Tag Archives: Flying Green

AirplaneGeeks 268 – Air Charter

Learjet 85

Learjet 85

Guest Matthew Purton is the Commercial Jet Sales Director for Air Charter Service (ACS), which provides charters for the freight, executive, and commercial segments of the market. We talk about how air charter works, industry consolidation, where the aircraft for charter come from, and how a charter broker provides value to charter customers.

We also look at what kinds of people make good charter brokers,  job opportunities in the aircraft charter industry (reach out to hr@aircharter.co.uk if you are interested), and the impact of large numbers of new, more efficient narrowbody aircraft entering service in the coming years.

The Week’s Aviation News:

F7U-1 CVB-41 1941

F7U-1 CVB-41 1941

David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week: Vought F7U Cutlass

In this week’s Australia Desk:

It’s that time of the year again and Grant’s found Steve to be more animated than ever, especially as his team has won the AFL Grand Final. Confused? How do you think Grant feels having to talk football with Steve?

QantasLink’s 14th 717 is experiencing life after death having been resurrected from a desert graveyard.

TigerAir opens Sydney to Perth transcontinental flights (while Grant proposes a new value add service: pay extra to pre-register your complaint in the queue for faster processing.)

Meanwhile, Kathy Mexted has been making us all jealous by representing PCDU for a media flight on an MRH90 “Taipan” helicopter as part of the International Fleet Review being held in Sydney. Visit our Facebook page to see a few of her photos plus shots Grant took on HMS Daring, a guided missile destroyer from the UK.

Iberia Maintenance Shop

Iberia Maintenance Shop

In this week’s Across the Pond segment:

Returning to the Madrid maintenance facility of Iberia this week, we talk to Diego Lopez-Salazar from AeroPodcast, who was lucky enough to get a tour of the facility, including the engine testing room. Diego then contemplates traveling with Iberia to Mexico on the very aircraft type (A340) he saw in pieces.

Mentioned:

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

APG 267 – The Expert Aviator

Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at <a href="http://www.brotherloverocks.com/">www.brotherloverocks.com</a>.

Guest Carl Valeri is a commercial pilot and a flight instructor. He is also a prolific creator of aviation content. The broad appeal of his Aviation Careers Podcast goes beyond those looking for career advice. Its interesting to learn about what the jobs of others are like.

We talk about airline furloughs and seniority lists, things to think about when considering flying for a different airline, the age/seniority situation and what that means after an airline merger. Carl talks about how the Sun N Fun activities support and promote aviation. It’s not just the annual event. Sun N Fun radio broadcasts great interviews year round at Sun N Fun Radio.

Find Carl at the Aviation Careers Podcast (@FlyingCareers on Twitter), the Stuck Mic Avcast (@StuckMicAvCast on Twitter) and the ExpertAviator.com blog (@ExpertAviator on Twitter).

The Week’s Aviation News:

David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week:

The so you want to be a Historian?  Since David will be celebrating Thanksgiving with his family on October 14.  He didn’t want to leave the show without a segment so this is where you come in.  We are looking to have you write a 1000 word history segment on the Aircraft, Helicopter, Blimp or space craft of your choice.  Here’s your chance to get that airplane you always wanted that David hasn’t done yet.  So here’s the requirements:

  • A subject that hasn’t been done

  • Minimum of 800 words maximum of 1200 words

  • Provide your references

  • Proper Spelling and Grammar

  • Must be submitted to theGeeks@airplanegeeks.com by October 9th, 2013

So let’s see them. David will choose one to record for the episode.  The others we’ll either post or maybe use them in later episodes. Good Luck Future Airplane Geeks Historians.

In this week’s Australia Desk:

Steve and Grant have finally finished running around to various events in Australia (for now 🙂 ) and have (finally!) put together a “real” Australia Desk. They quickly review a few headlines before settling down to discuss a recent AirProx between two Qantas A330s.

All that plus a shout-out to Aunt Benet’s piloting skills and news that Grant’s appearing in the latest Australian Pilot magazine from AOPA.

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.

Iberia Maintenance

Iberia Maintenance

In this week’s Across the Pond segment:

This week our contributor from Spain Diego Lopez Salazar from AeroPodcast takes us behind the scenes at the Iberia Maintenance facility at Madrid Airport. In the first of two segments we hear all about seeing an A340 stripped down to its barest minimums, who owns the aircrafts tyres and how quickly emergency chutes are deployed.

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

Listener Story:

Listener Micah, our Main(e) man, recorded a story he calls, “Fifteen Thirty At 2-O’clock.”

Crew - Morotai, 1944

Crew – Morotai, 1944 from listener Doug Betts. Doug’s father (highlighted) flew 52 missions in a B-24 of the 307th Bomb Group, The Long Rangers.

Mentioned:

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

Episode 223 – Nils Haupt from Lufthansa

 

Lufthansa A340 by David M. Vanderhoof

Guest Nils Haupt is Director and Head of Corporate Communications for The Americas, Lufthansa German Airlines. We talk about the airlines and associated companies that fall under the Lufthansa airline group, their cargo operations and how Lufthansa is dealing with the severe night flight ban in Frankfurt. Also how Lufthansa operating in a high cost country means they have to deliver quality. We touch on competition with low cost carriers, the Germanwings strategy, and cooperation with United and Air Canada. Nils comments on their 747-8 experience, the cost of fuel, the schedule for interior upgrades, and much more.

We also talk about some of the recent aviation labor activity, big news on the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, bizjet engine advances, and the attempted Predator shoot down by Iranian jets.

The week’s aviation news:

David’s Aircraft of the Week is the Sukhoi Su-25 “Frogfoot.”

In this week’s Australia Desk report:

There is a disturbance in the Force as the Qantas pilots union agrees with management on an issue. In this case, Qantas is refusing to pay the operators of Brisbane International Airport up front for the construction of a new runway. In other news, Qantas announces further maintenance job cuts – nearly 500 more to go from Avalon and Sydney, and some aerial fire suppression operations go a little wrong in New South Wales after a helicopter fills its bucket from a sewerage treatment pond and deposits the contents on 29 firefighters. Yuk!

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:

Pieter gets an update from Diego López-Salazar from Aeropodcast.com. First his recent delayed trip to China, then we cover Spain and of course his pet topic Ryanair! Find Diego on Twitter as @dlopezsalazar.

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

Mentions:

Moab's Delicate Arch from 6500 by Jodi
Moab’s Delicate Arch from 6500 by Jodi

Listener Jodi working on her Commercial in the Bell 206
Listener Jodi working on her Commercial in the Bell 206

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

Episode 209 – Ravi the Raviator

Ravi the Raviator

Our guest this episode is Ravi, also known as The Raviator. Ravi gives motivational presentations designed to encourage people to become involved in aviation. Ravi has presented at AirVenture, Sun ‘n’ Fun, AOPA Summits, ATAC (Air Transport Association of Canada), Embry-Riddle, University of North Dakota, and many other places.

He’s a sport pilot and also a musician who has played his guitar on the Letterman and Leno shows, not to mention Madison Square Garden and the White House. He’s also produced AirVenturous, a song about discovering and participating in one of humanity’s greatest achievements, Aviation, and how it is showcased by the greatest air show in the world, AirVenture. Find more Ravi at his Facebook Page.

We talk about the inspiration for AirVenturous, pilot shortages and how that issue might be addressed such as dealing with the cost of becoming a pilot, wages paid to pilots, actions some airlines are taking, scholorships, and more.

Phil Derner from NYCAviation is guest co-host.

The week’s aviation news:

Hellcats_F6F-3,_May_1943_400

David’s Aircraft of the Week is the Grumman F6F Hellcat.

In this week’s Australia Desk report:

Exercise Pitch Black providing some excellent plane spotting opportunities in Darwin, the Red Bull Air Race is planning to re-launch in 2014 and several Australian cities are bidding to host a round, Australian researchers have invented a laser system to augment pitot tubes, Virgin Australia & Sky West announce the establishment of a joint training scheme based in Adelaide. We also offer a clarification of the carbon tax cost increases to agricultural aircraft, which we talked about in Episode 207.

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:

Pieter welcomes back the AviationPlatform.com team to discuss the latest Benelux news focusing this week on Luxembourg. Frenchez Pietersz and Carmen Van Boeckel gives us their views on Cargolux, the Boeing 747-8F and who’s using social media tools to improve their customers experience (or not)! Aviation Platform is a very different and innovative aviation website so do have a look at their content and activities.

Find Aviation Planform on Twitter as @AviationPlatform. Carmen Van Boeckel is @iCarms and he blogs at icarms.wordpress.com.

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

Mentions:

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

Closing music is AirVenturous by Ravi.

 

Episode 188 – The Mach 1.4 UAV

3 Eurofighter Typhoons by Paul Thompson

Guest Ryan P. Starkey, Ph.D. has been working with University of Colorado students to develop a Mach 1.4 UAV. Propulsion for this very efficient aircraft comes from a 20 pound turbojet that features an afterburner and thrust vectoring nozzle. We talk about the design of the vehicle, possible commercial and military applications, and the timeline for first flight.

Ryan is Assistant Professor and a McAnally Faculty Fellow, as well as Director of the Busemann Advanced Concepts Lab at the University of Colorado Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences. You can also learn more about this project at Starkey Aerospace Corporation.

The week’s aviation news:

This week’s Australia Desk report was recorded live at the Tyabb Airshow, 70km southeast of Melbourne. Air Australia owes creditors $A90million but had less than $A500,000 in funds when it went bankrupt, Qantas fails in its bit to have to Federal Government change the Qantas Sale Act (1992), Virgin Australia restructures into domestic & international companies, tour operator, Jetset, has an incredible profit increase thanks to the high value of the Aussie dollar, ATC Ben makes a cameo appearance, Grant is horrified that Steve left light beer in his fridge!

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 John Greenway from the Manchester Airport Group about Manchester Airport’s growth and success at becoming the first Aerocity. Manchester has an innovative style to accommodating its customers, has a great Twitter feed and is performing well in a demanding market. Hear how the Airpark (the place for aviation spotters and enthusiasts) homes some of the nations most prized assets, including a Concorde.

You can find the Manchester Airport Group at www.manchesterairport.co.uk and on Twitter as @manairport. See also the Airport City website at airportcity.co.uk. Pieter can be found on Twitter as @Nascothornet or XTP Media’s Facebook Page.

Mentioned in the episode:

Links from listeners:

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/.

Post photo by Paul Thompson: Three Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire UK. He liked the picture as they flew towards him at around 500 feet and then went and had a little play ( vertically to about 20000 feet) as it were.

Episode 181 – Craig Fuller from AOPA

Craig Fuller in the 1998 Aviat Aircraft Inc A-1A

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:

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:

Other listener submissions:

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/.

Episode 173 – Jamie Dodson Knows Nick Grant

Nick Grant adventures by Jamie Dodson

Guest Jamie Dodson, is author of the Nick Grant adventure novel series, including Flying Boats & Spies, and China Clipper. Jamie is a Technology Protection Officer for the Security and Intelligence Division, US Army, Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), Intelligence Division. He has over 30 years of experience in Intelligence Operations for the US Military. He’s served with Special Operations, Army Aviation, Airborne Infantry, and Military Police and has worked operations all over the world.

The week’s aviation news:

In this week’s Australia Desk report: Grant assumes high office, Virgin Australia introduces business class, Qantas announces A380s on the Sydney – Hong Kong route, Strategic Airlines re-brands as Air Australia, 3rd KC30A tanker enters RAAF service, they hijack Grill The Geeks!

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 welcomes back Gareth Stringer and Tim Robinson as they continue their conversation from last week and talk about the new proposed Register in the Channel Islands and the good friends at Ryanair. Find Gareth at www.globalaviationresource.com and Tim at www.aerosociety.com.

Mentioned in the episode:

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/.

Episode 172 – Girls With Wings

Lynda Meeks, Executive Director Girls With Wings, Inc., http://girlswithwings.com/

Guest Lynda Meeks is Executive Director of Girls With Wings, Inc. a non-profit organization which introduces young girls to aviation. Lynda began her flying career in the military where she learned to fly helicopters. She’s flown twins and the Citation X as a professional pilot. Lynda also offers flight and ground instruction from Medina Municipal Airport in Medina, Ohio. Learn more at LyndaMeeks.com.

The week’s aviation news:

In this week’s Australia Desk report: Qantas wins return to work order, Qantas A380 makes precautionary landing in Abu Dhabi, Virgin Australia boss John Borghetti offers his thoughts on the opportunities the Qantas grounding created them, Grant talks about his L39 ride.

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 welcomes back Gareth Stringer and Tim Robinson to talk about UK and European aviation, including the Global Aviation Resources recent journalism award success, Tim’s visit to Kazakhstan and the run down of services following the campaign in Libya. Find Gareth at www.globalaviationresource.com and Tim at www.aerosociety.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/.

Episode 135 – Gavin Again

Westjet 737-700 landing at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

Gavin Werbeloff, who can be found on Twitter as @travel_buddha, makes another appearance on the podcast. We talk about recent aviation news and events, and Steve and Grant from the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast have their Australia Desk Report. Pieter Johnson comes in with another Across the Pond segment looking at European aviation. We discuss some listener mail and provide our suggestions for must-read aviation books.

The week’s aviation news:

Mentions:

Book recommendations by the Geeks:

Dan:

Max:

David:

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/.

Post photo of Westjet 737-700 landing at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport on a sunny Saturday afternoon by Brian from Toronto, Canada.

Episode 78 – Rob’s Jelly Beans

Boeing 787 First Flight

In this very special episode, we learn the source for the noises Rob makes on the podcast, Grant McHerron and Steve Visscher from the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast come on for their Australia Desk Report and we don’t tell Rob it’s them live, and David Vanderhoof treats us to a little holiday cheer Airplane Geeks style. Dan rounds out a full cast and adds his own special charm.

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/.