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To celebrate the first hundred episodes, Rob, Max, David, and Dan are joined by founding co-host Courtney Miller. We discuss the week’s aviation news and reminisce a bit about the first hundred Airplane Geeks episodes. That plus This Week in Aviation and the Australia Desk report.
The news:
- DOT Proposes Additional Consumer Protections for Air Travelers
- see also: Consumer Rule II Summary of Proposals
- A30X and A320NEO Projects To Define Future Airbus Single-aisle Airliners
- Jetstar to trial rent-an-iPad service
- Boeing Led Team Bags $1.7 Bln Multiple-Award Contract From Federal Aviation Administration
- Work starts in £15m plan to get Concorde flying
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/.
[From WH…]
Dear airplane geeks,
I have been a regular listener for about a year. As a international pilot, it makes for great listening on the breaks during long haul flights. Also full disclosure, I am a member of the Air Line Pilot’s Association (ALPA). Though normally I do not write, the recent comments by your guest hosts concerning unions and airline labor left me fuming. I am 100% behind the Spirt pilots and this is only the beginning. The reasons for unions are as valid today as they were 50 years ago. Most airline employees, pilots included have experienced a decline in their standard of living over the last 5-10 years. Pilot “pushing” as well as attempts to undermine “Captains Authority” are rampant in the industry. Athough some may consider airline strikes “irresponsible”, they are a fact of life in this industry. The issue that passengers and businesses are inconvenienced by strikes is also a fact of life. The fundamental problem in the US is that we want airlines to function operationally as public utilities but economically we want them to function as free market enterprises.
At some point we must choose. Either the airlines are public utilities and should be rereguated in a manner that they can make reasonable profits or allowed to function in the free market as private enterprises and if strikes occur, so be it. Other airlines can pick up the slack from companies where labor actions occur. If they can’t, then price rationing occurs (ie prices of tickets go up). That’s the free market, like it or not. No airline employee takes the decision to strike lightly but speaking as a pilot, I consider my profession and maintaining its standards more important than simply having a job.
Kudos to David on his B-58 knbowledge but one correction. If i’m not mistaken, the engine on the B-58 was the J-79. Keep up the good work guys but no more anti-union wags or at least provide equal time to some union reps.
Thanx,
WH
Great note from WH. Anybody have any labor union contacts that could lead us to a good guest for the podcast?
[Great video of Matt Hall’s “aquatic adventure” at the recent air race…]
Check out this Red Bull video from Windsor
http://www.redbullairrace.com/cs/Satellite/en_air/Video/Qualifying-Highlights,-Windsor-021242857591037?quality=standard
Stephen
My LGB Blog – http://klgb.blogspot.com
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Wow, what a great episode (and not just because you guys talked about my favorite subject 🙂 I found myself yelling at the computer (in a good way!) Congrats on your 100th, guys. Looking forward to more.
[Justin is seeking some advice…]
Hey guys, once again great show. I just have something that i want your opinion on.
I was thinking about what i want to do in my future and I’ve gotten it between a pilot and an engineer. I do have couple of problems. The cost to train to be a pilot is ridiculously high and something my parents cannot afford to put me through. But, commercial aviation is something I would like to be when I grow up. Engineering especially mechanical engineering is a big part of me, I’m a huge car fan as well.
One college I’m considering would be to go to Jacksonville University which has a great aeronautical division there and is close related to the Delta flight academy literally “right next door” the problem is that i will be lagging far behind other students since i don’t even have my Private flying license.
My second choice would be to go to the Air Force Academy, all students will automatically graduate with a engineering degree and i can train to be a pilot there as well. The benefits of this would be free tuition from the government and i’d have the best of both worlds. The only problem with this is that my parents wouldn’t be happy campers when they find out, and i would have to commit a certain number of years in the air force. Plus, there is a rigorous training program there as well as a very hard college to get into. To get in, i would have to start applying my second semester of my junior year (I’m currently a sophmore in high school) and I need a letter of recommendation from one of my local congressmen.
My last thing has to do with the Civil Air Patrol or US Air Force Auxilary. I have learned that this is a great way to be introduced into the Air Force at a young age (12-18 years old). Other than a small fee a teenager like me (I’m 16 years old) can volunteer his or her time to this. I was wondering if you knew more about this program and what might I expect in joining this.
Anyway, thanks for your time, can’t wait to hear your new episode on Wednesday.
Max,
I just listened to your 100th while working in the hangar yesterday. Great job and congratulations on the 100th! Amazing how fast it goes, isn’t it?
Justin has a whole lot of questions that would take up too much space to answer in the forum. Give him my email address and if he wants I can talk to him about some of his options.
Tracy
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