Summary: Max, Rob, and David talk about why we’ve seen so many airline orders, why pilots land at the wrong airport, and why is it taking so long for the FAA to allow drones in the national airspace. Plus, listener recordings and emails. The week’s aviation news: Airlines go on a record new jet shopping spree Southwest Airlines grounds pilots who landed plane at wrong Missouri airport Liberate the Drones of Commerce [Behind the WSJ paywall.] In this week’s Australia Desk: With Steve just about to go into the surgeon’s hands, Grant calls on ATC Ben, Jonesy and Kathy Mexted to help out. As you might expect, the result is a bit of a roller coaster as the team talks about: Qantas gets downgraded by another agency (Moodys) as expected but otherwise it’s still somewhat quiet. Air New Zealand A320 has an engine failure departing Melbourne (and doesn’t land in Kathy’s back yard). Boeing’s 787-9 test aircraft is in Alice Springs but rumour is it’s still not hot enough for them! RAAF 77SQN are preparing for Exercise Red Flag in Nevada. The Boeing and Thales consortium are selected for AIR 9000 Phase 7 (advanced helicopter trainer). 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 on Across The Pond, we go back to talk to Bill Leary, Director and Pilot at the AN2 Club. Bill tells us what ‘Big Bird’ has been up to since our last visit a few years ago and the impending COA in April, why ‘Big Bird’ is registered in Hungary and what she is like to fly. Still based at Popham Airfield in Hampshire, UK, we discuss plans for this flying season and hope it improves over a disastrous season last year. If you are a PPL Holder, you can fly ‘Big Bird’ or hire her for an event. Now that would be fantastic! Find her on Twitter as @An2Club, and more at The An-2 Club Display Team story on the Tom Mercer Photography site. Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast. Listener Recordings: Manny talking Evan through the daily inspection Micah on Fudging Airline Fees. Evan Schoo on his First Solo. Mentioned: Cranky Concierge Afghanistan Gets Spooky Ghostriders as the AC-130H Ret Chickenwings Comics Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.
