Summary: This time we go without a guest to give more time for listener mail. We cover such topics as long, long takeoff rolls, pilots who seee UFOs, and airbags in A320 seat belts. We have more from a 14 year old listener on his aviation aspirations, cell phones on airplanes, and the Russian Irkut MC-21. We also deliver our personal “Happy Mother’s Day” message to Hariett, an octogenarian aviator and one of our favorite listeners. The week’s aviation news: Rob’s report on the Collier Trophy Event at DCA for the Boeing 787. American Airlines now considering merger scenarios American Upgrades Business Class, Downgrades Coach on Widebody Fleet Putin’s Aerospace Rebirth Ambition Hangs on SuperJet Crash Probe In memorium: Evelyn B. Johnson | Early pilot, 102 Denny Fitch dies; off-duty pilot in heroic landing In this week’s Australia Desk report: Qantas pilots union lose an appeal in the Federal Court against the management decision to ground the airline last year, Federal budget cuts affect Defence procurement programs, including the F35A & P8 – they also bring forward the retirement of the C130H fleet to this year, instead of 2013 – The RAAF confirms a purchase order for 10 Aleania C27J Spartan aircraft in a move worth $A1.4billion, Federal Government announces a 17% hike in departure taxes, raising the cost of leaving Australia to $A55…..and GM for PM?? Could be a theme coming here…. 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 the Across the Pond segment: Last year we were contacted by Bill Jones from Kansas City, Missouri to ask if we could help with a flight he planned to take in a small GA aircraft across the North Sea from Holland to the UK. Unfortunately it didn’t quite work out but we managed to get Bill connected to our friend a recent guest Jelle Hieminga who was featured on our VC Tenderness episode and then again on GA in Holland in Episode 169. On Across the Pond this week we hear how Bill got on. Find Pieter Johnson on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on his blog Alpha Tango Papa, and also on Facebook at XTPMedia. Mentions: AirSafe.com, Dr. Todd Curtis’ excellent resource. General Aviation Airport Coalition - Find the user fee petition on the Alerts page, or go direct to the whitehouse.gov page. From the listener mail: Russian (okay Ukrainian actually) Plane uses ALL of Canberra Airport’s Runway (YouTube). Japan Air Lines flight 1628 incident UFO over Chicago O`Hare Airport Nov 7, 2006 UFO Files | Black Box UFO Secrets PilotEdge, ATC service for a range of flight simulators. Offered on Virgin Atlantic (Upper Class Cabin) flights… Planeview: browse the upper class suite Pocket Casts by Shifty Jelly. ExpertAviator.com – Increasing Your Aviation Knowledge One Blog Post At A Time. Opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.
