Evan Sparks of the Evan Sparks Aviation Policy Blog joins The Geeks this week as they celebrate 30 years of deregulation.  Of course there’s plenty of news from last week to be discussed as well:

Armadillo Aerospace, Rocket Racing Inc challenge Virgin Galactic

Travel Slowdown Worst Since SARS, Says Airline Group

Savvier Airline Schedules, Fewer Cheap Fares

Aeroports De Paris, Schiphol Group to Create Long-Term Alliance

Happy (?) 30th Birthday Airline Deregulation

Check out Max’s Pick of the Week at the AirSafe Podcast.  Also, don’t miss Stephen Force’s outstanding podcast following his ride with the Thunderbirds.

Make sure to sign up for our new newsletter, “Airplane Geeks Week in Aviation.”
We’ll be bringing you these show notes, as well as some of the week’s news we didn’t have time to cover.
You can sign up at AirplaneGeeks.com.

We’re also happy to announce our partnership with Flightline Internet Radio.
You’ll be able to hear excerpts of The Airplane Geeks weekly.

Brother Love is responsible for this episode’s opening and closing
music, and you can visit his site at brotherloverocks.com.

If you have a question or a comment for the Airplane Geeks, you
can send it to thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com.

You can also leave us voice mail at (812) 757-4252. If you have
a question you’d like mentioned on the podcast, this is the best
way to go about it.

Max and Court welcome Joel Mier from the Think for a Moment blog as he talks about his “Open Letter to the Airline Industry Leadership.”  As a marketing professional experienced in a variety of industries, Joel provides an interesting perspective on customer service in the airline industry.  Of course, there’s still a plethora of news to cover:

Blink and JetBird aim to slash private jet costs

CEO McNerney says strike hurts Boeing reputation

American Airlines moves to airfare unbundling

Study reveals what we love, and hate, about flying

Don’t miss Max’s pick of the week at the Dark Roasted Blend blog.

Make sure to sign up for our new newsletter, “Airplane Geeks Week in Aviation.”
We’ll be bringing you these show notes, as well as some of the week’s news we didn’t have time to cover.
You can sign up at AirplaneGeeks.com.

We’re also happy to announce our partnership with Flightline Internet Radio.
You’ll be able to hear excerpts of The Airplane Geeks weekly.

Brother Love is responsible for this episode’s opening and closing
music, and you can visit his site at brotherloverocks.com.

If you have a question or a comment for the Airplane Geeks, you
can send it to thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com.

You can also leave us voice mail at (812) 757-4252. If you have
a question you’d like mentioned on the podcast, this is the best
way to go about it.

It’s all VLJ’s this week as Max and Court welcome Shane Price from the Eclipse Aviation Critic NG Blog. Shane shares his expertice with the VLJ industry in some interesting conversations about the new industry.

Southwest to challenge Northwest with Midway flights to Minneapolis (Chicago Tribune)

JetBlue’s eBay auction scores a big hit with buyers (ATW)

TSA Likely to Relax Restrictions on Liquids in 2009 (Wall Street Journal)

The World’s Greatest Aviation Innovations (Wired)

Eclipse Aviation Meets Congress (AIN Online)

Eclipse Will Make Its Small Jets in Russia (New York Times)

Market, Aircraft Issues Sealed DayJet Fate (Aviation Week)

Pick of the week:

Sky-Lens.com is by French aviation writer and photographer François Brévot and has some very impressive photography of air shows and other events.:

Sky-Lens.com

Make sure to sign up for our new newsletter, “Airplane Geeks Week in Aviation.”
We’ll be bringing you these show notes, as well as some of the week’s news we didn’t have time to cover.
You can sign up at AirplaneGeeks.com.

We’re also happy to announce our partnership with Flightline Internet Radio.
You’ll be able to hear excerpts of The Airplane Geeks weekly.

Brother Love is responsible for this episode’s opening and closing
music, and you can visit his site at brotherloverocks.com.

If you have a question or a comment for the Airplane Geeks, you
can send it to thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com.

You can also leave us voice mail at (812) 757-4252. If you have
a question you’d like mentioned on the podcast, this is the best
way to go about it.

Max and I had this great episode lined up for this week…Then Ike hit.  Actually it took more than Ike to produce the 80mph winds that hit Cincinnati Sunday.  Apparently a cold front, combined with the remnants of Ike are the culprits of my lack of electricity for the past 3 days and counting.

So, after a 1.5 hour drive to electricity and internet this morning, all I can offer to all of you loyal airplane geeks is a self portrait of myself during the blackout (above), and a list of news we would have covered if I’d have had power.  I promise we’ll be back next week (assuming my power will be back up by then), and Max and I will bring you great aviation discussion with another great guest.  Until then, here’s the news:

• Airbus outlines Power8 Plus to workers, seeks savings through ‘internationalization’
• Boeing Gets Reprieve in Fuel-Tanker Contest
• UAL Story Blame Is Placed on Computer
• Eclipse reorganizes corporate structure
• ‘More airlines at risk’ as XL’s collapse strands thousands
• Warning: 30 airlines will go bust this year
• How an online time warp blindsided United Airlines
• Airline Aims To Advertise On Bald Heads
• Ike remnants blamed for Midwest deaths, blackouts

See you next week!

Court