Tag Archives: Real ID

871 QF32 A380 Uncontained Engine Failure

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The captain of an A380 that experienced an uncontained engine failure, paying air traffic controllers during a shutdown, a $10,000 bonus for those who worked, NTSB preliminary report on UPS Flight 2976, a request for information on a new ATC system, dressing better when flying commercially, and going through airport security without a Real ID.

Guest

Richard De Crespigny standing in front of the FLY podcast logo.

Richard De Crespigny was the captain of Qantas Flight QF32 on November 4, 2010, when one of the plane’s Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines experienced an uncontained engine failure. The A380 had just taken off from Singapore. Richard and his crew managed to get everyone home safely, and the story has since become a bit of a legend in Australian flying circles. Richard is a former RAAF pilot, has written books, given keynotes around the world, and now hosts his own podcast on resilience and leadership called FLY!

FLY! book cover.

Richard explains that the uncontained engine failure on Qantas Flight QF32 involved the Number 2 engine. This resulted in extensive damage to the aircraft and many system failures. Five pilots were in the cockpit, and they formed a “hive mind,” making hundreds of decisions to stabilize the aircraft, which took two hours. A hundred checklists were actioned in the air, and more when the A380 was back on the ground. The incident was so complex that it has been characterized as “Apollo 13 with passengers.”

We learn what was said in the cockpit during the first 30 seconds, and how the cabin crew performed because the flight deck could not communicate with them. In his mind, Richard set up to perform an “Armstrong Spiral” in case all four engines went out when landing the plane. On approach, speed and stall warnings were sounding constantly because the systems could not handle all the damage. Richard explains why he decided not to immediately evacuate the passengers due to the dangers outside.

This uncontained engine failure crippled the A380, yet the crew was able to manage the situation and there were no injuries. Richard speaks frequently of “resilience” and how that characteristic worked to their advantage. 

Photo showing the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 uncontained engine failure.
QF32 uncontained engine failure. From the FAA Airbus A380-842 report, crediting the ATSB accident report.

Since the incident, Richard has published several books: QF32 tells the story of what happened. It was published before the investigators made all the facts public, so Richard had to hold back. However, a new edition will fill in the missing pieces. The newer book Fly! tells the how and the why.

Check out:

Aviation News

US airline group urges Congress to pay controllers during future shutdowns

Trade group Airlines for America (A4A) wants to see air traffic controllers get paid during future government shutdowns. Chris Sununu, A4A President and CEO, said, “This shutdown has demonstrated the serious safety, human and economic consequences of subjecting the aviation sector to this kind of stress and chaos. It must never happen again.”

Air Traffic Controllers Say $10,000 Shutdown Bonuses Are Tearing the Workforce Apart – And Jeopardize Safety

The Administration wants to give air traffic controllers and TSA screeners $10,000 if they had perfect attendance during the shutdown. DOT Secretary Sean Duffy said this would apply to 776 employees. Some controllers are expressing their displeasure with this move.

UPS Flight 2976 Crash During Takeoff

The NTSB has issued a Preliminary Report [PDF] on the UPS Flight 2967 MD-11F accident November 4, 2025. The airplane, N259UP, was destroyed after it impacted the ground shortly after takeoff from runway 17R at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF), Louisville, Kentucky. The 3 crewmembers aboard the airplane and 11 people on the ground were fatally injured. There were 23 others on the ground who were injured. Still images from an airport surveillance video show the left engine and left pylon separation from the left wing. The left pylon aft mount’s forward and aft lugs were both found fractured. The fractured and separated upper portions of the forward and aft lugs were found adjacent to runway 17R. The left wing clevis, aft mount spherical bearing, and aft mount attachment hardware were found with a portion of the left wing at the accident site. The spherical bearing outer race had fractured circumferentially.

FAA Issues Request for Information on New ATC System

The FAA aims to replace the current En Route Automation Modernization system (ERAM) and the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) with a single, unified system, known as the Common Automation Platform (CAP). The Agency’s Request For Information [PDF] asks the public to answer a series of questions.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Urges Passengers To Dress Better — But That Won’t Fix Today’s Inflight Behavior Problems

DOT Secretary Sean Duffy tweeted that “Manners don’t stop at the gate. Be courteous to your fellow passengers. Say please and thank you to your flight crews. Dress with respect. Lend a hand to those who could use it. It’s time to bring back civility and respect when we travel.” See also: Sean Duffy Wants You To Get Dressed Up When You Fly: “It’s Time to Bring Back Civility And Respect When We Travel”

No Real ID or passport? The TSA may charge you $18 to go through security

May 7, 2025, was the date that Real ID was enforced at TSA checkpoints. Travelers must produce a Real ID-compliant driver’s license, a passport, a Global Entry card, or other approved document. The TSA is now proposing that travelers without one of those approved documents can still pass through airport security checkpoints. However, they can expect to pay an $18 fee for additional screening. The TSA has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register: TSA Modernized Alternative Identity Verification User Fee. The fee grants access to secure airport areas for up to 10 days and covers multiple flights. Payment of the fee does not guarantee entry; travelers must successfully authenticate their identity each time, and they may still face additional screening or delays.​ The collected fee is intended to offset government costs for new biometric verification kiosks, customer service improvements, and system updates.​

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, Rob Mark, and our Main(e) Man Micah.

847 Vulcanair V1 Training Aircraft

The Vulcanair V1 training aircraft will be built in a new US manufacturing facility and offered as an affordable option for flight schools. In the news, air traffic control problems at Newark and government actions, the impacts of tariffs on commercial aviation, a call for in-cockpit video recorders, the timely availability of weather forecasts for aviation, Real ID goes live, and wildlife at airports.

Vulcanair V1 aircraft in flight.
The V1 trainer, courtesy Vulcanair.

Guest

Stephen Pope is the Director of Communications for Vulcanair Aircraft North America. Vulcanair is establishing a manufacturing facility in the US and plans to make the Vulcanair V1 trainer aircraft affordable for flight schools. 

Headshot of Stephen Pope, Director of Communications for Vulcanair Aircraft North America.

Steve describes the history of the company and how it optimized the V1 model piston airplane for the US flight training market. The V1 is similar to the Cessna 172, but costs less and is easier to maintain. To address the problem of very old training aircraft at flight schools that are expensive to replace, Vulcanair has formed a leasing company that will offer the V1 to schools for $79 per hour. Vulcanair plans to cover the cost of engine and propeller overhauls.

Vulcanair is building a factory in Elizabethtown, North Carolina, with a planned opening date of September 2025. It is sized to produce up to 100 aircraft per year, and the workforce will come from area military veterans. The facility will serve as the main parts hub in the US. After the opening, Vulcanair will build five aircraft for production certification, which they hope to receive in 1Q2026.

Vulcanair Aircraft was established in 1996 with private capital to become a General Aviation manufacturer worldwide. Between 1996 and 1998, Vulcanair purchased all the assets, type designs, trademarks, and rights of Partenavia and the SF600 Series Program, including type certificates, tooling, and rights from Siai Marchetti. Vulcanair Aircraft introduced modern tools, a modern organization, and a world-class engineering team to enable aircraft design upgrades and improvements.

Vulcanair Aircraft North America is the corporate identity for Ameravia Inc., which was founded in 2015 to serve as the U.S. distributor for Vulcanair aircraft. The company has expanded its operations by offering the P68 line of twin piston- and turbine-engine aircraft, and the V1 single-engine training aircraft.

Before joining Vulcanair Aircraft North America, Steve was an Aircraft Sales Counselor with LifeStyle Aviation and a sales and marketing executive with Spectro | Jet-Care. He was Editor in Chief at Flying Magazine, as well as Editor at Business Jet Traveler.

Aviation News

House Panel Approves $12.5 Billion Boost in ATC Funding

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee added $12.5 billion for air traffic control modernization and controller funding. At the same time, the Committee dropped grants for sustainable aviation fuel, hydrogen, and other low-emission technology projects. A provision that would have prohibited the use of funds to privatize or sell portions of the ATC system was voted down. 

See: House Panel To Consider $15B ATC Boost, SAF Grant Cuts and The FAA wants to hire more air traffic controllers, but that won’t happen overnight.

United removes 35 round-trip flights per day from Newark Airport schedule as travel woes continue

Some air traffic controllers walked off the job after systems went down. Runway construction and a lack of controllers contributed to the flight cancellations. United CEO Scott Kirby said, “This isn’t just about schedules or pay. It’s about a system on the brink of collapse.”

See: Chaos grips Newark Airport as controllers walk out, exposing FAA crisis

Major airlines deliver dire warning to Trump administration as grim new twist emerges in tariff drama

Air France and Lufthansa reported that transatlantic bookings from Europe to the US are down in the first quarter of the year. The Financial Times reported that the total number of foreign visitors to the US fell 12 percent in March. In a recent earnings call, Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith told investors ‘We know there are a lot of customers that are holding back in buying tickets for a little more clarity on… the border, and things like that.”

See: Canada’s vengeful boycott of major US industry spirals with $4billion and 28K jobs at risk

Statistics Canada figures show the number of Canadians making trips to the US by car dropped 32 percent in March compared to a year ago. Air travel was down 13.5 percent in March.

AINsight: It’s Time To Put Video Recorders in Cockpits

Editor-in-Chief Matt Thurber writes that “the mental burden is getting worse” with the frequency of fatal aircraft accidents. He says, “The burden isn’t that accidents happen; we’ve all come to accept that. It’s that so many of these recent accidents are an utter mystery, and not even the nattering nabobs on social media have any—even outlandish—clues about what might have happened.” Lack of data hampers the NTSB in its investigations. Mandatory cockpit audio and video recorders could change that.

US weather forecasting is more crippled than previously known as hurricane season nears

Some current and former National Weather Service meteorologists have told CNN that they are concerned that forecasts and warnings will not be issued on time. They give as reasons layoffs, early retirements, and preexisting vacancies. Of the 122 National Weather Service forecast offices, 30 lack a meteorologist-in-charge. Some offices have reduced or eliminated daily weather balloon launches, with more likely to do the same. NWS Doppler radar and automated surface weather observation stations repair technicians have more than 90 vacancies.

Secretary Bellows and legislature urge feds to slow down Real ID

May 7, 2025, is the current date for the implementation of Real ID. The Real ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 and was designed to enhance the security of identification documents, such as driver’s licenses and ID cards. The Act prevents federal agencies from accepting non-compliant IDs for certain official purposes.

States are responsible for implementing Real ID, most notably with driver’s licenses. The Department of Homeland Security says the main goals of Real ID include:

  • Increasing security with stricter verification processes for obtaining identification.
  • Preventing fraud and identity theft by standardizing ID requirements across states.
  • Regulating access to federal facilities, nuclear power plants, and domestic flights.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and the legislature’s transportation committee are proposing this phased-in approach and say people traveling without a Real ID should receive a warning. The Maine Secretary of State worries “that May 7 will come as a shock” and advocates for a phased approach with warnings initially given.

Meet the man who protects snowy owls that migrate to Boston’s Logan Airport

Snowy owls fly from the Arctic and spend the winter at Boston’s Logan Airport. The airport contains 1,800 acres of short-mowed grass, similar to the Arctic tundra. There, the owls find plenty of ducks and rodents to eat. It’s an ideal location for them, not so much for the airport.

The FAA mandated that airports create a bird patrol and keep birds away from the airport. Initially, this was accomplished by shooting the birds. In 1981, Norman Smith had a better idea: relocating the owls. So far, he’s moved over 900 snowy owls and relocated them away from the airport.

See: Snowy Owls and Their Admirers Causing Problems at Portland Jetport

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, our Main(e) Man Micah, Rob Mark, and David Vanderhoof.

816 Aerospace Workforce Development

Aerospace workforce development with the CEO and Executive Director of the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance. In the news, the Machinist Union votes to strike Boeing, the TSA looks to Real ID enforcement, United Airlines makes a deal with SpaceX for inflight WiFi from Starlink, and more aviation firefighting foam news. Also, interviews from the Pacific Airshow Gold Coast with the Southport Flying Club and Airport president, an Air Commodore with the RAAF, and a decorated Australian war hero.

Members of the delegation at the Farnborough Air Show
Washington state delegation at the Farnborough Air Show

Guest

Nikki Malcom is the CEO and Executive Director of the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance (PNAA), a non-profit trade association that promotes the growth and global competitiveness of the Pacific Northwest. Nikki has spent many years in various roles dedicated to the aerospace industry and is obsessed with all things aviation and aerospace, including manufacturing. Nikki was previously our guest in Episode 741.

We get an update on the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Cluster, the grant-funded initiative with the mission to make the Pacific Northwest a magnet for aerospace manufacturing. Nikki explains the focus on workforce development [PDF], specifically aerospace career awareness, and all the many different roles in the supply chain.

Nikki tells us that the Aerospace From the Ground Up podcast will be launching on the Aerospace is for Everyone YouTube channel. It will mainly target the 18-25 age group, but not exclusively. We can expect to see interviews with and about the people in the industry. The PNAA is working to get more people into the pipeline. That includes launching a mentorship program and developing an online community.

PNAA provides business development by representing aerospace interests at Farnborough and other trade shows. Nikki also describes events organized by the Association, including the  PNAA Advance 2025 conference to be held February 3-5, 2025. We also hear about the Aerospace Futures Alliance which advocates for Washington state’s aerospace industry.

Aviation News

Boeing Machinists reject contract as 96% vote to strike

The International Association of Machinists membership voted to go on strike at Boeing, despite the union leadership recommending they accept the negotiated contract. 94.6% of the members voted to reject the contract and 96% voted to strike. The proposed contract offered a 25% wage increase over four years but also dropped the annual bonus, which some estimated to be about 4% each year. The union wanted 40% over 3 years. Boeing Commercial Airplane CEO Stephanie Pope told employees in a message that “we did not hold back with an eye on a second vote.”

TSA announces proposed rule to provide necessary flexibility as federal agencies prepare to enforce REAL ID requirements beginning May 7, 2025

President George W. Bush signed the REAL ID Act [PDF] into law in 2005. It requires that an identity document, like a driver’s license, show that the holder has had their identity verified. Real IDs would be necessary for accessing federal facilities and nuclear power plants, and boarding commercial flights in the United States.

The TSA now wants to implement the program by May 7, 2025 and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking has been published that would provide federal agencies with the necessary flexibility to begin enforcement of the REAL ID regulations on the May 7, 2025 deadline in a manner that takes into account security, operational risk, and public impact. The comment period ends October 15, 2024.

See also: The TSA Now Wants a Phased Rollout of the Real ID Next Year — Here’s Why. 

For more information on REAL ID, visit TSA.gov/real-id. A map there lets you click through to see how to comply with REAL ID for each US state and territory.

United Airlines bumps GEO operators off fleet for Starlink Wi-Fi

United Airlines currently provides inflight WiFi through several geostationary satellite operators. Now the airline has made a deal with SpaceX to utilize the Starlink low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation. United says the inflight WiFi will be free and the service will be the same as you’d expect on the ground with live streaming, gaming, and connecting multiple devices simultaneously. Following testing in early 2025, United expects to equip more than 1,000 planes in its international fleet with Starlink connectivity over several years.

United press release: The Inflight Wi-Fi Revolution Now Arriving: United Signs Starlink Deal to Provide Industry-Leading Connectivity in the Sky – For Free 

Starlink has Wi-Fi agreements with smaller airlines and regional jet service providers including Hawaiian Airlines, airBaltic, Qatar Airways, Zipair, JSX, Flexjet, and Aero.

Inspectors warned of ‘tremendous’ potential for accidental foam discharge at Brunswick airport

Fourteen months before accidentally discharging 51,000 gallons of firefighting foam, an inspection of the system found it deficient with a high probability of failure. Yet the issues were not corrected.

Pacific Airshow Gold Coast

Interviews with:

Craig Hobart, the president of the Southport Flying Club and Airport.  This is one of the 4 airfields used by the Pacific Airshow Gold Coast. It’s also a private flying club.

Mika Gray, an Air Commodore with the RAAF.  We hear why the RAAF supports the airshow.

Garry Cooper, an Australian who was awarded the US Air Force Cross during his combat tour in Vietnam. He is the only non-American ever awarded the cross twice. He was also awarded the RAAF Distinguished Flying Cross, among many others. See also: Interview with Gary Cooper.

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, our Main(e) Man Micah, and Rob Mark.