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This special Bits & Pieces episode offers a huge variety of segments from the co-hosts, our contributors, and our listeners. Here they are [with start times].

Segments

Yankee Air Museum [1:45]

David Vanderhoof met with Kevin Walsh, the Executive Director at the Yankee Air Museum, for a conversation and walkthrough. The museum is adjacent to the Willow Run Airport in Belleville, Michigan.

Bradford Camps [23:45]

Igor Sikorsky III and his wife Karen run The Bradford Camps in the North Maine woods. It’s a beautiful, peaceful location on Munsungun Lake in an area where you can fish, hunt, hike, boat, or just hang out and relax. Each year, Igor conducts his Sikorsky Seminar Weekend where he shares the history of his grandfather through photos, videos and even Sikorsky family speakers. You can immerse yourself in Igor’s Russian years in aviation, his large Pan Am flying boats, and of course his helicopters.

My Dream Machine: C-47 to DC-3 [25:20]

Our Maine(e) Man Micah tells us the story of his Dream Machine.

Student Pilot Nicki [39:40]

Nicki previously sent us three recordings describing her progress. Now we have the fourth installment, her first solo.

The Australia News Desk [47:05]

Longtime listeners remember the Australia Desk report with Steve Visscher and Grant McHerron from the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast. For this special Bits & Pieces episode, they’ve sent in a special AusDesk. Be sure to check out the new Australian Aviation podcast.

AIN’s The Human Factor [58:05]

Pete Combs introduces us to the new podcast from AIN called The Human Factor: Tales from the Flight Deck.

Mary Kirby on PaxEx in 2018 [59:55]

In #PaxEx Podcast Episode 53, Why Mitsubishi’s internal time clock is ticking, Mary Kirby, Max Flight, and Isaac Alexander talk about the Mitsubishi MRJ, aerospace accelerator startups, and #PaxEx conferences and exhibitions to be held around the world in 2018. In this clip, Mary describes the passenger experience topics likely to be important in 2018.

DeTect Inc. Bird and Drone Warning System [1:07:45]

Tim Trott, the Drone Professor, talked with Craig Rainey from DeTect Inc. about the new bird and drone warning system installed at the Northwest Beaches International Airport, KECP. DeTect specializes in advanced radar and other sensor technologies. They offer bird radar technologies for real-time aircraft bird strike avoidance, as well as wind energy bird mortality risk assessment and mitigation, and industrial bird control.

The Boeing 747-400 [1:16:00]

Listener Tom Rogers is an engineering Associate Director at Pratt & Whitney, with over 25 years in fan and compressor aero. He’s also an avid fan of the Airplane Geeks podcast. Tom wrote us and said, “It is sad to see the PW4000-powered B747-400 fleets being retired by Delta and United. I have had the pleasure of flying business trips on Delta’s NWA birds round trip to Narita from JFK and DTW (Detroit Metropolitan Airport), all upper deck, old seats 2×2 and the new herringbone lie flat. On my last flight home back in February, I was invited up for a photo opportunity in the left seat. Priceless! I’ve attached the picture for your enjoyment.”

Impressions of a Conversation with Michael Dorn [1:17:45]

Our Airplane Geeks reporter-at-large Launchpad Marzari had the opportunity to speak with Michael Dorn, the actor who played the Klingon Worf in the Star Trek franchise. Dorn is a pilot and has owned a number of warbirds. Launchpad met him at a Star Trek convention. Of course he did. Where else are you going to meet a Klingon?

Remembering Bruce McCandless [1:21:05]

Astronaut Bruce McCandless passed on December 21, 2017. He was the first man to fly in space without a tether. Our Main(e) Man Micah looks back on the man and his accomplishments.

The Airplane Geeks Slack Team [1:26:30]

What it is, how it works, and why you might want to join.

AIN’s The Human Factor, Latest Episode [1:29:45]

Pete Combs tells us about the latest episode from AIN’s The Human Factor: Tales from the Flight Deck.

De Havilland Mosquito [1:31:45]

Listener Glen tells us about his airplane of the week, the De Havilland Mosquito.

Flying in Rwanda [1:36:50]

Listener Jim Herne recorded a short story about an incident that he was involved in while living in Rwanda in the late 1980s. He calls it “My Most Interesting Flying Experience.”

Rose Parade Flyover [1:44:50]

At the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Brian Coleman witnessed a flyover of two F-35A Lightning IIs and a B-2 Spirit honoring Air Force pilot Major Benjamin “Chex” Meier.

Major Meier flew combat missions over Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. Per his wishes upon his death in 2015, Major Meier donated his heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys to save the lives of others.

The B-2 came from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, and the two F-35A’s came from Edwards Air Force Base in California. The flyover was conducted by Major Meier’s Air Force squadron in the exact F-35A the Major flew on many of his missions.

Businesswire reports that “In a moving tribute, the F-35 on the left of the B-2 Stealth Bomber… will represent all donors who have given the gift of life, while the F-35 on the right will symbolize all who have received the gift of life.”

Special Flyover at 2018 Tournament of Roses Parade to Honor Air Force Hero and Organ Donor Who Continued to Save Lives Even After Death

Air Force Flyover of Rose Parade will Honor Organ Donors and Recipients

The Making of an Airplane Geeks Episode [1:46:15]

If you are curious about how we do it, here’s a peek behind the curtain.

Close

Next week we’ll return to our usual format with aviation news from the past week, a great guest, some aviation history, your feedback, and much more.

Don’t forget to visit the aviation events calendar at AvGeekFests.com and load in some of the 2018 events in your area that would be of interest to other AvGeeks. And feel free to share the AvGeekFests.com link across your network.

Credit

Intro music courtesy Brother Love from his Album Of The Year CD. Outtro by Bruno Misonne from The Sound of Flaps.