Tag Archives: GTF

469 Hurricane Disaster Relief

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:19:27 — 36.4MB)

General aviation and hurricane disaster relief, flight simulation, the need for more mandatory pilot training, United Technologies purchase of Rockwell Collins, and geared turbofan engines.

GA providing hurricane disaster relief., courtesy Nicholas Rizzo.

GA providing hurricane disaster relief., courtesy Nicholas Rizzo.

Guest

Nicholas Rizzo is a Flight Training Technology Designer at Redbird Flight Simulations, Inc. Recently, Nicholas has been flying supplies into the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Harvey: Rockport, Orange, Houston, and Beaumont Texas. Nicholas tells us about general aviation providing hurricane disaster relief.

As a youngster, Nicholas was fascinated by planes and he turned to home flight simulation flying X-Plane. In fact, he’s Chief Captain at X-Plane Junkies. Last year, he decided to become a real flying junky and he has logged 250 hours since last September obtaining his private pilot’s license and Instrument rating. Nicholas plans to pursue his Commercial, CFI, and CFII over the next few months.

Nicholas tells us a little about Redbird, including Guided Independent Flight Training (GIFT) for private pilots. This simulator-based maneuvers training supplement is designed to help pilots achieve their goals faster and for less money.

GA and Hurricane Disaster Relief

Pilots Rush to Aid Storm Victims (AOPA)

AOPA Preps for Hurricane Irma Relief Efforts

Hurricane Harvey Deluges Texas, Closed Airfields: GA Pilots Needed for Relief Efforts

Organizations mentioned in articles and/or active in the relief effort: AeroBridge, Operation Airdrop, Cajun Air Force, Angel Flight SouthCentral, Air Charity Networks, NOAA Aircraft, Remote Area Medical, Texas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol.

Aviation News

AIN Blog: Could Mandatory Training Lower the Accident Rate?

The author believes, “The FAA’s attitude about mandatory training for larger and more complex airplanes is surprisingly lackadaisical.” We discuss our viewpoints.

United Technologies to Buy Rockwell Collins

United Technologies chairman and CEO Greg Hayes confirmed his company will purchase Rockwell Collins for $30 billion. The new company is to be called Collins Aerospace Systems. Rockwell shareholders get $140 per share in cash ($93.33) and UTC stock ($46.67). Current Rockwell Collins chairman Kelly Ortberg is to become CEO, and UTC Aerospace Systems’ president David Gitlin is to become president and COO.

New record: aerospace gearbox reaches 70,000 horsepower

Rolls-Royce confirmed that their Power Gearbox for the next-generation UltraFan engine has reached 70,000 horsepower on a test rig. Their goal is a gearbox capable of 100,000 horsepower. The Ultrafan is expected in 2025.

Mentioned

Whirly Girls

Flyers for Fairness

Credit

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

AirplaneGeeks 301 – The House of (Ron) Rapp

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (48.1MB)

Bombardier CS100

We talk with Ron Rapp about being a contract pilot, General Aviation user fees, the market for a supersonic business jet, GA intercepts by the Feds, a GTF engine failure, Airbus A320neo EIS, and an FAA Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Guest Ron Rapp blogs at House of Rapp. He’s also a professional charter pilot with over 7000 hours. He’s flown flown more than 60 aircraft types, including tailwheel aircraft, aerobatics, formation flying, gliders, seaplanes, turboprops, biz jets, warbirds, experimentals, radials, and more.

Ron has volunteered with Angel Flight, he’s written messages in the air as a SkyTyper, he’s crop-dusted with ex-military King Airs, and flown across oceans in a Gulfstream IV. Ron writes for AOPA’s Opinion Leaders blog, and his work has appeared in Sport Aviation, Sport Aerobatics, Airscape, and others.

The week’s aviation news

After Private Pilots Complain, Customs Rethinks Intercept Policy

Armed U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have been approaching GA airplanes to detain and question pilots.  NPR reports that the CBP has told them this is going to change so that law-abiding pilots are not needlessly detained for warrantless searches.

C-Series Flight Testing Halted After GTF Engine Failure

The GTF engine on Bombardier CSeries test aircraft FTV1 experienced an engine failure during stationary maintenance testing. Reportedly, the failure damaged the engine nacelle and fuselage. No apparent damage to the wing Bombardier has suspended flight testing, ground testing continues, and the engine has gone to Pratt & Whitney for disassembly.

See also,  New Bombardier Jet Suffers Major Engine Failure, Bombardier Confirms Engine-Related Incident on CSeries FTV1 Aircraft, Airbus says A320neo jet schedule unaffected by Bombardier engine problem, and  Bombardier Sees No Impact to CSeries Schedule From Engine Fault.

Airbus CEO: A320 intro must be flawless

A few days prior to the CSeries incident, at the annual shareholders meeting in Amsterdam, Airbus CEO Tom Enders said the A320neo introduction need to be perfect so the company can meet its profitability and cash flow targets.

FAA to Establish UAS Center of Excellence

The FAA wants to create a Center of Excellence to support their research program for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The FAA intends that the COE study detect-and-avoid technology, control and communications, compatibility with air traffic control operations, and training and certification of UAS pilots and crewmembers.

David Vanderhoof’s Aircraft of the Week

David tells us about the VCS-7, the US Navy Spitfires that flew over the Beaches of Normandy 70 years ago this week. And he brings up one of his biggest pet peeves.

Rob Mark’s Aviation Minute

Rob talks about veterans and aviation.

Across the Pond

Air Algerie Boeing 737-8D6 Copyright Konstantin von Wedelstaedt

Air Algerie Boeing 737-8D6 Copyright Konstantin von Wedelstaedt

As a result of listener feedback, this week Pieter asks Oussama Salah to give us an update on the state of the airlines in North Africa. Is the tide turning and the airline business improving? Or, is it too early to see any “airline shoots of spring.”

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

Mentioned

Ryan's modelling station

Ryan’s modelling station

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.

Episode 206 – Farnborough 2012 – Planning for Optimism

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (44.5MB)

Qatar 787 courtesy Boeing

David Parker Brown from Airline Reporter.com joins us fresh from the 2012 Farnborough International Airshow to give us his perspectives. Pieter Johnson also attended and gives us his view of the flightline and aerial display. Speaking of airshows, listener Seb Spencer provides an audio report from the 2012 Royal International Air Tattoo.

B737Max Winglets in front of a Korean B737900ER by Pieter Johnson

The week’s aviation news:

Breguet Br 1150 Atlantic

David’s Aircraft of the Week is the Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic

In this week’s Australia Desk report:

Virgin tops Qantas in the latest SkyTrax Awards, Qantas deploying iPads for their Boeing pilots to use in flight, The Australian Aerial Agricultural Association says the carbon tax will add at least $18 per hour to their operating costs for crop dusting, Qantas sets up a new travel website called www.hooroo.com

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 attends the Farnborough 2012 International Trade and Air Show and gives us his view of the flightline and aerial display. He also wraps up Day 3 of the Trade Show with an interview with Tim Robinson from Aerospace International with some interesting developments from Virgin and Richard Branson. Also on show was the new Boeing 737Max Winglets. Quite a nice piece of engineering design, almost artistic!

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

Mentioned on the podcast:

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

Episode 172 – Girls With Wings

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (43.2MB)

Lynda Meeks, Executive Director Girls With Wings, Inc., http://girlswithwings.com/

Guest Lynda Meeks is Executive Director of Girls With Wings, Inc. a non-profit organization which introduces young girls to aviation. Lynda began her flying career in the military where she learned to fly helicopters. She’s flown twins and the Citation X as a professional pilot. Lynda also offers flight and ground instruction from Medina Municipal Airport in Medina, Ohio. Learn more at LyndaMeeks.com.

The week’s aviation news:

In this week’s Australia Desk report: Qantas wins return to work order, Qantas A380 makes precautionary landing in Abu Dhabi, Virgin Australia boss John Borghetti offers his thoughts on the opportunities the Qantas grounding created them, Grant talks about his L39 ride.

Find the boys down under at the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast, and follow the show on Twitter at @pcdu. Steve’s at @stevevisscher and Grant at @falcon124.

This week on Across the Pond, Pieter welcomes back Gareth Stringer and Tim Robinson to talk about UK and European aviation, including the Global Aviation Resources recent journalism award success, Tim’s visit to Kazakhstan and the run down of services following the campaign in Libya. Find Gareth at www.globalaviationresource.com and Tim at www.aerosociety.com.

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/.

Episode 126 – Another Aboulafia Adventure

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (45.9MB)

Airbus A320neo

Richard Aboulafia, Vice President, Analysis from Teal Group joins the Geeks to talk aviation. Benet Wilson, editor from AviationWeek, fills in for Rob.

We have the aviation news from the past week and David’s This Week in Aviation history segment. Steve and Grant update us on the Qantas A380 in their Australia Desk Report, and Pieter Johnson talkes with an airline pilot and past AGP guest Karlene Pettit about flying in Europe in his Across the Pond segment.

The week’s aviation news:

Mentions:

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/.