Episodes

On this episode of AvTalk, we take a deep look at the actions by the FAA, airlines, and Boeing in the wake of the accident involving Alaska Airlines flight 1282. Working through the time line of statements, regulatory actions, and investigations we build a picture of what’s happened so far and what the next steps will be. We also discuss the ruling this week by a federal judge preventing the merger of JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines. From Les Misérables quotes to an almost poetic invocation...

On this episode of AvTalk, Ian and Jason are joined by Nomadic Aviation Group’s Steve Giordano to discuss the Alaska Airlines flight 1282 accident. We break down what we know so far about the explosive departure from the aircraft of the mid-cabin exit door plug, how the 737-9 MAX fleet has been affected, and we close with a discussion about where Boeing goes from here. Click here for a transcript of this episode Associated reading Below are a collection of links that are helpful to have avail...

On this episode of AvTalk, we explore what we know so far about the collision between Japan Airlines flight JL516 and a Japan Coast Guard aircraft in Tokyo on 2 January. We spend time laying out the facts we know so far and then work through some of the areas of focus for investigators as the begin the task of understanding what happened and why. Companion reading for this episode * Flightradar24 data and other information regarding the crash * Aviation Week article with a good discussion on ...

As we close out the year we look back on our a few of our favorite AvTalk conversations from 2023. There were many great ones to choose from, so visit our archive to hear them all. We’ve picked out a pair that were crowd favorites. First up we have our conversation with former National Transportation Safety Board Chair Robert Sumwalt. We spoke with Sumwalt on episode 216 as he prepared to participate in the FAA’s Independent Safety Review Team over the summer. The review team’s report came out ...

On this episode of AvTalk, we scratch our heads trying to figure out the story of a stowaway who managed to make it from Copenhagen to Los Angeles aboard an SAS flight. Stopped by a US customs officer, the man had Russian and Israeli identity documents, but no passport. And he could not tell the officers how he ended up on the airplane from Copenhagen. You can read the full indictment here. Also this week, Southwest Airlines is fined more than any other airline in history—but the actual money p...

On this episode of AvTalk, Jason is still alive, Ian makes his way home from Sweden, passengers on a Delta flight are waylaid in Goose Bay, and Boeing picks a Pope. Ian and Jason are back in action this week with all the week’s aviation news and some insights into 2023 and a brief look ahead to the coming year. Thank you for listening! Thank you so much for listening to AvTalk! Like the podcast? Have suggestions for future shows? Let us know by leaving a review on iTunes. Reviews on iTunes not...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Gabriel Leigh joins Ian in Stockholm to discuss his travels for the Flightradar24 YouTube channel, including a very exciting trip coming up in January. And we speak with Ned Russell, airlines editor at Skift about Alaska Airlines’ proposed $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. We dig in to the structure of the deal, why it makes sense, and what the US government might have to say about the merger. Thank you for listening! Thank you so much for listeni...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Jason checks in from Taipei and Ian sits down with Olov Lindström, Norse Atlantic Airways Fleet Chief pilot and the first person to captain a 787 to Antarctica. We learn all about the special preparations necessary to make the flight as ordinary as possible. Thank you for listening! Thank you so much for listening to AvTalk! Like the podcast? Have suggestions for future shows? Let us know by leaving a review on iTunes. Reviews on iTunes not only help us make a...

We bring you an abbreviated Thanksgiving week episode, partly because of the Thanksgiving holiday, but mostly because Jason is wandering around Japan on high speed trains. We have some updates on stories we discussed last week as well as some much welcome news for Boeing and its 737-10 MAX. And on next week’s episode we’ll […] The post AvTalk Episode 243: Turkey, mashed potatoes, and Shinkansen appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, a horse escapes its stall onboard a 747 flying from New York to Liege. A panel of experts says decades of congressional meddling and underfunding of the FAA introduces undue risk to flying in the US. And the Dubai Airshow is Boeing’s show with orders for nearly 300 aircraft, most of which are for wide body aircraft. Quit horsing around back there A horse being transported aboard a 747 operated by Air Atlanta Icelandic escaped its stall as the aircraft began it...

On this episode of AvTalk, we learn that the arraignment of the pilot who threatened his captain with a gun has been delayed—because he is on active duty military service outside the country. A Titan Airways A321neo was damaged by high-intensity film lighting, more PW1100G issues, and you could be in charge of the world’s most secretive airline. Links we said we would put in the show notes: * History of EG&G * PSA recruitment landing page for FedEx | UPS Thank you for listening! Thank you s...

On this episode of AvTalk, we’re flabbergasted to learn about the events aboard a Delta flight last August as the first officer threatened to shoot the captain if they diverted the flight due to an onboard medical emergency. Elsewhere, the JetBlue-Spirit Airlines merger trial is underway in Boston, Southwest might flight to the other Dallas airport a few years from now, and Lufthansa might need to start lifting weights. First officer threatens to shoot captain According to an indictment issued...

On this episode of AvTalk, we spend a full third of the episode attempting to understand what happened on Horizon Air flight 2059 after an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot sitting in the flight deck jump seat tried to shut down the aircraft’s engines. Also this week, a pilot in Houston failed to follow ATC instructions and caused a collision on the runway, Boeing’s third quarter earnings, Pratt and Whitney’s GTF problems grow larger, JetBlue’s lawyers make an interesting argument, and Qatar Airway...

On this week’s AvTalk, Jason Rosewell from Infinite Flight joins us to discuss the new partnership between Flightradar24 and Infinite Flight that makes our new 3D view so amazing. We also learn more about how Infinite Flight got started and what’s next for the mobile flight sim company. Plus, a bizarre accident involving a Titan Airways A321 and an airline rebrands by channeling ee Cummings. Titan A321 windows go missing A bizarre accident where the crew noticed a few windows missing after tak...

On this week’s episode, we take stock of rapidly evolving civil aviation situation in Israel. How are airlines reacting, which are halting flights, and which are still flying to Tel Aviv. Elsewhere, a FedEx 757 makes a gear up landing, the car park at Luton Airport near London goes down in flames, and we make mention of a few small, but interesting aircraft orders, including Jason’s newly discovered favorite livery. And it pains us to report that our young friend Ethan Weiner has been diagnosed...

On this episode of AvTalk, we chat with curator of theAirchive.net, Chris Sloan. United Airlines adds more aircraft to its order book, SAS will say hello to Air France+KLM and goodbye to Star Alliance, and Qantas is in more hot water thanks to an IT malfunction. This week’s highlights Air France+KLM will become a major shareholder in Scandinavian carrier SAS with a path to an eventual controlling stake. To begin, SAS will leave Star Alliance (of which it is a founding member) and join SkyTeam....

On this week’s AvTalk, the pilots of the Ural Airlines A320 that ran out of fuel and landed in a field didn’t know the gear was down. VivaAerobus becomes the first airline to add new routes after Mexico regains its Category 1 safety rating, turbulence injures 8 on a JetBlue flight, and much, much more. Ural pilots didn’t know the gear was down After experiencing a hydraulic failure on the A320 and electing to divert, the pilots of a Ural Airlines A320 failed to realize that the landing gear ha...

On this episode of AvTalk, our Chris Lomas becomes the first non-Airbus employee to fly the A321XLR as he joins the route proving campaign. Plus, one company sold aircraft parts based on forged documents, Akasa Air in India loses so many pilots to another airline they have to cancel flights, and two aircraft avert an incident after a controller in Venice plugs their headset in the wrong hole. Mexico is back! As we foreshadowed last week, Mexico has regained its Category 1 FAA safety rating, wh...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we recap all the fun we had at Dorkfest and Spot LAX, including our meeting with one incredible young avgeek. Plus, another Ural Airlines flight ends up in a field, Pratt and Whitney delivers more bad news about the A320neo engines, Mexico makes it back to Category 1, and one new airline has an even newer name. Dorkfest + SpotLAX wrap up An incredible weekend of aviation revelry and merriment. If you joined us this year, thank you! If you didn’t, stay tuned fo...

On this episode of AvTalk, we learn that the cause of the NATS outage at the end of August was two identically named waypoints 4,000 miles apart. Plus, we discover Discover Airlines, learn a thing or two from an air traffic controller, and dig into the report of a Nordwind Airlines A321 that suffered a hard landing in Turkey a few years ago. Thank you for listening! Thank you so much for listening to AvTalk! Like the podcast? Have suggestions for future shows? Let us know by leaving a review o...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, a NATS computer failure snarls traffic in the UK, Russia says there won’t be an investigation into the crash of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plane, and some 737 MAX are affected by a fresh quality issue that could impact Boeing’s 2023 delivery targets. Plus new aircraft orders, routes, and product announcements from airlines around the world. And we close the show with a few neat ways to get on and off a plane. Thank you for listening! Thank you so much for listening t...

On this episode of AvTalk, what we know so far about the crash of an Embraer Legacy 600 in Russia that is said to have been carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin and top Wagner Group officials. And we sit down for a long chat with Norse Atlantic Airways president Charles Duncan, who fills us in on how the airline has fared in its first year of operations, what changes are coming to the cabin, and its plans for future growth. We walk away convinced that Norse is definitely not Norwegian 2.0. Thank you for ...

We were wrong. Last week, Ian promised a clip show. But then news happened! So we have a new show for you this week. Ian and Jason discuss the new Air India logo, livery, and cabin interiors; the NTSB’s final report on United flight 1722; more information on NASA’s AEROMMA mission; the return of Mexicana; and all the details we have so far on LEGO’s new Concorde model. We’ll be back next week will a full show and all the week’s aviation news. Air India’s new livery Click here for a transcript...

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Niger’s airspace closure creates confusion and delay; the NTSB investigation into a close call in Boston reveals video evidence of just how close of a call it was; and travel demand is up, but for some airlines it’s up in all the wrong places. Niger airspace closure changes the landscape With the closure of Niger’s airspace to all flights, flying from Europe to southern Africa just became more challenging. Boston close call was very, very close The NTSB’s fi...