Tag Archives: Coast Guard

899 PWM Airport Director

Guest

Paul Bradbury, Portland Jetport Airport Director.

Paul Bradbury is the Airport Director at the Portland Jetport in Maine. We look at Air service and passenger statistics, and Paul announces the Jetport’s first seasonal transcontinental service with United to San Francisco and Los Angeles. He explains the opportunities small hub airports can realize through continued upgauging of aircraft. Paul notes that passengers have been willing to pay higher fares due to increased fuel prices.

See: United Airlines Launches Nonstop Flights from SFO and LAX to Portland Maine.

To address parking capacity issues, Paul is now wrapping up the design and permitting for the revised $8.6 million surface parking plan, which the Portland City Council approved in April. This has been a lengthy process, and opposition from some area residents had to be resolved.

See: Portland approves $10 million Jetport parking expansion.

Paul also tells us about the challenges of Air Traffic Control capacity issues and the FAA’s capping of flights. We also learn about how the Jetport worked with Flight Tech Engineering to implement a new RNP approach to PWM that keeps flights over water. This approach was published on April 16, 2026, but is just now available for assignment by PWM ATC.

Aviation News

Helicopter collision risk higher after D.C. airspace changes, Coast Guard leaders say

Following the January 2025 midair collision, the FAA made changes to the congested airspace around Washington, D.C. But in a public Transportation Research Board (TRB) meeting, U.S. Coast Guard representatives criticized the FAA, saying the revisions may increase the risk of a serious accident between helicopters.

The Air Current reports that USCG pilots suggested that “the FAA did not adequately weigh the risks of a helicopter-on-helicopter collision when moving to eliminate helicopter routes and change airspace procedures to protect against close calls between rotorcraft and fixed-wing aircraft.” The changes put helicopters closer together and made it harder for crews to train for proficiency. The pilots said there was an increased risk of helicopter controlled flight into terrain.

In a written statement, FAA assistant administrator for communications Hannah Walden said, “Claims that these changes increased the risk of helicopter-to-helicopter collisions are not supported by the data.” She added that the FAA’s actions were guided by the National Transportation Safety Board’s emergency recommendations following the 2025 crash.

The Transportation Research Board is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The Board seeks “to anticipate and solve complex transportation-related challenges.” This is accomplished through more than 5,500 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia. The program is supported by state departments of transportation, federal agencies, and other organizations and individuals.

Air Force picks General Atomics, Anduril to build first CCA drone wingmen

The Air Force selected General Atomics and Anduril to build the U.S. military’s first Collaborative Combat Aircraft, beating out Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman in a re-solicited competition. The Anduril FQ-44A Furry and the General Atomics FQ-42A Dark Merlin will be fielded as production aircraft.

The acquisition strategy is unique in that the Air Force is pursuing a “software sold separately” approach, in which the purchase of the airframe and the CCA’s mission autonomy software are decoupled. Anduril, RTX Collins Aerospace, and Shield AI were awarded production options for the autonomy software and will compete in a six-month head-to-head round. A primary autonomy provider is expected to be named by summer 2027.

Canada Throws A Curveball As It Signals Interest In Joining GCAP Sixth-Gen Fighter Program

In a Tokyo meeting, David McGuinty, the Minister of National Defense of Canada, said he is “interested in learning more about” the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). That next-generation fighter program is a joint venture with BAE Systems (UK), Leonardo (Italy), and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co Ltd (JAIEC). Each holds a one-third share in Edgewing.

The Tempest is a crewed fighter with a targeted service date of 2035. A demonstrator is currently underway with BAE Systems in the UK. McGuinty said, “I’ll take it back to my team and see what it looks ‌like.” The speculation is that Canada could join the GCAP program with “observer status.”

FAA Proposes to Speed New Commercial Aircraft Certifications

The FAA recently proposed changes to modernize and harmonize commercial aircraft certification rules with EASA. The proposal would provide consistent requirements and reduce the cost, time, and complexity of certifications. This would streamline certification and benefit manufacturers.

Aircraft Certification: Comparison of U.S. and European Processes for Approving New Designs of Commercial Transport Airplanes

The U.S. Government Accountability Office issued GAO-22-104480 on June 30, 2022. The study directly compared FAA and EASA certification processes and found a significant asymmetry that harmonization could eliminate in the wrong direction. EASA uses a risk-based approach to evaluate compliance findings and reviews the technical basis for compliance determinations, including oversight of all aspects of the airplane’s design. The FAA, by contrast, reviews the completeness of certification packages and compliance determinations in high-risk areas, but this review does not customarily include an independent review of the technical basis for compliance determinations.

American Airlines flight aborts takeoff in Miami after business jet enters the same runway

After American Airlines Flight 308 bound for Bermuda received takeoff clearance at Miami, the flight crew observed NetJets Flight EJA434 entering the same runway and aborted their takeoff. Addressing the NetJets plane, the controller said, “You just crossed an active runway.” The pilot responded, “You just told me to cross the runway, sir.” The controller said, “No, we said Amerijet 461.”

National Air and Space Museum Celebrates 50 Years With Opening of Five New Galleries

Hillel attended the National Air & Space Museum media preview for the opening of the five new galleries.

He recorded the opening remarks by Christopher Browne, the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. Chris joined the museum as deputy director in 2017 and served as acting director from 2021 to 2022, when he was named director.

Hillel also interviewed Carolyn Russo, the curator of the art and trophy collections and the temporary curator of the poster collection. She has over 30 years of experience at the Museum, and is the author of four books: Art of the Airport Tower (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Books, 2015), In Plane View: Abstractions of Flight (New York: powerHouse Books, 2007), Artifacts of Flight (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2003), and Women and Flight: Portraits of Contemporary Women Pilots (Boston, New York, London: Bulfinch Press, 1997).

Exhibit at the National Air & Space Museum.

Mentioned

Cirrus announced the opening of its Duluth Talent Center, a multi-million-dollar investment that serves as a hub for community engagement, recruiting, and workforce development. Designed to connect individuals with careers in aerospace, the Talent Center provides direct access to recruiting, technical training, and career development resources in one centralized location.

Plane Spotting

C-130 Hercules on the tarmac at PWM. — C-130 Hercules spotted by Micah.

Upcomming

Hosts this Episode

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

812 Artificial Intelligence in Aviation

The FAA roadmap for Artificial Intelligence in aviation, clean aviation fuel setbacks, aviation fire-fighting foam, blended wing body aircraft, and the new Sikorsky VH-92A Marine One helicopter. Also, a first-timer’s experience at EAA Airventure Oshkosh.

Aviation News

FAA lays out ‘roadmap’ for AI safety in aircraft

In Roadmap for Artificial Intelligence Safety Assurance [PDF], the FAA says Artificial Intelligence (AI) must demonstrate its safety before it can be utilized in aviation. This is a challenge because AI systems achieve performance and capability by learning rather than design with the absence of engineering principles that guide the traditional engineering design process.

The document’s primary purpose is to provide a path that ensures the safety of Artificial Intelligence in aircraft and related systems for inflight operations. The roadmap also recognizes significant opportunities to use AI for safety. A set of principles are identified as well as the next steps in five areas to enable safety enhancements and the safe use of AI.

Clean Fuel Startups Were Supposed to Be the Next Big Thing. Now They Are Collapsing.

The article describes headwinds that impede progress toward the broader use of clean aviation fuel.

United Airlines plans to use jet fuel made from trash

United Airlines partnered with about 30 other global firms to form an “Eco-Skies Alliance” to finance the use of SAF made from trash. The airline’s initiative appears to have shut down.

Leading hydrogen aircraft startup is suddenly grounded

Startup Universal Hydrogen raised $100 million with backing from GE Aviation, American Airlines, and the venture capital arms of Airbus, JetBlue, and Toyota. Shareholders were recently informed that the company was shutting down. Universal Hydrogen could not raise additional financing from either new or existing investors.

Oil majors back out of biofuel in Europe

BP scaled back expansion plans for sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel in Europe. Chevron is furloughing workers at its Oeding, Germany biodiesel plant. Shell halted construction of a biofuel plant in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Air New Zealand becomes first major airline to scrap its 2030 climate goal

The airline cited delivery delays of new fuel-efficient aircraft and the price of alternative jet fuels. The 2030 target had been to reduce carbon intensity by 28.9%, compared with 2019 levels. The airline is working on a new near-term target.

Nearly 400 gallons of high-expansion foam fills Coast Guard hangar in Mobile

Due to a fault in the fire alarm system at the United States Coast Guard Aviation Training Center, almost 400 gallons of high-expansion foam filled the hangar. Three HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplanes and four MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters were in the hangar. These aircraft are being cleaned and inspected to assess damage.

WKRG Video: Nearly 400 gallons of high-expansion foam fills Coast Guard hangar in Mobile

Because the widely-used Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) contains dangerous PFAS (referred to as “forever chemicals”), the FAA and the Department of Defense (DoD) have engaged in a significant research project to test fluorine-free foam (F3).

Fluorine-Free Foam (F3) Transition for Aircraft Firefighting

In December 2022, Congress directed the FAA to prepare a transition plan to ensure an orderly move to MILSPEC F3 for aircraft firefighting. See: FAA Aircraft FireFighting Foam Transition Plan. In January 2023, DoD published an F3 military specification (MILSPEC), and foam manufacturers can now submit MILSPEC F3 agents for qualification by DoD. Once DoD certifies that a foam meets the new specification, it will be added to the Qualified Product List. FAA considers foams on the Qualified Product List as acceptable to use to satisfy the regulatory requirements of Part 139.

Video: Fluorine Free Foam (F3) Transition Awareness Webinar [1 hour 30 min]

Alaska Airlines backs JetZero, takes options for future BWB aircraft

JetZero is working with the US Air Force, NASA, and the FAA to develop an ultra-efficient Blended Wing Body jet for entry into service by 2030. Alaska Airlines’ venture capital arm, Alaska Star Ventures, invested in JetZero under a Series A funding round last year. Alaska has taken options for future aircraft orders. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Biden takes inaugural flight in long-delayed new ‘Marine One’ helicopter

President Joe Biden took his first flight aboard the Sikorsky VH-92A helicopter serving as Marine One. The was the maiden presidential voyage for the years-delayed helicopter.

Guest

Mali experienced her first EAA Airventure Oshkosh this year. She’s not an aviation enthusiast herself, but her father and brother are. Mali wanted to attend Osh so she could understand their passion for aviation. She tells us what she learned.

Mali and her father flew to Oshkosh in her father’s Cherokee. They stopped along the way at the National Museum of the United States Air Force for a “crash course” in aviation. Then at Airventure, Mali immersed herself in all that the event had to offer, including camping with the plane. It’s a fascinating look at this great event through the eyes of a perhaps atypical attendee.

Mentioned

Dirt track hall of fame driver Scott Bloomquist believed dead in plane crash and Racing Driver Scott Bloomquist Dies In Cub Crash

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, our Main(e) Man Micah, and Hillel Glazer.

616 Latinas in Aviation

Latinas in aviation tell their stories, Pieter Johnson talks with Matt Bone from the Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group, and Steve Vischer and Grant McHerron bring us up to date on Virgin Australia and Tiger Airways in the Australia News Desk. Launchpad Marzari reports from The Airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs where the centerpiece is a fully intact Boeing KC-97 tanker.

Three Latinas in aviation with the Airplane Geeks

Guests

The new book Latinas in Aviation: Stories of passion, power, and breaking into the aviation industry tells the stories of 22 amazing women. Our three guests are included in that book and they tell us about their aviation accomplishments.

Olga Custodio

Olga E. Custodio is a Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force Reserves (ret), and a retired American Airlines captain. She was the first Latina to complete U.S. Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training and graduate in the top 5% of her class with a fighter qualification to fly the T-38 as an instructor pilot.

While studying at the University of Puerto Rico, she tried to participate in the university’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program, but she was denied the opportunity because women were not allowed at that time. But she persisted and went on to become a commissioned military officer, serving in the U.S. Air Force for 24 years and retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. After transitioning to the U.S. Air Force Reserves, Olga became the first Latina commercial airline pilot and later upgraded to Captain, flying for American Airlines. Besides the T-38, Olga flew the T-41, B-727, F-100, B-757, and B-767. Today, Olga is retired with over 11,000 flight hours.

Olga is a STEM advocate and speaks at local schools, universities, corporations, and military base groups, encouraging young women and men to reach for their dreams. Olga is a mentor with the Women in Aviation International, Aviation Explorers, and the School of Aeronautics of the Inter American University in Puerto Rico.

Ana Uribe Ruiz is co-president of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Women in Aviation International. She was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador with aviation in her blood. Her father formed the airline Ecuatoriana de Aviacion in the late 1950s that was the flag carrier for the country for many years. This gave her the opportunity to spend time in the cockpit and see the world with a different view.

Ana took up a finance and banking career in the U.S. and married a private pilot, but flying had to wait due to family matters. She eventually started her pilot training in California and became involved with Women of Aviation International Week. Ana is the only private pilot in the Bay Area with a Jefferson Award for Public Service, bringing women into the aviation world.

Ana can often be found talking and presenting in schools and inspiring the future generation of pilots.

Jacqueline Ruiz

Jacqueline S. Ruiz calls herself a visionary social entrepreneur. Born in Mexico City, she moved to the United States at age 14 where she learned English and German. She has created two successful award-winning companies, established two nonprofit organizations, published 16 books, created over 10 products, and held dozens of events around the world in just the past decade.

Jackie is a regular guest on TV and radio including CBS World News, CBS Chicago, WGN-TV, ABC7 News, WGN Radio 720, and has been featured in Forbes Magazine, INC, and others. She is one of the few Latina sports airplane pilots in the United States and Jackie believes that “taking off is optional, landing on your dreams is mandatory.”

The book Latinas in Aviation is available on Amazon. 100% of book proceeds will go to the Pilotina Scholarship for young women aged 17 to 24.

The first all-female T-38 4-ship Indy Speedway flyby.

Eat at the Airport

Airplane Geeks reporter-at-large Launchpad Marzari talks with Steve Kanatzar from The Airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The centerpiece of that establishment is a fully intact Boeing KC-97 tanker.

Launchpad Marzari at The Airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs.

Across the Pond

Pieter Johnson is joined by Matt Bone from the Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group which raises funds for the rebuild and return to flight of the sole surviving combat veteran Hawker Typhoon MkIb, RB396.

Napier Sabre Engine for RB396

Australia News Desk

Steve Vischer and Grant McHerron bring news about Virgin Australia and Tiger Airways.

Mentioned

Daedalians – Advocacy for air and space power and honor for those who flew and fly in defense of the United States.

Girls in Aviation Day, September 26, 2020.

Coast Guard Aviation in Vietnam – Combat Rescue and Recovery

“This is the story of those Coast Guard aviators who flew as part of the U.S. Air Force Combat Rescue Forces during the Vietnamese Conflict. The men who wrote this virtually unknown chapter of Coast Guard aviation history exemplified the highest traditions of Coast Guard Aviation and the United States Coast Guard.”

New Hampshire allows flying cars on the road—but don’t expect to see any

406 Innovations in Flight 2016

The Airplane Geeks attended the Innovations in Flight Family Day and Outdoor Aviation Display on Saturday, June 18, 2016 at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

Airplane Geeks Innovations in Flight 2016

The Airplane Geeks: Micah, Brian, Max, Benet, David

Interviews

Commander Brian McGlaughin, USCG

Commander Brian McGlaughin

The United States Coast Guard is celebrating 100 years of aviation in 2016, and we hear about the mission of Coast Guard, flying in Alaska, the Sikorsky HH-52 Seaguard that was inducted into the National Air & Space Museum, the new C-130J, and of course, the 100th celebration activities.

Steve Lott, The Boeing Company

Steve Lott

Steve is the Director of Communications for Boeing, based in Washington D.C. He talks about Boeing’s 100th year anniversary and explains that July 15, 2016 is Founders Day, when Bill Boeing had his first flight. Boeing employs a number of full time historians, and maintains a very large historical archive, including many photographs.

Steve tells us about the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall renovation at the NASM downtown on the Mall, and reminds us about the excellent The Age of Aerospace series. This documentary explores the last 100 years of aviation history and is presented by Boeing and Discovery Communications.

Captain Caitlin Diffley, USAF

Captain Caitlin Diffley

Captain Diffley is the Regional Director for the United States Air Force Academy Admissions Office for the Northeast. She describes opportunities at the Academy and the many concentrations offered. Learn more about the application process at AcademyAdmissions.com.

Max Flight

During a brief lull in the interviews, David and Benet decide to “interview” Max and hear about his visit outside the Museum to see the aircraft and automobiles on display. Max also describes his experience at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania.

Steve Maloney

Steve is a contemporary artist from California who transformed a boneyard U.S. Army Huey helicopter into a mixed-media sculpture. The helicopter served as an air ambulance during the Vietnam War, and Take Me Home Huey is now touring the U.S. to honor Vietnam vets and facilitate conversation about their service.

Watch the trailer of the documentary film about the role Hueys played during conflicts as told by pilots, mechanics and helicopter crew members.

Bill Barry, NASA

NASA Chief Historian Bill Barry (seated, far left) and some airplane geeks

NASA Chief Historian Bill Barry tells us about some of the other anniversaries in 2016, including the first Viking lander on Mars 40 years ago, the 10th anniversary of the first COTS (commercial off the shelf technology) contact for launch services delivering material to the Space Station, the 100th anniversary of Langley, and even the 50th anniversary of Star Trek. Bill talks about naming the Space Shuttle Enterprise rather than Constitution, the aeronautics programs at NASA, and public interest in NASA activities. Be sure to visit the NASA History webpage.

Photos

Take Me Home Huey

DSCF9051_600

Micah and Brian

Credit

Airplane Geeks would like to thank the National Air & Space Museum for inviting us back to the Innovations in Flight event. This is a must-attend, bring your family event held the Saturday before Father’s Day in June.

Photo credits: @ProfVanderhoof, @dronemama, @maxflight

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

Episode 221 – Airplane Geeks vs Sandy

Sandy

The weather spawned by Hurricane Sandy took out David and Max, although Rob was comfortably situated in Orlando, Florida for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention. Not wanting to leave you without an episode for the week,we gathered up what we could and produced this “mini-episode.”

We have David’s interview with Lieutenant Jay Kircher from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City in New Jersey.

Steve and Grant had a light news week but submitted an Australia Desk report nonetheless with a third airport for Melborne and spam from Tiger Airways (you can opt in but try opting out!).

Our European contributor Pieter Johnson has an Across the Pond segment with Tim Gresty, Managing Director at Cognitio, about airline super hubs and the threat to the European superhubs such as London Heathrow from the middle east and this is being affected by the alliances as well as joint ventures such as those being formed by Qantas, breaking decades of traditional links with airlines such as British Airways.

This short show is rounded out by voice mails from a couple of listeners.

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. Australia Desk archives can be found at www.australiadesk.net.

Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on his blog Alpha Tango Papa, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast.

Look for a full episode next week with another great aviation guest.

Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at www.brotherloverocks.com.