Episodes

The Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey talks about the $30 Billion capital plan to rebuild airport facilities and the transportation infrastructure. In the news, an unruly passenger is fined almost $40,000 for costs related to the resulting flight delay, FAA certification for remote airport tower operations, public charter flights and regulatory loopholes, American Airlines flight attendants might strike, and the FAA is allowing graduates of college and universit...

We talk with the author of Why Flying is Miserable: And How to Fix It. In the news, the NTSB comments on the increase in near-miss aviation incidents, the FAA will appoint an ARC to examine pilot mental health, an NTSB preliminary report on the Hawker/Cessna collision, cargo pilots are offered $250,000 to go regional, and United adjusts their frequent flyer program. Guest Ganesh Sitaraman Ganesh Sitaraman is a policy expert, Vanderbilt law professor, and the author of the book titled Why Flyin...

We look at the North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco with a former combat aircraft pilot. In the news, Van’s Aircraft is experiencing financial issues, the U.S. Government is getting involved in the Schiphol airport move to reduce flights, and a Federal Flight Deck Officer allegedly threatens to shoot another pilot. Guest Tim Plaehn in 1985 Tim Plaehn is a former combat aircraft pilot who attended the Air Force Academy, graduating in 1979. Tim attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Williams A...

A doctoral dissertation examines success factors for small airports, two bizjets collide at Houston Hobby, an off-duty pilot tries to shut down the engines in-flight, a review of NBAA-BACE, a new FAA administrator gets Congressional approval, and Spirit Airlines halts pilot and FA training. Guest Dr. Mike Jones researched the factors that affect the economic impact of small airports. In his doctoral dissertation at the University of Florida, he examined the cost to small airports of ill-fitting...

Interviews from Cranky Dorkfest 2023, Micah on lighter-than-air vehicles, and a chance encounter at Costco. Cranky Dorkfest 2023 Brian Coleman spoke with some notable attendees at the Cranky Dorkfest held September 9, 2023. As Brett Snyder describes it, “a bunch of us get together and watch airplanes at LAX and eat burgers. The beauty is in the simplicity of it all.” Hundreds of people show up for this event, including quite a few people you wouldn’t otherwise have access to. The Dorkfest usua...

The airline boarding process, Leap-1A engine compressor stalls, the $19 billion Kennedy Airport transformation project, SpaceX Starlink Internet connectivity on planes, an update on the oldest skydiver, another Australia Desk report, and great listener mail. Boarding a United Air Lines Boeing 247. Aviation News Check your group: United Airlines to reintroduce window, middle aisle boarding this month – saves 2 minutes! United economy passengers might benefit from a boarding process where passeng...

A transonic truss-braced wing aircraft gets an X-Plane designation, some categories of air travel capacity have returned to pre-pandemic levels, detecting germs on airliners, and the Collings Foundation reaches a settlement. Aviation News Next Generation Experimental Aircraft Becomes NASA’s Newest X-Plane The transonic truss-braced wing experimental aircraft has received the designator X-66A. This will be developed under the NASA Sustainable Flight Demonstrator (SFD) project and produced under ...

Autonomous aircraft with the regulatory affairs lead at Xwing. In the news, Delta Airlines reconsiders loyalty program changes, GPS spoofing of commercial flights, the Schiphol airport capacity cap, a crash takes the life of an AOPA senior vice president, and a 104-year-old woman goes skydiving. Guest Anna Dietrich is the regulatory affairs lead at Xwing, a company that flies piloted commercial cargo operations under a Part 135 certificate with a fleet of Cessna Caravans. The company has develo...

We talk with the CEO of an aircraft seat upholstery specialist company. In the news, airline loyalty programs are changing, unapproved parts are plaguing the airline industry, and Boeing is expanding its presence in India. Guest Jacobo Mesta is CEO of Soisa Aircraft Interiors, an AS9100-certified aircraft seat upholstery specialist headquartered in Chihuahua, Mexico, with a further facility in Dubai, UAE. The family-owned and run business was founded in 2006 and provides a range of flexible de...

The Chief Strategy Officer of a global airline holding company talks about the challenges faced by air travelers with disabilities and how to address them. In the news, the DOT is considering increased passenger compensation for delays, a private company offers luxury terminal services, the outlook for the air traffic controller shortage looks bleak, the NTSB finds that posting to social media was the probable cause of a fatal plane crash, and a small Hawaiian airline plans to add electric groun...

We look at the state of air travel, and the outlook for the future. In the news, a ceremony commemorates the 22nd anniversary of 9/11, airlines leaving regional airports, skiplagging, the FAA Administrator nomination, and an engine fire on an Air China flight. Guest Robert Silk is the Travel Weekly Senior Editor for Aviation. Robby provides coverage and analysis of route networks, service offerings, and distribution, as well as airline industry trends and political and policy debates. He write...

Interviews from this year’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and the Spurwink Farms Fly-in and Pancake Breakfast. Shawn Moody in his Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey at Spurwink Farm. Guests from EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Hillel Glazer captured two interviews at the 2023 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh: Zean Nielsen, CEO, Cirrus Aircraft. Zean Nielsen is the CEO of Cirrus Aircraft. In this follow-up to last year’s interview, we get caught up with current Cirrus directions and plans. Zean succeeded co-founder Dale Klapme...

The author of His Majesty’s Airship tells us about the era of the rigid airship and the fatal crash of the British airship R101. In the news, pilot medical condition reporting, the Boom Supersonic XB-1 demonstrator, two fatal military aircraft crashes, and the need for more air traffic controllers R101 at the mast. Guest Sam C. Gwynne has authored a new book titled His Majesty’s Airship: The Life and Tragic Death of the World’s Largest Flying Machine. In 1930, Britain’s airship R101 was destin...

We speak with a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk owner and pilot, and with an Assistant Chief Pilot at United Airlines. Guests Thom Richard is a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk owner and pilot. A photo Warhawk Shootout was recently held at the American Dream SkyRanch (18SC) private strip, which is home to Warbird Adventures, a vintage aircraft flight school offering private pilot, aerobatic, and tailwheel training. Warbird Adventures also provides flights in WWII aircraft. Brian and Micah talked with Thom about warb...

Brian and Micah speak with Roger Sands, the CEO of Wyebot, a company that provides AI-driven WiFi automation for the WiFi industry. The company has a long history of placing WiFi on different transportation modes, including commercial aviation. You’ll hear almost everything you want to know about airline WiFi. Guest Roger Sands is the co-founder and CEO of Wyebot, Inc. He has over 20 years of executive management experience, gained from working with both successful networking startups and Fortu...

A replay of our conversation with USAF Maj. Brian Shul from Airplane Geeks Episode 375. Guest Brian Shul served as an Air Force fighter pilot from 1970-1990. Shot down during the Viet Nam Conflict, and unable to eject, he rode the plane into the jungle and was seriously burned in the ensuing fireball. Lucky to be alive, he spent a year in the hospital and was told his flying days were over. Miraculously, after many surgeries and months of physical therapy, Brian returned to active flying duty...

A replay of our conversation with Reyné O’Shaughnessy from Airplane Geeks Episode 671 about pilot mental health. Guest Reyné O’Shaughnessy was a commercial airline pilot for over 34 years with a Fortune 50 company. She was a captain on the B767 and logged over 10,000 hours of total heavy jet flight time. Her experience also includes the A300/310, B727, and B747. Reyné founded Piloting 2 Wellbeing (or P2W) with a mission to create awareness about pilot mental health and mental wellness in the ...

A replay of our conversation with Jeff Bolton, originally published as Episode 570 on September 18, 2019. Guest Jeff Bolton is the first person ever to film a B-2 stealth bomber cockpit tour narrated by the pilot in-flight. He also filmed a B-2 aerial refueling from the bomber’s cockpit. Jeff has also taken a camera inside the B-52. Jeff tells the stories of the men, women, and families of the United States military. He draws on his experiences after being embedded in military commands, comba...

A replay of Episode 89 with guest Amy Laboda, published on March 16, 2010. Guest Amy Laboda has been writing, editing, and publishing print, audio, and digital materials for more than 35 years. She’s an instrument-rated commercial pilot and an instructor. Amy lives and breathes aviation and we chat with her on a range of topics. This is a full replay of Episode 89 and provides a look at what the Airplane Geeks podcast was like in the early days – humor, warts, and all! It includes Court’s WTF ...

A replay of our conversation with Eileen Bjorkman from Episode 618 published on August 26, 2020. Guest Eileen Bjorkman is an author who tells veteran stories, She’s a speaker and a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with 700+ hours of flying time as a flight test engineer in 25 different types of military aircraft, primarily the F-4, F-16, C-130, and C-141. Eileen holds an Airline Transport Pilot rating and she is a Certificated Flight Instructor with more than 2,000 hours of flying time. She owns...

The Spurwink Farm Fly-In and Pancake Breakfast is coming up on July 9, 2023. This annual event is hosted by EAA Chapter 141 on the 1,800-foot grass runway at the Spurwink Farm Airfield in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The farm is a 40-stall private boarding facility owned by the Sprague family. The fly-in runs from 0800 until 1100 AM. The pancakes are freshly cooked and the blueberries and maple syrup are Maine products. Last year Micah and Max recorded a number of interviews at Spurwink for Episode ...

A replay of our conversation with Ward Carroll from Episode 680, published on November 24, 2021. Ward is a former F-14 Naval Aviator who spent 20 years as an F-14 Radar Intercept Officer. He is the author of the bestselling Punk trilogy about life in an F-14 squadron. Punk’s Fight, Punk’s War, and Punk’s Wing are widely considered to be realistic portrayals of naval aviators in the context of a techno-thriller. Find Ward on his YouTube channel. The Punk’s books are available on Amazon.com and ...

Igor and Karen Sikorsky A replay of our conversation with Igor Sikorsky III from Episode 144, published on April 19, 2011. Igor is the grandson of Igor Sikorsky, who many consider to be the father of the helicopter industry. Igor III flies a Skyhawk on floats. He and his wife Karen operate The Bradford Camps on Munsungun Lake in the North Maine Woods, a premier lodge in the North Maine Woods located fifty miles from the nearest paved road. The camp dates back to 1890 and offers fishing, hunting,...

Breeze Airways Breeze Airways A220 Breeze Airways celebrated its inaugural flight at the Portland International Jetport (PWM) on May 17, 2023. Our Main(e) Man Micah spoke with: Lucas Johnson, Breeze Airways Chief Commercial Officer Julie Oliphant, Breeze Trainer Ryan Hamner, Breeze First Officer Paul Bradbury, Portland International Jetport Director Lynn Tillotson, president and CEO of Visit Portland Breeze First Officer Ryan Hamner Micah in the Breeze A220 Cranky Flier Brett Snyder is t...