blog at blog.apex.aero and on Twitter at @theAPEXassoc. Mentioned in the Conversation British Airways launches in-flight 'slow TV', with seven hour film of train journey A Breakthrough in Branded Content Revenue: Jetblue Brings Old-School IFE to its Fly-Fi IFC Spafax goes Hollywood to be on forefront of content on-the-go News First photo of the fully operative Chinese rivals to the US Navy F-18 The Chinese naval fighter Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark is operational. This carrier jet is believed to be based on the Soviet-designed Sukhoi Su-33. IATA: Healthy Passenger Demand in November - Domestic Markets Driving Growth IATA released the latest air passenger numbers, and they look good. RPK (revenue passenger kilometers) is up 6.0% over November 2013. November capacity up 5.4% and load factor up to 76.7%. All this is mostly driven by growth in domestic markets, particularly in China and India. Boeing reports record orders, deliveries to airlines in 2014 Boeing and Airbus both set records for airplane deliveries in 2014. Boeing delivered 723 commercial airplanes, a company record. Airbus is reported to have broken their record also, but the official statement isn’t out. In 2014, Boeing booked 1,432 orders worth $232.7B at list price. Boeing's commercial order book shows 5,789 airplanes at year-end, a company high. Fired United Airlines flight attendants say they were spooked by this message  In July 2014, someone drew in the oil film on one of the engines of a United flight scheduled from San Francisco to Hong Kong. Thirteen flight attendants saw that as a threat, refused to fly, and were subsequently fired for insubordination. Now they want to be rehired and filed a whistleblower complaint with OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, under the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century, which protects employees from retaliation for opposing violation of air-safety or air-security standards. World's Safest Airlines for 2015 Safety and product rating review website Airline Ratings.com has announced its top ten safest airlines, and also its top ten safest low cost airlines. OAG Punctuality League 2014: On-time performance results for airlines and airports Aviation Intelligence company OAG announced their on time performance ratings in their Punctuality League 2014 report. The Australia News Desk The boys received the sad news of the passing of Captain Jack Curtis, an icon in the aviation scene down under, particularly in relation to DC-3s. In this week's segment, they give us an interview Grant recorded with Jack in November 2013. He was a great pilot and a top bloke. Blue skies, Jack! Airplane Geeks on Ice

How the TSA treats a man marked as a terrorist, an inside job smuggling guns on an airline, airport security concerns, a former Korean Air executive arrested, United and Orbitz sue over the “hidden city” ticketing strategy, and an AirAsia QZ8501 update. Guest After being convicted of releasing animals from fur farms in 2005, Peter Young was labeled a "terrorist" by the TSA. Since then, flying has been quite interesting for Peter.  You see, Peter was placed on the TSA's Selectee List. This is not the same as the No Fly List. If you are on the Selectee List, you can fly on an airline, but you are subjected to “enhanced screening.” Peter has since experienced all manner of "special treatment" from the TSA. He’s been refused entry onto planes, been tailed through airports, and told his Starbucks coffee might be a bomb. In October 2014, Young launched The Jetsetting Terrorist blog, to document his often hilarious but never boring experiences with the TSA as he travels around the U.S. marked as a "terrorist." Follow Peter on Twitter as @flyingterrorist. News 4 large objects found in AirAsia wreckage and victims search Sonar has picked up large objects, the flight was not certified to fly on that day, why ATC didn’t authorize an increase in altitude, and why pilots don’t turn back. Arrest warrant for ex-Korean Air exec in nut rage Heather Cho, the former VP of Korean Air's in-flight service and the daughter of the Korean Air Chairman, has been arrested. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation investigation determined that Cho's behavior violated the Aviation Safety and Security Act, which bans any behavior that disturbs airplane operation. Gun Smuggling on Plane Reveals Security Oversight In December, a former Delta employee was arrested in New York after allegedly carrying 16 firearms and ammunition in a backpack on a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta. This was after a month long investigation. A Delta baggage handler with access to secure airport areas brought the firearms into the terminal and transferred them to the man, who had already gone through the regular airport security checks. A Gift to the Jihadis: The Unseen Airport Security Threat Airport security focuses on passengers, but baggage handlers and other airline employees with access to restricted areas could be bigger threats. Millennials Worry Most That Airport Security Is Becoming Too Lax More than 740,000 travelers are now enrolled in the TSA’s “Precheck” program, A survey by Harris Interactive shows that younger people are more worried about lax security than older travelers. 22-year-old raises $33,000 in fight with United Airlines Aktarer Zaman, founder of the airfare advice site Skiplagged.com, is being sued by United and Orbitz for providing "unfair competition" and promoting "strictly prohibited" travel. Zaman’s website helps air travelers find “hidden city” tickets. Zaman is raising funds to pay for his legal fees at GoFundMe. David Vanderhoof's Airplane of the Week The Shorts Belfast, a four-engine turboprop freighter produced by Short Brothers. Aviation Movie of the Month Always, a 1989 film directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, and John Goodman. The film introduced Brad Johnson and featured a cameo by Audrey Hepburn. The Australia News Desk The boys are back for 2015 and wondering what happened to last week? Something about holidays and memos, it would appear! In this Desk, Steve and Grant cover the WA Police Air Wing being grounded due to pilots quitting, the last flights of Qantas 767s (well, sort of) and regional airline SkyTrans closing the doors but in the most controlled and well managed method we’ve ever seen! Police choppers grounded as pilots quit Into Alice - Qantas 767 VH-OGT heads into desert storage End of an era as Qantas farewells the 767 "No celebration" as Skytrans shuts up shop

Memoirs of a pilot, AirAsia Flight QZ8501, flying drones safely, falling oil prices and the cost of airline tickets, the Gulfstream G650ER, a look back at 2014 and a look ahead to 2015. Guest Ace Abbott was an F-4 Phantom pilot in the USAF, based in the Far East, and he flew the Learjet as a corporate and charter pilot. During the last 22 years of his career, Ace flew the Boeing 727 for several airlines, accumulating 11,000 hours in the captain’s chair. Ace is retired now, he blogs, and he authored his memoir, The Rogue Aviator In the Back Alleys of Aviation. and Dead Tired: Aviation’s Insidious Killer which looks at pilot fatigue. Ace was featured by two young aviation bloggers: Share Your Story: Ace Abbott, Author, F-4 Phantom and 727 Pilot by Swayne Martin and Ace Abbott - His Story by Jake Lewis. Find Ace's books, blog and more at The Rogue Aviator. Follow Ace on Twitter: @aceabbott. News Update on AirAsia 8501 Accident AirAsia Flight 8501 was flying from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore with 162 souls onboard: 155 passengers, 2 pilots, and 5 crew. State-owned AirNav Indonesia provides air-navigation services and said the AirAsia plane took off at 5:32 a.m. local time. While cruising at 32,000 feet at 6:12 a.m., it contacted traffic control at Jakarta’s airport to say it was moving left from the flight path and rising to 38,000 feet to avoid a cloud. At 6:18 a.m. QZ8501 disappeared from radar. UK Body Warns Drone Owners: Fly Safely, or You'll Be Fined The UK civil aviation authority reminds people that if you fly recklessly you can be fined as much as 5,000 pounds. Know Before You Fly An education campaign founded by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), and the Small UAV Coalition in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to educate prospective users about the safe and responsible operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Why Only Some Airline Tickets Are Falling With Lower Oil Prices Oil prices have plummeted, and fuel is the big cost element for airlines. So does that mean that ticket prices will fall as well? Not necessarily. Different airline fuel hedging strategies play a role. See also: Major US Airlines That Took Risky Bets On Oil Are Hurting From Falling Prices and Airfare Should Get Cheaper In 2015 Due To Plummeting Oil Prices, Experts Say. Airlines We Lost in 2014 The Cranky Flier looks at the airlines that in 2014 went out of business, were bought, or retired. The Newest Version Of The $66.5 Million G650 Can Fly Nonstop From New York To Hong Kong The Gulfstream G650ER can carry an extra 4,000 pounds of fuel which increases range to 8,600 miles, enough to fly nonstop from New York to Hong Kong or Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia. David Vanderhoof's History Segment This week Jamie Dodson tells us about the Convair B-36 "Peacemaker." Airplane Geeks on Ice Juan Carlos Fernandez Diaz is part of a scientific crew flying in Antarctica. He created the website Listener Reports from an Airplane Geek from McMurdo Station Antarctica and sends us his first report on aviation from that continent. Mentioned Costs rising as Boeing rushes to fly refueling tanker China hopes to mine gold from retired jets Credit Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.  

An air taxi operation, cabin branding at Delta, Phenom 100 crash initial findings, IATA recommendations for airline tracking, Airbus A380 orders, and A350 first delivery in the news. Guest William Herp is CEO and Co-Founder of Linear Air. Bill holds ...

A regional airline’s flight operations center, NTSB report on 787 battery fire, a cracked Dreamliner window, outgoing TSA security chief John Pistole, why cheap fuel might not be a good thing, and airports that court avgeeks. Guest Brad Sheehan is Vice President of Flight Operations at ExpressJet Airlines. He's responsible for the daily operations of more than 4,000 pilots and all Flight Operations functions. We talk about the responsibilities of Flight Operations, managing “irregular operations” such as weather events, and accommodating passengers when there are disruptions. Brad describes the operations center job functions: mostly dispatchers, but also a team of managers, maintenance controllers, and schedulers. The gap in the U.S. created by pilots retiring in next 10 - 15 years means majors will draw on the regionals for pilots. While many see the regionals as a stepping stone to the majors, a regional career could be attractive and Brad describes how that applied to him. Brad has a degree in Aviation Management from Auburn University, and began his career at Atlantic Southeast Airlines in 1997 as a pilot based in Atlanta. In his 17 years with ExpressJet, he’s served as a line check airman, instructor pilot, project manager, and chief pilot. He served as the director of Corporate Safety, Security and Compliance from 2010 to 2013 where he was instrumental in launching numerous safety programs including their Safety Management System (SMS). Headquartered in Atlanta, ExpressJet is the world’s largest regional airline with 9,000 aviation professionals, an average of 2,000 daily flights, and an all-jet fleet. ExpressJet operates as American Eagle, Delta Connection, and United Express to serve more than 190 airports in the U.S., Bahamas, Canada and Mexico. If you’re looking for a career in aviation, ExpressJet is hiring pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, crew schedulers, and more. If you want to begin your career as a pilot but don’t have your ATP CTP yet, ExpressJet offers a free, in-house CTP course for new hire pilots. Find ExpressJet on their Facebook page, and learn more about employment opportunities on their ExpressJet Airlines Pilot Recruiting Facebook page. Follow @ExpressJetPilot on Twitter and expressjetpilots on Instagram. News Temperature in 787 battery cells spikes in cold conditions: NTSB The NTSB issued its final report on the January 7, 2013 incident where ground workers discovered smoke and flames coming from an auxiliary power unit lithium-ion battery in a Japan Airlines 787 that was parked at the gate at Boston Logan International Airport. Previously, the NTSB said that one of the battery's cells experienced an internal short circuit which caused thermal runaway in the cell. That then spread to the other cells and caused a full battery thermal runaway. NTSB Press release: NTSB Recommends Process Improvements for Certifying Lithium-ion Batteries as it Concludes its Investigation of the 787 Boston Battery Fire Incident “As a result of its findings, the NTSB is recommending that the FAA improve the guidance and training provided to industry and FAA certification engineers on safety assessments and methods of compliance for designs involving new technology.” Man Punches And Cracks A Magical 787 Dreamliner Window A man aboard a Thomson Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner punching one of the plane's windows, causing it to crack and frightening the other passengers. He was arrested on arrival, pleaded guilty, and is awaiting sentencing in January. Considering the Year in Airport Security, With the T.S.A. Chief The New York Times’ Business Day section did an extensive interview with John Pistole, the outgoing administrator of the Transportation Security Administration. Among the topics discussed: the growth of TSA’s PreCheck program and possibly switching the program to private contractors. Airlines: Another Reason to Worry About Cheap Fuel