Podcast: Play in new window | Download (41.1MB)
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:
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:
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.
Max, David and Rob,
I found your discussions about the difference between male and female pilots fascinating. I have a similar experience at US Army Jumpmaster School. As you know most of my piloting occurred under steerable parachutes as a military parachutist with SOF and other airborne units. At Ft. Bragg’s Jumpmaster School female soldiers had a 95% first time pass rate. Males were at little over 50%. I have no data to back it up but I always attributed the ladies success to attention to detail. In addition, the women never hurried while the men were more concerned with meeting the time limit and rushed the Jumpmaster personnel inspection (JMPI). That haste induced many inspection errors and let to failure.
As a jump operations leader I would always go forward and meet the Air Force flight crew. Our jumps were always at night in blackout conditions. Got to tell you that the female C-130 and C-141 pilots never dropped us out of the drop zone (DZ). However, males sure did. They dropped us in swamps at the end of the DZ – over shoot, a rock quarry miles from the DZ – NAV error, and a parking lot adjacent to the DZ – centerline offset with the wind instead of into the wind. Give me a female pilot with a plane full of jumpers any day!
On 3D printers: The President of EAA Chapter 190, 3M5, is building a home-build using conventional methods and parts from his 3D printer. It’s very cool.
Max, more engine talk! Loved your RR and high by-pass turbine engine discussion. Just ignore your co-hosts jibes.
I vote for Hendon for Airplane Geeks Roving African Reporter.
Cheers! Jamie Dodson
From a secure undisclosed underground location …
Hi Geeks,
This “Unplugged” episode was so nice. You should do that more often. You guys are knowledgeable and respectful, so I see no problem at all in being more relaxed and spontaneous from time to time.
(And it brings another advantage along with it, that is saving Max from editing)
cheers,
Carlos Del Valle
Dear Huey, Duey and Louey
Given the recent debate about GA being expected to move towards a transponder mandatory solution. As a pilot in the UK I attended a recent briefing about a product called Flarm that I had never heard of http://www.flarm.com/index_en.html
which essentially is a portable device thus requires no hard-wiring (and thus certification) that gives an alert to another GA aircraft in terms of a position relative to a clock code should both be using the Flarm. This still makes the pilot responsible for See and Avoid but vastly improves situational awareness.
This is being implemented in many countries in Europe and I wondered if any of you had heard of it and had any views?
Kind Regards
Aleks