This week, Gabe Leigh joins Ian and Jason in Stockholm for a special episode of AvTalk. Gabe recounts his experience on the first Global Airlines revenue flight and we discuss the future prospects for the would-be, all-A380 airline. We also get into the interesting media relations strategy being pursued by Global Airlines CEO James Asquith.
We also cover Etihad’s aircraft order and surprise route announcement to Charlotte. Spanish investigators release their final report on a Lufthansa pilot’s incapacitation near Zaragoza last February. And the story of how the 747 deal between the US and Qatar unfolded gets murkier.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* Gabe’s video review of the inaugural Global Airlines flight
* Etihad announces flights to Charlotte
* Spanish CIAI report on Lufthansa pilot incapacitation

Thank you for listening!
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On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Ian and Jason are joined by resident numbers expert Gavin Werbeloff for the facts and figures behind some of the large aircraft we’ve seen this week. There are more changes coming to Newark as the FAA tries to prevent more air traffic control outages. And we dig in to the history of the 747-8I Qatar wants to gift the US and why any thought of quickly turning it into a temporary Air Force One is a flight of fancy.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* DOT’s new ATC outline
* FAA statements on Newark
* P4-HBJ 747-8KB(BBJ)
* Qatar orders up to 210 Boeing aircraft
* Organ transplant logistics (episode 198)
* JetBlue’s special Dunkin’ livery A320
* Emirates’ special Courier Express livery A380

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Please click here for a transcript of this week’s episode.

On this episode of AvTalk, we learn more about what happened at Newark last week, what is still causing dozens of daily cancellations, and what’s being done to mitigate the problem. We also discuss some of the ideas touted by Newark’s biggest user, United Airlines, to improve the situation. We get an update on the situation in India and Pakistan as tensions continue to rise and airlines are staying further away. Plus, just as things at Pratt and Whitney were looking up for the GTF engine, machinists are on strike, with a long work stoppage threatening to further disrupt an already strained supply chain.
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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Please click here for a transcript of this episode.

On this week’s AvTalk, Indian airlines lose access to Pakistani airspace and gain a massive fuel bill. A massive power outage in Spain and Portugal affects millions of passengers, but airports keep moving. Newark falls victim to equipment outages again as Congress proposes $15 billion to modernize air traffic control. And JetBlue and United are said to be in talks about a proposed partnership that could see United back at JFK, but what form that partnership takes long-term is in the hands of United CEO Scott Kirby. And another major aerospace manufacturer lays out its plans for dealing with tariffs.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* Indian airlines are routing around Pakistan
* House Transport and Infrastructure Committee proposal for ATC modernization (relevant text begins on page 20)
* Reuters: JetBlue and United in talks over partnership
* Airbus’ announces agreement to acquire Spirit Aerosystems work packages
* Air India taxiway takeoff final report

 
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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Please check back soon for a transcript of this week’s episode.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, it’s hard numbers, euphemistic language, and a bit of planes on fire.
If all of the first quarter earnings reports could be summed up in a single headline, it would be: “Seeking stability in a fluid age of dynamically uncertain softening.” We review Q1 financials from Boeing, Southwest, and others to see how the aerospace industry’s largest players fared at the beginning of the year and what they think the rest of the year has in store.
The FAA announces a fast-tracking of the new NOTAM system, it is now supposed to be ready for operational use by September. A Delta A330 engine catches fire in Orlando and the evacuation raises some questions about slide deployment. And one undisclosed podcast listener has a bit of fun with a new domain name: meet UndisclosedAirlines.com.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* Boeing Q1 results
* Southwest Q1 results
* RTX Q1 results
* GE Aerospace Q1 results
* Embraer Q1 backlog
* FAA NOTAM announcement

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Check back soon for a transcript of this week’s episode.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we discuss what’s known so far about the crash of a Bell 206 in the Hudson River last week. We also break down the sequence of events after the crash that led to the FAA issuing an emergency grounding order for the helicopter operator.
Also this week, more tariff impacts as China reportedly tells its airlines to stop taking delivery of Boeing aircraft, while airlines are getting creative with ways to get around the tariffs. Ian geeks out over Airbus’ performance improvement package for the A330neo that increases the aircraft’s efficiency at low speeds. And Air New Zealand just can’t catch a break as it continues to struggle with engine issues on its A320neo and 787 aircraft.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* Playback of Bell 206 N216MH
* FAA statement on grounding New York Helicopter Charter

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Jason joins Ian in Chicago for a face to face conversation, which also means it’s a self-edited show this week.
The preliminary report on the Swiftair 737 crash in Vilnius looks to human factors as investigators probe how and why one of the aircraft’s hydraulic systems was shut off during the approach. Delta Air Lines is the first major US airline to report quarterly earnings this year and the statements from Delta CEO Ed Bastian do not paint a pretty picture, “With broad economic uncertainty around global trade, growth has largely stalled.”
Airline CEOs elsewhere lost their jobs this week, including at Air Baltic and Spirit Airlines. And lessors, airlines, and aircraft component specialists are ramping up their cannibalization of young aircraft in the face of supply constraints.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* Swiftair 737 crash preliminary report
* Delta Air Lines Q1 2025 earnings
* Our previous conversations with former Air Baltic CEO Martin Gauss
* NTSB safety recommendation report on bannis latches

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Check back soon for a transcript of this episode.
 

On this episode of AvTalk, we learning all about long endurance gas balloons with a world record holder. We learn more about the erroneous TCAS alerts that plagued aircraft near DCA at the beginning of March and what the FAA is doing following a fist fight in the DCA air traffic control tower. Heathrow’s chief continues to defend the airport’s handling of the power outage two weeks ago. And Russian investigators release their final report on Aeroflot flight 1492, which suffered a hard landing and subsequent fire during a diversion back to Moscow in 2019.
What does it take to fly a gas balloon from Germany to Scotland? We climb into the basket with Kolja Packard and Wuzi Wagner of the Austria 2 Gas Balloon Team to learn all about long endurance gas ballooning, what makes it challenging, and how you keep busy for days at a time a few thousand feet in the air.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* FAA statement on changes at DCA air traffic control
* Final report on Aeroflot 1492
* Timelapse of Kolja and Wuzi’s flight from Germany to Scotland

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Please click here for a transcript of this episode.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, the lights are back on at Heathrow and investigation into what happened is in full swing. We discuss the Transport Safety Board of Canada’s preliminary report on the Endeavor Air accident in Toronto, including the sequence of events leading up the landing and some the challenges faced during the evacuation.
En route to Shanghai, a pilot discovers he’s forgotten his passport; and a Southwest Airlines crew forgets what a runway looks like and attempts to depart on a taxiway. It looks like Boeing is going to trial and Airbus is pushing ahead with hydrogen. And one restaurant gives Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary a taste of his own medicine.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* TSB report on Endeavor Air accident
* Michael O’Leary’s restaurant bill

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Please click here for a transcript of this episode.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Chris Lomas fills in for a vacationing Jason. The FAA acts on the NTSB’s urgent safety recommendations in DC and reconfigures helicopter routes near DCA. An American Airlines 737 catches fire at the gate in Denver, leading to questions about evacuations when passengers are already deplaning. The NTSB issues its preliminary report on the runway incursion at Chicago-Midway. And Jazeera Airways finds out the hard way how important balloon insurance is.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* FAA’s airspace changes in DC area
* American Airlines flight 1006 playback
* Chicago-Midway runway incursion preliminary report

 
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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, the NTSB releases its preliminary report on the mid-air collision over the Potomac River. In addition to the report, the NTSB also issued a pair of urgent safety recommendations to the FAA regarding the helicopter routes in the Washington DC area. We also discuss the preliminary report from the NTSB on the crash of the Medevac Learjet 55 in Philadelphia.
Southwest Airlines this week announced a seismic shift in its strategy and culture as it will begin charging for checked bags in May. We discuss this and the other major changes coming to the airline. And Korean Air unveiled its new corporate identity included a revised livery.
Major airlines are banning lithium ion power banks, an Air India flight made a 10 hour flight to nowhere thanks to someone ruining the plumbing system, and there’s a man with a turtle in his pants.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* NTSB preliminary report and urgent safety recommendations regarding Washington DC mid-air collision
* Learjet 55 preliminary report
* Southwest’s presentation to investors elaborating on upcoming changes
* Korean Air’s new livery in the air
* Video of Korean Air new corporate identity design
* Air India’s clogged toilets
* Mr Turtle Pants

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, another round of tabloid journalism meets aviation incident as a FedEx bird strike and resulting engine fire lead to breathless headlines. Also this week, the FAA issues a set of Airworthiness directives aimed at the CFM56 engine nacelle, Boeing finishes rework on its 787 backlog, and Aer Lingus finally wins a 28 year old court case.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* FedEx 767 diversion playback
* FAA Airworthiness directive regarding CFM56 nacelle
* Canada TSB preliminary report on Air France A350 tail strike
* German lasers for smoother flight
* It’s-a me! Mario! (and friends)

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Please click here for a transcript of this week’s episode.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, a tale of 3 go arounds. We first visit Chicago, where a Southwest pilot made the quick decision to go around as an unauthorized aircraft crossed the runway. Then we visit San Francisco where an Asiana Airlines A350 descended too low as it approached SFO and went around. And then we end up in Washington DC, where sometimes a go around is just a go around.
Also on this week’s episode, more than two dozen aviation industry groups are banding together to call for increased and regular funding of the FAA. ANA makes a surprise and surprising aircraft order. Russia’s government is passing a law to legalize the production of counterfeit aircraft parts. And it might be possible to spend 11 hours in a 737 MAX this summer thanks to Iberojet.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* Midway go around ADS-B data + ATC audio
* Asiana low altitude alert and go around
* Industry group letter on FAA funding
* BBC article regarding a death on board

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Please click here for a transcript of this week’s episode.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, an Endeavor Air CRJ-900 ends up upside down in Toronto, but everyone on board makes it out safely. The NTSB provides a detailed update on the mid-air collision in Washington, including the agency’s focus on the helicopter’s altitude and the altitude the pilots believed they were at. We discuss the recent firings of probationary employees at the FAA and what effects this might have on the agency now and in the long term. And for the first time in the airline’s history (sort of), Southwest Airlines is conducting layoffs, with 15% of its corporate workforce being let go.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* Endeavor Air crash in Toronto
* NTSB updates on DCA crash
* The Air Current article on FAA firings
* Crankyflier post on Southwest

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Please click here for a transcript of this episode.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, a Bering Air Cessna 208 crashes near Nome, Alaska. Updates on the mid-air collision in Washington DC and what airspace changes may become permanent. New propulsion technology projects from major manufacturers are being pushed back 5-10 years. And we share the recipe for the ultimate inflight desert.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* Bering Air C208 flight path
* Alaskan aviation safety expert Colleen Mondor
* GOL 737 and pick up truck damage
* Nolinor blended wing design

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Please click here for a transcript of this episode.

On this episode of AvTalk, we review what we know so far about the mid-air collision between a US Army UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter and a PSA Airlines CRJ-700 in Washington DC, what we don’t know, and some of the avenues of inquiry investigators and authorities are following. We also discuss the crash of a Learjet 55 air ambulance shortly after takeoff near Philadelphia. And finally, we sort through the preliminary report on the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243 near Aktau, Kazakhstan to begin to understand just what an incredible effort it was by the pilots to limp the E190 across the Caspian Sea.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* Flight data and other helpful information regarding the crash in Washington DC
* Flight data regarding the crash near Philadelphia
* Flight data and the preliminary investigative report regarding Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Check back soon for a transcript of this episode.

Note: this episode of AvTalk was recorded prior to the crash in Washington DC involving a PSA Airlines CRJ-700 and US military H-60 helicopter. We will have complete coverage of the accident and where the investigation stands on next week’s episode. For regular updates, please visit our blog post on the accident here.
On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Boom makes a boom for the first time, taking its XB-1 demonstrator aircraft beyond the speed of sound for the first time. The NTSB is investigating a United Airlines flight that experienced “unexpected aircraft movement” over the Ivory Coast. The aircraft diverted to Lagos where a handful of passengers and crew received medical attention. South Korean investigators have released their preliminary report. We discuss the report and which questions the it raises rather than answers. And elsewhere in South Korea an Air Busan A321 was severely damaged by a fire that broke out prior to the aircraft’s departure for Hong Kong.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* Boom’s first supersonic flight
* United Airlines flight 613
* Jeju Air flight 2216 preliminary report
* Judgement in Air Canada gold heist case

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Please click here for a transcript of this week’s episode.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Jason journeys through the European fog for a very special trip to the beach. Snow hits the US Gulf Coast from Houston to New Orleans forcing the cancellation of thousands of flights. The Boeing 777X is flying again and the NTSB releases its final report on the United Airlines 767 hard landing. And on a HiFly A330 this week, a new passenger was added to the manifest mid-flight.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* Jason’s video landing in Barra in the Twin Otter
* NTSB final report on United 767 hard landing
* Photos from HiFly’s baby (born) on board

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Please click here for a transcript of this episode.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, TCAS once again ensures everyone goes home safely, this time avoiding a collision between a Delta A330 and United 737 in Phoenix. A Delta 757 suffers and engine failure on departure from Atlanta. Lufthansa could be in a bit of trouble as the European Commission says the airline must return to preferential pricing for Condor. The EC is also  investigating the airline’s transatlantic joint venture with United and Air Canada. And Air France has released its signature scent, AF001.
Helpful links for this week’s show

* TCAS at work in Phoenix
* Video of Delta 757 engine failure
* European Commission notice to Lufthansa
* Air France’s Signature Scent

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Pleach click here for a transcript of this episode.

On this episode of AvTalk, Ian and Jason are back with their first regular episode of 2025. We get an update on the investigations into the crashes of Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243 and Jeju Air flight 2216. We take stock of Boeing’s progress toward a new safety culture one year after the Alaska Airlines 737-9 MAX door plug blowout. We discuss the preliminary report on the ground collision between a landing Japan Airlines A350 and Japan Coast Guard Dash 8. And the transition by Air Greenland from its former hub in Kangerlussuaq to the capital Nuuk is not without challenges.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* JTSB preliminary report on A350 and Dash 8 collision
* Crankyflier article on Condor’s changes
* Someone explain this window fire to us, please

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 better show, they help more people find the podcast! Want to send us additional feedback, just email us. And tell that friend who asked you for a podcast recommendation that AvTalk is the one they want to listen to next.

Please click here for a transcript of this episode.