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by Airplane Geeks
Our aim to educate and inform you, explore and develop your passion for aviation, and entertain you a little along the way.
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- 1 weeks ago1h 39m
912 The Pacific Airshow
Interviews from the Pacific Airshow, a visit to the American Helicopter Museum, and an Australia desk with news from Down Under. Pacific Airshow The Pacific Airshow® ran Friday, October 2, through Sunday, October 4, 2026, at Huntington City Beach, Southern California. It launched in 2016, and organizers say it draws the largest attendance of any airshow in the United States. This year, Brian Coleman attended and recorded some interviews: Kevin Elliott has been managing the show since 2018. He sees the event as a lifestyle festival with an airshow component. Luke Mees talks about the Falcons, the premier UK military parachute display team. Sean “Stroker” Gustafson is a retired USAF Reserve pilot and co-founder of Draken International. He’s a former USAF Thunderbird #4 pilot who flew the F-16, A-4, L-39, Alpha Jet, L-159, and 767-ER. He’s now the Deputy Mission Director of Polaris. Mark Foster is president of the Lyon Air Museum in Santa Ana. The 30,000-square-foot hangar showcases operational World War II aircraft, military vehicles, and rare automobiles right alongside the John Wayne Airport tarmac. It features airworthy warbirds such as a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Douglas DC-3, and North American B-25 Mitchell, along with vintage military motorcycles, automobiles, and wartime memorabilia. Matt Jolly is a national Edward R. Murrow Award-winning feature reporter, broadcaster, and writer who has spent his career telling stories about people, places, and the things that make us look up. Matt grew up around airshows and founded WarbirdRadio.com. He announces at airshows worldwide. RJ is originally from Singapore and flies as a first officer for a major US airline based in Los Angeles. He has an extensive background in film and video and is also an FAA Gold Seal Certificated Flight Instructor. The Pacific Airshow has a YouTube channel with the same name, and the 2026 Event Wrap video gives you a sense of how great the event is: Video: Pacific Airshow® Gold Coast 2026 | Official Event Wrap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bcmqcx067Lk American Helicopter Museum and Education Center Max and Micah visited the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center and recorded a chat with David. Australia News Desk Steve Visscher and Grant McHerron bring us aviation news from Down Under. Hosts this Episode Max Flight, our Main(e) Man Micah, Rob Mark, David Vanderhoof, and Brian Coleman.
- 2 weeks ago1h 30m
911 The FAA and ATC Modernization
FAA ATC hiring record, NBAA and ATC modernization, restrictions on flights near spacecraft launches, Army findings on the DC midair crash. Also, VFC-12 (the “Fighting Omars”), talking with Kiah Erlich and Martin Kemp, Launchpad’s last chocolates, Kinner Sportwing B-2, a new refueling squadron, and a United transatlantic flight makes an unusual fuel stop. Aviation News FAA Breaks ATC Hiring Record, But More Work Remains In an October 1, 2026 press release, the FAA said the agency “exceeded its Fiscal Year 2026 goal, hiring 2,235 air traffic controller trainees, the most in FAA history. This record follows the highly successful gamer campaign that recruited more than 12,000 qualified Americans to apply in just 24 hours.” The FAA’s FY26 hiring goal was 2,200 ATC trainees. The FAA’s 2026–2028 Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan calls for hiring at least 2,300 new controller trainees in FY27 and 2,400 in FY28. The plan established a three-year strategy to 1) grow the controller workforce, 2) optimize scheduling performance, and 3) modernize the air traffic control systems and tools. NBAA Applauds House Legislation Accelerating ATC Modernization Rep. Tracey Mann (R-01-KS) introduced legislation that would boost funding by $30 billion to continue the air traffic control (ATC) modernization work begun last year. This is a companion bill to legislation introduced last month by Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO). The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is one of about 60 other aviation stakeholders that formed the Modern Skies Coalition in 2025 to support plans to upgrade aviation safety. The Modern Skies Coalition Statement on Secretary Duffy’s Aero Club of Washington Luncheon Remarks of September 22, 2026 states, “The Modern Skies Coalition supports Secretary Duffy’s continued efforts to modernize our nation’s air traffic control system and strengthen the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS).” FAA will accept more risk to aircraft from space debris under new policy The FAA identifies aircraft hazard areas before each launch and re-entry operation. Aircraft are not permitted to fly in the most hazardous portions of these zones. Previously, the FAA allowed up to 6,412 aircraft per 12-month period to fly through the outer portions of aircraft hazard areas. That equates to no fatal accidents from space debris falling due to a launch or re-entry operation over 80 years, at a 95% confidence level. The FAA’s Executive Safety Council has now removed that restriction. Army Identifies Systemic Failures Behind DC midair and Calls for Safety Fixes The U.S. Army publicly released its report on the midair collision between an American Airlines jet and a Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C. The Army identified systemic failures involving air traffic control, helicopter routes, training, and safety practices. The report is listed in the Army’s Freedom of Information Act Library as: AR 15-6: Investigation of the 29 January 2025 Collison [sic] of a UH-60 Black Hawk and Civilian Aircraft Near Ronald Reagon [sic] National Airport<
- Sep 30, 20261h 8m
910 ETOPS
This episode: ETOPS flights could be impacted by the closing of an airport on a tiny South Pacific island. FAA rescinds Cessna Citation single-pilot exemptions. Heart Aerospace unveils the ES-36 hybrid-electric 30-seat regional commercial aircraft and JSX purchase agreement for up to 100 aircraft. A Congressman questions the FAA deployment of the Strategic Management of Airspace Routing Trajectories (“SMART”). The Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board determined that incorrectly positioned variable vanes caused the F-16 crash in December 2025. A Boeing 737 MAX software glitch could disrupt a navigation feature. Boom Supersonic loses the launch customer for their land-based Superpower stationary powerplant. And pilots are accused of being in a “club” of furry fetishists. Aviation News Midway Atoll’s Airport Has No Flights, But Its Closure Could Disrupt Airlines Worldwide Midway Atoll Airport (MDY) in the South Pacific, also known as Henderson Field, is a public airport on Sand Island. Midway Atoll is a 2.4-square-mile unincorporated territory of the United States. With a 7,800-foot runway, the airport primarily serves as an emergency diversion point for transpacific flights. The DOT estimates that the airport needs at least $100 million to stay certified. The Airline Dispatchers Federation (ADF) opposes closing Midway Atoll Airport because it will affect airline operations across the Pacific. ETOPS ratings (“Extended-range Twin-engine Operations Performance Standards) apply to twin-engine jets and specify how many minutes a plane is allowed to fly on a single engine to get to the nearest suitable diversion point. The FAA grants approval for each airframe-engine combination and again to each operator, based on its maintenance and dispatch program. The ETOPS rating process is informal. The FAA grants two separate approvals, one for the design and one for the operator, and both are needed before an airline can fly a route: Type design approval (Aircraft Certification Service) The manufacturer shows that a specific airframe-and-engine combination is suitable for extended diversions. It involves: Design and systems review. The FAA assesses ETOPS-significant systems such as fuel, electrical, hydraulic, APU, cargo fire suppression, and pressurization for redundancy and their ability to keep working through the maximum diversion time, including time-limited systems. Propulsion system reliability. Assess in-flight shutdown (IFSD) rates and the engine’s overall service record. For new engine/airframe combinations without an in-service history, an early or accelerated ETOPS relies on design assessment, testing, and a demonstrated reliability program instead of accumulated fleet hours. The Configuration, Maintenance, and Procedures (CMP) document defines the required airplane configuration, maintenance tasks, and operating procedures that an ETOPS-approved airplane must follow. Operational approval (Flight Standards) Type design approval doesn’t let any airline fly ETOPS routes. Each operator must be authorized through its FAA certificate-holding district office (CHDO). The airline must show that it can: Maintain the airplane to the CMP standard, with an ETOPS maintenance program, ETOPS-qualified maintenance personnel, and procedures such as verifying critical systems after work and monitoring reliability. Dispatch properly, including selecting ETOPS alternate airports with suitable weather and services, and planning for time-limited systems, fuel, and diversion scenarios. Train crews and dispatchers on ETOPS procedures. Conduct a validation process, which for new operators or new airplane types may include proving or validation flights. The FAA conducts ongoing oversight and monitors IFSDs and other events that could affect ETOPS. It can restrict or revoke an approval if reliability degrades. For detailed ETOPS information, including EDTO (Extended Diversion Time Operations), see <a href="https://aeruxo.com/2026/04/10/etops-twin-engine-ocean-flights-
- Sep 23, 20261h 41m
909 Airline Systems Technology
Advanced airline systems technology with the head of DataArt’s Aviation Practice. In the news: cloud-based air traffic control in the Washington, D.C., area; thousands of flights delayed and canceled after FAA and NATS system failures; safety reforms after the DCA midair collision; and the loss of a new Cessna Citation Latitude. Guest Tim McMullen is Vice President, Business Development, Aviation and Travel Technology, at DataArt. That company provides data and analytics services, artificial intelligence and machine learning services, cloud migration and optimization, and custom software engineering to the aviation and other industries. Tim leads DataArt’s Aviation Practice and has spent nearly twenty years working with airlines worldwide on technology, from start-ups to the largest network carriers. He has provided clients with solutions in reservations, customer care, loyalty, network planning, pricing/RM, airline operations, dispatch, crew planning and scheduling, airport operations, aircraft maintenance, and cargo. Tim previously worked as a software product manager and managed the end-to-end lifecycle of a SaaS suite of network planning, forecasting, and fleet optimization solutions. He also has 10 years’ experience at two airlines in network planning, pricing, revenue management, and finance. Aviation News FAA Preparing to Field SMART in Washington, DC in First Operational Deployment The Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories, or SMART, is characterized by the FAA SMART Fact Sheet [PDF] as “a cloud-based platform system that enhances existing FAA air traffic management systems. It provides air traffic control and aircraft operators with a shared, data-driven view of the National Airspace before flights depart.” Using AI, SMART analyzes airline schedules, weather, airport capacity, airspace conditions, and operational constraints to forecast traffic flows and identify potential conflicts before they occur. It gives the FAA, airlines, and operators a shared, continuously updated view to coordinate efficient routes and departure times as conditions change. The FAA is preparing to put SMART into operational use in the Washington, DC area in the system’s first operational fielding. SMART is part of the Flow Management Data and Services (FMDS) platform being built by Air Space Intelligence (ASI). The company says the award covers both systems and is worth US$875m over 12 years. See also: FAA to launch AI-enhanced software to help manage the nation’s airspace Video: Civil Aviation at ASI https://youtu.be/2dDMx3KW760 Thousands of US flights snarled due to FAA telecom problem FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said that a circuit blew at the Philadelphia TRACON. When the system tried to switch to the backup, it discovered that a construction crew had cut the fiber-optic line. FlightAware reported that more than 5,600 US flights were delayed or canceled. The three New York-area airports accounted for 1,200 of those fligh
- Sep 16, 20261h 15m
908 Bombardier Aviation
Bombardier and global aerospace manufacturing, air traffic controller criticism of the FAA, boom refueling for RAF tankers, airport gate access for people without tickets, restricting beverage service after pushback, and an OzDesk report. Aviation News Trump’s Call for Bombardier Ban Draws Opposition In a social media post, the President threatened to ban Bombardier’s business jet sales in the United States. Canadian aerospace manufacturer Bombardier Aviation is a subsidiary of Bombardier Inc. and produces the Challenger 3500 and 650, and the Global 5500, 6500, and 8000. The company reportedly delivered 157 aircraft in 2025 and is expecting the same in 2026. Global 6500, courtesy Bombardier. Bombardier performs final assembly in Canada. Wings are manufactured in Red Oak, Texas, and flight control components come from the Los Angeles/Van Nuys, California area. A newer component-manufacturing plant is located in Moorpark, California. Wichita, Kansas, is Bombardier’s U.S. headquarters and houses Bombardier’s flight test center plus a large service and Bombardier Defense operation. Bombardier says they currently employ 3,500 people in the U.S., spread across more than 20 states. They are currently actively recruiting to fill 500 open U.S. positions. According to Bombardier, the company has engineering, supply chain, defense, and support roles in states including Arizona, Florida, Connecticut, Illinois, Delaware, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey. The company recently said it has about 2,800 U.S. suppliers across 47 states and $2.5B in annual American purchasing. See also: A U.S. ban on Bombardier sales could ‘massively’ disrupt American aerospace Air traffic controllers turn on FAA chief as tensions boil over In August, the Washington Examiner published an interview with FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford titled, Trump administration races to overhaul America’s air traffic control system by 2028. After the article was published, more than 400 air traffic controllers “have privately reached out to the publication… and warned that the nation’s aviation system has reached a breaking point.” Controllers said the FAA was being treated “like a corporate balance sheet by trying to squeeze out every ounce of productivity from controllers.” Congress previously approved and funded a compensation package, but Bedford admitted that the FAA is withholding a 2.8% retroactive raise. See also: FAA leaves air traffic controller raises in limbo amid mounting strain on system. UK Government Commits To Boom Refueling For RAF Tankers Aerial refueling is performed by one of two methods: flying-boom (used by the U.S. Air Force) and probe-and-drogue (used by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and ma
- Sep 2, 20261h 36m
907 Airshow Photography
We learn about airshow photography as we talk with a private pilot and UAV operator. In the news: Textron’s new president and CEO, controllers and the fatal Air Canada Express crash, Marine One communications with DCA tower, Boeing’s new F-15 contract, the TSA’s Gold+ privatized airport screening program, and the Airlink low pass over a Cape Town stadium. Thunderbird F-16 in flight. All photographs courtesy Logan Lynch. Guest Logan Lynch is a lifelong avgeek who loves photographing aircraft. He’s attended AirVenture since 2018, where he can usually be found on the flight line with a camera glued to his face. Be sure to look through Logan’s 2026 EAA Airventure photo gallery for a sample of his work. As we talk about airshow photography, we learn that Logan owns very little photo gear and prefers to rent long zoom lenses from Lensrentals.com. We talk about good focal lengths, using a monopod (especially for fast jets), and a tripod for night shows. Logan spends the entire day shooting at a show, and he explains the accessories he carries, like lots of batteries, memory cards, and a cleaning kit. We talk about shooting RAW vs. JPG and editing images in Lightroom. Logan addresses the challenge of getting the right amount of prop blur and the importance of panning. We also explore tips for shooters who might only have the camera in their phone. An example of prop blur and panning on the Skip Stewart PITTS S-2S. Logan is a part owner of a 1966 Cessna 150F nicknamed Graham Cracker, and also a full-time UAV Operator and LDAR Technician for a major oil and gas producer out of North Dakota. He started Lynch Drone Photography in 2021 as an idea to generate a little extra income, but plans to expand it. Logan earned a Bachelor’s in Aviation Management from Utah Valley University and serves as board treasurer for his local airport. The F-22 Raptor. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="333" src="https://www.airpl
- Aug 26, 20261h 24m
906 Aircraft Carrier Catapult Technology
Aircraft carrier catapult systems, Peraton’s performance as the Prime Integrator for the FAA’s Brand New Air Traffic Control System, the Department of Homeland Security’s luxury jets, Google’s purchase of Spirit Airlines’ data for AI training, American Airlines economy seatback screens, and a Li-ion laptop battery that caught fire in flight. Also, Micah’s first flight, Delta’s requirements for portable chargers, and the real reason they are called bear straps. Aviation News Trump orders Pentagon to redesign US aircraft carrier to use steam catapults to launch jets President Trump signed a national security memorandum directing the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, and the acting Navy secretary, Hung Cao, to come up with a plan to replace the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Weapons Elevators with steam and hydraulic systems for the construction of the Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Doris Miller. Critics of the change point to the major redesign and expense required. Aircraft Carrier Catapult Technology by Era: Era Technology Key navies 1910s–30s Compressed-air/flywheel catapults (mostly floatplanes) US, UK WWII Hydraulic catapults US, UK 1950s–2010s Steam catapults UK (pioneer), US, France 2010s–present Electromagnetic (EMALS) US, China Throughout No catapults (ski-jump/STOVL) USSR/Russia, Italy, Spain, India, UK (post-1978), current China (Liaoning/Shandong), US Navy Amphibious Assault Ships Arrangement of a hydro-pneumatic catapult in an aircraft carrier. Naval Marine Archive. See also: Why The Ford Class Carrier’s Island Superstructure Is Located So Far Back and Navy considers major aircraft carrier revamp to better suit Trump’s aesthetic. Trump’s FAA picked an unlikely contractor to lead its air traffic overhaul. The agency is having second thoughts. In December 2025, DOT/FAA selected Peraton as Prime Integrator for the FAA’s Brand New Air Traffic Control System (BNATCS), a $1.5 billion contract. Peraton, which had little direct experience working with the FAA, was chosen over Parsons Corp., which has extensive experience with FAA contracts. Peraton is a national-security and government-services contractor owned by Veritas Capital, and is known for its defense, intelligence, and IT/communications work. (Veritas also owns Peraton Labs, the former Bell Labs). Some reports indicate that the FAA is frustrated with Peraton. A source notes that “Peraton has basically not done any work since they got in” and admit
- Aug 19, 20261h 8m
905 Li-ion Thermal Runaway
Li-ion thermal runaways in aircraft cabins, Ryanair engine blade-out accident, two planes with the same flight number at the same airport at the same time, Marine One and commercial operations at DCA, Air India crash report update, Boeing 737 Max crack inspections, hiring gamers to become air traffic controllers, and the Heart Aerospace X1 battery-electric demonstrator first flight. Aviation News Li-ion Thermal Runaways on the Rise in Aircraft Cabins UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE) issued a 2025 Data Review, Lithium-ion Battery Incidents in Aviation [PDF, 13 pages]. The study reports a 15% increase in Lithium-ion battery thermal runaway incidents on passenger flights in 2025, compared to the year prior. Portable charger incidents increased 42%, ahead of e-cigarettes, with cell phones the third most common device involved in thermal runaways. The data comes from the voluntary ULSE Thermal Runaway Incident Program (TRIP). More than 40 passenger and cargo airlines participate in the program. These incidents cost the industry an average of $1.8 million a year, or $96,000 per incident, “in damage, disruption, and associated losses.” To mitigate the risk of thermal runaway incidents, ULSE recommends cabin crew training, standards for onboard safety equipment to help manage thermal runaways, and more passenger education. Bird strike suspected in Ryanair engine blade-out accident In July, a Malta Air Boeing 737-800, doing business as Ryanair flight 1879, experienced a No 2 fan-blade-out failure as it climbed out of Thessaloniki International Airport in Greece. Engine fragments breached the fuselage and the cabin depressurized. A passenger was partially sucked out through a window that blew out. In its Aviation Investigation Preliminary Report [PDF, 13 pages], the NTSB reports: “Examination of the airplane revealed that the No. 2 engine, an CFM International (a joint company between Safran Aircraft Engines and GE Aerospace) model CFM56-7B26, experienced a fan blade separation that resulted in engine fragments striking the fuselage and the right horizontal stabilizer. The pressurized section of the fuselage was penetrated 1) through the passenger cabin window located at row 11, as well as 2) lower lobe fuselage skin behind the right wing-to-body fairing… Additional impact damage was found on the right wing-to-body fairing, a dent with paint smearing on the fuselage window belt skin, a dent on a stringer common to the dented fuselage window belt skin, a gouge on the right horizontal stabilizer upper skin and a dent on the right horizontal stabilizer leading edge.” View of the No.2 (right) engine inlet. View is looking aft..Courtesy NTSB.
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