Airplane Geeks - Episode 247 - Arthur Rosen's Aviation Opinions [ 1:40:10 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (6759)

Arthur Rosen blogs at My Opinion: Thoughts and Comments on General Aviation and he doesn’t hold back on his opinions. He’s a pilot, the AOPA-ASN (Airport Support Network) volunteer for Scottsdale Airport (SDL), past Chairman of the Scottsdale Airport Advisory Commission, he served on the Super Bowl Committee for Aviation, is past President of Arizona Soaring Association, an Aviation Expert for ABC TV-Phoenix, and a retired Judge!

We talk with Arthur about flight training and how it has become more about passing the test than learning to fly. Also, local airports and local politics – how residential development is an airport killer. Arthur has strong feelings about user fees, and how they, like land development, destroy aviation.

Arthur maintains that people do have an interest in learning to fly, but for many the cost is prohibitive. He has a pretty interesting prediction for small airplanes over the next five or ten years (it isn’t pretty), and he doesn’t buy the airline pilot shortage we hear about.

We discuss light sport aircraft and why they haven’t fulfilled the promise of being affordable entry-level airplanes. Also, legacy aircraft and FAA mandated TSO (Technical Service Order) equipment (Max gets confused because TSO means something different to ex-MRO guys), how the iPad is valuable for pilots with Foreflight and WingX dominating the apps market and training through the FAA Acquisition System Toolset (FAST).

Find Arthur Rosen on Twitter as @judge613.

The week’s aviation news:

• Business Aviation Safety Seminar: Used Properly, Copious Collected Data Enhances Safety
• Professionalism has NOTHING to do with the size of the airplane you fly
• Boeing Takes on the Concorde: The Next Supersonic Jet?
• X-51A Waverider Achieves Hypersonic Goal On Final Flight
• The Warp Speed of Today: Boeing’s X-51A WaveRider
• Boeing 777X could spur mini-jumbo battle with Airbus

David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week: Vultee Vibrator or Valiant BT-13/SNV.

Defence Minister, Stephen Smith MP, releasing the 2013 Defence White Paper at Defence Establishment

In this week’s Australia Desk:

The Australian Government released its latest Defense White Paper this week, outlining updates on planned future equipment acquisitions for the Army, Navy and Air Force. On the aviation side of things, the purchase of 12 EA-18G “Growler” aircraft was announced, and Grant ponders whether this might mean the existing 12 “pre-wired” F18F+ Super Hornets already in the fleet will still be converted – as previously planned – into Growlers, while buying 12 new Super Hornets to replace them. Steve points out that this is far too logical for any government to consider. Additionally, there is speculation that the F-35 order book may be reduced from 100 airframes to 72.

Australia’s Attorney General, Mark Dreyfus, was in hot water this week after allegedly refusing to obey the instructions of a Qantas flight crew to turn off his mobile phone. The Federal Police was notified of the incident but were not required to attend the aircraft.

Former Qantas executive Rod Sharp took the reins at Tiger Airways this week, continuing the trend of ex-Qantas big wigs being poached away by John Borghetti, the CEO of Virgin Australia – who now own a controlling interest in Tiger, as reported last week.

No Speedos were harmed in the production of this segment

Links :

• New build Growlers, renewed commitment to F-35 mark new Defence White Paper
• Coalition gives differing scorecards for Collins Class subs
• Police called after Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus fails to turn off his phone on Qantas flight
• Ex-Qantas exec takes reins at troubled Tiger Airways

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.

Commander Ian Sloan at Royal Navy Historic Flight

In this week’s Across the Pond segment:

On our recent visit to the Royal Navy Historic Flight, Commander Ian Sloan told us about his plans to become an exchange pilot flying jets from a friendly nation’s aircraft carriers. Listen in and find out what aircraft type and what Navy, he is being seconded to.

Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast.

Mentioned:

• Navy unveils squadron of manned, unmanned craft
• Here come the Vikings
• First of its Kind Aviation Quotes – [Flying Freedom Friendship]

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

Airplane Geeks - Episode 229 - Bits and Pieces IX [ 2:00:34 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (11134)

Engine Alliance GP7200, center cut sketch

This week we bring you a collection of segments:

Max has a conversation with Mary Ellen Jones, President of the Engine Alliance, a 50/50 joint venture of General Electric and Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. EA produces the GP7200 engine for the Airbus A380. Max talks to Mary Ellen about the formation of EA and how two fierce competitors can come together in a joint venture. We look at who manufactures which parts of the engine, how they are integrated, and how the engine is maintained. We also touch on Mary Ellen’s involvement with the Connecticut Airport Authority, and how she is trying to improve the experience at Connecticut’s airports. [Starts 3:24]

Find Engine Alliance on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

First Operational F-35B Joint Strike Fighter

David, Rob, and Max had the opportunity to speak with Major Aric Liberman, an F-35B pilot with Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Arizona. We talk about the F-35, being part of the future, and engine performance. The Major compares the F-35B to previous generation tactical fighters like the F-18, and touches on the level of automation, and F-35 stick and throttle controls. [Starts 24:46]

See First F-35B Delivery to MCAS Yuma on YouTube, and Pratt & Whitney Congratulates U.S. Marine Corps for World’s First F-35B Lightning II Operational Squadron.

The segment from our commercial pilot and flight instructor teammate Rob Mark is about the realm of flight instruction. It’s actually about not learning to fly, to be more precise. In this piece, Rob tells us about how two different people influenced his life in aviation. One man nearly convinced him to stop flying forever, while the other saw a spark that convinced Rob not to give up on a dream. This is an Airplane Geek’s tale called … “The Day I Quit Flying.” [Starts 52:17]

In this week’s Australia Desk Report, Grant attempts to recover from his New Years celebrations as the boys present an abridged version of their interview with Mac “Serge” Tucker, a former RAAF F/A18 pilot and Fight Combat Instructor who has recently publish a book talking about his experiences. They cover the importance of USAF exchange postings for RAAF pilots, his concerns about the introduction of the F-35 into Australian service, and his thoughts on the increasing use of un-manned aerial vehicles. [Starts 1:07:40]

Mac’s book is called “Fighter Pilot – mis-adventures beyond the sound barrier with an Australian Top Gun.” The full interview is featured in episode 96 of Plane Crazy Down Under.

Farnborough Air Sciences Trust

In his Across the Pond segment, Pieter visits the Farnborough Air Sciences Trust (FAST). Described in the Sunday Times as one of the Top Ten Geeky Holiday Spots on the Planet, FAST is dedicated to maintaining the memory of all of the fabulous aviation and aerospace innovations and developments throughout Farnborough’s history. [Starts 1:21:35]

Listener Ian Kershaw provides a brief review of the book “Vulcan 607″ by Rowland White. [Starts 1:45:29]

Amber Nolan

Finally, Max interviews Amber Nolan, a travel writer who is trying to visit all 50 U.S. states by hitch hiking rides on General Aviation aircraft. [Starts 1:47:59] Support her adventure on Facebook, Twitter, or her website.

Rio’s famous Copacabana beach (and Sugarloaf mountain) taken on departure from Santos Dumont by Dima from Dima’s Corner

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

Airplane Geeks - Episode 227 - Advancing the Pilot Community [ 1:36:41 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (12598)

Guest Adam Smith is Senior Vice President of the AOPA Center to Advance the Pilot Community, through which AOPA will consolidate all its efforts to expand the pilot community. That’s a two part task: first to stop the decline in the pilot population, and second to try and grow the pilot community.

We talk to Adam about the pilot shortage: Is it real? Is it here now? Also, what does the declining pilot population do to the critical mass necessary to support the aviation infrastructure?

Adam also talks about how the “mental state of depression” over the decline in the number of pilots may not be warranted, and it certainly isn’t healthy. He notes that we are all marketers for aviation and this isn’t something that AOPA is going to solve for all of us. Also that the role of government advocacy is to keep from adding burdens, like user fees.

Part of the plan for the Center includes the launch of a flying clubs initiative to improve the flight training experiece, and grow a national network of flying clubs. AOPA’s Benét Wilson has a new regular feature on flying clubs and if you’d like to have your flying club profiled, please email Benét at Benet.Wilson@aopa.org. Also be sure to visit the AOPA Flying Clubs page.

The week’s aviation news:

• American Airlines pilots approve new labor contract
• Longer hours, shorter pay, but demand for pilots is high
• F-35s scrapped by Conservatives as audit puts true cost past $30-billion
• Tories misled Canadians on F-35, opposition MPs charge
• Lockheed relocating 560 jobs from Georgia to Fort Worth
• Branson Airport Hopes for $23 million in Loans
• A.I.G. Agrees to Sell Most of Leasing Unit to Chinese Investors

In this week’s Australia Desk report:

Following last week’s geographic confusion on the show, we provide a correction, then its on to the news…. The RAAF’s 5th and final KC30A tanker has been delivered although its still not on home soil yet, Tiger Airways loses its CEO to Jetstar, and local companies are urging the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to allow expanded usage of un-manned aerial systems in Australian skies.

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.

In this week’s Across the Pond segment:

We go down to South Africa with Editor of Aircraft.co.za, Danie Heath to find out who are the main airline players and where they operate from. Danie tells us about the capacity for new low cost carriers and how the South African aircraft manufacturing industry is still very active.

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

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

Airplane Geeks - Episode 226 - Flight Instruction with Jason Blair [ 1:46:53 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (16252)

Guest Jason Blair is the Executive Director of the National Association of Flight Instructors.

Jason starting his flying experience at the age of 15, soloing at 16, and getting his private pilot’s certificate at 17. While he pursued both undergraduate and master’s degrees from Western Michigan University, he continued his flight training at local FBOs, obtaining his commercial and instructor certificates. He now serves as the Executive Director of the National Association of Flight Instructors, is an active CFI with over 2000 hours of instruction given, NAFI Master Flight Instructor, and an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner for both part 61 and part 141 training providers. He flies general aviation aircraft for much of his personal and business travel. He actively represents NAFI and the flight instruction community in a number of capacities including on the FAA’s Runway Safety Council, the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee, the TSA Aviation Safety Advisory Council, NATA’s Flight Training Committee, and others.

We talk to Jason about the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), its mission and objectives. Our conversation touches on the NAFI education foundation, how to pick a flight instructor who is a good match and how not to, if there are enough flight instructors to handle the number of pilots we expect to need, and other topics. You can follow Jason on Twitter as @skykid_jeb.

The week’s aviation news:

• Feds target small plane safety — General aviation on NTSB’s ‘most wanted’ list
• NTSB Puts GA Safety on Most Wanted List
• First X-47B UCAS Catapult Launch Makes Naval Aviation History
• General aviation: waiting for the dawn
• General aviation set for takeoff as more airspace is available
• Training grants proposed to address pilot shortage
• Sky’s the limit for booming general aviation sector

David’s Aircraft of the Week is the Boeing C-32B, also known as the Boeing 757.

In this week’s Australia Desk report:

Qantas dominated the aviation news in Australia this week as a so called “rebel group” of investors headed by former CEO Geoff Dixon and advertising guru John Singleton were said to be plotting to make a takeover bid for the board, removing Allan Joyce. They are apparently uphappy with the current direction of the board, particularly with regard to the recent tie up with Emirates. Dixon currently works of the board of Tourism Australia, and Singleton’s company has advertising contracts with both organisations.

As a result of these rumour/moves, Joyce has pulled out of the Tourism Australia deal that Qantas has held for decades, taking $A40million in funding with him. Not long after that, Virgin Australia’s chief John Borghetti was said to have been in talks with Dixon – the man he would have replaced at Qantas had Joyce not been given the job – about Virgin filling the gap left by Qantas at Tourism Australia.

It’s a big and very complex story that will no doubt fester along for months to come.

In other news, the final RAAF AP3-C Orion has returned home from operations in the Middle East, bringing to an end a decade of service in that region. Also, November 30th saw the final day of C130H operations with at least one airframe rumoured to be housed at the Air Force Museum in Melbourne.

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.

In this week’s Across the Pond segment:

This week we have a special guest on Across The Pond that specialises in futuristic aircraft designs that not only stretch the imagination beyond our normal aviation boundaries, but expands our vision of what is possible.

From Octuri, our guest explains his vision and drivers to design possible concept craft of the air, not just through dreamy ideas, but based upon clear design principles as well as aerospace physics.

Over a hundred years ago there were probably people looking at the equivalent drawings of the Wright Brothers, cynically suggesting they will never happen in their lifetime. Will we ever see these in ours?

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

Listener Bjorn Moerman is a Belgian Airbus A380 captain flying out of Dubai with a passion for photography. His wife also holds a flying license and they regularly rent a single engine for flying holidays. Recently they rented a G1000 C172-SP in Florida and went island hopping to the Bahamas. This image is of a ditched Curtiss C-46 near Normans Cay in the Bahamas. It won a price with National Geography earlier this year.

Mentions:

• PCDU Episode 96: “Serge” – An Australian Top Gun
• omega tau podcast, 109 – Flying the U-2 Dragon Lady
• omega tau podcast, aviation episodes
• NTSB seeks a better fire system in all cargo planes
• Bombardier wins record $3.1-billion order with VistaJet
• New Naval Era Dawns as China’s Carrier Launches First Jet
• China lands first jet on aircraft carrier

Twitter lists:

• Isaac Alexander’sAviation Twitter Lists
• AirplaneGeeks.com podcast hosts and contributors
• Airplane Geeks Podcast guests
• Guests on Pieter Johnson’s Across the Pond segment on the Airplane Geeks Podcast.

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

Airplane Geeks - Episode 207 - Getting Ready for AirVenture [ 1:44:21 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (6744)

Rich Bergmann is a Senior Executive with Accenture and gives us some observations from Farnborough, airline strategies, and what’s happening with the defense segment. We talk about new commercial airliners from Russia and China, and maintenance strategies for commercial operators. Also, global capacity constraints in view of the order backlog, and even what it takes to be considered for an aviation consulting position.

Rob is already at Oshkosh for AirVenture and is joined by Benet Wilson, Scott Spangler, and Peter Moll, the Director of Wittman Regional Airport. In particular, we talk with Peter about airport preparations for AirVenture. Visit Wittman Regional Airport on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

The week’s aviation news:

• Flight schools shouldn’t be scapegoat for foreign student vetting
• Rising demand for airline pilots raises safety concerns
• Glasair Aviation Acquired by Mr. Fang Tieji, Chairman of Jilin Hanxing Group co., Ltd.
• AirVenture 2012 Set to Be a Good One

David’s Aircraft of the Week is the CAC CA-15, also known unofficially as the CAC Kangaroo.

In this week’s Australia Desk report:

Steve calls in from work to discuss Qantas dumping their Blackberrys for iPhones, Emirates being the third largest employer of Australians of any airline, Etihad getting approval to increase their ownship of Virgin Australia to 10% and the RAAF getting some of their aircraft repainted. All this and investment properties on this week’s AusDesk.

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.

In this week’s Across the Pond segment:

This week on Across The Pond we welcome back pilot and Journalist David Cenciotti, David often publishes really exciting and leading edge aviation articles on his Website (TheAviationist.com) and although at Farnborough we didn’t get the chance to cath up with him then so we talk to him this week about recent V22 incidents, the Turkish F4 that was shot down over Syria and the Spartan Gunship. David also shares his views on some of the aircraft highlights from Farnborough including an amusing story about the Yak130.

You can find David on Twitter as @Cencio4
and his website which is really worth visiting and then tracking is http://www.TheAviationist.com.

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

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

Airplane Geeks - Episode 199 - Airshow Interviews [ 1:59:22 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (7140)

David brings us some of his interviews from the May 11-13, 2012 Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst air show which returned after a four year hiatus. He spoke with:

Col. Chris Patterson from the 621st Contingency Response Wing

Jim Record, #7 form the Geico Skytypers

Martin Sheehan, Jeffrey Daniel, and Morten Stoverud from the Northeast Raiders

The week’s aviation news:

• Private jet door lands on South Florida golf course fairway; no injuries reported
• Airbus To Retrofit Wings On 120 A380s
• NTSB Study Finds More Than 10 Percent of Accidents Occurred on First Flight of Experimental Amateur-Built Aircraft; Improved Training and Better Documentation Recommended

David’s Aircraft of the Week: the Sud Aviation Caravelle. See

• Le Caravelle Club.

In this week’s Australia Desk report:

Recorded live at the Qantas Maintenance Base at Melbourne Airport (on the back of the PCDU Mobile) after our tour of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (ZA003). Qantas announces the closure of Melbourne heavy maintenance operations with nearly 500 jobs lost, Qantas also announces that they will split into separate domestic & international divisions, GippsAero have the first flight of their new GA10 Airvan, Grant has an interesting theory on Qantas Group B787 usage as the first 15 airframes are all going to Jetstar.

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.

In this week’s Across the Pond segment:

On Across The Pond this week Pieter talks to Richard Cooke a PPL (H) license holder. He has held a JAR PPL(H) since 2010 on the R22 and is also rated on the R44.With time in the seat of a S300 and B206 as well, Richard tells us about his flying experience. With a father who was a QHI flying the Lynx in the Army Air Corps, it was not a surprise that Richard became very passionate about helicopters too. Listen in to what’s involved in becoming a helicopter pilot.

Richard can be found on twitter as @rotorrich and Helicentre Aviation as @flyhelicentre. Helicentre Aviations’s website is www.flyheli.co.uk and the scholarship website is www.helicopterscholarships.com.

Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on his blog Alpha Tango Papa, and also on Facebook at XTPMedia.

Mentioned this episode:

• Grill the Geeks 747/380 photo.
• Experimental Aircraft Association
• NTSB Spotlights Safety Factors for Homebuilt Aircraft
• Sonex Aircraft.
• Xtended, Pieter Johnson’s new aviation podcast.
• BBC – Lost: The Mystery of Flight 447

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

Airplane Geeks - Episode 195 - Kelly Murphy [ 1:48:26 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (5150)

Guest Kelly Murphy is a founder of Emerald Media, which handles public relations, media services, and all the editorial aspects of producing publications for aviation clients. Kelly runs the group’s publishing activities and that includes newsletters, magazine, brochures, and presentations. She is the editor of Regional Horizons, the magazine of the US Regional Airline Association, and Saab Aircraft Leasing’s Saab Market Report and Saab Aerotech’s Support Solutions. Kelly is a member of the Aero Club of Washington, a private pilot license holder and occasionally flies a Cessna 172 for her family’s aerial photography business. She’s the former editor of Professional Pilot magazine, Water Flying magazine and Commuter/Regional Airline News (US).

We talk about last week’s World Airline Training Show in Florida and where the next generation of pilots is going to come from, and the special supplement produced for the Women in Aviation Conference in Dallas. The RAA 37th Annual Convention is coming up in in Minneapolis next month and comments for the NPRM closed on Monday, April 30, 2012.

The week’s aviation news:

• Eclipse Receives Production OK from FAA
• General Aviation Airport Coalition launches petition against $100 fee
• and a link to the petition
• House Panel Reviews Aviation Safety in the U.S.
• Regional Airline Association Press Release:
  RAA Emphasizes Flight Time Does Not Equal Experience (PDF)

In this week’s Australia Desk report: Tiger Airways ditches $1 fares but is looking toward better use of technology for check-in, Australian Government introduces a National Airline Customer Advocate, Avalon Airport in Victoria to allow greater GA utilisation….but check out those user fees!…Virgin Australia shows off its latest A330s, Australian Government refuses to fully fund a trip for the 70 remaining veterans of Bomber Command from WW2 to attend the opening of the official memorial in London.

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.

This week on Across the Pond, Pieter talks to heavyweight airline executive Tim Gresty from Cognitio about the challenges of the low cost airlines versus the full fare carriers and what impact the new High Speed Rail Link in the UK will have on the regional airline sector. Tim gives us a real insight into what senior airline executives think about these challenges as well as enlightening us to some fascinating views on airline performance. Tim and his business have worked with British Airways, Air France/KLM, Hapag Lloyd, Etihad and Air Belin as well as working in some very interesting markets such as Mauritius, Iran and South Africa.

Find Pieter Johnson on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on his blog Alpha Tango Papa, and also on Facebook at XTPMedia.

Mentions:

• US Regional Airline Association
• Saab Aircraft Leasing
• General Aviation Airport Coalition
• Culpeper Regional Airport, Culpeper Air Fest, October 6, 2012
• Pilots: JJ Quinn by Kelly Murphy
• Regional Horizons Women in Aviation Supplement (PDF)
• Regional Horizons, Regional Airline Industry Forecasts

Links from Listener Email:

• What Cities Gain When Their Airports Are Close to Downtown
  
• Aviation reports – 2011 – A11F0012

Opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.

Airplane Geeks - Episode 193 - Just the Geeks [ 1:41:33 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (5366)

This week our scheduled guest was called away at the last minute, so the Geeks go it alone to talk about some of the recent aviation news and discuss a lot of interesting listener mail. Of course, we also have David’s This Week in Aviation history segment, Steve and Grant’s Australia News Desk, and Pieter’s Across the Pond Segment.

The week’s aviation news:

• NTSB releases recommendations for air races
• NTSB Provides Investigative Update and Issues Recommendations to Increase Safety at Air Races
• State Department Seeks Expanded UAV Security Fleet
• Airlines hit record highs for on-time flights, luggage handling
• Live Virtual Constructive technology set to revolutionize air combat training
• Why Doesn’t Snow on the Wings Matter?

David’s aircraft of the Week: the Rockwell Space Transportation Systems OV-103, otherwise known as the Space Shuttle Discovery.

In this week’s Australia Desk report: Steve has a new get rich quick idea as Qantas operates an A330 from Sydney to Adelaide on April 13th partially powered by biofuel, Qantas A380 VH-OQA takes to the skies after 18 months of repairs following its infamous incident above Indonesia in 2010.

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.

This week on Across the Pond, Pieter talks to Frenchez Pietersz from Aviation Platform about airline news from the Benelux countries of Europe, that’s Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. With so much to cover we focused this week’s talk on Belgium and Holland, how the KLM Air France merger is developing, and how Lufthansa is challenging them with flights from Brussels.

You can dind Aviation Platform on Twitter as @AviPlatform, on Facebook, and on LinkedIn. Find Pieter Johnson on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on his blog Alpha Tango Papa, and also on Facebook at XTPMedia.

Links from Listener Email:

• Lightning Strike via John Arvin.
• Bush and Arctic Pilot, recommended by Chris.
• DC-3/Dakota Historical Society, Inc. also from Chris.
• Lost In Oscar Hotel, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Piper Cub.
• Space Shuttle Discovery to Fly Over Washington Metro Area April 17 and…
• Shuttle lands here soon, so sorry Houston from Harry.
• RAF sonic boom jets spark resident alarm after helicopter emergency from Ben.
• Squawk codes & Transponders via Tim Robinson.

Permission to use the post photograph has been obtained from the photographer.

Opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.

Airplane Geeks - Episode 181 - Craig Fuller from AOPA [ 1:43:28 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (6410)

Guest Craig Fuller is President and CEO of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). We talk about the U.S. Government proposal to charge $100 per flight for flights in controlled airspace, Representative Mike Pompeo’s America Flies petition, NextGen Air Traffic Control, EU ETS, and other topics.

The week’s aviation news:

• White House: ‘Why we need aviation user fees’
• Pompeo unveils general aviation campaign
• US Chamber says NextGen ATC should be ‘top priority’

David’s Aircraft of the Week is the O2U Corsair.

In this week’s Australia Desk report: Reality TV pilot in trouble with CASA, Australian registered Beechcraft Debonaires & Bonanzas affected by a serious airworthiness directive, Miranda Kerr is the latest celebrity promoter for Qantas, ex Qantas bean counter suggests a “fat tax” for larger airline passengers.

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.

This week on Across the Pond, Pieter Johnson talks to Pele Johnson, a frequent business traveller across the Atlantic. Pele often gets the chance to travel business or first class and so we ask him what its like (because not many of us get to do this) and which of the two major British carriers he prefers to fly with. He’s a photographer and a talented guitar player. Maybe you have heard him play. Listen in and find out.

You can find Pele on Twitter as @denhelderstudio, on the web at www.denhelderphotography.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/denhelderphotography. Pieter can be found on Twitter as @Nascothornet or at the XTP Media’s Facebook Page.

Mentioned in the episode:

America Flies
Geveral Aviation Serves America
No big changes in air show safety rules likely

Other listener submissions:

Transparent Pricing at Thromby Air
Airport Love: Passengers Get Christmas Surprise in Quebec
So Many Errors: The Runway Incursion of United 1448
Aircraft maker set to land elsewhere
Maine gov still hopeful of landing Kestrel, says ‘we’re ready to make this happen’

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

Opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.

Airplane Geeks - Episode 171 - A Playground for Pilots [ 1:36:13 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (16297)

Mark Jones is an experimental test pilot and statistical consultant to aerospace leaders, and a part-time T-6 instructor pilot in the USAF Reserves. Mark has flown a wide variety of military aircraft and just recently separated from active duty in the regular Air Force as chief C-17 test pilot. He’s also a regular contributor at PlaneConversations.com, and Mark is a husband and father.

We talk about some of the flying Mark has done and how he got into the Air Force Academy. Also, flying the C-17 Globemaster III and training pilots in the T-6. Mark relates the details behind the July 2010 crash of a C-17 on Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska and talks about how the military conducts accident investigations. hear his thoughts on the AF447 accident, ejection seats, and NextGen ATC.

The week’s aviation news:

• Loaded guns in checked bags aren’t on TSA’s radar
• Rep. Janice Hahn criticizes TSA after firearm incident at LAX
• Piper Decides Not To Go Into Jet Business
• Beijing Sets up Its First General Aviation Manufacturing Company

This week’s Australia Desk report, recorded before the Government tribunal terminated the protected industrial action by the unions, covers the grounding of Qantas by it’s board. Ben Sandilands (@planetalking on Twitter) contributes.

Find the boys down under at the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast, and follow the show on Twitter at @pcdu. Steve’s at @stevevisscher and Grant at @falcon124.

This week on Across the Pond, Pieter talks to Matt Falcus about the USA Airport Spotting Guide. Learn where the best spots for photographing aircraft in the USA are situated and what hotel room allows you to watch endless arrivals and departures. Matt can be found on Twitter @Airportspotting and at www.destinworld.com and www.airportspotting.com.

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

Opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.