Airplane Geeks Podcast

Dogs and other animals that fly, an update on unmanned aerial vehicles, charitable aviation organizations that provide transportation to those in need, the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Wirraway, and flying GA in the US and Europe. Guest Victoria...

Finding employment through aviation job boards, a new airline seating idea, KLM caters to avgeeks, bribing your way to airline upgrades, and challenges to flying on the airlines. Guest Tim Kirkwood has been a flight attendant for 38 years. He's President of the aviation jobs board AviaNation.com, an online aviation employment board and recruitment site with aviation jobs in all job categories, worldwide. Tim is author of The Flight Attendant Career Guide, now in its fourth edition. This book is a career resource for U.S. and Canadian flight attendant applicants. Tim is also Executive Director for Women in Corporate Aviation, a non-profit organization of mentoring, networking and scholarships for men and women in corporate aviation. You can follow @AviaNation on Twitter and Facebook, and Tim is also GeezerStew on Facebook. We're also joined by aviation journalist Jason Rabinowitz. Jason is also Data Research Manager for Routehappy, the product differentiation platform for air travel. Follow Jason on Twitter at @AirlineFlyer. News Bye-Bye, Rows? New Airplane Design Has You Sitting in a Circle We’ve seen a number of patents in the last few months from Airbus. Some a little wacky. This patent application shows an airplane that looks like the designs we’ve seen from Boeing for a blended wing body. But the seating arrangement is in the round. For Airline Geeks Only: Win A Night In A Parked KLM MD-11 KLM continues to provide interesting opportunities for aviation enthusiasts, this time a contest where the prize was to spend the night inside one of its retired MD11s parked at Schiphol. The Under-the-Tray-Table Upgrade On a recent trip from Los Angeles to Chicago, the writer of the article decided to try for his own upgrades. At every opportunity, he discreetly offered cash to airline employees, Transportation Security Administration employees and fellow passengers in exchange for a better seat or faster service. The worst thing about flying? These people JetBlue announced they will reduce leg room on some flights and they plan to introduce baggage fees. We’ve seen incidents involving seat reclining disagreements that resulted in flight diversions. What’s going on here? David Vanderhoof's History Segment In the spirit of Thanksgiving, David tells us Martin’s Story. The Australia News Desk Aside from helping explain where “Jabiru” comes from, the boys also give an update on CASA’s “Jabiru Consultation Draft,” discuss JetGo’s decision to not fly Sydney to Roma (before it even starts), and enjoy the fact that Brisbane West Wellcamp airport in Toowoomba has gone from bare dirt to accepting its first commercial airline operation in less time than Brisbane Airport took to negotiate who’d pay for their third runway. Across the Pond Pieter talks further with Oussama Salah about Qatar Executive and their business jets, as well as Saudia Airlines. See Oussama’s posts on his Oussamas Take Blog. Listener Recording Listener Evan Schoo tells us a little story about his one and only helicopter trial instructional flight. He also sends the link to a video from the flight. Mentioned How to make your flight attendant like you, by George Hobica. Lainey's first airplane ride Title transfer documents for the orbiters, signed at the formal, public hand-over ceremonies. Chinese J-10B Crashed in Front of Commercial Building Ace Abbot’s Rogue Aviator: In the Back Alleys of Aviation book signings.  

NTSB Board Member Robert Sumwalt, a penalty against Asiana Airlines, A350-900 type certification, the Fisher P-75 Eagle, Jabiru engines, UAV sense and avoid, Etihad growth into Europe, and aircraft at the G20 summit. Guest Robert Sumwalt, Board Member, National Transportation Safety Board. We talk with Robert about the process for being nominated and confirmed as an NTSB Board member, and the roles played by Board members, including being the face to the public for accident investigations, and reviewing and approving investigation reports. We also talk about the NTSB’s “Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements,” the Board’s function as a court of appeals, and how the Board reaches consensus. Robert was sworn in as the 37th Member of the NTSB in 2006, and President George W. Bush designated him as Vice Chairman of the Board for a two-year term. Then in 2011, President Barack Obama reappointed Robert to an additional five year term. Prior to joining the Board, Robert was a pilot for 32 years, including 24 years as an airline pilot with Piedmont Airlines and US Airways. After his airline career, he managed the flight department for a Fortune 500 company. Robert has over 14,000 flight hours and has type ratings in five aircraft. Robert conducted aviation safety research as a consultant to NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System, and he has written extensively on aviation safety matters, having published over 90 articles and papers, as well as co-authoring a book on aircraft accidents. He holds a Master of Aeronautical Science (with Distinction) from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, specializing in Aviation/Aerospace Safety Systems and Human Factors Aviation Systems. Follow the NTSB on Twitter at @NTSB. News Asiana Airlines Suspends Service to San Francisco As a penalty for last year’s crash landing at SFO, Asiana Airlines must cease flights from Incheon, South Korea, to San Francisco for 45 days. This comes from the South Korean government. Unless the airline appeals, the flight suspension must take place within six months. Airbus A350-900 Receives FAA Type Certification The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) previously awarded type certification in September. David Vanderhoof's Aircraft of the Week David explores the Eagle that was a turkey - the Fisher P-75 Eagle. The P-75 was an aircraft so bad it never got into production. However, it spared GM and Fisher Auto Body from producing B-29s, and put them into position after the war of being able to quickly get back into the auto business. The Australia News Desk Steve and Grant bring you the Australia Sports Desk report … ooops, hang on, that’s the Australia Aviation News Desk report - sorry about that. CASA are all but grounding aircraft with Jabiru engines due to 40 engine failures in the past year (representing about 0.03% of all Jabiru movements) The world’s longest serving commercial 747 pilot has been flying with Qantas since 1969 and will be commanding his final flight as we record. His son will be on board as his copilot Spotters Mag (www.spottersmag.com) have launched an Australia/New Zealand variant of their online magazine. Lots of aircraft in Brisbane for the G20 summit, including Air Force One which landed at RAAF Base Amberley bringing President Obama to the event (he ferried from Amberley to Brisbane in the Marine One helicopter). Rob Mark’s Aviation Minute Rob asks the question, “how do we safely separate manned and unmanned aircraft?” Sense and avoid doesn’t yet exist for unmanned drones. Across the Pond Pieter revisits the Middle East with Oussama Salah talking exclusively about Etihad growth into Europe. Oussamas Take Blog. Mentioned UK’s NATS Releases A Cool ATC Video G20 Brisbane: World leaders and their super planes Credit Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.  

Aerial refueling, airline profits boosted by lower fuel prices, the future of the U.S. Air Force, bad behavior at the airport, and the NBAA Convention. Guest Guest Matt Fritz is a KC-135 Instructor and Commander with over 2000 hours, including combat and combat support. He is also a certified acquisition professional, a certified Emotional Intelligence Trainer/Practitioner, and the Author of an instructional book entitled, “Leveraging Your LinkedIn Profile for Success.” Matt actively blogs with other military leaders at GeneralLeadership.com, as well as at his personal blog AdvancedVectors.com. He’s a civilian licensed commercial pilot with multi-engine and turbine ratings. We talk about the role of the KC-135 tanker, an aircraft with a mix of old and new technology. Also, the future look of the Air Force, and the importance of open communication between military leaders and the public - connecting the warrior to the citizen. Matt has some advice for young pilots who aspire to serve their country as a military aviator, and he tells us a story about a brand new boom operator flying over Afghanistan on a night mission. News Cheaper Fuel Leads to Record Profits at Airlines Third Quarter airline results are in, with American Airlines, United Continental Holdings, and Southwest Airlines seeing record profits. A big part of the reason? Lower fuel prices. America's Enemies Beware: The U.S. Air Force Is Set to Soar (and Become Even Deadlier) This article in The National Interest argues that between now and 2035, the U.S. Air Force will come to look very different than it has in the past. Historically, they say, the Air Force has been defined by it’s platforms: fighters, bombers, airlifters, refuelers, surveillance and reconnaissance, and command and control. The authors see a future where the Air Force will not focus on aircraft types, but on the Airmen, who will become “cyber-aided warriors with tremendous reach.” Homophobic Man Taken Down at Airport After Inciting Brawl Over "Queers" A man at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, who was described by some as drunk or on drugs, started a fight with another man wearing a pink shirt. When it got physical, passengers standing around jumped in, tackled the man, and held him down until police officers put him in handcuffs. All this was caught on video. NBAA's 2014 Convention Wraps Up as a Highly Successful Show Rob gives us highlights from the NBAA Convention, which saw some 1,100 exhibitors, more than 100 aircraft, with over 26,000 people in attendance. Aircraft of the Week The MiG-28, the Exocet, and the Super Etendard.  David looks at one of the dumbest lines in Moviedom and TOPGUN.  “They are the MiG-28 and carry the Exocet anti-shipping missile.”  Flashback to when the movie was made and we explore why the Exocet was on everyone's mind. The Australia News Desk Steve talks with Rod Rakic and brings us an update on Open Airplane, a service that assists pilots who want to rent an airplane. The network now has 72 locations in the U.S. with over 250 aircraft available, now including light twins, LSA, and tail draggers. 8000 pilots have signed up. Across the Pond Pieter talks to Marisa Garcia from www.flightchic.com about the latest trends in airline seating,  and her busy travel schedule. “If you want to cover aviation, you’ve got to fly…..” Credit U.S. Air Force KC-125 photo by Kevin Robertson. "SUEreabasteciendo1" by Martín Otero - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons. Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.

The first Mitsubishi MRJ, screening for Ebola at the airport, the aging military aircraft fleet, mobile phones on the plane, FAA drone enforcement for licensed pilots, and Airways News. Guest We talk with Benét Wilson, Co-Editor-in-Chief of Airways N...

The passenger experience: social media, in-flight connectivity, wearable technology, seat pitch. Guest Aviation journalist Mary Kirby is founder and editor of the Runway Girl Network, a B2B2C source for intelligence about the passenger experience. The Network covers the industry from nose to tail, in the air, and on the ground. Be sure to follow the #PaxEx hashtag. Topics Tweeting While Flying, Part II: Another Passenger Booted From Flight After Tweeting A JetBlue passenger tweeted that the pilot was or might have been intoxicated. Another passenger in turn Tweeted about this but was denied re-boarding after the pilot was cleared. Airline passengers are increasingly using social media to make comments about the airline or the flight. Just what does it take for a passenger to be considered “disruptive”? Airlines need a protocol for how a they respond to the new level of social media activity and scrutiny. "I Have Ebola": Passenger Causes Scare on Flight That Departed From Philly On a flight from PHL to the Dominican Republic, a 54-year-old man had reportedly said "I have Ebola, you are all screwed." The plane was met by a team in full hazmat suits at the destination. Screenings have been stepped up at JFK for passengers arriving from high risk countries. Passengers can make bad jokes or inappropriate comments that can affect flight safety. What should the consequences be? Airline Passengers Ready for Wearable Tech A recent SITA survey shows technology improves the passenger experience. Almost 77% of surveyed passengers said they would be comfortable with the use of wearable tech to help them on their journey. Airlines who seek to differentiate themselves on service are looking at wearables like Google Glass. We also examine in-flight connectivity, who the providers are, and opportunities in an environment where penetration outside the US is only estimated to be 6% The Gogo Text & Talk product lets you use your mobile phone in flight, and is rolling out to business aviation. Could major US airline create an “economy minus” cabin? A US legacy airline is shopping around the idea that it’s planning to create a dedicated “economy minus” cabin. This could be a trial balloon, but maybe not. Low Cost Carriers (LCC) and Ultra Low Cost Carriers (ULCC) are putting a lot of pressure on the US majors. Who will go below the 28” seat pitch? Aircraft of the Week Jamie Dodson tells us about the Sikorsky S-43 Amphibian. The Australia News Desk Grant has been flying a balloon again, and he’s taken Evan Schoo and Albert up with him. They take a moment from the flight to record an intro, then Grant slots in these news items: Changes have started at CASA but the official response to the Aviation Safety Regulatory Review (aka, The Forsyth Report) haven’t come out yet. That response is due by the end of 2014. The Qantas Founders Museum have purchased a Lockheed Super Constellation to join the aircraft on display at Longreach in outback Queensland. The Aviation Minute Rob looks at how personal electronic devices impair the pre-flight safety briefing. Across the Pond Pieter visits Tim Robinson at the Royal Aeronautical Society’s London HQ, 4 Hamilton Place. Hallowed ground for any aviation and aerospace geek. Mentioned 617 Squadron and the Dams Raid Seaplane in Tasmania 3 Sir John Falls Wright Brothers National Memorial National Historical Park, Ohio Carillon Historical Park Hawthorn Hill Henry Ford Museum's Greenfield Village Credit Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.

Aircraft salvage, the Chicago ATC Center fire, airline cyber threats, effects of aviation product liability, and a new Sikorsky fast attack helicopter. Guest Rachel Payne talks about how aircraft salvage company FAST Aviation locates airplanes, gets them back flying, or parts them out to support general aviation aircraft owners. We also discuss Hangar Swap, the new marketplace for aviators. Follow @FASTAviationFL and @HangarSwap on Twitter, and find FASTaviation and HangarSwap on Facebook. News Chicago Bizav Traffic Moving Following ATC Center Fire An update on the recent air traffic control center fire, which is still at ATC Zero. Boeing urges airlines to be vigilant of cyber security threats At the Aircraft Commerce magazine’s recent Aircraft e-Enablement conference in London, John Craig, Boeing’s chief engineer of cabin and network solutions, gave the industry a warning: don’t ignore cyber security. There are lots of opportunities for hackers. Liability: The Price We Pay Product liability costs can contribute significantly to high prices. This article explores some of the ways insurance and litigation costs impact the industry. S-97 Raider High-Speed Attack Helicopter Debuts Sikorsky Aircraft unveiled the a prototype S-97 Raider high-speed attack helicopter. This features a coaxial rotor and a rear-mounted propeller, giving it a top speed of 253 miles per hour - almost twice what you’d get from current attack helicopters. Jerrie Mock, first woman to fly solo around the world, dies at 88 Geraldine "Jerrie" Fredritz Mock flew solo around the world in 1964. The flight took 29 days, and covered almost 22,860 miles. Addison Airport just went live with the first at a GA EMAS in Texas. A 5-minute time-lapsed video shows the entire 6 week project. David's Report David describes his trip to the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The Australia News Desk Grant’s flying solo and talks about the Martin Jetpack company going for an IPO, and then covers some problems with CASA’s recent introduction of Part 61 licenses. After that it’s on to the military and he wonders how the RAAF will fit their two new C17s into the available space at RAAF Base Amberley, not to mention the new C27Js which will eventually be based there as well. Anyone got a shoe horn? Grant wraps it all up with the news that the RAAF’s first two F35s have flown and are going through their acceptance flight tests before heading to Luke AFB next year for use with RAAF pilot training. Across the Pond Pieter Johnson talks to Managing Editor of The Aviation Historian, Mick Oakey about the latest edition. You will learn why flying a supersonic jet, literally makes your teeth fall out! Mentioned Worldflight group website and the Cockpitbuilders Worldflight Team USA, "flying" full scale flight simulators to take part in a round-the-world flight for charity. Each team raises money for a different charity in their local country through their own individual websites. The Grumman G-21A Goose and the De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver Mk1, by Ryan Hothersall. As listener Patrick was taking off from Salt Lake International, he looked down and saw a strange aircraft sitting on the ramp.  A closer look showed that the line folks had arranged baggage carts into the full scale shape of an airplane: Credit Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.  

Results from our listener survey, the B787 battery issue, Air Traffic Control Center vulnerability, historic aircraft, flying a float plane, and air-to-air photography. News Boeing, FAA Don't Understand 787 Battery Shortcomings, Japanese Say After the Boeing 787 experienced Lithium Ion battery problems, Boeing made some changes designed to reduce the chances of thermal runaway, and to better manage the situation should it occur. But the root cause for the problem was never determined. By Christine Negroni in her Flying Lessons blog. Illinois man accused of torching air traffic center was being transferred to Hawaii A disgruntled FAA contractor posted a suicide note on Facebook, brought a can of gasoline into the Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center, and set the place on fire, affecting more than 2,000 flights. The man was found by paramedics as he attempted to end his life with a knife. Allen vs Jackson to restore or recreate the battle for collections Paul Allen (co-Founder of Microsoft) and Peter Jackson of (Lord Of The Rings Fame) are both amassing huge warbird collections.  They are being painstakingly restored by Allen and  completely recreated from scratch by Jackson using original plans.  The article questions if flying these on of a kind aircraft is worth the risk.  Also does creating a “Clone” of an original demean the original and cloud the historical significance. Flying a Seaplane Rob’s been learning to fly a float plane. David’s Report The Geico Skytypers were invited by the Blue Angels to do a formation flight, and they wanted to David to take some air-to-air photographs. David relates that adventure. At the Naval Air Station Oceana Air Show, David spoke with Kenneth Hess, the Public Affairs Officer for the Chief of Naval Operations, Energy and Environmental Readiness Division. They discussed biofuels and goals of the Navy to reduce energy consumption. Ken mentions the free Energy Warrior app, which lets you discover what the Navy is doing to lead change and increase combat capability. You also learn facts about U.S. oil dependence, and what America’s Navy is doing about it. Also at Oceana, David spoke with air show and event announcer Ric Peterson about what it takes to be an announcer. The Australia News Desk In one of the shortest AusDesks of all time, Grant chats briefly with Errol Cavit and Zac Yates after the recent Wings Over New Zealand Forum meet-up at Ardmore Airport near Auckland. In addition to Grant scoring a flight in a de Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth, there were plenty of amazing aircraft (including a 2-seat Spitfire) and excellent presentations during the day (plus some beer at the end). Across the Pond Pieter looks at the UK Government Review of commercial spaceplane certification and operations: Technical Report [PDF], as well as the recent news on MOM, MAVEN and Rosetta. Mentioned Airbus helps develop first supersonic biz jet Rand Peck Aviation Photography AIR14 - The pilots' view Plane Spotting: U.N. Brings Rare Jets to NYC Melanoma Incidence Is Much Higher for Flight Crews Credit Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.

The single engine Navion airplane, air traffic controller hiring guidelines, Air France pilot’s strike, robots flying airplanes, Delta Air Line’s refinery, and NextGen. Guest Chris Gardner is founder and CEO of Sierra Hotel Aero, holder of the type certificate for the single engine Navion airplane. Chris has a commercial aviation background, as well as extensive experience with North American Aviation aircraft including rebuilding and modification for racing of the P-51 Mustang, the T- 28, and Navion aircraft. We review a little of the history of the Navion and how it was originally envisioned by North American Aviation to attract the interest of pilots returning from World War II. With Sierra Hotel Aero now owning the type certificate, there are opportunities to modernize and upgrade the airplane. Chris is working on an STC for larger engine for the airplane. Sierra Hotel Aero provides rebuild and modification services, including installation of the BRS Aerospace ballistic recovery parachutes in Cessna 172’s and 182’s. For more on the Navion, see Navion X and the American Navion Society. Find Navion Aircraft on Facebook. News Two Illinois lawmakers seek to dump new FAA controller hiring rules For years, when it came to recruiting new air traffic controllers the FAA favored graduates from FAA-accredited college aviation programs and also military veterans with aviation experience. The general public came last. But the FAA changed that not too long ago and started to favor inexperienced applicants. Some think this negatively impacts safety, and have introduced the Safe Towers Act. French govt ups pressure to end Air France pilots strike Air France pilots are worried that a a new Air France-KLM initiative to increase the size of its LC carrier Transavia will suck jobs away jobs. Tiny Humanoid Robot Learning to Fly Real Airplanes At the 2014 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems in Chicago, the PIBOT from Korean maker Robotis was demonstrated. It operated simulated aircraft controls autonomously. Benet Wilson Named New Co-Editor-in-Chief at Airways News Aviation Queen Benet Wilson is set to join Airways News, the strategic alliance between Airchive.com and Airways Magazine. Memorium Union leader Robert E. Poli led the 1981 air traffic controllers’ strike, which prompted President Ronald Reagan to dismiss 11,500 controllers. Poli died September 15 at his home in Meridian, Idaho. He was 78. Airplane of the Week Jamie Dodson presents the history of the Grumman J2F Duck. Be sure to visit Jamie's website at NickGrantAdventures.com and have a look at his historical fiction novels. Rob Mark's Aviation Minute Rob gives us a list of great aviation writers you should read. The Australia News Desk Grant and Steve join live from Steve’s studio, and talk about RAAF fighter pilots being deployed in an active combat area, the Women's World Hot Air Balloon Championship, and the Great Tiger Moth Air Race in Australia. Find more from Grant and Steve at the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast, and follow the show on Twitter at @PCDU. Steve’s at @stevevisscher and Grant at @falcon124. Mentioned How Delta Bought A Refinery And Wound Up Saving Its Rivals A Ton Of Cash Credit Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.

NASA’s aeronautical research activities, Boeing and Airbus production rates, an NTSB report on pilots and drugs, and an update on the F-35 engine fire. Guest Maj. Gen. Charles Frank Bolden, Jr., (USMC-Ret.) has been the NASA Administrator since Jul...

Patrolling the skies September 11, passengers fighting over reclining seats, pilot hypoxia, a Dubai aviation mega-hub, airplane weather radar, and the new Southwest livery. Guest Guest Patrice Billings was the first female police officer to become ...

An interview with a Blackbird pilot, and another with Amelia Rose Earhart. Also, aviation type clubs, the 2014 AeroSpace X Awards, and we welcome a new team member. On account of the Labor Day holiday in the U.S., we bring you a collection of pre-recorded segments. We’ll be back to the normal format next episode, but this week we have: Rob Mark’s Labor Day Message Rob tells us the history, meaning, and future implications of the American Labor movement. Jamie Dodson’s Interview with Blackbird Pilot Ken Collins Jamie Dodson met with U.S. Air Force Colonel (Ret.) Ken Collins at the Southern Museum of Flight, at the invitation of Dr. Jim Griffin, Director Emeritus. Ken was one of the first pilots to sign on to the secret CIA OXCART program. Jamie Dodson is author of the award winning Nick Grant Adventures Series. A New Team Member Max Flight talks with Brian Coleman, who joins us as an Associate Producer. Brian is focused on identifying and scheduling guests. Rob Mark’s Interview with Amelia Rose Earhart Recorded at AirVenture 2014 in Oshkosh. Learn more at The Amelia Project. The Australia News Desk Taking advantage of the Bits & Pieces nature of this episode, Steve and Grant sneak in a longer AusDesk than usual. This time it’s back to Qantas who have announced a record loss thanks to some restructuring they’re doing as they chase a return to profitability (it’s got to happen eventually, right? :) ) They include a clip of Ross Greenwood on 2GB interviewing Alan Joyce and hitting him with some rather hard questions, all of which Joyce manages to deflect while ensuring he stuck to his key points (it’s not our fault, it’s all due to terrible external causes, we’re turning around and we’ll be profitable next year) (sound familiar??? It’s like the last few years…) Meanwhile, Virgin Australia reports a loss (but their 737 MAXs will apparently be online before Jetstar’s A320 NEOs) while Air New Zealand shows them all how it’s done and reports a profit. Across the Pond Pieter Johnson introduces the 2014 AeroSpace X Awards, Xtended’s annual awards to the industry. He needs your help with support, and of course nominations. AeroSpace X Award Nomination Categories (and last year’s winners): Best Aerospace Watch – (Bremont MB2) Best Product Helping the Aviation / Aerospace Industry – (Dragons of Thin Air) Best Airport / Airfield - (Compton Abbas) Best Online Resource – (LiveATC) Best Restoration Project – (Victor Lusty Lindy XL231) Xtended’s Best Aerospace Product – (The Big Book of Flight) Send nominations to X10D@mail.com. Follow the awards with the Twitter hashtag #AerospaceX. Max Trescott on Aviation Type Clubs Aircraft type clubs are General Aviation’s best-kept secret weapon. While there are more than a hundred of them, they fly stealthily below the radar of most pilots, who seem to be blissfully unaware of their existence and benefits. Only a fraction of pilots belong to any of them, yet they offer the best value proposition in aviation: they’re cheap and they could save your life. You can find a list of them at data.aopa.org/associations. COPA, the Cirrus Pilots Association can be found at www.cirruspilots.org. The Cessna Pilots Association web site is www.cessna.org. Listener Recording Micah's recording titled, “Non-Geek Gripes” looks at air travel from the perspective of the average traveler, compared to that of an airplane geek. Credit Post photo from Farnborough by Ian Allen. Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, general aviation flying, business aviation recovery, the new Eastern Air Lines, UPS 1354, hacker threats, two Lancasters and a Vulcan. Guest Most of Cathy Babis' professional experience has been in the aviation industry.  She is a pilot, flight instructor, ground instructor, air traffic controller, weather observer, and aviation chart cartographer. She’s also a standup comedian. Cathy works for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency making instrument flying charts for military pilots to use when flying outside the U.S. The NGA is both an intelligence agency and a combat support agency, and currently has some job opportunities. She tells us a few good flying stories, including one where she met Steve McQueen. Visit Cathy's comedy website, and follow her on Twitter and Facebook. The News Business Aviation’s Second Quarter Comeback According to a report published by Jet Support Services Incorporated (JSSI), second quarter 2014 global business aviation activity grew by 8 percent quarter-over-quarter and by 3 percent year-over-year. JSSI tracks the number of hours that business aircraft have flown according to region, industry and aircraft type. Aviation analyst sees slow growth in business jet market Rolland Vincent, president of Rolland Vincent Associates, spoke at the recent Wichita Aero Club luncheon: He forecasts demand for 9,391 business jets in the next 10 years valued at $257 billion. NTSB bans airline, pilots union from participating in UPS 1354 crash investigation The Airbus A300 crashed short of the runway on approach to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport on Aug. 14, 2013, killing the two pilots on board. Hackers Target Gaming Networks, Plane Carrying Sony Exec Angry hackers tweet threats directed at the commercial flight of the Sony Online Entertainment President. America's Newest Airline Is a Very Old One Created in 2011, Eastern Air Lines Group has moved their head offices to the old Eastern operations center at Miami International Airport. Boeing 737-800 jets are on order. Across the Pond Pieter talks about the Lancaster Bomber 2014 UK Tour and Vulcan To The Sky, which dovetails into the even greater sight of the #Avro3Sisters flight. Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook atXTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast. Listener Recording From Micah, “Pueblo - A Geeks Dream.” Mentioned Girls With Wings Credit Vulcan photo at Farnborough by Ian Allen. Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.

Running a privately owned/public use general aviation airport, flight instruction, FAA position on GA ride sharing, biometric technology at the airport, an airline passenger survey, the C-130, Exercise Black Pitch, and a HondaJet interview. Guests Shelly DeZevallos from West Houston Airport tells about running a general aviation airport. She grew up around the small, gravel strip airport where her father worked as a flight instructor. He bought the airport in the 1970’s, and now West Houston Airport is the family's privately owned/public use airport with a dual taxiway, a 4000 foot runway. About 375 airplanes are based there. Mike Camelin from SunState Aviation also joins in with Shelly to talk about flight training. The demand for pilots makes this a good time to get your license and we discuss paying for training, pacing the instruction, and what to look for in a flight school, such as maintenance of the aircraft, dedication of the flight instructors to your learning, and the professionalism of the entire staff, not just the CFIs. The News FAA Bans GA Ride Sharing Companies Airpooler is a web-based system where private pilots with passenger space available on a planned flight, offer to take on passengers who only pay their pro-rata share of flight costs. The FAA has issued a legal interpretation against “peer-to-peer general aviation flight sharing.” Biometric technology – the key enabler of a single passenger token and improved passenger tracking? In early 2015 a biometric-based trial called “Happy Flow” could launch at Aruba Airport. A biometric scan at check-in would create a “passenger token” that would then be used at other checkpoints. No more boarding passes. This is a collaboration between Air France-KLM, the governments of Aruba and the Netherlands, and Aruba and Schiphol airports. Survey: Nearly Two-thirds of Americans Do Not Have A Preferred Airline The Street conducted a telephone survey with about 1,000 interviews, and 63% don’t have a preferred airline, while only 5% consider frequent flier miles important. What annoys Americans when traveling by airplane? 73% say high ticket prices. HondaJet Interview Rob Mark interviewed Andrew Broom, Division Director of Corporate Communications and marketing at HondaJet. Recorded at Airventure 2014. David Vanderhoof’s Airplane of the Week In Honour of the 60th anniversary of the aircraft that Kelly Johnson thought would, “destroy Lockheed,” David does a “Not a History Segment” on his all-time favorite aircraft: the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. “The First Lady” resides peacefully at Eglin Air Force Base. Fulton Recovery System video. The Australia News Desk Grant’s back from a week in Cairns covering Exercise Pitch Black 2014 which brought together combat aircraft from Australia, Singapore, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. Thanks to our contacts with the RAAF media department, Grant was airside at Darwin and Tindal RAAF bases getting photos and videos plus recording plenty of content for a future PCDU episode. In amongst the many interviews Grant recorded, he spoke with Lt Col Scott Abogast, the detachment commander for the 12 US Air National Guard F16s. Mentioned American Association of Airport Executives PaxEx Podcast Episode 16: Fierce Competition and Blind Recognition with Ryan Ghee, editor and event strategy manager at Future Travel Experience. Credit Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. Find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.

This Episode: A great new resource for business travelers, an FAA hangar policy change, the airliner manufacturing ramp-up, an MH370 update, the Griffon Lionheart, and some space news. Guest Chris McGinnis has had a long career in travel journalism, appearing on television and writing online. He recently created the Travel Skills blog, part of Boarding Area network, with news, information, tips, advice, and trip reports. Chris also co-hosts the #travelskills chat on Twitter with travel guru Johnny Jet every Friday morning at 9:00am Pacific Time (noon Eastern). There you’ll find topics discussed for an hour by people who are passionate about travel. The News New FAA Hangar Policy Draft: Much Confusion in GA Community The FAA issued a draft policy that addresses the allowed uses for hangars at airports that receive federal grant funding. The policy as stated impacts airplane homebuilders. GE Aviation invests $50M in 3-D printing plant Alcoa Continues Aerospace Push With $1.1 Billion Pratt & Whitney Deal Boeing, United Technologies Stockpile Titanium Parts GE's upgrade to their 300,000-square-foot Auburn, Alabama manufacturing plant is intended to let them mass produce fuel nozzles for the Leap-X engine. More broadly, we talk about the huge manufacturing ramp up required to satisfy the production requirements for new aircraft such as the A320neo family, 737 MAX, Comac C919, and Irkut MC-21. Australia to announce next MH370 search Malaysia Steps In to Save Its Reeling National Airline Australia has selected Dutch company Fugro Survey to undertake the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The operation is expected to begin in September and last as long as a year. We also see that the Malaysian government plans to take full control of the company through a stock, buyback and restructure the airline’s operations. David Vanderhoof's Aircraft of the Week David is off this week, but Jamie Dodson from NickGrantAdventures.com steps in to tell us about the Griffon Lionheart, an American single-engined, six-seat biplane designed and produced in kit form for home building by Griffon Aerospace of Harvest, Alabama. Across the Pond Pieter is back reporting on the European Space Agency news that the Rosetta mission is now close to Comet 67P, ATV5 is close to docking with the ISS, the possibility that the UK will get its own Spaceport. Listen to Ep.27 – From rocket history to spaceplanes for more space content. Listener Recording Micah tells the story, “Favorite Flights I Never Flew.” Mentioned The 8 best beds on a Boeing 777 Chris McGinnis' video tour of the crew rest area on Cathay Pacific's new Boeing 777-300ER. Boeing looking to expand presence in South Africa Boeing Partners with South African Airways to Turn New Tobacco Plant into Jet Fuel Activities include training, manufacturing, and biofuels. Boeing and South African Airways signed an agreement last year to establish a sustainable aviation biofuel supply chain in Southern Africa. Photos from Paul Filmer NCAR FRAPPE and NASA DISCOVER-AQ Operations in Colorado - July 2014 Aviation News – NCAR FRAPPE and NASA DISCOVER-AQ Operations in Colorado Xtended Episode.29 - FIA 2014 (Live) Recorded at the Farnborough International Airshow, Pieter and Tim talk to Jean Vincent Reymondon, Social Media Manager with the Media Relations Department of the Airbus Group. You’ll also hear interviews with several key suppliers. Credit Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.