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by Airplane Geeks
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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
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
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
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.
From EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026: interviews with Cirrus, Joby, the Seaplane Pilots Association, Skyfly, Factory Direct Models, SarahNautics, Samaritan Aviation, and Goodyear. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 Interviews Hillel and Brian attended AirVenture this year. It was Brian’s first time, while Hillel has returned many times. Both recorded the following interviews: Ivy McIver, Executive Director, SR Series Product on the Cirrus Aircraft TRAC10. Lydon Sleeper, Head of U.S. Strategic Policy, Joby Aviation, Steve McCaughey, Executive Director, Seaplane Pilots Association. Michael Thompson, CEO, Skyfly. Mike Gibson, Managing Director, Factory Direct Models. Sarah Daniels, Commercial Pilot, Cirrus owner, creator, aviation storyteller. Mark Palm, founder, Samaritan Aviation. Capt Adam, Pilot, Goodyear Wingfoot 1. Hosts this Episode Max Flight, our Main(e) Man Micah, Rob Mark, Hillel Glazer, and Brian Coleman.
We speak with a oneworld Alliance VP about airline alliances in general, and oneworld in particular. In the news: a mid-air near miss at Atlanta, NTSB and families call on Congress to act on the DCA accident recommendations, a civilian plane crash and military GPS jamming, adaptive-cycle jet engines and sixth-generation combat aircraft, and the unleaded avgas transition plan. Guest Roger Blackburn, Vice President – Commercial and Loyalty, oneworld Alliance. Roger Blackburn serves as the Vice President – Commercial and Loyalty for the oneworld Alliance. He leads the commercial team and oversees corporate revenue, events, and alliance fare products, as well as the development of oneworld’s loyalty proposition. A member of oneworld’s leadership team for the past six years, Roger has led several key alliance initiatives, including the creation of oneworld’s first two branded lounges. In our conversation with Roger, we learn about the value that airline alliances provide to the member airlines, and what value accrues to the flying public. We look at criteria for membership in an alliance, network fit, commercial value, and alliance governance, as well as loyalty programs and lounges. For reference, here are the three major global airline alliances: Star Alliance, founded in 1997 by Air Canada, Lufthansa, SAS, Thai Airways, and United. oneworld, founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas. SkyTeam, founded in 2000 by Delta, Air France, Aeroméxico, and Korean Air. Aviation News Two Delta Air Lines Jets in Mid-Air Near Miss at Atlanta Hartsfield as Air Traffic Control Direct Departing Aircraft into Path of Other Plane This was a mid-air near-miss at ATL with two Delta Air Lines flights: Flight DL-1568 from Pittsburgh to Atlanta operated by a Boeing 737-900, and Flight DL-2472 from Atlanta to Rochester, New York, an Airbus A321. The airport was experiencing weather delays, and controllers were working at full capacity to clear the backlog. Departures and arrivals were taking place on parallel runways. DL-1568 had been scheduled to land three hours earlier and was diverted to Chattanooga to wait out a storm. The arriving flight 1568 elected to make a go-around after seeing a Frontier flight taking a long time to clear the runway. At the same time, departing flight 2472 was directed to turn and climb to the same altitude as the other Delta flight. A TCAS Resolution Advisory alarm sounded, and the aircraft came within 1,800 feet of each other. NTSB Chair, Victim’s Families Call Upon Congress toTake Action on 50 Safety Recommendations After DC midair It’s been a year and a half since American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided near DCA, killing 67 people. Six months ago, the NTS
Volunteer pilot groups delivering service through aviation, and the origins of ANR headsets. Guests Hillel Glazer represented Airplane Geeks at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 and recorded conversations with a number of people. In this episode, we have two of his interviews. Mark Hanson, President of the Air Care Alliance, Mark Hanson is the President of the Air Care Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public service organization that represents a nationwide network of volunteer pilot groups that deliver service through aviation. Mark became a pilot in 2009 and is a nationally recognized advocate for general aviation’s role in all types of public benefit flying. He has served on the Air Care Alliance Board of Directors since 2020, most recently as President. He is a seasoned FAA Safety Team Lead Safety Representative who runs a national monthly FAA Safety webinar series, an accomplished aviator, and a longtime advocate for charitable aviation. He has flown more than 500 volunteer missions supporting children, veterans, patients, and wildlife for organizations such as Angel Flight, Veterans Airlift Command, Sky Hope, Turtles Fly Too, STEM Flights, and others. Dan Gauger, a Distinguished Engineer (retired) at Bose Corporation, worked on the headsets for the Burt Rutan-designed high-altitude composite ultralightweight aircraft Voyager. In 1986, Bose engineers approached the Voyager team with two ANR headset prototypes just before their record-breaking flight around the world. The pilots were risking the loss of 20% of their hearing. They agreed to try the prototypes. Three years later, the first ANR aviation headset was available to all pilots. Working on the ANR headset at the bench. The ANR headset. Hosts this Episode Max Flight and Hillel Glazer.
New Sikorsky Marine One helicopters damage the White House lawn, the airports renamed for U.S. presidents, airline consolidation, DCA crash safety recommendations, controversy over ADS-B In regulations, Air France and Airbus manslaughter verdict, passengers sue Delta over turbulence injuries, a Ryanair window ruptures, and a seaplane makes a hard landing in New York’s East River. Also, interviews from the Spurwink Farm fly-in. Aviation News Lockheed Martin Is Covering the Cost of Trump’s White House Helipad President Trump said that Sikorsky, part of Lockheed Martin, would cover the cost of building a new helipad at the White House. Lockheed Martin confirmed the report. Sikorsky helicopters have been used to transport the president since the 1970s.  The new VH-92A Patriot helicopter has propulsion exhaust vents located toward the rear of the airframe and pointed downward, unlike the VH-3D’s configuration. Also, with much more powerful engines, the VH-92A generates significantly more downwash than the VH-3D. The hot exhaust gets combined with the intense rotor downwash at touchdown, and the combined heat-and-airflow effect scorches the turf and can physically rip sod loose. Airline consolidation now rules the skies. Has it been good for passengers? Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines, and US Airways are gone. Spirit Airlines is gone as well. Now, the Big Four U.S. airlines control roughly three-quarters of the U.S. market. Has this been good for the flying public? It depends on who you ask. Former governor Chris Sununu, now the head of Airlines for America, said at a Capitol Hill hearing, “We have more competition per route than ever before. When I go to buy a ticket, I have four, five, or six carriers going from Wichita to Dallas. So now they’re all competing on that exact same route.” There are six airlines serving Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, but there’s only one that flies nonstop to Dallas. Past guest Ganesh Sitaraman, a professor at Vanderbilt Law School and the author of the book Why Flying Is Miserable and How to Fix It said, “From the airlines’ perspective, it makes sense. Bigger is better, and it’ll be more efficient for them, even if there’s a lot of drawbacks for communities and passengers.” A Florida airport is officially renamed for Trump. What does he stand to gain? FAA Details First Official Response to DC Crash Safety Recommendations After the January 2025 midair collision near Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people, the NTSB issued nearly three dozen recommendations. As is always the case, the FAA is not obligated to implement the NTSB’s recommendations. Earlier this year, the FAA said it had fully addressed seven of the recommendations and that it would evaluate the others, with further updates to come by May 31, 2027. The Air Current reported that the FAA indicated it is evaluating whether the number of arrivals permitted per hour at DCA is appropriate. This is a key metric that the NTSB
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