Airplane Geeks - Episode 76 - Flight Testing With James [77:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1563)

Our guest this episode is life-long test pilot James Patton. He was the Chief Test Pilot & Head of Flight Ops at NASA Langley, a naval aviator, an FAA test pilot, and an expert at spin testing. Jim was just inducted into the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame.

David Vanderhoof has another This Week in Aviation, Steve Visscher and Grant McHerron from the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast have their Australia Desk report, and we have some listener mail.

• F.A.A. Clarifies What Can Be Stowed in Seat Back
• FAA won’t allow cockpit naps as part of plan to reduce pilot fatigue
• Two Years of Lost Growth – Slow Improvement Trend
• US Airways Pilots Ask Department of Justice to Investigate US Airways/Delta Transaction
• Bertrand Piccard’s Solar Impulse aircraft makes inaugural flight [Thanks, John!]
• Northrop Rejects Tanker Bid Under Draft RFP

Follow the @AirplaneGeeks on Twitter, send us email at thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com, or leave a message on our listener line: (361) GEEKS01.

This episode’s opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. Visit his site at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.

 

 Standard Podcast [97:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1557)

Our guest this episode is Joshua Abramson, he’s the Airport Manager at Winchester Municipal Airport, and also an aviation advisor for the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) which carries out applied research on problems that are shared by airport operating agencies. We talk with Josh about issues of concern to regional airports. His website is Airport Solution, which is home of the Airport Executive blog.

The news:

• Airbus, Boeing wooing United Airlines for plane order
• Virgin America Sees Ownership Shift Over 10% With New Investors
• American Airlines ups the ante in battle with Delta over JAL
• Seeking FAA funds, airport hopes sale fares lure fliers
• Metro Airport Explores Wind Power
• American’s flight attendants stage mock strike

David Vanderhoof has another This Week in Aviation. His links this week are The Flying Clippers and Pan Am Clipper Flying Boats.

We also have Steve Visscher and Grant McHerron from the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast with their Australia Desk report. The guys sent along a second bonus clip that we found very funny and think you’ll enjoy. We also have some listener mail.

Follow the @AirplaneGeeks on Twitter, send us email at thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com, or leave a message on our listener line:  (361) GEEKS01.

This episode’s opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. Visit his site at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.

 

 Episode 66 - Chocolate Thunder [86:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1852)

Dan Webb takes time off, Steve Visscher drops in, and David Vanderhoof spends the entire episode with Rob and Max as they talk aviation news and history. Steve and Grant provide another report from the Airplane Geeks Australia Desk, and the week’s listener mail includes a great recording of “The Top 10 Ways to Tell Your Father is an Airplane Geek.”

The news:

• Revised LASP proposal in the works
• GA General Manager: TSA Tries, Tries Again
• Business & General Aviation: Letters Can’t do it all
• Boeing vs. Northrop Grumman: Round 2 of Air Force tanker fight to kick off
• Report walks airlines through the world of social media
• New Rules Needed to Attract Better Pilots, Aviation Experts Tell Congress

From David’s This Week in Aviation:

• Garros after his flight
• N2Y-1 Biplane
• Pitcairn PCA-2
• Skytrain
• Video of Miss Champion, a restored Pitcairn PCA-2 Autogyro at the EAA museum.
• David’s favorite T-Shirt

and David’s new blog, What Just Flew By!

Follow the @AirplaneGeeks on Twitter, send us email at thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com, or leave us voice mail at (812) 757-4252.

This episode’s opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. Visit his site at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.

 

 Airplane Geeks - Episode 63 - Free Junk Kept Forever [86:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1906)

This episode’s guest is Mike Friesen, Principal at Leading Strategies, a provider of  consulting services and coaching for aviation executives, particularly in the airport industry. He’s also a former U.S. military pilot, having flown the F-4 Phantom and the F-15.

We talk about aviation news from the past week and we have a report from the Airplane Geeks Australia Desk (which is expecially amusing this time). We also have our This Week in Aviation history lesson from David Vanderhoof, and some listener mail.

The news:

• Seatbacks in Position and Empty, Please
• NTSB calls for new air traffic rules over Hudson River
• FAA: Southwest operating 40-plus 737s with uncertified parts
• National Business Travel Association International Convention & Exposition
• Cliff Notes: Seven key items from today’s 787 announcement
• Virgin America’s Second Quarter Results Show Improvement

A photo of the Etrich Taube, the airplane mentioned in David’s This Week in Aviation segment as the first aerial bombardment of a city by a fixed wing aircraft, can be found in Wikipedia.

The photo above is of our own Dan Webb at the National Business Travel Association International Convention & Exposition. It was taken when he wasn’t collecting free junk.

Follow the @AirplaneGeeks on Twitter, send us email at thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com, or leave us voice mail at (812) 757-4252.

This episode’s opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. Visit his site at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.

 

 Episode 54 - Taking it One Mile at a Time [84:18m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (2049)

Ben from the One Mile at a Time blog joins Dan, Max and Rob to talk aviation news and how to fly a lot of miles on the cheap.

• Boeing delays 787 first flight again, cites excessive stress in ‘upperwing join area’
• In Blow to Boeing, Qantas Drops Order
• Boeing Delay Upends Plans of Leasing Firms
• Clear service for fliers abruptly shuts down
• FAA panel to develop rules on pilot fatigue by September
• Terrified tourists boycott Thomas Cook flight home after being told to sit at back ‘to help balance the jet’
• Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary wants passengers to carry all their bags to the plane
• Second Domestic Airfare Hike of the Year Initiated
• Airlines Reaffirm Environmental Commitment
• ATA Voices Concerns to Speaker Pelosi Regarding Cap and Trade Legislation
• Airlines jacking up summer airfares
• Computer Failures Are Probed in Jet Crash

We also have our report from the Airplane Geeks Australia Desk, an additional airline news report from Stephen, and a This Week in Aviation segment.

Dan’s aviation website pick of the week is Widgetheads.net, a Delta Air Lines fan site.

Don’t forget to send us your ideas for Airplane Geeks T-Shirts!

Follow the Airplane Geeks on Twitter as @AirplaneGeeks, send us email at thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com, or leave us voice mail at (81….

This episode’s opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love. You can visit his site at brotherloverocks.com.

 

 Episode 42 - Evan Sparks Talks Aviation Policy [67:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (14601)

Evan Sparks joins The Geeks this week as we talk aviation policy.  There’ s quite a bit of emails and we finally get our listener voicemail up.  Of course, as usual there’s the news:

• ASA grounds 60 jets over bad inspections

• Jetstar Asia revamp with Choo Tek Wong partnership

• The Battle for the Armrest: Could a New Design End Elbow Wars?

• Experts say biofuel-powered commercial flights possible within five years

• 1 Billion Passengers Expected In 2021

• Airline passengers revolt against hours spent on the tarmac

• Oberstar Questions Virgin America

Max’s pick of the week is e-Go Aeroplanes.

The Airplane Geeks are now on Twitter! You can follow us @AirplaneGeeks.

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.

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 or comment you’d like mentioned on the podcast, this is the best
way to go about it.

 

 Episode 35 - Benet Joins the Geeks [65:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1877)

Benet Wilson from the Aviation Week’s Business Aviation Now blog joins the geeks as we talk about the latest news in aviation.  Make sure to follow Benet on Twitter @bizavweekly.

We learn two things in this episode:

1. Canadian Geese are mean.
2. Swans are meaner.

You’ll see.

But first, the news:

• NTSB: Plane crew saw significant ice before crash

• Fuller supports FAA funding bill in congressional testimony

• The eskimo isn’t smiling at Virgin America
  • Virgin America Should Be Considered “American” for Now

• It’s Official–Canada Geese Hit Flight 1549

• Carson: Boeing prepared for possible 10% 2010 production cut
  • Boeing Frontiers

• Cessna: Business Aircraft Are Good for Businesses
  • CessnaRise

 

 Episode 14 - Interview with the Airfare Watchdog [45:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (2089)

Max and Court are excited to bring you an interview with George Hobica of AirFareWatchDog.com.  George gives us some history about the site, as well as some great tips for finding the lowest fare.

News:

• Airline eyes Springfield as new home
• United won’t charge for food on international flights
• 11 Air Carriers Violated Safety Rules, F.A.A. Says
• Strike has big risks for Boeing, union

The intro music is once again produced by Bruno Misonne.  Check out Bruno’s aviation music at http://www.brunomisonne.com.   Brother Love is responsible for the closing music, and you can visit his site at http://www.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.

 

 Episode 13 - Putting the Labor in Labor Day [61:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1786)

Max and Court welcome back Rob Mark, CEO of Commavia and author of the syndicated Jet Whine Blog.  To keep with the spirit of Labor Day, we found some labor-related news across the industry:

• Airbus to extend A380 to accommodate 1,000 passengers
• FAA delays first slot auction for Newark
• FAA outage reveals odd computing practices
• Rocket Racing League Conducts Successful Inaugural Test Flights of Armadillo Aerospace Powered Rocket Racer
• Passengers stranded after Zoom planes grounded
• Delta Pulls Comair Flights Out Of Concourse C
• American Airlines employees eye British Air alliance warily
• Boeing Union Reviewing Final Offer `Line by Line’

The intro music is once again produced by Bruno Misonne.  Check out Bruno’s aviation music at http://www.brunomisonne.com.   Brother Love is responsible for the closing music, and you can visit his site at http://www.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.