Airplane Geeks Podcast

Boeing’s ab initio pilot program, the airline industry sues the TSA over security fees, the Pilatus PC-12, an interview with AOPA President Mark Baker, and listener feedback. The News Boeing Announces Ab Initio Pilot Program … except it doesn’t work in the U.S. Boeing announced a new airline pilot training program where graduates will be qualified to go directly into the right seat of airliners. But not in the U.S. which now requires more flight hours. The first part of the program (from Boeing subsidiary Jeppeson) includes 12-18 months of flight training, giving an Airline Transport Pilot license. The second part of the program includes two months of training at a Boeing facility with a full-motion jet simulator, giving a Boeing type rating. Airline Industry Takes Gloves Off, Sues TSA Over Security Fee Hike The Transportation Security Administration increased the security fee that airline passengers pay. Previously, the fee was $2.50 per flight (“enplanement”) with a $10 maximum. As of July 21, 2014, there is a flat fee of $5.60 per one-way trip, with no limit on the number of enplanements. Except, a layover of more than 4 hours is another “trip” and subject to another $5.60. U.S. airline trade group Airlines for America (A4A) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), filed a petition over the fee increase in federal court. Regional Airline Buzz Job Making a low pass flyover of your home during a commercial flight is not looked upon favorably. David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week The Pilatus PC-12. Mark Baker Interview Rob Mark talked to AOPA President Mark Baker at Oshkosh about his personal history, how he started in flying, and how he came to AOPA. Baker talks about injecting some fun into AOPA and the regional fly-ins, where participation has exceeded expectations. They also talk about the Rusty Pilots program to encourage lapsed pilots and the fantastic results achieved so far, and ideas for bringing in new pilots, including Reimagined Airplanes. The Australia News Desk Steve and Grant are in Sydney to shoot video for Airbus as the A350 XWB makes its first visit to Australia so where else should they record the OzDesk than beside the bizjet ramp? TigerAir may be growing a little too quickly once again as they have had a couple of recent safety related incidents. Growth is good for Brumby Aircraft, an Australian light sport manufacturer who have just signed a manufacturing deal with China’s Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC). Mentioned The Amelia Project - website of Amelia Rose Earhart's flight around the world. No, I'm not related: Amelia Earhart at TEDxMSUDenver (YouTube video) Maine-based Elite Airways takes flight path to expansion The “Crash Cluster” NSF/NCAR C-130 Icon Aircraft What is the Ultimate Flying palace? VIP Airliner Comparison Breathing Tax, from Thromby Air, the lowest of the low. Venezuela's airport 'breathing' tax 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.

Airchive.com and Airways Magazine working together, airline citations over passenger rights, airline safety, and announcements from AirVenture Oshkosh. Guest Guest Chris Sloan is the founder of Airchive.com and president and founder of 2C Media, a television production and promotion company. Previously, Chris held senior level executive positions with NBC, TLC, and USA Networks. Chris produced "International Airport 24/7: Miami" on the Travel Channel, and oversaw the TLC documentary on the building of the Airbus A-380 featuring John Travolta. We talk about changes at Airchive.com and their cross-promotion with Airways magazine, which is becoming more feature driven.  Airchive.com will become AirwaysNews.com and deliver the digital product. Also, Chris tells us about the challenges producing Airport 24/7 and other aviation programs he has in the works. We talk about  aviation shows on TV, thoughts on an all-aviation television channel, and how different markets demand different aviation programming. News Passenger rights rules lead to jump in U.S. airline citations The LA Times looked at U.S. Department of Transportation records for citations issued against airlines and travel agencies from 2010 to 2013. 521 citations were issued in that time period, almost twice the annual rate for the previous four years. Airlines were cited airlines 181 times for violating rules of unfair and deceptive practices, like advertising fares that were not available. Mistreating disabled passengers resulted in the largest fines. Elsewhere: Netherlands and Germany fine foreign airlines over ETS Swiss Regulator Fines Airlines $11M For Price-Fixing Despite All the Recent Accidents, Flying is Still Very Safe It’s been a bad time recently for commercial aviation: MH70 still missing, MH17 shot down by a missile over Ukraine, TransAsia ATR-72 crashed a Taiwanese in heavy rains killing 40, aAn Air Algerie MD-83 with 116 on board crashed in Mali. Flight Bans Show Skittishness Over Trouble Spots Airlines are acting ahead of their regulatory agencies. How Israel persuaded the Airlines that Ben Gurion is Safe Israel’s Civil Aviation authorities sent a memo to international airline regulators and airlines, describing that Ben-Gurion is safe. In part, the memo says, "The Iron dome launch batteries covering Ben-Gurion Airport operate under a specific set of procedures which I cannot go into in detail due to security reasons. I would like to note, however, that out of over 2,250 rockets fired from Gaza into Israeli territory... not a single one has landed in Ben-Gurion Airport." News from AirVenture Oshkosh 2014 AeroVue Cockpit Retrofit Launched By BendixKing There's A New Light Sport Amphib Coming To The Block Cessna Introduces Turbo Skyhawk JT-A Brown Aviation Lease and Redhawk Aero Partner to Address High Cost Flight Training Combining Hardware, Software and Services Premier Launches Diesel Cessna 172 Upgrade Program David Vanderhoof's Aircraft of the Week The Tagboard Senior Trend 30, and the M/D-21 - the MACH 3.5 drone that had a serious disaster in July 1966. See a video of the accident: SR71 Sistership, The MD21 Blackbird Accident and JC-130 Recovery. The Australia News Desk The first two RAAF F-35s are unveiled in Texas, and Qantas are once again considering splitting their International and Domestic arms, as the proposed changes to the Qantas Sale Act just aren’t enough in their eyes. 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. Across the Pond This week Pieter is at the home of the Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset in the UK, for their annual Air Show. There are no flying Swordfish this year but the Royal Navy Historic Flight Sea Fury certainly starts off the display with a growl in the hands of Lt Commander Chris Gotke. Visitors from the Army and RAF,

EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2014 preview, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, and the Farnborough International Airshow. Guest Guest Jack Pelton is Chairman of the Board of the Experimental Aircraft Association (the EAA). He’s the retired chairman, president, and chief executive officer for Cessna Aircraft Company. Jack was Sr. Vice President of Engineering for Dornier Aircraft in Munich, and he started his career at Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach CA. Also, he was a member of the board and past chairman of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and served on the board of directors of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). We talk about AirVenture Oshkosh 2014 - what’s new and what to expect, including the USAF Thunderbirds, static displays, air-features, the 100th anniversary of WW I aviation, forums and workshops. KidVenture, and the One Week Wonder build of a Zenith 705. Jack gives us an update on the EAA focus topics: the 3rd class medical, 100LL fuel, ADS-B implementation costs,  and views on the shrinking pilot population. You can find the EAA at EAA.org. on Twitter as @eaaupdate, Facebook, and Instagram. News The Downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 We talk about airliner routes over areas of military conflict, counter-measures on civilian aircraft, and preserving the integrity of the crash site and allowing access by investigators. The Farnborough Interational Airshow Aircraft orders announced at the show, the A330neo is launched, and the B737 MAX 8. David Vanderhoof’s Airplane of the Week On the 45th anniversary of Apollo 11, we talk about the Grumman craft that couldn't move on Earth: the Lunar excursion module. See Apollo 15 Ascent stage launch video and Lunar Lander Model photo (the Bug). The Australia News Desk Steve and Grant are joined by their friend Owen Zupp who has recently finished re-enacting the first airmail flight in Australia to help celebrate its centenary. He’s also recently launched a new website called The Pilot's Blog, seen great traffic from his new book, and been in France with the new A350. 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. Rob Mark’s Aviation Minute Rob talks about safety and General Aviation airplanes. Across the Pond Pieter brings us a report from the Farnborough International Airshow as he walks along the flightline taking in the aircraft on display. He also has the chance to talk to Managing Editor of The Aviation Historian to preview their latest edition, which has a Farnborough link. Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast. Credit Post photo: Airbus Test and Evaluation Aircraft A350 on final approach - Copyright XTPMedia. Airplane of the Week photo: LM-2 at the National Air and Space Museum on the Mall.  DM Vanderhoof Photo. Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.

Aviation weather training, airline fare disclosure, angle of attack indicators, Boeing market forecast, the pilot shortage, aviation scholarships, aero clubs, and funny cartoons. Guest Scott Dennstaedt specializes in aviation weather training for pilots. He’s a flight instructor, trained in meteorology, and he owns Chesapeake Aviation Training, headquartered in South Carolina. In addition to flight instruction, he operates the subscription-based website Aviation Weather Workshops, where you’ll find many aviation weather resources. Scott also delivers live workshops all over the country, We discuss how weather is a challenge for many pilots, yet it affects all pilots, regardless of the aircraft type. Also, where the data used in aviation weather forecasts comes from, and if the current curriculum provides training that considers the new technologies that are available. We discuss the questions, "Are pilots capable of properly interpreting the information that newer technology provide?" and "What data should meteorologists  be interpreting, and what data can pilots interpret on their own?" Scott describes how satellite-delivered weather products, along with the coming ADS-B, represent a great leap forward for information in the cockpit and aviation safety. Besides AvWxWorkshops.com, some other aviation weather resources were mentioned: The Aviation Weather Handbook Aviation Weather Services The Aviation Weather Service News Airline passenger group calls on airlines to lose the asterisk In 2012, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) ordered the Full Fare Advertising Rule requiring airlines to advertise the full cost of a ticket, including all taxes and fees. Now the Transparent Airfares Act of 2014, if enacted, would let the airlines publish a base fare with an "asterisk," and disclose the rest of the fare somewhere else. FAA Angle of Attack Indicator Policy Long used by the military to avoid stall/spin accidents, these safety devices are at long last inexpensive enough to install in GA aircraft. The FAA has clarified that they can be installed under the “minor alteration” rules, which reduces the paperwork and cost associated with installation. Boeing predicts $5.2tn airplane market by 2044 Boeing’s annual 20-year forecast for new airplanes is out. The Current Market Outlook predicts a 4.2% increase over last year, to 36,770 planes. 70% are single-aisle. Airport Directors Blame Pilot Shortage for Grounded Flights Rule changes have impacted the availability of pilots at the regional level. What does this mean for the “pilot shortage”? David Vanderhoof’s Airplane of the Week The Mirage F1. With the final flight over Paris for Bastille Day, France retired the F1CT. It seems fitting for that plane to be the topic of this week’s history segment. The Australia News Desk The boys are back and they’re trying to remember how to make an AusDesk. Fortunately they remember how to do it and can tell us about Air New Zealand’s new 787-9 arriving in Auckland. They also talk about Australia’s Defence Science Technology Organisation being commissioned to produce the F35 “Iron Bird” test unit. 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 National Aeronautic Association Regional Aero Clubs. There are six of these around the United States. In the role of the nation’s aero club, NAA serves as a clearinghouse for regional or local aero clubs that are affiliated with NAA. Co-host Max Trescott is President of the Aero Club Of Northern California. Chris Manno’s new book, “Flight Crew Like You: Airline Cartoons from the Insider View.”  Chris is an airline captain and his cartoons have been popular worldwide in aviation trade publications as well as in crew training materials for United, American, British Airways and Lufthansa flight crews.

New ATP written exam requirements going into effect, a Boeing 757 successor, NTSB investigation of the TWA Flight 800 accident, the AOPA Rusty Pilot program, and what you need to do to become a professional pilot. Guest Guest Kevin Garrison is a CFI, journalist, and author with many articles in prominent aviation publications. He’s flown the MD-88, DC-9, 727, 757, 767, and 777. He’s currently working on a series of inexpensive “CEO of the Cockpit” guidebooks about getting into the professional flying business. Kevin also provides services to medium-sized companies through Aerospace Media Partners. Kevin's website is Kevin Creates, and his new site called CEOoftheCockpit.com is under development. You can also find Kevin on Facebook. News ATP Written Prerequisites About to Change Drastically Effective August 1, 2014, those who wish to take the ATP written exam must have completed an FAA-approved “airline transport pilot certification training program.” Boeing Advancing on Successor to 757 Jet, Air Astana Says The President of Air Astana, the flag carrier of Kazakhstan, says he talked to Boeing at the IATA annual meeting in Doha, saying that a new plane would be announced soon. NTSB Will Not Reopen TWA Flight 800 Investigation A group called "The TWA 800 Project" petitioned the NTSB to reconsider and modify the findings and determination of probable cause for the TWA Flight 800 accident. An NTSB team of investigators not previously associated with the original investigation concluded that the NTSB’s earlier determination of probable cause was not wrong. Two arguments theorizing a missile strike were advanced by the petitioners. The NTSB says: “...the petitioners relied on a subset of previously available radar evidence organized around their alternative explanation of the crash. However, this analysis, upon review, was flawed.” and “...the petitioners introduced witness summaries obtained from the FBI that we treated as new evidence. But the witness summaries did not differ substantially from the evidence available during the NTSB’s original investigation.” Read the NTSB's Response to Petition for Reconsideration [PDF] for more details on this topic. David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week David invokes the "It's my segment and I'll do what I want" clause in his contract, and talks about podcast sponsorship. Rob Mark’s Aviation Minute This week Rob talks about our tour of the NTSB training facility, and how that trip made him rethink how he reports accident stories himself. Mentioned AOPA Rusty Pilot program AOPA says there are more than 500,000 lapsed pilots in the United States under the age of 75. The Rusty Pilot program seeks to get those pilots back in the cockpit. Rusty Pilot presentations and discussions around the country cover the use of newer technology, changes in the airspace system, new resources available to pilots, and much more. Listener Feedback Listener Micah sent us a recorded story he calls, "Fearless Flying." We comment on a listener email describing the writer's frustration with getting into a professional flying career: the cost, the time, the low wages. Our panel offers a different way to think about this admittedly difficult path. Credits Listener Brian Coleman asked if there was some way he could "give back" to the Airplane Geeks podcast and help us out. So we made him Associate Producer and now Brian is busy booking guests for us. Thank you Brian! Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.

Aviation biofuel, the NTSB summary report on the Asiana flight 214 accident, the SAAB 105 trainer, an Air New Zealand and Etihad maintenance agreement, and aviation news from the UK. Co-host Rob Mark will be away for a few months to focus on some other projects, and we welcome National CFI of the Year Max Trescott to help shoulder the co-hosting load. Guest Guest Steve Csonka is a long-time commercial aviation professional with airline and aviation OEM experience, and he’s the Executive Director of the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), a public/private partnership. We discuss the aviation industry motivations for moving to biofuel, some of the challenges, the importance of it being a “drop in fuel,” and supply chain implications. Also, how biofuel is being used today and what to expect in the future. There are many issues to be resolved, because as Steve puts it, we’re standing up a new industrial sector. Aviation News NTSB Report on Asiana 214 Crash Investigation On July 6, 2013, Asiana flight 214 crashed on approach at San Francisco International Airport. It struck the seawall at the end of the runway. Three of the 291 passengers died and 40 passengers, eight of the 12 flight attendants, and one of the four flight crewmembers received serious injuries. The rest received minor injuries or were not injured. From Crash of Asiana Flight 214 Accident Report Summary from the NTSB: “The NTSB determined that the flight crew mismanaged the initial approach and that the airplane was well above the desired glidepath as it neared the runway. In response to the excessive altitude, the captain selected an inappropriate autopilot mode and took other actions that, unbeknownst to him, resulted in the autothrottle no longer controlling airspeed.” NTSB faults flight crew for fatal Asiana crash in San Francisco NTSB Press Release Asiana 214 Crew Errors Caused Accident, Rules NTSB David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week The Saab 105 two place four seat trainer of the Swedish and Austrian air forces. The Australia News Desk The southern winter weather has taken its toll on Grant this week, so Steve flies the segment solo.  In the news, the constant doom and gloom surrounding aviation maintenance job losses was brightened slightly with the announcement by Air New Zealand and Etihad of an agreement to use each other’s line facilities in Melbourne and Los Angeles.  In a boost for Melbourne, Etihad’s local line maintenance facility will service Air New Zealand aircraft. In return, their aircraft will be serviced in LA at Air New Zealand’s facility. In an era where QANTAS continues to claim that Australian aircraft maintenance is unviable, Etihad has shown that the opposite can be the case.  It also operates a line maintenance facility in Sydney. Steve also catches up with 17 year old Alex Fisher as he continues his Flight of Solidarity around Australia in a Cessna 172, raising awareness of - and funds for - the Royal Flying Doctor Service.  This week we find Alex in Perth, Western 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. Across the Pond Pieter Johnson brings us some UK aviation, airline, and airport news this week, including the new Virgin 787-9 route confirmation, the ups and downs for British Airways, and what it costs to fly on a private Boeing 767 around with world with Captain's Choice. He opens with a refreshing approach to general aviation with the Civil Aviation Authority consulting on its new policy framework and how it plans to reduce bureaucracy and help improve the sector in the UK. Wow! Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast.

We talk about about the USA Today general aviation safety report, airline social media strategy, the youngest person to circumnavigate Australia solo, something new in the search for MH 370, the airline market in Scandinavia, and carbon airplane brakes. Guest Bernie Leighton travels around the world in search of aircraft to learn about, experience, and photograph. He’s been obsessed with Russian aviation in particular since he was very young. Bernie writes his stories for AirlineReporter.com. Bernie will go anywhere to fly on anything. He spent four years in Australia learning about how to run an airline, while putting his learning into practice by mileage running around the world. You can usually find Bernie in his natural habitat: an airport. We talk with Bernie about some of the interesting planes he’s found and even flown on, how he selects his destinations, and photography (his collection is on Flickr). We also learn about Russian ekranoplan ground effect aircraft and where you can get your own small passenger ekranoplan, the  Aquaglide  from the Russian Arctic Trade and Transport Company. They have a video library of photographs. Bernie has flown in a Genex AN-26 in Belarus in Eastern Europe, landing with a cargo door stuck open. He characterizes flying in Russia like this: the Russian aviation  culture is operational practicality with a respect for safety, versus Western devotion to safety at the expense of operations. The week’s aviation news Safety last: Lies and coverups mask roots of small-plane carnage In the past five decades, almost 45,000 people have been killed in private planes and helicopters. Investigations have said pilots caused or at least contributed to 86% of those accidents.USA Today says their investigation shows that many accidents are caused by defective parts and dangerous designs, and manufacturers have covered up problems and lied to regulators. Airlines: Is a Customer Service Mindset at Odds with a Social Media Culture? Marisa Garcia writes about the airline passenger experience in her Flight Chic blog. In this post, she blogs about a discussion of airline social media strategy at the SITA IT Summit in Brussels. American Airlines has built a large, very responsive social media culture that involves many employees at many levels. JetBlue Airways seems to favor more of a traditional, face-to-face customer support strategy. David Vanderhoof's Aircraft of the Week The Cessna 336/337 O-2A  Skymaster. Cessna’s push-me-pull-me went from Air Taxi to director of air strikes in South East Asia. The aircraft’s chainsaw buzz brings back fond memories to both Rob and David. The Australia News Desk This week the boys are chatting with Alex Fisher, a 17 year old who’s currently flying solo around Australia to raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and become the youngest person to circumnavigate Australia solo by aircraft in the process. Find more information at his Flight of Solidarity website and follow him on Twitter at @fltofsolidarity. 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. Rob Mark’s Aviation Minute Rob tells us about the deleted files from the MH 370 pilot’s flight simulator. Across the Pond This week Pieter returns to talk to Marisa Garcia about the airline market in Scandinavia. They discuss key airline and airport developments and focus on Norway. Marisa can be found at FlightChic.com. Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast. Mentioned It’s a Boat... It’s a Plane... It’s BOTH Bernie Leighton's article and photographs in AirlineReporter.com. Read all of Bernie's Airline Reporter articles. Airline Pilot Guy Captain Jeff's excellent aviation podcast. In the listener feedback segment, Jeff gives us a good lesson on carbon brakes on airliners. Heavens Above

Recorded at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum during the 10th annual Become a Pilot Family Day and Aviation Display. This annual event at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, located in Chantilly, Virginia offers not only the Museum’s amazin...

Guest Hillel Glazer joins in our conversation about the effects of Malaysia Airlines MH370: The media frenzy, crowd-sourcing the search, public access to information and how that affects the search and investigation, remote ground control of airliners, and the MH 370 investigation from the perspective of ICAO. Hillel also helps us understand what it means to be an aerospace engineer: the scope of activity, specialization, and if this a good time for that career. Also, the role of long, global supply chains in aircraft manufacturing, and why we see so many delays in new airplane introductions. Hillel is an active listener and contributor to the Airplane Geeks Podcast. He’s been an aerospace engineer, a management consultant, an operations director, and a business owner. His 26-year career includes an internship at NASA, NAVAIR, then after a few Internet bubble bounces he started his current company in 2001 to provide operational performance consulting to software and IT companies and the aerospace/defense industry. Hillel is an instrument rated pilot, and owns a Piper Cherokee. Find him on Twitter as @Hi11e1. The week’s aviation news: Missing Airplane: Malaysia Airlines MH370 Remote-controlled autopilot? Boeing Insitu leads as only FAA-certified operator of commercial drone aircraft Mystery Aircraft Over Texas Mystery aircraft photographed over Texas – by Steve Douglass in his Deep Black Horizon blog David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week: From Failure to Success, Part 1 of 3: The Lockheed L-188 Electra. In this week’s Australia Desk: Grant is unavailable this week so Steve is joined by award winning aviation journalist Andrew McLaughlin from Communications Intelligence, an independent aviation and defence consultancy. With the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 continuing into its fourth week, we discuss the prominent role being played by the venerable Lockheed P3 Orion in the operation.  Orions from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan have been operating tirelessly as the search continues. We also discuss the pending transition of the RAAF away from the Orion to the P8 Poseidon over the next few years, as well as an update on the progress of Australia’s first two F35 aircraft, pondering among other things the notion that the Royal Australian Navy’s new ski ramp equipped landing helicopter docks (better known in some circles as “Harrier Carriers”) might be suited to F35-B STOVAL operations some day. 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. Rob Mark’s Aviation Minute: This week we look at the MH 370 investigation from the perspective of ICAO. The Hornet Moth that Ron Smith flew on his epic flight for the Dawn To Dusk Trophy © Ron Smith In this week’s Across the Pond segment: This week Pieter talks to Ron Smith who with his twin brother Jim authored the book “Two Up.” Ron and Jim are both pilots and aeronautical engineers and have been aviation enthusiasts since their schooldays. The book is a fascinating look at the aerospace industry by two brothers who have lived and worked in it for over 50 years. A series of 23 illustrated anecdotes describe experiences that would today be difficult to repeat, such as picking mushrooms in the middle of Heathrow. Pieter finds out what the Dawn to Dusk trophy is and how Ron won it. “Two Up” is available from Amazon.com. Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast. sunwing by Ian Kershaw Mentioned: How LIFT Works: A380 Take-Off Paris CDG Bjorn Moerman Photography: Musée de l’Air et de l”Espace (Aviation and Space museum) Paris – Le Bourget This Isn’t the First Time A Giant Plane With GPS Tracking Vanished Repairing a DC-3 in Antarctica Ian Kershaw images Listen to the NBAA Flight Plan[...]

David and Max talk about the FAA/EAA agreement for Airventure, a unique Delta perk, and nano particle technology applied to jet engines. The Australia Desk covers increased air traffic activity due to the search for MH370, and a Tiger Moth AD. In the Across the Pond segment, we learn about aviation in Scandinavia. As always, the listener mail adds great topics, including more on the Flarm system, learning to fly first in a glider, a call for the fanciest/prettiest airport compass rose, cockpit voice recorder run time, the future of the A-10, nose-wheel cameras as IFE, and aviation book recommendations. The week’s aviation news: EAA, FAA Reach Agreement for AirVenture You Won’t Find Delta’s Latest Perk on Any Other Airline Nanoparticle coating could let aircraft engines last three times longer The Aircraft of the Week: the PZL104 Wilga by Jamie Dodson. (Photo above.) In this week’s Australia Desk: Grant is away this week so Steve is joined by PCDU’s Western Australia correspondent Ben Jones from Perth, WA, which has seen an increase in air traffic recently as aircraft from several nations stage from RAAF Base Pearce in the search for missing flight MH370.  The RAAF AP-3C Orions are being joined by an RNZAF P3-K2 Orion, Chinese Il76s, and various civilian aircraft in the search, some 2,500 off the Western Australian coast. Australian vintage Tiger Moth aircraft are now subject to an airworthiness directive from CASA concerning lateral tie rods, following recent crash where a wing was found to have failed during an aerobatic maneuver. 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. In this week’s Across the Pond segment: This week Pieter introduces a new guest contributor Marisa Garcia from Denmark to talk about aviation in Scandinavia. Working in the aerospace sector for over 20 years, Marisa now focuses her business on leading edge aviation journalism. In this inaugural segment, they discuss Marisa’s background in aircraft interior design and her website Flight Chic, along with the major Danish airlines, airports and their relative health in today’s marketplace. Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast. Listen to the NBAA Flight Plan podcast from the National Business Aviation Association. KDTA airport compass rose Patrick’s challange: Email us a photo of an airport compass rose, and we’ll pick the best ones. Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.

We talk with guest Henry Harteveldt about Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 and it’s impact on the airline, on Malaysia, and on the travel industry in general. Wo look at aircraft communications and speculation in the press in the face of changing facts that are really suppositions. Also, global security standards and the quality of the reporting. In his research paper, Your Most Profitable Customer In 2020-2040: Today’s 18-23 Year Old Traveler, Henry looks at this travel segment. He offers insights into the wants and needs of this age group and how companies in the travel industry (including airlines and airports) need to respond. We also consider the changing nature of airline alliances and partnerships, and the emerging importance of mobile, including wearables like Google Glass, and what that might mean for airlines and airports. Guest Henry Harteveldt is an independent travel industry analyst. He’s worked with and advised hotel brands, airlines, online travel agencies, global distribution systems, and key industry associations. Rob Mark and Megyn Kelly from FoxNews The week’s aviation news: Is There A Better Way To Track Aircraft During Flight? Malaysian Flight 370: A Great Smoke and Mirrors Show Malaysia disaster not expected to tarnish Boeing Saying Goodby to the Hog: Why Congress may let the USAF retire the A-10 Cessna, Beech unite as $4.6B Textron Aviation segment David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week: the Cessna 150. In this week’s Australia Desk: Steve and Grant are back after recovering from the Tyabb Airshow last weekend. It was an amazing show with a great crowd and fantastic aircraft on display. PCDU are producing the airshow DVD! Meanwhile, in the news: John Holland Aviation Services looking to wind up their operations. Allan Joyce still refusing to accept any responsibility for Qantas’ poor state of being. Australian PM Tony Abbott commits to buying the MQ-4C Triton UAS to go with the P8A Poseidons but doesn’t specify how many and when they’ll arrive. 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. Rob Mark’s Aviation Minute: The NTSB. Fleet Air Arm Museum in the UK (Copyright – Fleet Air Arm Museum) In this week’s Across the Pond segment: Pieter records on the road this week, bringing news stories from the European Space Agency as well as suggesting a few more aviation museums worth visiting in the UK. Tim Peake – Name His Mission Royal Navy Fleet Arm Museum Yorkshire Air Museum South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast. Photos from EAA Chapter 190 Women in Aviation event at Huntsville, Alabama March 8, 2014. Five pilots flew fourty-four girls under the EAA Young Eagle’s program from KMDQ – Madison County Executive Airport – Huntsville / Meridianville. Local non-profit Fly Quest sponsored the event with generous support from KMDQ. Thanks to Jamie Dodson. Mentioned: Cessna 150-152 Club omega tau podcast 143 – Collision Avoidance with FLARM FLARM website Recommended reading from Tony Davis: QF32 by Richard de Crespigny Riding Rockets by Mike Mullan Woodbine Red Leader by George Loving Whistling Death: The Test Pilot’s Story of the F4U Corsair by Boone T. Guyton ‘No place for a woman’: WestJet pilot slams sexist napkin note WestJet salutes women in aviation Veteran to be honored 70 years after refusing a Purple Heart Skydiver, Pilot Survive Midair Collision Listen to the NBAA Flight Plan podcast from the National Business Aviation Association. Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.

Guest David Parker Brown from AirlineReporter.com knows the airline industry, and he also plays a big role in the annual Aviation Geek Fest in Seattle. In 2014, the two-day event included the Museum of Flight Restoration Center and tours of the Future of Flight Aviation Center, the Boeing Everett Factory, and the Passenger Experience Research Center (PERC). Boeing even held a Dreamlifter next to the Future of Flight for the group to view from the ground. They also saw the Delivery Center and an amazing time was had by all. Boeing Dreamlifter by AvGeekJoe Airplane Geeks listener AvGeekJoe has a collection of pictures of the Museum of Flight’s restoration of a DH 106 Comet Mk 4C and of one of the Dreamlifters. Also see the Future of Flight’s photographs from the event. The event received some favorable press, including Aviation Buffs Get To Embrace Their Inner Nerd At Annual ‘Geek Fest’ by Seattle NPR station KPLU, and Wow! Making planes in the world’s biggest building by CNN. Malaysia Airlines B777-200 The week’s aviation news: Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370: What we know and don’t know Boeing to Inspect Wings of Undelivered Dreamliners for Cracks Drone Pilot Beats FAA In Court: NTSB Denies FAA’s Right to Penalize UAS Pilot Harbin SH-5 David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week: the Harbin SH-5, a Chinese turboprop flying boat. Rob Mark’s Aviation Minute: Women in aviation. Jack Newman from GetIntoFlying In this week’s Across the Pond segment: After recently appearing on Xtended, resident pilot and advisor Fl Lt Jonathan Duke RN, a Sea King Mk 7 Pilot for the Royal Navy joined Pieter to talk about GetIntoFlying. A project all about helping those interested in careers, enjoyment and interest in aviation and aerospace achieve their goals, GetIntoFlying has been a great success. Following last weeks discussion on British Airways careers, here is another great resource for those interested in an aviation career. Follow @GetIntoFlying on Twitter. Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast. Mentioned: Boeing Black Smartphone Igor Sikorsky III, Sikorsky Weekend Seminar Become a Pilot Family Day and Aviation Display Jamie Dodson Books Flarm Junkers Ju 52 Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.

We tackle the show without a guest, and take the opportunity to to fly largely unedited for a more raw, intimate episode. We talk about flying ability based on gender and airliner recycling as alternative housing. On the technology front, we look at jet engine developments and the application of 3D printing to aerospace manufacturing. Listener mail topics include aviation museums, the British Airways Future Pilot Programme, beer and wine on flights, good aviation books, and where you can buy your own bomber. David even proposes an aviation cooking show and looks for recipes like Mitsubishi Meatballs, Boeing Bouillabaisse, Airbus Avocados, and Piasecki Pancakes. David also mentions a “dollar nineteen” airplane. Want to know what that is? Look it up on Emmanuel Gustin’s Aircraft Nicknames page. The week’s aviation news: Attrition: Female Pilots Sharply Reduce Helicopter Losses Gender Differences in General Aviation Crashes She Lives In A Boeing 727 Rolls-Royce Reveals Next-Gen Engine Plan Rolls-Royce gets its gear 3-D Printing in the Aerospace Industry: How General Electric and United Technologies Are Using This Technology In this week’s Australia Desk: Steve and Grant are rather exhausted after the RAAF’s Centenary of Military Aviation air show at Pt Cook. They cover some topics in summary: The RAAF announces the first 2 pilots they will send over to learn to fly the F35 Qantas confirms job losses of 5,000 & early retirement of their 767s & more 747s The Boxkite replica flew at the air show & looked great (check out the video we posted to our YouTube channel & Facebook page) From there, we then play an excerpt from Steve’s interview with Air Marshal Geoff Brown, Chief of Air Force (RAAF) 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. Rob Mark’s Aviation Minute: The Transportation Security Administration and Weapons. In this week’s Across the Pond segment: We continue the discussion with Oussama Salah from Oussamas Take  on developments in the Middle East ….but ‘spreading worldwide’ might be a better description. In our discussion this week we wonder if Alitalia will remain in one piece and where the growth stops, as Ireland and Switzerland get added attention. Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast. Mentioned: Aviation Xtended Ep.19 – the UH-60 Blackhawk and the V-22 Osprey Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Lancaster to Visit England in August 2014 Jackal Scat by CaptainTerry Reece de Havilland Aircraft Museum The Shuttleworth Aircraft Collection In the market for a bomber? A Utah museum has you covered Listen to the NBAA Flight Plan podcast from the National Business Aviation Association. Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.

Doug Stewart is a Master Certified Flight Instructor, a Gold Seal Instructor, and a Designated Pilot Examiner. He’s a Founding and Charter member of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators and is the current Executive Director of SAFE. SAFE seeks to create a safer aviation environment and a reduction in aviation accidents. They do this through increased professionalism, enhanced education, mentoring, support, and professional accreditation for aviation educators. We talk with Doug about SAFE and the Pilot Proficiency Project which addresses the fact that GA pilots are not flying as often as they used to. At quarterly regional events, students, instructors, and pilots can benefit from a series of seminars designed to improve proficiency. The next event is March 8-9, 2014 in Melbourne, Florida. We discuss the pilot profession and today’s student expectations compared to those of year’s past. Also, the dwindling number of flight instructors, dropout rates for students and pilots, working to include aviation in STEM topics for young people of K-12 age. SAFE is on Twitter as @SAFEPilots, and you can visit Doug’s business at Doug Stewart Flight Instruction, Inc. The week’s aviation news: American Airlines training next generation of pilots as shortage looms Russia, China Plan Joint Widebody Effort The New F-35 Fighter Jet Can Be Taken Down Without A Bullet Ever Being Fired David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week: The P-8A Poseidon. In this week’s Australia Desk: Getting right into the spirit of the Poseidon Adventure, Steve and Grant report on the recent news confirming that the RAAF will indeed be getting the P8A Poseidon (and some HALE UAVs such as the Triton). After that, the conversation inevitably moves back to Qantas and the current brinkmanship & positioning going on around the Qantas Sale Act and requests for government backing of Qantas’ debt. Maybe it’s time for Alan Joyce to join the list of 1,000 to 3,000 Qantas employees being retrenched? Speaking of retiring from Qantas, the last 737-400 in Qantas colours recently flew its final revenue flight. VH-TJS joined Australian Airlines in March 1993 as Qantas was in the process of buying & merging the airline into its ranks. Finally, the founding commander of the Roulettes (the RAAF’s current formation aerobatic team) died recently in Canberra aged 79. 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. Rob Mark’s The Aviation Minute: Regional Airline Safety. In this week’s Across the Pond segment: Pieter looks again at the busiest airline growth area, the Middle East with Oussama Salah from Oussamas Take.  They talk Air Arabia, Etihad and Emirates. Can this area ever stop growing? They finish talking about the new Abu Dhabi based USA Customs Pre Clearance facility. Is it fair and what’s Oussama’s take on the situation? Oussama is also on Google+ and Facebook. Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast. Mentioned: Why children need restraint systems on board Cabin Operations Safety Conference in May in Madrid The Fastest Growing, Least Popular Airline In America Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.

Mary Kirby’s new Runway Girl Network is an online framework “where air transport intelligence meets the passenger experience.” We talk with Mary about aircraft interiors, inflight connectivity driving operational benefits, airline seat size from a safety standpoint, and other topics that impact the passenger experience. You’ll find content at the Runway Girl Network in four categories: passenger safety,  passenger comfort, passenger connectivity, and passenger services. “Lean into Aviation” highlights women in the industry and their accomplishments. The “#PaxEx Forum” presents articles written by industry thought leaders. The weekly “#PaxEx Podcast” is a thirty minute program where experts join in on a conversation about current passenger experience topics. The Network features a hybrid model with both advertising-supported free content, and subscription-based premium content. You can follow Mary on Twitter as @RunwayGirl. The week’s aviation news: Singapore Airshow 2014 with AviationWeek coverage and Flightglobal coverage. Tiltrotor Debut For Singapore CFMI: COMAC Needs ‘More Experienced’ Management Alaska Airlines to put more free microbeers on Horizon Plane crashes that changed aviation forever This Airline’s Growth Is Soaring Into the Stratosphere David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week: The Boeing Airplane that Created the DC-3: the B-247. In this week’s Australia Desk: Steve and Grant chat with Mike Yeo from The Base Leg blog about his trip to the Singapore Air Show. Topics include the A350, the 787, military display teams, China’s trade show presence but lack of airframes and general buzz from the show. 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. Rob Mark’s The Aviation Minute: The pilot shortage. Mentioned: Paul Filmer aviation photography. (Two photos above from Monino.) TAM Museum (in Portuguese), on Wikipedia, on YouTube. Temora Aviation Museum New Ice-Detection System Coming Charlie Victor Romeo documentary Last Words: Charlie Victor Romeo by Scott Spangler Reports Detail Pilots heading to Wrong Airports What Can a New Pilot Make? Near Minimum Wage ALPA’s Message for Aspiring Aviators: The Looming Pilot Shortage Is a Myth Mitsubishi Mu-2 Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.