Tag Archives: LASP

487 Build an Airport then Take it Down

Our guest is the president and founder of Flying Eyes, a maker of eyewear for pilots and others, who also happens to be involved in setting up the airport each year at Burning Man, then taking it all down. In the news, we look at the impact of a U.S. Government shutdown on aviation, TSA formally ending the unloved Large Aircraft Security Program, the carrier with the most legroom, Boeing’s overtures to Embraer, the Emirates A380 order, and new support animal rules at Delta. Also, our Main(e) Man Micah looks back at Apollo 1 and how it shaped NASA.

Guest

Dean Siracusa

Dean Siracusa

Dean Siracusa is the president and founder of Flying Eyes, and an SEL/IFR rated pilot with more than 2,200 hours. Dean owned and flew a rare Meyers 200, and he operates the Meyers Aircraft Owners Association website.

Dean is involved in building Black Rock City Municipal Airport (88NV) each year for the annual Burning Man event in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. After the temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance is taken down, the airport is likewise removed and the desert returned to its natural state. Burning Man 2018 takes place August 26 – September 3.

In 2012, Dean designed, engineered, patented, and began manufacturing Flying Eyes eyewear. He realized the need for specialty sunglasses that are comfortable with helmets and aviation-style headsets. He also created Eyes That Fly, where you can locate eye doctors near you who are also pilots and thus understand the unique needs of pilots.

Flying Eyes eyewear

Flying Eyes eyewear

Dean is a bit of a serial entrepreneur and founded the Transtock, Inc. stock photo agency that specializes in transportation imagery. He also founded Siracusa Productions to create images and commercials primarily for the automotive industry, including manufacturers such as Toyota, Lexus, Volkswagen, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and many others.

Dean received a bachelor’s degree from the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. While a student, Dean worked at Road & Track Magazine, later becoming the magazine’s sole staff photographer traveling the world shooting prestigious brands.

The Impact of a Government Shutdown on Aviation

We look at the impact on aviation of a U.S. Government shutdown due to the lack of a funding bill. We find the government functions that keep operating and those that shut down:

Aviation News

A Decade Later, TSA Officially Drops LASP

In 2008, the TSA issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) for the Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP). The proposed security program that would have required security threat assessments for aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds.

The Airline with the Most Legroom Is This Little-Known Carrier

The Mexican low-cost carrier Interjet provides 34 inches of seat pitch across all its planes. By contrast, the average economy seat pitch on American, Delta, and United is 30 to 31 inches.

Boeing Seeks Embraer Control, With Defense Safeguards

Exclusive: Boeing willing to preserve Brazil’s ‘golden share’ in Embraer deal

Competition Begins for Production Site of Boeing’s NMA

The Brazilian government does not want to see complete control of Embraer move out of the country, and especially wants to retain it’s “golden share,” which gives the government veto power over certain decisions. Reportedly, Boeing is looking at sourcing engineering work and possibly production in Brazil. For a history of past Boeing interest in Embraer by Dominic Gates, see Boeing’s bid to buy Embraer could see Brazilian engineers work on the 797

Airbus Has Won Its Game of A380 Chicken with Emirates

Last week we commented on a statement from COO John Leahy that if Airbus couldn’t work out a deal with Emirates, the company would have to shut down the A380 program. Well, Airbus and Emirates have done a deal for 20 firm and 16 option superjumbo jets valued at $16B at list price.

British Airways in Talks Over New A380 Order

“Informed sources” have told Bloomberg news that British Airways talking with Airbus about the purchase of new A380-800s to use for high-demand flights at London Heathrow.

Delta reins in emotional support animals with new guidelines

With everything from comfort turkeys and gliding possums known as sugar gliders, to snakes and spiders being used as emotional support animals, Delta is taking a stand with new rules that require additional documentation. Report by Mary Kirby at Runwaygirl Network.

The Fire, or Apollo 1 – The Predicted Disaster

Our Main(e) Man Micah takes a look back at “The Fire” in Apollo 1 and how it shaped NASA.

Apollo 1

Apollo 1

Mentioned

Photo by Max Trescott.

Photo by Max Trescott.

Brian and Carlos offer a short debrief following the celebration of the 200th episode of the Plane Talking UK podcast.

Over the Poles 2018

Anderson Aviation Services Inc.

Canadian Aviator

Sturm Friederike – Grandiose Pilotenleistung am Airport Düsseldorf bei bis zu 110 km/h Seitenwind

After leading electric car adoption, Norway now aims to lead electric flight

Credit

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

Episode 198 – Kip Hawley on the TSA

Kip Hawley

Guest Kip Hawley was Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) from July 2005 to January 2009. He’s also just written the book, “Permanent Emergency: Inside the TSA and the Fight for the Future of American Security” available through his website (KipHawley.com), Amazon.com, and many bookstores.

We talk with Kip about how he came to be the TSA Administrator, the risk that business aviation presents, and the Large Aircraft Security Program. Kip explains why the full TSA “body search” shouldn’t be necessary and he gives us some interesting details about the plot that led to the ban on liquids over 3 ounces. We consider calls to privatize the TSA, and discuss managing security and managing risk, the public perception of “the threat” and just how large it really is, security theater, the cost of technology, behavioral profiling, the effects of TSA security on the travelling public and thus on the commercial aviation industry, the history of Blogger Bob from The TSA Blog, and even a little peek inside the Bush oval office.

Kip observes that the risk in counter-terrorism is nonlinear, whereas in aviation safety it is linear. We have to be looking for nonlinear risk but a lot of the risk models used came out of the FAA safety regime and don’t apply well to security.

The week’s aviation news:

In this week’s Australia Desk report:

Alligator Airways loses court bid to overturn CASA grounding, Army temporarily grounds Tiger Armed Recon Helicopters, Lockheed Martin ready to begin training RAAF pilots, Sydney Airport CEO claims the airport has plenty of spare space for expansion, Airservices Australia CEO steps down unexpectedly, China Southern to establish the “Canton Route” from Australia to the UK, Air Pacific announces a re-branding to Fiji Airways.

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.

In this week’s Across the Pond segment:

Pieter Johnson asks our adopted Spanish correspondent Diego Lopez-Salazar from Aeropodcast.com to give us some feedback on his recent trip to Mexico. He gives us a summary of the airline structure there and the key carrifull service, low cost models.

Find Pieter Johnson on Twitter as @Nascothornet, on his blog Alpha Tango Papa, and also on Facebook at XTPMedia.

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 66 – Chocolate Thunder

The 767-based tanker refuels an F-22 fighter jet. (Artist Rendering by Chuck Schroeder)
Dan Webb takes time off, Steve Visscher drops in, and David Vanderhoof spends the entire episode with Rob and Max as they talk aviation news and history. Steve and Grant provide another report from the Airplane Geeks Australia Desk, and the week’s listener mail includes a great recording of “The Top 10 Ways to Tell Your Father is an Airplane Geek.”

The news:

From David’s This Week in Aviation:

and David’s new blog, What Just Flew By!

Follow the @AirplaneGeeks on Twitter, send us email at thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com, or leave us voice mail at (812) 757-4252.

This episode’s opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. Visit his site at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.

Episode 36 – Gorgon Stare

Gorgon Stare
Max and Court welcome Tracy Rhodes from http://www.aroundthepattern.com/ as they talk about the latest and greatest in aviation news.

Max’s pick of the week is Stories That Fly.

The Airplane Geeks are now on Twitter!  You can follow us @AirplaneGeeks.

Make sure to sign up for our new newsletter, “Airplane Geeks Week in Aviation.”
We’ll be bringing you these show notes, as well as some of the week’s news we didn’t have time to cover.
You can sign up at AirplaneGeeks.com.

Brother Love is responsible for this episode’s opening and closing
music, and you can visit his site at brotherloverocks.com.

If you have a question or a comment for the Airplane Geeks, you
can send it to thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com.

You can also leave us voice mail at (812) 757-4252. If you have
a question or comment you’d like mentioned on the podcast, this is the best
way to go about it.

Episode 34 – Ranting with Rand

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XBwjQsOEeg[/youtube]

Rand Peck joins Max and Court this week and Court goes on a couple of rants.  Rand joins us from his site at FlyingWithRand.com and his blog, Rand Peck, a Life Aloft.  There’s plenty of news to talk about, and we hit the highlights.

GA groups call for industry input on TSA plan

US House Transportation chairman takes aim at alliances

Aurora Flight Sciences Displays GoldenEye 80 Unmanned Aircraft at Virginia AeroSpace Legislative Reception

Max’s pick of the week is the Aviation Professionals Network.

The Airplane Geeks are now on Twitter!  You can follow us @AirplaneGeeks.

Make sure to sign up for our new newsletter, “Airplane Geeks Week in Aviation.”
We’ll be bringing you these show notes, as well as some of the week’s news we didn’t have time to cover.
You can sign up at AirplaneGeeks.com.

Brother Love is responsible for this episode’s opening and closing
music, and you can visit his site at brotherloverocks.com.

If you have a question or a comment for the Airplane Geeks, you
can send it to thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com.

You can also leave us voice mail at (812) 757-4252. If you have
a question you’d like mentioned on the podcast, this is the best
way to go about it.

Episode 33 – Air Pigz with a “Z”

Dassault Falcon 7x

Max and Court welcome Martt Clupper of AirPigz.com on this episode as they talk about the latest in aviation news, and provide a bit of commentary to spice it up.

Victims of Plane Crash Worked for Air Travel Sites

Pilots turn out in force to tell TSA impact of security plan

Obama Officials Tell Citibank To Ditch Plans For $50 Million Private Jet

JAL Flight Brings Aviation One Step Closer to Using Biofuel

Airline losses for fourth quarter mount

S7 cancellation latest hurdle for 787 program

Max’s pick of the week is the http://www.stoplasp.com/.  Two pilots opposed to the Large Aircraft Security Program have set up a webpage to help you contact elected officials.

The Airplane Geeks are now on Twitter!  You can follow us @AirplaneGeeks.

Make sure to sign up for our new newsletter, “Airplane Geeks Week in Aviation.”
We’ll be bringing you these show notes, as well as some of the week’s news we didn’t have time to cover.
You can sign up at AirplaneGeeks.com.

Brother Love is responsible for this episode’s opening and closing
music, and you can visit his site at brotherloverocks.com.

If you have a question or a comment for the Airplane Geeks, you
can send it to thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com.

You can also leave us voice mail at (812) 757-4252. If you have
a question you’d like mentioned on the podcast, this is the best
way to go about it.

Episode 30 – Speaking With Dr. Alfred Kahn

Dr. Alfred Kahn, the Father of U.S. Airline Deregulation Max and Court are pleased to bring you an interview with Dr. Alfred Kahn, the father of U.S. airline deregulation.  Dr. Kahn led the push for airline deregulation during the late 70’s and has been called on for airline industry advice ever since.  Dr. Kahn is the only guest we’ve had on the Airplane Geeks with his own Wikipedia page.

News:

First LASP Hearing Draws A Crowd

TSA catches heat over private aviation proposals

Aviation Biofuels: More Hype Than Hope?

NTSB gives an update on the Denver crash

AirAsia unveils plans for own airport outside Malaysian capital

Five Big Changes Coming to Air Travel in 2009

Max’s pick of the week is www.air-valid.co.uk.

The Airplane Geeks are now on Twitter!  You can follow us @AirplaneGeeks.

Make sure to sign up for our new newsletter, “Airplane Geeks Week in Aviation.”
We’ll be bringing you these show notes, as well as some of the week’s news we didn’t have time to cover.
You can sign up at AirplaneGeeks.com.

Brother Love is responsible for this episode’s opening and closing
music, and you can visit his site at brotherloverocks.com.

If you have a question or a comment for the Airplane Geeks, you
can send it to thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com.

You can also leave us voice mail at (812) 757-4252. If you have
a question you’d like mentioned on the podcast, this is the best
way to go about it.