Tag Archives: Germanwings

AirplaneGeeks 343 Germanwings Flight 9525

Germanwings A320

Implications of the Germanwings Flight 9525 crash: two in the cockpit, pilot mental fitness, release of information, and media speculation. Also, a great conversation with a pilot and doctor who flies medical staff and supplies into rural Mexico.

Guest

Dr. Michael Budincich is a Doctor of Chiropractic and he is passionate about flying and about aiding those who are less fortunate. “Dr. Bud” combines these by flying doctors and medical supplies into rural clinics in the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico.

For many years, Dr. Bud has been a member of the “Flying Samaritans,” bringing free chiropractic care to disadvantaged people in Mexico. He is also a member of several “flying doctor” groups such as LIGA (Flying Doctors of Mercy). He works with Missions of Baja as a missionary pilot, translator, and chiropractor. Dr. Bud has treated thousands of impoverished Mexican nationals and flown much needed medications, clothing and supplies to the clinics of Baja.

We talk with Dr. Bud about how he came to be involved with the Flying Samaritans and serving clinics in Mexico. We hear about the challenges of flying doctors and supplies into unimproved strips in Baja, as well as the roles for pilots, doctors, associated professions, translators, and even administrators. Dr. Bud formed Manos Con Alas Ministries, his own non-profit to bring volunteer doctors to Mexico, and flew humanitarian missions in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.

Airstrip at Bahia de Los Angeles, or Bay of LA

Airstrip at Bahia de Los Angeles, or Bay of LA

Dr. Bud is a founding member of the Academy of Forensic and Industrial Chiropractic Consultants (FAFICC) and has held elected offices within the local, county and state chapters of the California Chiropractic Association for many years. Dr. Bud is also a state appointed “Qualified Medical Examiner” and a past examiner for the California State Board of Chiropractic Examiners, the state’s licensing body. His website is DrBud.com.

News

The investigation into the causes for the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 is still underway, and the media is delivering a great deal of speculative information. Nevertheless, there are some related topics that we discuss in a general way:

  • Release of information while the investigation is underway
  • Ensuring the mental fitness of airline pilots
  • A “two in the cockpit” rule
  • Cockpit video
  • “Crash proofing” technology

See these articles for more opinion and information:

The Australia News Desk

Grant’s back from an exhausting week working on hot air balloons while Steve’s feeling relaxed. Lucky him!

Mentioned

Bonus

Lionheart on Final to Moontown

Lionheart on final to Moontown (3M5) by Jamie Dodson. Taken March 28th, 2015 at Moontown Alabama, 7 Miles east of Huntsville.

Credit

Germanwings A320 photo courtesy Alec Wilson from Khon Kaen, Thailand.

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

 

Episode 223 – Nils Haupt from Lufthansa

 

Lufthansa A340 by David M. Vanderhoof

Guest Nils Haupt is Director and Head of Corporate Communications for The Americas, Lufthansa German Airlines. We talk about the airlines and associated companies that fall under the Lufthansa airline group, their cargo operations and how Lufthansa is dealing with the severe night flight ban in Frankfurt. Also how Lufthansa operating in a high cost country means they have to deliver quality. We touch on competition with low cost carriers, the Germanwings strategy, and cooperation with United and Air Canada. Nils comments on their 747-8 experience, the cost of fuel, the schedule for interior upgrades, and much more.

We also talk about some of the recent aviation labor activity, big news on the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, bizjet engine advances, and the attempted Predator shoot down by Iranian jets.

The week’s aviation news:

David’s Aircraft of the Week is the Sukhoi Su-25 “Frogfoot.”

In this week’s Australia Desk report:

There is a disturbance in the Force as the Qantas pilots union agrees with management on an issue. In this case, Qantas is refusing to pay the operators of Brisbane International Airport up front for the construction of a new runway. In other news, Qantas announces further maintenance job cuts – nearly 500 more to go from Avalon and Sydney, and some aerial fire suppression operations go a little wrong in New South Wales after a helicopter fills its bucket from a sewerage treatment pond and deposits the contents on 29 firefighters. Yuk!

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. Australia Desk archives can be found at www.australiadesk.net.

In this week’s Across the Pond segment:

Pieter gets an update from Diego López-Salazar from Aeropodcast.com. First his recent delayed trip to China, then we cover Spain and of course his pet topic Ryanair! Find Diego on Twitter as @dlopezsalazar.

Find Pieter on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on his blog Alpha Tango Papa, on Facebook at XTPMedia, and at the Aviation Xtended podcast.

Mentions:

Moab's Delicate Arch from 6500 by Jodi
Moab’s Delicate Arch from 6500 by Jodi

Listener Jodi working on her Commercial in the Bell 206
Listener Jodi working on her Commercial in the Bell 206

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