Tag Archives: airline

870 Airbus A350F

The final assembly rollout of the first Airbus A350F freighter, the ICAO-mandated emissions standards that take effect in 2027, flight delay compensation, a streaming data black box, IAE signals future GTF engine, and FAA flight restrictions end. Additionally, updates on Boeing’s criminal and civil cases, the USS Forrestal aircraft carrier, and listener mail.

Aviation News

First A350F airframe rolled out from final assembly line

The Airbus A350F freighter was launched in 2021 and originally scheduled to enter service in 2025, but Spirit AeroSystems’ inability to deliver enough central fuselage sections prevented that. Spirit AeroSystems has experienced quality control and production output issues, compounded by financial challenges and a pending business restructuring involving both Airbus and Boeing. These issues affected both the freighter and passenger A350 production rates.

The A350F is designed to meet the ICAO-mandated emissions standards taking effect in 2027. The standards also work in coordination with ICAO’s CORSIA scheme, requiring carbon offsetting for most international flights from 2027–2035, with mandatory participation for most states.

Rendering of Airbus A350F freighter in Singapore Airlines Cargo livery. Copyright Airbus. — A350F rendering, courtesy Airbus.

Trump Admin Blocks Plan to Force Airlines to Pay Customers for Delays

Flight cancellations by US airlines result in refunds for passengers, but flight delays are not compensated. The Biden-era proposal would have required airlines to pay cash compensation to passengers when carriers are responsible for major flight delays. The FAA said the proposal would create “unnecessary regulatory burdens” and impose significant costs on airlines. The DOT said it preferred to “allow airlines to compete on the services and compensation they provide.”

Black Box in the Sky Captures Data on the Fly

Honeywell Aerospace is developing a system it calls “Black Box in the Sky” (BBITS). It replaces hardware-based recorders with streamed flight data in near real-time. BBITS streams data via a cloud-based portal, simplifying flight data collection, and is consistent with the ICAO Timely Recovery of Flight Data (TRFD) mandate.

The ICAO Timely Recovery of Flight Data (TRFD) technical standard, part of the Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS), requires that aircraft use technologies that ensure flight data is quickly and reliably accessible for investigators after an incident, without needing to physically recover the flight data recorder (FDR), particularly in cases such as accidents over water. TRFD applies to large commercial aircraft with type certification applications submitted after January 1, 2021.

See: Honeywell to Connect ‘Black Boxes’ for Aviation Safety.

IAE partners reaffirm GTF engine push for next-generation single-aisle jets

International Aero Engines (IAE) is a joint venture formed in 1983 to develop the new V2500 engine for the 150-seat single-aisle aircraft market. The initial consortium was Pratt & Whitney (30%), Rolls-Royce (30%), Japanese Aero Engine Corporation (JAEC) (23%), MTU Aero Engines (11%), and Fiat (6%). Fiat later withdrew, and its share was taken over by Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney. Then Pratt bought out RR in 2012, making PW the majority shareholder.

The V2500 powers the Airbus A320 family and the McDonnell Douglas MD-90. More than 7,800 engines have been sold.

In a statement, (IAE international engine partnership marks key milestones and charts future propulsion path), the consortium said, “Together, the companies will evolve the required technologies for the development of the most advanced and efficient GTF engine technology for the next generation of commercial aircraft.” Aerotime comments that “IAE is signaling that an evolutionary path may offer lower risk than more disruptive architectures, such as open-rotor systems or hydrogen-powered solutions.”

Shane Eddy, president, Pratt & Whitney, said, “As founding partners on some of the most critical engine technology and support in aerospace today, we remain fully committed to these engine programs and working together on the development of future commercial aircraft applications, particularly the next generation single aisle aircraft. As we work to chart IAE’s future propulsion path, our performance on today’s GTF program will remain our highest priority as we continue to focus on delivering to our customer commitments.”

Trump administration ends flight cuts at busy airports

The FAA’s flight cuts at 40 major airports ended, and the DOT emergency directive was cancelled. DOT pointed to a decline in air traffic controller-related staffing triggers. Controllers received 70 percent of the pay they were owed during the shutdown. FAA said staffing levels have continued to snap back into place since the end of the government shutdown. The current data aligns with staffing conditions before the shutdown.”

Boeing Update

Erin Applebaum, attorney at aviation accident law firm Kriendler & Kriendler, describes the latest developments in the Boeing criminal and civil lawsuits.

First civil trial of 737 Max in Ethiopia begins as Boeing settles three more lawsuit

Boeing has accepted liability for the crash, and the jury’s task in this civil case was limited to setting damages for burial costs, lost income, and emotional suffering for the family of one victim. Boeing’s liability had already been established and is the same for all victims. On the other hand, damages are assessed on a per-victim basis, taking into account the unique circumstances of each individual.

Boeing settles with families of three 737 Max crash victims

Boeing won’t face criminal charge over 737 Max crashes that killed hundreds of people

A federal judge in Texas granted the government’s request to dismiss, and Boeing will not face a criminal conspiracy charge. Erin describes how the judge did not think dismissal was warranted, but his hands were tied as he would have had to find that the government was acting in bad faith. The families have filed an appeal under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act.

The USS Forrestal

Micah tells a story about a chance encounter and the USS Forrestal aircraft carrier. It’s called A Forrest Fire at Sea – The USS Forrestal.

Mentioned

Video: MAINE | An Aviation Short Film

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, Rob Mark, our Main(e) Man Micah, and Erin Applebaum.

860 The Edge of Disaster

A guest panel discusses aircraft accidents, air turbulence injuries, airline and airframer culture, pilot training and experience, FAA shortfalls, and other topics that impact the flying public. In the news, the 90-second evacuation rule, the fatal Jeju Air crash at Muan Airport, and Zunum Air’s suit against Boeing for the misappropriation of trade secrets.

Guests

Chris Manno became an Air Force pilot after graduation from college and served seven years as a squadron pilot in the Pacific. He flew as a pilot with American Airlines for 35 years and was a captain for 29 of those years. Over his career, Chris logged over 25,000 hours of jet time. He’s a cartoonist and author of many books. Chris has just written a new book based on actual airline incidents titled Whiskey Air. It’s a fictionalized deep-dive into actual airline incidents.

James Albright co-wrote Whiskey Air. He’s a fellow USAF pilot (they flew together in a squadron in PACAF) who went on to command a USAF squadron, then retired and spent another twenty years as a corporate pilot. He also writes safety analysis for AvWeek.

Erin Applebaum is a Partner in the aviation practice at Kreindler & Kreindler LLP. She represents the interests of passengers severely injured or killed in general aviation and commercial airline accidents. Erin is currently on the team representing numerous victims of the DCA midair collision. She’s also handling cases on behalf of several passengers from the February 2025 Delta Air Lines crash in Toronto. Erin is a foremost authority on litigating claims governed by the Montreal Convention, the international treaty on commercial air travel.

Erin’s other major cases at Kreindler include the Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 catastrophic engine failure and the Liberty Helicopters doors-off tour helicopter crash in the East River. For the past six years, Erin has played a key role in Kreindler’s fight against Boeing in the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302/737 MAX litigation. She was appointed by the court as a member of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee for the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 cases and was instrumental in the victims’ families’ effort to overturn the Deferred Prosecution Agreement between Boeing and the Department of Justice.

Discussion

In this episode’s roundtable, our guests bring their knowledge and experience to the discussion of important issues faced by the industry, including:

The 90-second evacuation rule.
The liability of the airlines, airports, and the regulators.
Boeing’s corporate culture, reputation, and the DOJ’s criminal case.
Profit motives over safety.
Decision making in the cockpit and being the captain that sometimes has to say, “no.”
Lack of FAA oversight resources and the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP).
Delegated oversight authority.
Injuries sustained due to air turbulence.

See:

Whiskey Air on Amazon

Chris Manno’s author page

Code 7700 page by James Albright

Rough Skies Ahead: Legal Options for Turbulence Injuries [PDF] by Erin Applebaum and Taylor Sandella.

Aviation News

Senator Pushes FAA to Examine Aircraft Evacuation Rules

Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) sent a letter to the FAA asking the agency to compare its 90-second evacuation standard against recent incidents. The rule originated in the late 1960s and requires aircraft manufacturers to demonstrate during certification that all passengers and crew can evacuate the aircraft within 90 seconds, even with only half of the emergency exits available.

Duckworth’s letter: “While FAA has yet to disclose how long any of the referenced passenger evacuations took, these incidents once again raise serious questions about FAA’s 90-second evacuation standard as well as FAA’s assumptions about how evacuations occur in real world conditions (such as the assumption every passenger will comply with instructions to deplane without carry-on bags).”

Duckworth wants the FAA to describe how long they took, how many passengers exited with bags, and how many were children, seniors, or disabled.

Decades of Blunders Put a Lethal Wall at the End of a South Korean Runway

The Korean Maeil Business Newpaper reports that the New York Times “extensively secured and reviewed 26 years’ worth of Muan Airport-related data, including the initial design drawing of Muan Airport, and listened to opinions from experts and bereaved families.” This concerns the fatal Jeju Air crash last year at Muan Airport. The original Muan Airport design in 1999 stipulated that localizers should be easily broken in collisions to “minimize fatal damage to aircraft in the event of a collision,” the NYT said. However, this design was changed in 2003 and the support of the localizer was changed to hard concrete rather than brittle structures.

Boeing interfered with electric plane startup Zunum, appeals court finds

Electric airplane startup Zunum Aero, founded in 2013 and backed by Boeing and JetBlue, went out of business in 2019 after running out of funding. Zunum then sued Boeing, alleging that Boeing used its position as an investor to steal Zunum’s trade secrets. Also, that Boeing sought to discourage other groups from investing, forcing the company to cease operations.

A Seattle jury ruled against Boeing in 2024, but two months later, a federal judge reversed that decision. Now the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision and reinstated the $72 million verdict against Boeing. The case was remanded back to the district court to finalize the verdict.

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, Rob Mark, David Vanderhoof and our Main(e) Man Micah.

815 Air Travel Expert

We talk with travel expert Gary Leff from View from the Wing.com. In the news, the DOT probe of airline frequent flyer programs, U.S. airlines reduced hiring, automated landing fee collection, more on PFAS in aircraft firefighting foam, and FAA action to ease network flight delays. Also, interviews from the Pacific Airshow.

Guest

Travel expert and blogger Gary Leff was named one of the world’s top travel specialists by Conde Nast. He often appears in the media on television, radio, and in print. He’s been a keynote speaker at many conferences and both a moderator and panelist at Flightglobal industry conferences, in addition to CardCon and Fincon. His credit card advice has been featured in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Gary blogs at View From the Wing.com and is co-founder of InsideFlyer.com.

We talked with Gary about the U.S. Department of Transportation’s inquiry into airline rewards programs, including their authority to do so and the likely time before DOT action takes place. Gary comments on the devaluation of miles and gives us his thoughts on airline staffing levels. We consider issues surrounding carry-on baggage and overhead bin space and the topic of code sharing.

Visit View From the Wing.com for the writings of a true travel expert.

Aviation News

Breaking: New Government Investigation Demands Airlines Expose Frequent Flyer Devaluations

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) launched an inquiry into airline rewards programs to protect customers from potential unfair, deceptive, or anticompetitive practices. DOT sent letters to American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines ordering them to provide records and submit reports with detailed information about their rewards programs, practices, and policies. The probe is focused on the ways consumers participating in airline rewards programs are impacted by the devaluation of earned rewards, hidden or dynamic pricing, extra fees, and reduced competition and choice.

See: US probes top airlines’ frequent flyer programs for unfair practices and USDOT Seeks to Protect Consumers’ Airline Rewards in Probe of Four Largest U.S. Airlines’ Rewards Practices

U.S. airlines cool hiring after adding 194,000 employees in post-Covid spree

During the pandemic, airline employment decreased significantly as customer demand dropped. With the travel recovery, US passenger airlines added almost 194,000 jobs as they tried to catch up. Now hiring is cooling off: demand is moderating, fares are down which puts pressure on profits, labor costs are up with the new contracts, aircraft deliveries are running late, and engine availability is not where it needs to be

AOPA Objects to Possible Florida Airport Landing Fees

The state of Florida contracted with Virtower to collect aircraft movement data using ADS-B. Virtower partner Vector Airport Systems can use the Virtower data with its PlanePass system to provide automated invoicing. Vector proposes to collect a fee of $3 per 1,000 pounds of aircraft weight. AOPA says ADS-B was never intended to be used as a tool to collect landing fees. They question the need to collect fees at the public-use airports that already receive federal funds.

Virtower “monitors key airport operational parameters including takeoffs, landings, touch and go’s, pavement utilization, and based aircraft operations. While providing a quick and easy noise complaint investigations tool for all customers.”

Brunswick passes unprecedented PFAS resolution calling for action after spill

In Episode 812, we talked about aviation firefighting foam, specifically Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) that contains dangerous PFAS (“forever chemicals”). There are efforts to transition to fluorine-free foam (F3) for aircraft firefighting. The Brunswick Town Council passed a resolution calling for a statewide inventory of AFFF that was spilled on Aug. 19, 2024. The non-binding resolution calls for the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to take action.

To Ease Newark Flight Delays, the FAA Turned to Philly. Here’s Why.

The FAA moved oversight of Newark Liberty International Airport air traffic to the facility at Philadelphia International Airport. This required the relocation of 24 controllers from Long Island.

The air traffic controllers union says the move was rushed and operational problems have occurred. According to an FAA estimate, as much as 75% of the nation’s overall air traffic delays originate in the New York City area. See: FAA Knew of Potential of Radar Issues Before LaborDay Newark Failures.

Pacific Airshow Gold Coast

At the Pacific Airshow Gold Coast, Brian Coleman interviewed Kevin Elliott, the President and founder of Pacific Airshow. The two discussed the differences between the shows in Huntington Beach, CA and the Gold Coast. They also talk about the impact of the oil spill that caused the airshow closure in Huntington Beach.

Brian also interviewed Tom Tait, the Mayor of Gold Coast, Australia. They discuss the economic impact of the airshow.

Mentioned

Confessions of a New Corporate Pilot

Listener Patrick Wiggins recently flew his 300th participant in the Women of Aviation Worldwide free flight program. Patrick flies out of Tooele Valley Airport, Utah.

Cora and her friend standing in front of the airplane. — Cora (on the right) with her friend who participated last year.

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, David Vanderhoof, our Main(e) Man Micah, and Rob Mark.

795 Airline Industry Insights

Marisa Garcia offers airline industry insights. In the news, orders from Korean Air and Japan Air Lines, the Frontier financial incentive to retain new pilots, lower reward values for frequent flyer programs, landing a plane on the road, changing the name of an airport, and jet service for your dog.

Guest

Marisa Garcia is the founder, editor, and writer at FCMedia | FlightChic. She’s a freelance writer and senior contributor with Forbes.

FlightChic provides airline industry insights, analysis, and reviews, strongly focusing on the passenger experience. Marisa covers aircraft interiors, technical advancements, aviation safety and regulations, airline branding, and marketing strategies. Frequent flyers and aviation enthusiasts will find that Marisa’s writing provides valuable insights and perspectives on the evolving aviation landscape.

Marisa joins the conversation as we discuss recent JAL and Korean widebody orders. She offers her perspectives on the premium economy “sweet spot” for airlines and how onboard comfort has improved. Other topics include cabin crew training (especially safety training), the eroding value of airline frequent flyer programs, the criticality of aircraft interiors to safety, and how she became a “safety geek.” Marisa just published Why A B797 Revival Should Be Boeing’s New $50 Billion Plane in Forbes and has a lot to say about a Boeing “middle of the market” aircraft.

Marisa has worked directly designing and manufacturing aircraft interiors and safety equipment for many of the world’s leading airlines. She now applies that hands-on experience to reporting on product innovations, certification requirements, and new programs. The editorial aim of FlightChic is to highlight trends and make the industry easier to understand, both for professionals and everyday travelers.

See some recent articles by Marisa:

Aviation News

Korean Air Favors Airbus With Order For 33 New A350s

Korean Air announced an order for 33 A350 family aircraft: 27 A350-1000s and six A350-900s. The deal is valued at USD 13.7 billion. The A350-1000 can accommodate 350 to 410 passengers in a standard three-class configuration. The A350-900 variant is about 7 meters shorter than the A350-1000 and typically seats 300-350 passengers in a three-class layout.

Japan Airlines Will Introduce 42 New Planes from Airbus and Boeing. Accelerating International Network Growth With Advanced Fuel-Efficient Aircraft

JAL is acquiring 21 Airbus A350-900s, 11 A321neos, and 10 Boeing 787-9 planes. The A350s will be added to its international routes, augmenting its current A350 domestic operations. In January 2024, Japan Airlines debuted new cabins on their A350-1000 fleet of aircraft with enclosed suites.

Frontier Airlines Will Make New Hire Pilots Pay Nearly $60,000 If They Leave the Airline Within Two Years

As of May 1, 2024, the new Frontier Training Cost Repayment Agreement is designed to help the airline recoup the training cost for new pilots. Pilots who leave within two years will pay a prorated portion of the currently estimated $59,190 training cost.

Also, Frontier Airlines recently started a new out-and-back model business model where airplanes (and crew) return to their home base each night. Flight attendants don’t like the out-and-back model saying they earn less and spend more on hotel accommodation and commuting costs. The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) says that most of Frontier’s crew members don’t live close to their home base, and many commute more than 90 miles. The union wants Frontier to enter into contract negotiations over the issue.

Frequent Flyer Programs Deliver Lower Reward Value in the Era of Basic Economy Fares and Co-Branded Cards – Press Release

The IdeaWorksCompany Reward Seat Availability Survey answers the question, “How costly is points redemption for the most popular basic reward type offered by top US airlines?” The survey reviewed flight award programs from Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United. These programs were found to have declining value to flyers.

Plane lands near Poland Springs building after running low on gas

A Cessna running low on fuel made an emergency landing on a road in an industrial area.

Oakland officials vote to include ‘San Francisco’ in airport’s name

The Board of Commissioners for the Port of Oakland voted to change the name of Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport. Oakland airport officials say travelers sometimes fly into San Francisco’s airport when their destination is closer to the Oakland airport. San Francisco has claimed a trademark violation and has threatened a lawsuit.

The world’s first doggy jet service will cost you $6K for a one-way ticket

BARK Air offers a “white paw” experience. The check-in process involves no crates or TSA checkpoints. Calming aids are provided in the cabin along with leashes, poop bags and a beverage. The first BARK Air flights take off on May 23, 2024.

Mentioned

LeVeL33 – Meetup April 19 or 20, 2024.

NASA Retires DC-8 Flying Lab

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, Rob Mark, and our Main(e) Man Micah.

770 Boarding the Airplane

The airline boarding process, Leap-1A engine compressor stalls, the $19 billion Kennedy Airport transformation project, SpaceX Starlink Internet connectivity on planes, an update on the oldest skydiver, another Australia Desk report, and great listener mail.

Photo of man boarding United Air Lines Boeing 247 airplane. — Boarding a United Air Lines Boeing 247.

Aviation News

Check your group: United Airlines to reintroduce window, middle aisle boarding this month – saves 2 minutes!

United economy passengers might benefit from a boarding process where passengers with window seats get on first, then the middle seat passengers, and finally the aisle seats. The airline thinks this will shorten boarding by two minutes.

According to the airline, beginning October 26, 2023, boarding will take place in this order:

Preboarding: Customers with disabilities and unaccompanied minors, active duty military, Global Services members, families with children under two, and Premier 1K members
Group 1: United Polaris business, United first, United business, Premier Platinum, Premier Gold and Star Alliance Gold
Group 2: Premier Silver, Star Alliance Silver, Chase, and certain other credit card holders and paid Premier Access
Group 3: Window seats, exit row seats and non-revenue passengers
Group 4: Middle seats
Group 5: Aisle seats
Group 6: Basic economy on domestic flights and those between the U.S. and the Caribbean or Central America excluding Panama City and San Salvador

Leap-1A compressor-stall problem prompts FAA to propose inspections

After reports of three high-pressure compressor stalls resulting in aborted take-offs, and two stalls resulting in turnbacks, the FAA released a proposed rule that would require increased inspections of CFM International Leap-1A turbofans. The stalls were “induced by high levels of non-synchronous vibration” and involved wear on the engines’ number three bearing spring finger housings.

The Wikipedia Compressor Stall page provides more information on this topic.

Why Tugboats Are Key to the $19 Billion Overhaul of Kennedy Airport

Kennedy Airport is undergoing a $19 billion transformation project. Under the public/private redevelopment program, John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) will get two giant new terminals, expansion and modernization of existing terminals, streamlined roadways, and local retail and dining. See A New JFK for the latest information.

Hawaiian now planning Starlink service entry in early 2024

In addition to personal services, SpaceX’s Starlink offers commercial connectivity options: fixed, mobile, maritime, and aviation. According to the Starlink website, the aviation package is available for Gulfstream and Bombardier jets. In April 2022, Hawaiian Airlines announced that the airline would fit Starlink to its A321neos, A330s, and future Boeing 787-9s. Now the airline says that this has been pushed back to early 2024.

104-year-old skydiver dies days after jump that could put her in the record books

Dorothy Hoffner was found dead by staff at the senior living community. She apparently died in her sleep.

Australia Desk

The Australia Desk returns after a few months away, and much has happened, both in aviation circles and a little closer to home.

Steve Visscher at the hospital. — Steve Visscher

Steve returns to the microphone following his recent journey with open heart surgery, the result of a heart attack in early September. The aviation podcast community was so generous in their support during this time, and we take a moment to speak to that and express our appreciation.

For those who may be interested, Steve chronicled his experience in a blog, which can be found at http://proceedaspect.com

In aviation news this week, Qantas has been transporting Australian citizens out of Israel on behalf of the federal government, due to the escalating conflict there. At the time of recording, one 787 flight had been completed, while a second was aborted due to security concerns. That flight was rescheduled. The 787s take passengers to London and then on to Australia using A380s.

Statement on Second QANTAS Assistance Flight

Former Air New Zealand CEO Christopher Luxon is now the country’s Prime Minister following this weekend’s elections, following a shift into politics in recent times. The news comes as the nation’s flag carrier experiences financial stresses due largely to the escalating price of fuel, exacerbated by ongoing wranglings with Pratt & Whitney over engine issues, and a post-covid travel credit hangover.

Air New Zealand Growth Boosted By Long Haul Demand

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is on a recruitment drive, offering multiple aircrew roles on their Dash 8 and Challenger 604 fleet. Find out more here:

Recruitment Seminars

An Australian man is at the centre of a recent incident which resulted in a Scoot 787 flight from Singapore to Perth being turned around and given an RSAF F-15 escort back to Changi.

Australian man charged with making bomb threat on Scoot flight

The team at Paul Bennet Airshows have had a grand time at the recent Australian Aerobatic Championships, held at Narromine in New South Wales. Paul took out the Freestyle Championship, while many other team members swept the awards categories as well.

Hunter locals soar to victory at aerobatic championships

Mentioned

Your Pizza Shop, 1200 8’th Ave SW, Largo, Florida. Join Brian and Micah for a meetup on Sunday, November 12, starting at 4 p.m.

Successful A330 MRTT flight test campaign for F-15 fighters automatic refueling

Listener Michael’s RC Aircraft

This is just a small sampling of the foam, balsa, and fiberglass electric-powered radio-controlled aircraft that Michael has built. When he’s not working on models, Michael is a helicopter pilot and flight test engineer.

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, Brian Coleman, David Vanderhoof, Max Trescott, and Rob Mark. Contribution by Grant McHerron and Steve Visscher.

761 Airline WiFi

Brian and Micah speak with Roger Sands, the CEO of Wyebot, a company that provides AI-driven WiFi automation for the WiFi industry. The company has a long history of placing WiFi on different transportation modes, including commercial aviation. You’ll hear almost everything you want to know about airline WiFi.

Guest

Roger Sands is the co-founder and CEO of Wyebot, Inc. He has over 20 years of executive management experience, gained from working with both successful networking startups and Fortune 500 companies.

Roger Sands, CEO Wyebot, Inc. — Roger Sands

Prior to Wyebot, he was the Business Line Manager for Hewlett-Packard’s WW WLAN business, which he grew from 6th to 2nd in the market. He joined HP via the acquisition of Colubris Networks, a wireless startup, where he held a number of executive positions including co-CEO, and was instrumental in the HP acquisition. Prior to Colubris, he was a GM at Accton Technology, founding the enterprise wireless business and building it to #3 market share via 6 strategic partnerships.

Roger also held senior management positions at 3com, USRobotics, and Bytex Corporation. He holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University.

Hosts

Brian Coleman and our Main(e) Man Micah.

722 Flight Tracking with Flighty

Ryan Jones, founder and CEO of Flighty, describes the flight tracking app that pulls together a number of tools for flyers into one application. It features fast push notifications, flight delay predictions, and pilot-grade data.

Ryan is giving away lifetime subscriptions to two Airplane Geeks listeners. At the end of the interview, Ryan describes that if you install the app and leave a comment, you’ll be entered in the drawing. We really appreciate that Flighty is doing this for you.

Follow @rjonesy and @FlightyApp on Twitter.

Mentioned

As a follow-up to our conversation in episode 721 about Rotax engines in Iranian drones, listener Mark Newton posted in our Slack team the link to an article from The Drive. It’s titled Same Type Of Rotax Engines Used In Iranian Drones Targeted In Bizarre Theft Wave, published October 25, 2022. Many of these engines have been stolen and that might be how Iran obtained them.

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, Brian Coleman, and our Main(e) Man Micah.

666 Airline Recovery

The North America Air Transport Reporter with Cirium talks about airline recovery, Boeing, Airbus, and electric aviation. In the news, duct tape on a plane, the preliminary NTSB report on Launchpad Marzari’s crash, options for an upgraded F35 engine, an A330 that tried to take off from a taxiway, and the X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) jet. Also, a women in aviation quiz and how to refuel two B737s with one B747.

Guest

Tom Risen is the North America Air Transport Reporter for Cirium, a global aviation data company. He’s based in Washington, DC, and focuses his insights, analyses, and content on airlines and aerospace manufacturers. Of course, the topic of the moment is the airline recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition to reporting on airline business, Tom’s expertise includes the development of supersonic passenger jets and electric aircraft.

We look at the airline recovery, including bookings, variant infection concerns, and vaccination rates for the general public and at the airlines. Also the impact of international travel restrictions, and leisure versus business travel recovery. Tom talks about the airframers and the different trajectories for narrow-body and wide-body jets. He also shares some of his insights into the emerging electric aircraft, eVTOL, and Urban Air Mobility market.

Tom is the co-author of a forthcoming book about government oversight. He was formerly technology and business reporter at U.S. News & World Report, and a staff reporter for Aerospace America. Tom has also written stories for The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Slate.

Aviation News

When passengers are out of control, flight attendants reach for a last resort: Duct tape

Recent examples of passengers subdued with the sticky tape include an unruly woman on an American Airlines flight and a man on a Frontier Airlines flight who allegedly groped and punched flight attendants. More recently, an American Airlines cabin crew member had duct tape during an incident with a young passenger, although restraint cuffs were used instead. In a statement, the FAA said, “The flight crew is responsible for cabin safety and has latitude on how to handle individual situations.”

Launchpad, What Were You Thinking?

The NTSB preliminary report raises some questions about the fatal crash of Launchpad Marzari’s Focke-Wulf FWP-149D.

The Pentagon is exploring its options for a more efficient and powerful F-35 engine

The planned F-35 Block 4 upgrades include new weapons, computing technologies, and software. But a Pratt & Whitney F135 engine modernization proposal could be applied to all three variants of the F-35. Pratt described an enhanced engine would provide an 11 percent improvement in range, a 10 percent improvement in thrust, and a 50 percent increase in thermal management – important for stealth.

A330 Almost Took Off On a Taxiway at Newark

The crew was cleared for takeoff but they overshot their runway. As they proceeded down the taxiway at 90 knots, a controller noticed, and the takeoff was aborted.

NASA Timelapse Shows X-59 Supersonic Jet Being Built Over Two Years

The NASA video shows the construction of the X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) jet. Lockheed Martin plans nine months of flight tests in 2022, with aircraft delivery to NASA in 2023. The video shows work being done on the aircraft at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works factory in Palmdale, California between May 2019 and June 2021.

Prerecorded

Our Main(e) Man Micah brings us two stories in this episode. “And Now Verlla” tells us about the loss of a long-time airplane geek. Then Micah tells a lighthearted story that could be called “The Covert Chocolate War” or “The Fight for the American Palate” or “Launchpad’s Last Chocolates.”

Mentioned

The Business Aviation Quiz: Women In Aviation – This quiz from AviationWeek lets you guess these women who made their place in aviation history.

Sky River™ Helicopters at the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center.

QANTAS uses 747 to deliver extra fuel to Auckland

582 Airline Safety

We discuss airline safety in light of the newly revised EU Air Safety List and claims by Horizon Air of a lax pilot safety culture. Also, free admission at EAA Airventure Oshkosh for youth 18 and under, layoffs coming to Textron, space-based ADS-B, and a load stability system for helicopters.

Aviation News

Aviation Safety: Commission adopts new EU Air Safety List

The EU Air Safety List details the countries and specific airlines that do not meet the airline safety standards of ICAO (the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization). Entities on the list are banned from operating in the European Union or have operational restrictions within the EU. Banned from EU skies are 115 airlines, 109 of them in 15 states due to a lack of safety oversight by the aviation authorities in those states. For more on airline safety see:

How to Tell If Your Airline Is Safe from Condé Nast Traveler
The FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment Program (IASA)
The International Air Transport Association’s Operational Safety Audit (IOSA)
AirlineRatings.com

Horizon Air warns about lax safety culture among its pilots

Horizon Air’s vice president of flight operations stated that the airline suffers under a lax safety culture among the airline’s pilots, writing in an email, “If we sit back and do nothing, we will have an accident. Nothing good can come of the trajectory we are currently on.”

EAA to Give Free Admission to Youth at AirVenture

Young people ages 18 and under will be admitted free to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh as a way to introduce more youth to the possibilities in the world of flight. The 68th annual Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in convention will be July 20-26, 2020 at Wittman Regional Airport. The Boeing Company is financially supporting this effort for the next two years to encourage more aviation-minded families and their children to attend the annual event that brings more than 10,000 aircraft from around the world to Oshkosh.

Textron filing gives more insight into forthcoming layoffs

Textron Aviation announced upcoming layoffs under a restructuring plan and didn’t provide details on the size of the workforce reduction. But a Securities and Exchange Commission filing indicates that about 875 positions will be eliminated. The plan will “improve overall operating efficiency through headcount reductions, facility consolidations, and other actions.”

Northern Virginia-based surveillance firm picks up airplane signals to save time and fuel over Atlantic

Aireon provides a global air traffic surveillance system using Iridium’s satellite network for space-based ADS-B. Reducing the separation requirements for flights crossing the Atlantic gives pilots more freedom to adjust routes and altitude for efficiency.

After His Search-And-Rescue Instructor Died On A Mountain, Caleb Carr, 25, Cofounded A Company To Help Stabilize Helicopter Baskets

When he was just 15 and training as a volunteer search-and-rescuer in Oregon, Caleb Carr’s instructor collapsed of an apparent heart attack. Due to high winds, the rescue helicopter could not put the swaying rescue basket through the dense tree cover and the instructor died on the mountain. Carr and Derek Sikora went on to found Vita Inclinata (Latin for “life by motion”) to provide autonomous helicopter load stability systems.

Mentioned

Airlines Confidential Podcast, hosted by Ben Baldanza (the former CEO of Spirit Airlines) and Seth Kaplan (transportation analyst for NPR’s Here & Now, former publisher of Airline Weekly.)

Rare 1954 Aerocar may fly off the auction block at Scottsdale

Flying Through Corona Arch!!!

541 Airline Cabins

We look at the airline cabin environment, cameras in seatback IFE systems, Alaska Airlines and Sisters of the Skies working for more industry diversity, bringing a gun on a plane, the Amazon Prime Air B767 crash, a new drone marking requirement, and the winners of the Chicken Wings comics giveaway.

Guest

Jennifer Coutts Clay, author of Jetliner Cabins

Jennifer Coutts Clay is the principal of J. Clay Consulting, a consultancy based on over four decades of pioneering work in the airline industry. Jennifer is also the author of Jetliner Cabins: Evolution and Innovation which examines the history, evolution, and development of airline cabin interiors in great detail.

In our conversation, Jennifer explains airline considerations for seller-furnished or buyer-furnished equipment. We explore “trickle down product upgrades” from first class to business to coach, and what that means for the future of first class. Jennifer also explains how corporate travel departments have indirectly affected cabin design and fare structures, and the importance of minor miscellaneous items (MMI) to the passenger experience. We also discuss slimline seats, green cabin design, and future trends. Jennifer also gives us her perspective on the impacts of the Boeing 747 and the Concorde, both iconic aircraft.

At British Airways, Jennifer was the first woman to serve as Head of Operations and Sales for the Western US. After serving as the General Manager of Product Design and Development at Pan American World Airways for three years in the late 1980s, Jennifer became a consultant and now provides technical advice and marketing support to the aviation industry, with a focus on airline interior and corporate branding programs.

Jennifer has been featured, interviewed, and published by dozens of news media outlets, including The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes.com, Conde Nast Traveler, and CNN.com. She is a founding sponsor of the Crystal Cabin Awards, a founding member of the Pan American Historical Foundation Museum, and she serves on the Concorde Advisory Committee at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City.

Jetliner Cabins: Evolution and Innovation is available as an eBook from Amazon, the Apple App Store, and Google Play.

Jennifer Coutts Clay and the Concorde.

Aviation News

Airline seats now equipped with cameras — aimed at passengers

Seat-back entertainment systems on some American, United, and Singapore Airlines planes have cameras. All three airlines have said those cameras are part of the IFE systems from suppliers such as Panasonic and Thales. The airlines say the cameras are not activated and they have no plans to do so.

Alaska Airlines promises to bring more Black women pilots into the fold

The travel industry is dominated by white males, and Alaska Airlines has committed to hiring more African American female pilots. The airline has teamed up with the nonprofit Sisters of the Skies organization to sign a pledge promising to hire more Black woman pilots to its ranks.

According to Sisters of the Skies, “Currently, there are less than 150 black women pilots in the United States holding Airline Transport Pilot, Commercial, Military, and or Certified Flight Instructor Licenses.”

Mentioned

Chicken Wings Comics – We announce the two winners of the book giveaway. Thanks to all who entered, and to Michael and Stefan Strasser at Chicken Wings for donating and autographing the books.

Credit

Outtro by Bruno Misonne.