Airplane Geeks Podcast

Airplane Geeks Podcast


AirplaneGeeks 321 Benet is the Aviation Queen

October 22, 2014


The first Mitsubishi MRJ, screening for Ebola at the airport, the aging military aircraft fleet, mobile phones on the plane, FAA drone enforcement for licensed pilots, and Airways News.


Guest

We talk with Benét Wilson, Co-Editor-in-Chief of Airways News, about the strategic alliance between Airways Magazine and Airchive.com. Airways News provides continuous updates of news, features, and information about the commercial aviation industry.


Benét  Wilson is an aviation journalist and blogger who has covered the industry for many media outlets, including About.com, Cranky Flier, ACI-NA Centerlines, Aviation International News, Airport World and the Airline Passenger Experience magazine. She was previously e-newsletter and social media editor at AOPA. She was also an editor for Aviation Week/Aviation Daily, and has served in senior communications positions at the Regional Airline Association, Mesa Air Group, Rolls-Royce North America and Delta.


Benét’s personal blog is Aviation Queen, and you can follow her on Twitter as @AvQueenBenet.


News
Mitsubishi Aircraft rolls out first MRJ and Mitsubishi MRJ Rolls Out After Four-Year Delay

On October 18, Mitsubishi Aircraft rolled out its first flight test aircraft for the MRJ program. The second and third flight test aircraft are in final assembly.This is the first Japanese commercial passenger aircraft in over 50 years.


Researchers Studied How Airport Screenings Impact Ebola’s Spread, And The Results Are Troubling

Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine write in the BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) that screening for Ebola (and SARS previously) at airports is completely ineffective.


Race against time: More people, money needed to keep aging fleets flying

US military aircraft are the oldest they have ever been (averaging 27 years), they have been used extensively in combat, and sequestration all combine to reduce mission capability.


World’s largest union for flight attendants sues US aviation authority to force passengers to put down their mobile phones during take-off and landing

The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) sued the FAA, saying that since passengers are allowed to use mobile phones, they to ignore the safety announcements. Plus, smartphones could become dangerous projectiles if they are not put away.


Drone Pilots Beware: New FAA Enforcement Policy Targets You. Licensed Pilots At Particular Risk

FAA issued new guidance applicable to Unmanned Aircraft Systems “in violation of the Federal Aviation Regulations†and Model Aircraft “that endangers the safety of the National Airspace System.†Pilots who violate FAA drone regs stand to lose their license.


Aircraft of the Week

David caves to Facebook pressure and looks at an aircraft that history has been maybe too kind to: the Beech 2000 Starship. An aircraft ahead of its time.


The Australia News Desk

Steve’s back and he tells us about his trip to the USA, including the flights on Qantas A380s.  During his three week trip, among tons of other fun activities, he managed to log two flights of his own in Cessna 172s.


A huge thanks goes to listener Fred Samson who contacted Steve and offered him the chance to fly a G1000 equipped 172 with him through the SFO class B airspace, taking in views of the airport, city and Golden Gate Bridge  A couple of weeks later, thanks to Open Airplane and Airwork Las Vegas, he got the chance to fly a C172N (N738CY) out of North Las Vegas for an hour of manouvers and sight seeing in the local area.  Once again, a huge thanks goes out to Rod Rakic and CFI Jackie Maas for making this possible.


David, Steve, and the tailhook


To add to all of this, Steve spent a day in Philadelphia with David and Michelle, visiting a local helicopter museum, plane spotting at PHX and, of course, dining on famous Philly cheese steaks. Steve says he’ll definitely be returning to that great city!



The Las Vegas round of the Red Bull Air Race ended somewhat controversially thanks to high desert winds springing up on race day, causing havoc for pilots as they attempted to make their way through the course.  In one run through, Austrian champion Hannes Arch clipped two air gates, mainly due to the wind pushing them into his aircraft as he passed them.  The race was finally abandoned after Canadian Pete Macleod refused to enter the course, deeming it unsafe.  After much discussion, Macleod was declared the winner of the round, based on him qualifying fastest the day before.


Also in this report, we play an interview Steve recorded with American champion Kirby Chambliss where he reviews his season and identifies areas for improvement in coming rounds.  He also discusses the challenges of differing density altitude between race locations, the 10 G limit now in place for all race pilots, and origins of his flying style.


All this and Virgin Australia purchased TigerAir – what were they thinking????


Across the Pond

Danish Smart Drone


Pieter returns the conversation to Scandinavia to talk with Marisa Garcia and get updates on Finnair’s growth and Denmark’s UAV market. Marissa blogs Boeing to Assist Sky-Watch in Developing New Danish Smart Drone.


Mentions


Hoovenson’s photo of the section of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in the Philippines where they park old, derelict airplanes. Can you see the Lockheed Constellation that the Qantas Founders Museum purchased?


Cranky Concierge for commercial flight planning and following.


Aviation Careers Podcast – Scholarships page


Take advantage of aviation scholarships by Benét Wilson.


Women in Aviation – Scholarships


Credit

Opening and closing music courtesy Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at brotherloverocks.com.