Episodes

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, updates on last week’s mass hoax threats against aircraft across Europe. In one instance, Aer Lingus pilots and French authorities clashed over where one of the affected aircraft should land. The NTSB has recovered the cockpit voice recorder from the crashed Learjet in Florida. The CVR is now with NTSB specialists in Washington DC for evaluation. Airbus has officially earned a world record for its A350-1000ULR flight from Melbourne to Toulouse last July. The f...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we discuss what the ADS-B data and initial NTSB investigation tell us about the crash Learjet 60 N722BD. We also touch on why this crash seems to have spawned so many maddeningly unhelpful conspiracy theories. Also on this week’s episode, multiple aircraft have been affected by hoax bomb threats across Europe. And the NTSB releases its final report on a quadruple runway incursion at JFK Airport in New York. Famous for its pilot-ATC interaction, JFK is in a clas...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, CNBC aviation reporter Leslie Josephs tells us why some young former Spirit Airlines A320neos are being dismantled and where the usable parts are going. Also on this week’s episode, Lufthansa and Fraport unveil the “Gate of the Future” in Frankfurt and we have a few thoughts. Virgin and Delta are furious at Heathrow Airport as Delta could be forced to move out of the terminal it shares with Virgin, Swiss is ending its wet lease arrangement with Air Baltic, Boei...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we’re onboard the final Lufthansa A340-600 flight with a few hundred of our closest friends. Boeing’s largest 737 is finally certified by the FAA nearly 10 years after being announced by the the airframer. And third quarter earnings reports from airlines have been mostly positive, but all are warning of trouble ahead as we close out the year. Helpful links for this week’s episode Onboard the final Lufthansa A340-600 flight (VIDEO) 737-10 MAX receives FAA certif...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, flights in Saudi Arabia are facing intense disruption following a series of strikes by the Houthi’s on Saudi aviation infrastructure. Riyadh Airport is closed until at least 18 October after a strike on a terminal building killed at least 12 people and injured hundreds more. Airports like Jeddah and Dammam have also faced disruptions and airports in the southwest of the country have been closed this week. Elsewhere, Israel is banning airline crews from a long li...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, the latest on the investigation into flydubai flight 1073. The NTSB releases its preliminary report on the 767 runway overrun in Miami last month. The Houthis warn airlines against using Saudi Arabian airspace. And airlines are still using decade-old software to avoid glitches in the 737. Keep up with the stories in this week’s epsiode 0:00–02:12 Opening / Plans for Lufthansa’s final A340-600 flight 2:12–05:00 Planes on a train 5:00–11:11 flydubai incident u...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we unpack what we know so far about flydubai flight FZ1073, what happened to the aircraft itself, and what might lie ahead for any investigation. Also this week, German investigators find brake application on the Vietnam Airlines 787 in Munich, the Airbus A350F makes its first flight, Alaska Airlines makes a big push toward more premium cabins (with a big caveat), and in a twist we don’t think anyone expected, NASA is in the early stages of returning an SR-71 t...

On this week’s AvTalk, we’re back from Dorkfest/SpotLAX with a busy week of news. We’re digging into the ATC failure that snarled traffic in the northeast US to start the week. And the preliminary technical report from NATS on the 8 September outage of the London Control Area says that one millisecond made all the difference between normal operation and the the cancellation of 2,000 flights. Plus Michael O’Leary gives his thoughts. And we have a new kind of show notes this week thanks to some fe...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Ian and Jason prepare to head to Los Angeles for the annual CrankyFlier Dorkfest and NYC Aviation’s SpotLAX events. If you’re in town, stop by and say hello. But before we take off, the NTSB released a partial summary of the cockpit voice recorder from the 21 Air 767 that overran the runway in Miami. Far from providing clarity, the summary only adds to the questions raised about the pilots’ actions in the final minutes of the flight. A news helicopter covering...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, the more we learn about last Sunday’s fatal runway overrun in Miami, the more confusing the circumstances become. We break down what we know from the ADS-B data and the limited flight data recorder information released by the NTSB thus far. A computer failure at NATS leads to the cancellation of 1500 flights over two days in the UK, while Anak Krakatau’s eruption halts flights in Jakarta. One of only two active DC-8s suffers a runway overrun and gear collapse ...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we discuss the low Airlink flypast in Cape Town, what’s been lost in the discussion so far, and what the South African civil aviation authority has to say about it. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns airlines to avoid Russian airspace as drones play an ever increasing role in the war between Russia and Ukraine. German authorities blame Russia for the recent explosive-laden drone in Leipzig. The FAA is moving to fire a pair of controllers who left the...

After a week away, there’s much to discuss on this week’s episode of AvTalk. We start in Munich, where the Runway 26L took a great deal of abuse. We discuss the Vietnam Airlines 787 runway overrun and tail strike, followed two days later by a Lufthansa A380 touching down before the threshold on the same runway. We also examine what happened aboard Air India A320neo VT-EXO, which briefly lost pressure across all three hydraulic systems, causing an upset that injured nearly two dozen people. Plus,...

On this episode of AvTalk, we’re joined by Goodyear Blimp Chief Pilot Michael Dougherty to learn more about his unique role in the aviation industry. Also on this week’s episode, German investigators continue looking for answers for how a drone was able to make it onto the Leipzig Airport ramp. FedEx paints a 777 in a special retro livery to coincide with the renaming of Memphis Airport in honor of FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith. Apollo Global Management wins the battle for easyJet and Air Ba...

On this episode of AvTalk, we jump back to Oshkosh for a conversation with David Ostdiek of GE Aerospace for an in-depth update on the progress being made on the CFM RISE program, as the manufacturer moves toward first flight of the new engine design by the end of the decade. Also on this week’s episode, a drone laden with explosives is found on the ramp in Leipzig and a DHL 757 strikes something on approach to the airport. The NTSB’s preliminary report on the crash of a Beech King Air in New Me...

On this episode of AvTalk, we speak with Xavier Pepin, the captain of the Airbus 24 hour, 24 minute Airbus A350-1000ULR flight from Melbourne to Toulouse. We talk about flight planning, crew resource management, fatigue and rest, and what’s next for the A350-1000ULR flight test program. Also on this week’s episode, highlights from EAA Airventure in Oshkosh and flying the Goodyear Blimp. Boeing says the 737-10 MAX flight test program is complete after 976 flights. United says it doesn’t want the...

It’s episode 380, so the Airbus A380 is most certainly on the agenda. But first we’re checking in on the orders placed at this year’s Farnborough Airshow. Sir Tim Clark opines on the proper use of early build Boeing 777X frames. Then we get to learn about the important mission for Airbus’ A380 Flight Lab. Also, Ian will be at Oshkosh this weekend for the close of EAA AirVenture. Give him a shout if you’re going to be there. Elsewhere, TCAS does its job over the Atlantic, a Kalitta Air 777 drag...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, a Ryanair (Malta Air) 737-800 suffers an uncontained engine failure after departing Thessaloniki, Greece, resulting in a shattered cabin window and a passenger partially sucked out of the cabin. We discuss the specifics on this accident and its similarities with Southwest 1380. German investigators release their preliminary report on the Lufthansa 787 that suffered a gear retraction last month in Frankfurt. In a first on Flightradar24, nine 7700 squawks happen...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we’re headed to Farnborough for an inside look at how the airshow comes together. From state of the art aircraft tracking technology to making sure all of the toilets are working, Farnborough International director of operations Ben Gleenson explains what it takes to make sure the biannual airshow goes off without a hitch. Also on this week’s episode, what we know so far about the crash of a K2 Airways Cargo 737 off the coast of Pakistan. Castlelake and easyJet ...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, a pair of powerful earthquakes cause widespread damage and significant loss of life in Venezuela. We look at how aid is reaching the country and the impacts on commercial aviation. A low pass at Horseshoe Bay by a 777 is under investigation by the FAA. After a small aircraft crashed into the tallest tower in Beijing late last week, Chinese authorities are implementing further restrictions on general aviation flights in the country. An Electra Airways A320 operat...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, airspace safety and efficiency take center stage as the NTSB begins an investigation into a close call in Boston. The US Coast Guard says changes to DC’s airspace have actually made helicopter operations in the region less safe. US congressional leaders remain at odds over competing aviation safety bills, but the real sticking point seems to be money. And the FAA announced this week its choice for developing AI-enabled airspace modernization tools. Plus, there ...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Indian investigators issue a progress note, but don’t necessarily note their progress. After more than a decade of negotiations the European Parliament keeps its signature airline compensation legislation much the same...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, a Lufthansa 787 takes a bow in Frankfurt, the NTSB issues its preliminary report on the United 767 accident in Newark, and Canadian authorities charge a former Air Canada pilot with fraud and forgery after it was discovered he flew for the airline without ever having the appropriate license. We also check in on the IATA annual general meeting to see airlines looking hopeful about Boeing’s certification efforts, gloomy about sustainable aviation fuel, and stormy ...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, SAS’s India relaunch doesn’t quite make it to India. The first Airbus A350-100ULR for Qantas’ Project Sunrise takes to the skies. Boeing is advancing the 737 MAX monthly production rate as it says it anticipates MAX 7 and MAX 10 certification by the end of the year. Violence flares in the Middle East with fresh strikes, including one that hit Kuwait Airport, killing one person and injuring dozens in the terminal. Swiss is parting out a pair of A220-100s and p...

We’re in Stockholm for a our semi-annual Flightradar24 crew meetup this week. Ian is joined by Gabe Leigh to discuss what’s it like behind the scenes capturing the stories of aviation professionals around the world. We review the recent incident where NTSB cockpit voice recorder data from UPS flight 2976 was used to recreate simulated audio. The NTSB removed the public docket system in order to prevent further such efforts. The preliminary investigation into the China Eastern A350 jet bridge co...