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The Director of Flight Operations for Quantum Spatial talks about International Standards for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) certification and building a safety culture. Also, Boeing 737 MAX order deferrals, best practices for small flight department maintenance, masks and Covid-19, fighter jets in the Middle East, the next-generation U.S. fighter, and high tech plane floats.

Guest

Josey Billington is the Director of Flight Operations for Quantum Spatial, an NV5 company. Quantum Spatial became the first full-service geospatial company to achieve International Standards for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) certification. This designation was developed by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and verifies that the company’s flight operations division has adopted the best practices necessary to reach the highest levels of safety, security, and professionalism in its airborne data acquisition activities.

Josey explains the motivations behind the IS-BAO certification and how it is an ongoing piece of an organization’s safety culture. He also shares some thoughts on flying as a survey pilot.

Josey is a former U.S. Marine and airline pilot and holds an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate, as well as a certified flight instructor (CFI, CFI, MEI) certificates from the FAA. In December of 2019, Josey obtained the coveted Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) certificate from the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).

Aviation News

Boeing’s 737 Max Gets Double Dose of Bad News

Not unexpectedly, airlines are deferring 737 MAX orders as the demand has dropped off a cliff. American has deferred delivery of 18 MAX jets from 2021 and 2022 to 2023 and 2024. Southwest is talking to Boeing about deferrals.

New Resource Outlines Best Practices for Small Flight Department Maintenance

The NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) has a new resource available for its members called, “Best Practices for Small Flight Department Maintenance.” The members-only resource is titled Best Practices for Small Flight Department Maintenance and it offers practical guidance on maximizing personnel resources while ensuring airworthiness.

In continuing Covid-19 news:

• Cathay Pacific cuts 8,500 jobs, shutters regional airline
• Do Masks On Plane Flights Really Cut Your Risk Of Catching COVID-19?
• Quantifying the Incredibly Unlikely Aerosol Transmission of COVID on Airplanes
• Delta adds 460 people to no-fly list for refusing to wear masks

After UAE Deal, Israel Asks U.S. for F-22 Stealth Jets to Preserve Military Edge

The story of who wants what fighter jet in the Middle East.

Clues Reveal Who’s Likely Building the Air Force’s Secret New Fighter Jet

The next generation of U.S. fighter jet may be flying already.

Maine company goes high tech to make sleek plane floats

Maine-based Clamar Floats uses molded composites to create custom floats.

Listener Poll

Results from listener poll 623: “What is your favorite aircraft and why?”

• mine, because it’s mine, Others maybe bigger, faster, more economical, practical, sexyer but this one is mine.
• Hawker tempest 
• CH-53 Sea Stallion because of its heavy lift capabilities. 
• 747-8i, specifically with Lufthansa’s livery. it just looks right…
• E-2 Hawkeye! All the brains of an E-6 but operates off of a carrier. Plus it’s got one of the most interesting tail configurations of any aircraft. Normally I’d say the CV-22, but we all know that’s really a confused helo. 
• Boeing 747 – because it’s the queen of the skies. So beautiful. Only ever flew once, NRT-SEA back in 2013.
• X-Wing – Took down Death Star
• Turbine powered Grumman Albatross with VIP interior (it’s like a luxury yacht that can fly around the world using paved runways or approved waterways. Heaven! 🙂 ) 
• DHC-2 Beaver. It’s without a doubt one of the most versatile aircraft ever made. Floats, amphib, wheels, skis. It’s got it all.
• F-15E. – It’s the best. 
• sr-71 Blackbird. Why? Just look at it. It has to be one of the coolest looking aircraft ever.
• Cirrus SR22, because it is so much fun to fly on long distances as well as short trips for breakfast.
• Any aircraft I get to fly.
• “Boeing 747-400
• As a teenager I did my first longhaul flight from FRA to BKK on a Thai Airways 744. I was with a group of students and teachers going for a high school exchange to Melbourne, Australia. Obviously I was super excited and I still vividly remember the moment that the 744 taxied to our gate while I was standing right at the window. It was very impressive and I’ve always loved the Jumbo’s quirky design with the big “head”. Over all those years my favorite aircraft never changed to any other model and I doubt that will ever change.
• B-17 Flying Fortress, the plane that made Boeing what it once was but it is no longer.
• DC-3
• PBY
• ATR72, flew like an old farm truck, but always would get you there. Great memories, short landings, Caribbean flying. It was the best.
• The one I’m either flying or riding in at that moment, but my fantasy plane is, of course, the F4U Corsair
• Boeing 757. Such a well balanced machine. Strikes the perfect balance between performance and looks. And a ton of fun to fly on.
• F-4 sleek fast and cool n two engines . 
• Hey airplane geeks my favorite airplane is the A10 warthog because I would like to fly it. I am only 14 and hope to get my glider  license . Keep up the good work
• TBM-900 for its versatility.
• Which ever one I’m looking at.
• Curtiss P-40 Warhawk or Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
• B1 Lancer “Bone”; it has everything.  Looks, speed, and phenomenal capability.  Take a listen to the Fighter Pilot Podcast episode on it and you’ll be sold. (066 B-1 Lancer)
• Boeing 707 – it was my first flight in an airplane and started my lifelong passion for aviation
• The DH Mosquito. The first multi role aircraft ever, no other aircraft did more roles than the Mosquito until the Tornado jet entered service. Also what is cooler than 2 Merlin engines?
• SIAI Marchetti SF-260. Designed by the legendary Italian designer, Stelio Frati, the SF-260 is quite simply one of the sexiest lightplanes ever designed. Painted red, it looks like it is doing 200 mph just sitting on the ramp.
• Cessna 177RG.   Love the extra room, better view and extra speed over the rest of the small Cessna’s…   V-Tail a close second
• SR71. Amazing in every way
• F-14 – it was huge, fast, agile, powerful, launched off a carrier, sexy, and carried some of the greatest hi-vis paint schemes of all time. 
• My 11 year old “designed” an aircraft when he was 9, and has been coming up with different Lego constructs, concept drawings, and other models of it over the last 2 years.  Clearly has to be at the top of my list for obvious reasons!
• Cirrus Vision SF50 because Max Trescott told me to say so or else…
• Fighter: ME-262, Non-fighter: Connie
• C130, worked on it
• 748
• P51 Mustang. It represents everything I like. History, speed, awesome looks. It’s on the bucket list to fly someday!
• DC3 or de havilland vampire
• DC3 – because as a child, there was one at the local McDonalds. I never got to have my birthday in it, but I was hooked!
• Dehavilland Vampire. Because who doesn’t love the twin boom??
• Supermarine Spitfire. Its contribution to WW2,  its beautiful look with those elliptical wings, and that oh so sweet sound of that Merlin engine.
• L-188 Electra because it’s beautiful 

This episode’s listener poll: What is the longest flight you have ever been on?

Made My Day

Our Main(e) Man Micah tells the story about how an Airplane Geeks listener made his day.

Mentioned

How the Aurora Borealis Nearly Started World War III

Video: The U-2 Spy Plane That Got Lost in an Aurora and Almost Started WW3

Meet Jessica Traynor: Air Canada’s youngest female captain

Video: Cessna 441 Conquest II Takeoff