Tag Archives: GE Aviation

430 Captain Nick: Born to Fly

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:34:52 — 43.5MB)

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 CS300. Photo courtesy Bombardier.

Guest

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. 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.

Credit

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

426 FlyOtto

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:28:37 — 40.6MB)

A new on-demand service that matches travelers with professional pilots and GA aircraft. Also, a turboprop with one third of the parts 3D printed, more on the American uncontained engine failure, recovery parachutes for larger aircraft, flexible airplane wings, Southwest pilots ratify a new contract, and enlisted pilots for remotely piloted aircraft.

Guest

Rod Rakic

Rod Rakic co-founded OpenAirplane in 2013 to make renting an airplane as easy as renting a car. The “universal pilot checkout” resets the clock on the flight review, offers a renter’s insurance discount, and gives pilots access to the same make and model of aircraft across the U.S.

Now the company has launched FlyOtto, a new service that matches travelers with professional pilots and certified general aviation aircraft. On-demand private charter avoids the hassles of major commercial airports and increases the utilization of the GA fleet. FlyOtto takes advantage of the over 5,000 public use airports in the U.S.

A pioneer in the development of innovative experiences, Rod has spent 20 years creating online products that enhance and manage brands. In 2007, he co-founded myTransponder, a pioneering social media tool for aviation. Rod has years of experience developing tools and community specific to the aviation industry.

Rod started flying when he was sixteen and holds an FAA commercial pilot certificate with an instrument rating.

Follow @OpenAirplane, @FlyOtto, and @rodrakic on Twitter. Find FlyOtto on Facebook.

News

GE Aviation fires up engine made from 35 percent printed parts

General Electric has tested the a-CT7 demonstrator engine which incorporates a very high percentage of “3D printed” parts. In the Advanced Turboprop (ATP) engine to come, 12 printed parts are planned to replace 855 conventionally manufactured parts. The ATP will power the all-new Cessna Denali single-engine turboprop aircraft.

GE Aviation’s Advanced Turboprop Engine

NTSB: Failed airline engine disk had fatigue cracking

In a preliminary report, investigators say the failed turbine disk that exploded on American Airlines Flight 383 showed evidence of an internal anomaly at the source of some fatigue cracking.

Will a Large-Aircraft Parachute Recovery System Catch On?

Aviation Safety Resources (ARS) is working on the TriChute Safe Landing system that could be used on larger aircraft, such as the 8,000-pound Cessna Caravan. When this system is activated, the fuel-laden wings separate from the fuselage, and all three portions of the aircraft descend under their own parachutes.

TriChute Demonstration

MIT and NASA’s flexible wing could be the future of aviation

Researchers from MIT, the University of California Santa Cruz, and NASA are working to develop flexible wing technology. This concept uses an “array of tiny, lightweight structural pieces” called “digital materials” that twist “when put under pressure from a pair of motors on the wingtip.”

Southwest Airlines Pilots Ratify New Agreement

Southwest Airlines says its pilots ratified a new collective bargaining agreement. The Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association (SWAPA) says 84 percent of the pilots who voted were in favor of the new contract. SWAPA announced the deal means a 15 percent pay raise, with a 3 percent annual increase through 2020. Also, pilots are no longer required to contribute to the pension plan.

First two enlisted pilots complete solo flights

The U.S. Air Force has an initiative to train enlisted Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) pilots for RQ-4 Global Hawk missions. The October 12 Enlisted Pilot Initial Class (EPIC) included four enlisted students along with twenty commissioned officers.

Airplane of the Week

David asks for your help to decide which aviation book to review next. Review Que: I need your help.

Mentioned

FAA Safety Briefing November/December 2016 (PDF), Why Can’t I Uber with my Airplane?

Man admits to shining laser light at SkyFOX

Breakdown at 30,000 Feet

Credit

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

AirplaneGeeks 398 Scott Hamilton, Leeham News and Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:32:47 — 42.5MB)

Solar Impulse 2 Landing April 2016

We talk with Scott Hamilton, the editor of Leeham News and Comment, about Solar Impulse 2, Bombardier and the CSeries, Boeing and the 737 MAX as well as a 787 engine AD, and Airbus and A321 assembly in Alabama.

Guest

Scott Hamilton

Scott Hamilton is the editor of Leeham News and Comment, which provides analysis along with the news, and the story behind the headline. Scott is known in the industry for his straight-shooting, call-it-like-it-is take on news and events. He is frequently called on by broadcast and print media to offer expert analysis about the issues of the day. Scott is also a regular speaker at aviation conferences and corporate events.

Before creating Leeham News and Comment, Scott co-founded of Linkraven Ltd. in 1989. Linkraven published the internationally-distributed Commercial Aviation Report and Commercial Aviation Value Report, and organized conferences in Asia, Europe and the Americas under the Commercial Aviation Events banner.

Scott was named Best Aerospace Journalist of the Year in 2009 in the Regional Airline Category. From 2010-2013 he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance.

Learn more at the Leeham News and Comment website, follow them on Twitter at @leehamnews, and check out Leeham News on Facebook.

News

Solar Impulse 2 lands in California after Pacific flight

After laying over in Hawaii for almost 10 months for repairs, the Solar Impulse 2 piloted by Bertrand Piccard landed in Mountain View, California just before midnight. The flight lasted just over 62 hours. Max Trescott witnessed the landing and gives us his impressions. He and Frank Sweeney posted some photos.

Note: In Airplane Geeks Episode 361, we spoke with pilot André Borschberg after he flew Solar Impulse 2 from Japan to Hawaii.

Can Bombardier extend CS300 to a CS500?

Can Bombardier extend CS300 to a CS500? Part 2

The CS300 was designed as the base model, with the CS100 being a shrink. Some wonder if there could be a stretch version, a “CS500,” that could seat more passengers and that is better sized for airline needs.

Delta May Be About to Order a Boatload of New Planes

Delta may be about to announce aircraft orders. Perhaps another order for (192-seat Airbus) A321s, and an order for 75 small narrowbodies from either built Bombardier or Embraer. Delta has been complimentary of the CSeries, but they have also made it clear that the price must be right.

Boeing Considering New 737 Model To Fend Off Bombardier Jet

The smallest B737 MAX, the -7 version with 126 seats in two class configuration, only has 60 firm orders. (30 from Southwest, 25 from Westjet, 5 from Canada Jetlines) Reportedly, Boeing is looking at a 150-seat model internally called the 737 MAX 7X.

First US-built American A321 completes maiden flight

First Alabama made jet liner to be delivered to owner today

The Airbus assembly plant in Mobile, Alabama continues to reach milestones with the A321 destined for American Airlines making its first flight. Airbus also delivered its first made in America A321 to JetBlue.

FAA orders ‘urgent’ engine fixes for Boeing 787 Dreamliners

In January 2016, a GEnx-1B engine was shut down in flight after the engine experienced excessive vibration. Ice came off a fan blade and caused an imbalance of the fan. That led to “substantial damage” after the fan blade tips started rubbing on the fan case. The FAA issued an Airworthiness Directive [PDF] requiring repairs or one older engine on the plane. The older model is less susceptible to icing than the newer Performance Improvement Program (PIP) 2 engine.

Two air traffic control officers charged for Taiwan’s worst crash in decade

On July 23, 2014, TransAsia Airways Flight 222, an ATR 72-500, crashed into buildings during approach in bad weather at Magong Airport in Taiwan. Forty-eight on board died, including the two pilots, and 10 survived. Two air traffic controllers and the two pilots have been deemed negligent.

FedEx Worker Falls Asleep In Plane’s Cargo Compartment, Wakes Up in Lubbock, TX

Probably not a career-enhancing move.

The Aircraft of the Week

David travels to Langley and interviews two F-35 pilots.

Listener Recording

Kirby Chambliss performs at the Red Bull Air Race Demo at the Sun-N-Fun event in Lakeland, Florida, USA on 10 April 2016.

Launchpad Marzari brings us an interview with Richie, head of the RedBull Air Gaters. Also see Pictures of the day: Red Bull Air Race demo wows SUN ‘n FUN crowds.

Mentioned

Kenmore Air

Kenmore Air – Providing scenic flight tours in Seattle with a de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver and a DHC-3 Otter.

The Puget Sound Business Journal is seeking a full time aerospace reporter

US airlines are freaking out about a company you’ve never heard of

The Derelict Aircraft Museum

General Aviation Aircraft Design by Snorri Gudmundsson.

Throwback Thursday: The History of Delta

Credit

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

AirplaneGeeks 378 NBAA 2015 Debrief

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:42:04 — 46.8MB)

Aerion AS2 In-Flight, Courtesy Aerion Corporation

The 2015 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, a supersonic business jet, and new turboprop engines. Also, AC-130 Ghostrider, used Boeing 777 prices, the TSA, and ATC operating systems, AusDesk and Across the Pond segments, and lots of listener feedback.

News

Flexjet Order For 20 Supersonic Jets Boosts Aerion

Membership and charter services company Flexjet has placed a firm order for 20 Aerion AS2 supersonic jets, valued at $2.4 billion. Flexjet plans to use the jets for overseas flights and flights to China. The Aerion AS2 business jet is to have a top speed of Mach 1.5, carry eight to twelve passengers, with a range of 4,750 nautical miles at supersonic speed. See also the Flexjet press release: Flexjet to Purchase 20 Aerion Supersonic Business Jets.

Airbus Seeking Manufacturing Site for Supersonic Jet

Airbus Group is collaborating with Aerion on the three-engine jet. First flight is expected in 2021, with entry into service in 2023. Reportedly, Airbus and Aerion are looking for a US manufacturing site.

GE Aviation launches new turboprop engine

Textron Aviation and GE announced that Textron Aviation will power its single engine turboprop (SETP) with an all-new 1,300 shaft horsepower turboprop engine from GE Aviation. Textron’s SETP is expected to have a range of more than 1,500 nautical miles and speeds higher than 280 knots. GE expects to conduct the detailed design review (DDR) for the new turboprop in 2017, with the first full engine test in 2018.

GE Aviation’s Advanced Turboprop Engine

P&WC Launches Most Powerful PT6 Turboprop

Pratt & Whitney Canada announced a Dash A version of the 867-shp PT6-140 turboprop engine used in the Cessna Caravan. It features 15% more power and 5% better specific fuel consumption than comparable engines in its class.

Textron Aviation Unveils Hemisphere Jet

The Cessna Citation Hemisphere will feature a 102-inch diameter cabin, a range as far as 4,500 nm, with a maximum cruise speed of at least Mach 0.9. First flight of the $35 million jet is expected in 2019.

NBAA Charity Event Raises $505,000 to Support Life-Saving Flights for Corporate Angel Network

The annual NBAA/CAN Soiree charity benefit raised funds to help support CAN’s life-saving flights for cancer patients.

NBAA’s Single-Pilot Team Creates Loss-of-Control Safety Video

With loss of control in flight (LOCI) accidents resulting in more fatalities in business and commercial operations than any other category of accident over the last decade, reducing LOCI is a priority of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and aviation professional organizations across the globe. The NBAA Safety Committee Single Pilot Safety Working Group produced this video and story of “John,” a single owner-pilot who finds himself in a loss of control situation. The 10-minute video stars Airplane Geeks co-host Rob Mark.

Best and Worst Airlines: Find Out Which Carrier to Fly

Consumer reports conducted a survey of more than 20,000 passengers who took a domestic nonstop flight. The fliers rated the airline on comfort, carry-on space, ease of check-in, in-flight entertainment, and fees.

Brand New AC-130 Ghostrider A Total Loss After Going Inverted While Out Of Control

An Air Force Special Operations Command AC-130J Ghostrider Gunship was flown inverted at 15,000 feet in a test flight, but exceeded its operating g limits and design load and will have to be scrapped.

Why A Boeing 777 Only Costs $10 Million

A new 777-200ER has a list price of $277 million. If you assume a 30% discount, $194 million is a likely purchase price. Delta says it was offered used 777’s from Boeing for $10 million, a lot less than the book value and professional appraisal cited by others.

City,TSA spar over screening services

The Transportation Security Administration will not be providing screening services at the Greater Lake Klamath Regional Airport in Oregon. The TSA says the airport passenger load is too variable and infrequent to warrant the expense. The alternative system would have passengers from Klamath Falls screened at destination Portland.

Flight chaos as airport admits its air traffic control PCs still run Windows 3.1

Orly airport in France has been experiencing groundings and flight delays due to the air traffic control system breaking down. The French air traffic controller union said the problem was that the air-traffic software runs on Windows 3.1.

Man busted for shining laser pointer at aircraft

A 40 year-old man was arrested in California after shining a green laser at a Southwest Airlines plane preparing to land at Sacramento airport. A California Highway Patrol plane sent to find him was hit by the same laser, which made it easy to track down his location.

Aircraft carrier crew creates Star Wars spoof

The crew of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower won the internet Friday with a mock trailer Sea Wars: The Force Awakens.

The Airplane of the Week

Thanksgiving Turkeys and Fullbacks, from David.

The Australia News Desk

Big news this week as the RAAF lands one of their C17s on the Wilkins ice runway.

Our Prime Minister needs a bigger executive jet to take his entourage with him on longer summit missions.

Mining magnate Clive Palmer is trying to offload his lovely Citation X as well as his MD80s that have been sitting around for awhile.

TigerAir’s first 737 has been seen in the wild.

On the Mark

Rob’s Aviation Minute has evolved into On The Mark, a video report on AviationPros.com. The inaugural episode Who Was Really in Command of Malaysian Flight 17? covers the ins and outs of regulation 91.3 which gives pilots complete control over aircraft en route. But what happens when regulation 91.3 runs up against route efficiency and corporate profits? And how do Malaysian flight 17 and Metrojet flight 9268 fit into the discussion?

Across the Pond

Photo Copyright XTPMedia

With support being shown for France last week, Pieter brings us some French news along with the sounds of the French Navy Display Team made up of two Super Etendards and a Dassault Rafale-M.

Photo Copyright XTPMedia

Mentioned

Jetblue Teams Up With Rob Gronkowski for Most Bro-tastic Airline Commercial Ever

Sukhoi Superjet 100 Orders, deliveries and operators

DCS: NEVADA Test and Training Range Map – Teaser and M-2000C for DCS WORLD Teaser flight sim videos.

PilotEdge professional air traffic control for flight simulators.

Emirates: #HelloJetman

Armed with unguarded ambition and the vision to push boundaries beyond the unthinkable, Jetman Dubai and Emirates A380 take to the skies of Dubai for an exceptional formation flight.

Is China a real threat to Boeing and Airbus?

The Last Adventure in Aviation – A 28 minute audio program about from BBC Radio about the world of ferry pilots in Britain.

Andover Flight Academy

“I Sit Around” – Airline Pilot Parody

Lionheart over Tennessee:

Courtesy Chris Davis, EAA 190, Moontown, 3M5

Credit

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

AirplaneGeeks 311 – Travel Skills

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:29:16 — 40.9MB)

This Episode: A great new resource for business travelers, an FAA hangar policy change, the airliner manufacturing ramp-up, an MH370 update, the Griffon Lionheart, and some space news.

Guest

Chris McGinnis has had a long career in travel journalism, appearing on television and writing online. He recently created the Travel Skills blog, part of Boarding Area network, with news, information, tips, advice, and trip reports. Chris also co-hosts the #travelskills chat on Twitter with travel guru Johnny Jet every Friday morning at 9:00am Pacific Time (noon Eastern). There you’ll find topics discussed for an hour by people who are passionate about travel.

The News

New FAA Hangar Policy Draft: Much Confusion in GA Community

The FAA issued a draft policy that addresses the allowed uses for hangars at airports that receive federal grant funding. The policy as stated impacts airplane homebuilders.

GE Aviation invests $50M in 3-D printing plant

Alcoa Continues Aerospace Push With $1.1 Billion Pratt & Whitney Deal

Boeing, United Technologies Stockpile Titanium Parts

GE’s upgrade to their 300,000-square-foot Auburn, Alabama manufacturing plant is intended to let them mass produce fuel nozzles for the Leap-X engine. More broadly, we talk about the huge manufacturing ramp up required to satisfy the production requirements for new aircraft such as the A320neo family, 737 MAX, Comac C919, and Irkut MC-21.

Australia to announce next MH370 search

Malaysia Steps In to Save Its Reeling National Airline

Australia has selected Dutch company Fugro Survey to undertake the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The operation is expected to begin in September and last as long as a year. We also see that the Malaysian government plans to take full control of the company through a stock, buyback and restructure the airline’s operations.

David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week

Lionheart

David is off this week, but Jamie Dodson from NickGrantAdventures.com steps in to tell us about the Griffon Lionheart, an American single-engined, six-seat biplane designed and produced in kit form for home building by Griffon Aerospace of Harvest, Alabama.

Across the Pond

Pieter is back reporting on the European Space Agency news that the Rosetta mission is now close to Comet 67P, ATV5 is close to docking with the ISS, the possibility that the UK will get its own Spaceport. Listen to Ep.27 – From rocket history to spaceplanes for more space content.

Listener Recording

Harriet and Micah

Micah tells the story, “Favorite Flights I Never Flew.”

Mentioned

The 8 best beds on a Boeing 777

Chris McGinnis’ video tour of the crew rest area on Cathay Pacific’s new Boeing 777-300ER.

Boeing looking to expand presence in South Africa

Boeing Partners with South African Airways to Turn New Tobacco Plant into Jet Fuel

Activities include training, manufacturing, and biofuels. Boeing and South African Airways signed an agreement last year to establish a sustainable aviation biofuel supply chain in Southern Africa.

Photos from Paul Filmer

NCAR by Paul Filmer

NCAR FRAPPE and NASA DISCOVER-AQ Operations in Colorado – July 2014

Aviation News – NCAR FRAPPE and NASA DISCOVER-AQ Operations in Colorado

Xtended Episode.29 – FIA 2014 (Live)

Pieter in the A350

Recorded at the Farnborough International Airshow, Pieter and Tim talk to Jean Vincent Reymondon, Social Media Manager with the Media Relations Department of the Airbus Group. You’ll also hear interviews with several key suppliers.

Credit

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 163 – Bits and Pieces VII

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (26.6MB)

Micah and Harriet with the Cessna182

The Geeks take the week off in celebration of the Labor Day holiday, so instead of our normal format, we bring you these segments:

Rob Mark speaks with Louis Smith from FltOps.com about the hiring outlook for pilots. Louis was our guest back in Episode 102, Outlook for Professional Pilots. Rob Mark caught up with him at the Regional Airline Pilot Job Fair in Chicago.

David Vanderhoof provided some interviews from AirVenture 2011 at Oshkosh: Jonathan Hartman on the Firefly all-electric technology demonstration helicopter from Sikorsky, Dave Walsh, program Test Director for the Sikorsky X-2 record-breaking helicopter, Kevin Bredenbeck, Chief Pilot and director of flight operations at Sikorsky, and Audrey Schnur from Marketing Communications at GE Aviation (@GEaviation) about GE’s use of social media and their presence at Oshkosh. Also, at the Pax River show, David talked with S-3B Viking pilot Lieutenant John McElroy, who brought in one of three flying.

Sikorsky X-2

This week on Across The Pond, Pieter is joined by a previous Airplane Geeks guest Jon Norris (Episode 122, Jon on the Passenger Experience). Jon has changed his role since we last talked to him and on this segment we will learn about APEX, the Airline Passenger Experience Association, and the APEX Expo. You can download an iPhone/iPad App for APEX on iTunes.

Jon can be found online at the APEX Editor’s blog or on Twitter at @APEXeditor and @nonnyjorris. Pieter Johnson blogs at alphatangopapa.blogspot.com and on Twitter he’s @Nascothornet.

Next week we’ll return to our usual format with the full complement of co-hosts and a great guest.

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: Micah and Harriet in front of the Cessna 182.