Tag Archives: F-4

430 Captain Nick: Born to Fly

We talk with an Airbus captain and former military pilot. In the news, a charter flight runs out of fuel and crashes, first delivery of the Bombardier CS300, an airline pilot suffers a heart attack, managing massive amounts of aviation data, charging for overhead bins, an autopilot system for general aviation, and a big pay raise for Delta pilots. Also, flying the Diamond DA42NG, and remembering December 7, 1941 and the 75th anniversary of that day.

airBaltic Bombardier CS300

airBaltic CS300. Photo courtesy Bombardier.

 

Guest

Captain Nick Anderson

Captain Nick Anderson

Captain Nick Anderson always wanted to be an airline pilot. He joined the Air Cadets at age 13, went solo in a glider at 17, gained a flying scholarship at age 18 and earned a Private Pilot’s Licence.  Capt. Nick joined the RAF at age 21 and trained on the Chipmunk, Jet Provost, Folland Gnat, and Hawker Hunter.  He then streamed to fighters and posted to No 43 (F) Sqn, The Fighting Cocks, flying the F4 Phantom FG1.

During a 19 year career, Capt. Nick moved from the Phantom to the Hawk T1 trainer as an A1 fast jet Qualified Flying Instructor, then back to the Phantom to become a Qualified Weapons Instructor.  He then moved to Australia on an exchange tour flying the F/A 18 for the No 77 Sqn RAAF, and finally back to the UK to fly the Panavia F3 Tornado Air Defence Variant.

After obtaining his Air Transport Pilot’s Licence and leaving the military, Capt. Nick joined an airline, flying the Airbus A340-300, Airbus A340-600, and the Airbus A330-300 on long haul flights.

Currently, you can hear Capt. Nick and his Plane Tails segment on the Airline Pilot Guy podcast with Captain Jeff, Dr. Steph, and Miami Rick. Find Capt. Nick on Twitter, Facebook, and at his website Nick Anderson Photographic.

News

Pilot told Colombia controllers plane ran out of fuel before crash

Not Enough Fuel: The Disgusting Truth About LaMia Flight 2933

Brazilian soccer team’s airline was warned it didn’t have enough fuel before taking off on fatal flight

LaMia charter flight 2933 from Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia to Medellín in Colombia crashed November 28, 2016, killing 71 of the 68 passengers and 9 crew. Apparently, the Avro RJ-85 did not have sufficient fuel for the route flown.

World’s first Bombardier CS300 aircraft arrives in Riga

Exclusive: On Board the Delivery Flight of the first CS300 to airBaltic

airBaltic, the national airline of Latvia, became the first airline to take delivery of the Bombardier CS300. Commercial operations are set to begin December 14, 2016.

Airline pilot suffers heart attack at Glasgow Airport

The captain of a KLM flight about to leave Glasgow for Amsterdam suffered a heart attack as the plane taxied to the runway. The crew and a passenger resuscitated the pilot. He was listed in stable condition at the hospital.

GE Aviation Launches Configuration Data Exchange to Reduce Maintenance Costs

#PaxEx Podcast: Diving into big data as IoT of aviation takes flight

Why bizav is also a key market for GE’s new data exchange

The Configuration Data Exchange connects aviation companies and provides a “data pipeline” for operations, maintenance, and configuration data. The two-way asset data flow can support airlines, MROs, lessors, OEMs, and parts brokers. In #PaxEx Podcast #41, industry consultant Michael Denis explains why operators need to know how to process the data and make it meaningful.

Travelers react to United Airlines plan to charge extra fee for use of overhead bins

United Airlines has a new ticket option called “Basic Economy,” which allows passengers to bring only one small item on board, which must fit under the seat. Checked bags incur a fee.

New Autopilot STC Project Follows EAA’s Lead

The STC Group is leading a project to certify the Trio Pro Pilot autopilot system in Cessna 172 and 182 aircraft. This is a “two-axis system with full navigation capabilities, envelope protection, return-to-level and 180 degree turn features for unintended IMC encounters.”

Delta pilots get 30 percent raise by 2019 in new contract

Eighty two percent of the pilots voting have ratified a new four-year contract, retroactive to the beginning of 2016. Delta’s 13,000 pilots get an immediate 18% pay raise, and a cumulative 30% percent by Jan. 1, 2019.

The Airplane of the Week

Remembering December 7, 1941, the 75th anniversary of the day that will live in Infamy, and a few of the people who were there: Lt. Phillip Rasmussen and his P-36A, P-40 Pilots George Welsh and Kenneth M. Taylor, Nakajima B5N2 “Kate” pilot Mitsuo Fuchida.

Mentioned

Diamond DA42NG – Max Trescott has been flying a new Diamond and tells us his reaction.

Diamond DA42

Diamond DA42. Photo courtesy Diamond Aircraft.

12 Planes of Christmas An online giving campaign from the Commemorative Air Force.

Shark US – VLOG 1 – Cheese Burgers and Milkshakes at the Robin’s Nest Flying the Shark US to the Robin’s Nest Cafe at Shannon Airport (KEZF) in Fredericksburg, Virginia for a “$100 hamburger.”

The RV-4 VH-NOJ Jon Johanssen flew around the world is now preserved at the South Australian Aviation Museum.

Air Tractors in action as water bombers during a bad bushfire north of Adelaide South Australia during November 2015.

Air Tractor

Credit

Intro music courtesy Brother Love from his Album Of The Year CD. Outtro by Bruno Misonne from The Sound of Flaps.

 

AirplaneGeeks 302 – Ace Abbott is the Rogue Aviator

Air Atlanta 727

We talk with Ace Abbott about flying the F-4 Phantom, Learjet, and B727. Also, tracking airliners, the Gulfstream IV crash, pilots in the back being called to duty. We talk about the Ford Tri-motor, FAA pressure for commercial UAS operations, aviation in the Middle East, and news from down under.

Guest Ace Abbott Morris entered the U.S. Air Force after graduating from college and became an F-4 Phantom pilot based in the Far East.  After the Air Force, Ace became a Learjet corporate and charter pilot, and during the last 22 years of his career, he flew Boeing 727s, accumulating 11,000 hours in the captain’s chair with several different airlines.

Ace blogs at The Rogue Aviator, tweets at @aceabbott, and hosts book presentations with aviation organizations throughout the country. His second book, Dead Tired: Pilot Fatigue – Aviation’s Insidious Killer, looks at the implications of pilot fatigue.

We talk about flying the 727, with occasional #2 engine compressor stalls and the #3 engine coming off the plane from blue ice strikes. Also, flying the F-4 Phantom in Korea, and the future of remotely piloted aircraft, probably first with cargo airplanes.

On the high performance Learjet, Ace encountered a variety of celebrity passengers, as well as in the 727.  He comments on what airline pilots say about flying these days, and the contributions made by ALPA for pilots and for aviation safety.

The week’s aviation news

Airlines want tracking technology to prevent another MH370

Like most all of us, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) doesn’t want to see a repeat of MH370. So IATA has created a taskforce that includes airlines, pilots, flight safety organizations, and flight tracking and navigation service providers. This tracking task force (not a data streaming task force) should report their recommendations in September, 2014.

NTSB: Plane never took off from ground, black box data shows

We get an update on the Gulfstream G-4 accident, and learn that the plane was traveling at 165 knots on the runway, and the black boxes point to brake pressure and thrust reversers before the crash.

Local USAF pilot helps in airline emergency

Any pilot in the back of the plane has daydreamed about what they would do if the assistance of another pilot was needed. Capt. Mark Gongol (who normally flies a B-1B Lancer) had the opportunity to actually live out that scenario on a commercial B737 flight.

The Aircraft of the Week

Tri-Motor at MDQ 2

Jamie Dodson tells us about the Tri-motor.

The Australia Desk

Grant’s sulking because Max forgot his name last week and it takes all Steve’s producer skills (and a few beers) to get him back into the groove. Once that’s achieved, it’s on with the show.

CASA acknowledges that the new Wellcamp airport near Toowoomba is likely to have airspace issues once it’s up and running.

Meanwhile, Sydney’s second airport at Badgerys Creek will take up to a year just to get through discussions and negotiations.

The recently released Aviation Safety Regulation Review is recommending some major changes in CASA’s approach to industry

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.

Rob Mark’s Aviation Minute

At the risk of droning on, Rob has something to say about industry pressure on the FAA to allow commercial use of unmanned aerial systems.

Across the Pond

Qatar Airways

Pieter Johnson continues his discussion with Oussama Salah this week, focussing on the Middle East and recent developments including Apartment Suites on aircraft through to the new Doha Hub.

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

Mentioned

Listen to the NBAA Flight Plan podcast from the National Business Aviation Association.

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