PCDU Episode 9: Airplane Geeks Down Under

This episode we’re joined by Dan, David & Rob from the Airplane Geeks podcast to discuss airline news and have a great discussion about air traffic control issues here & in the USA. We also have interviews with Dr Bruce Searle, dean of the Australian Centre for Mission Aviation, and Andrew Temby, aerobatic pilot & owner of a YAK-52TW. Both were recorded at the Mission Aviation Fellowship airshow held at Coldstream Airport (YCEM) a few weeks back.

While Max Flight from the Airplane Geeks couldn’t be with us, having the other guys from the show record with us was a hoot and certainly generated a LOT of content for a future “Bloopers Only” episode. We’re definitely looking forward to recording with them again once our sanity recovers.

 

The topics discussed in this episode include:

• A general discussion of airline issues down under with the Airplane Geeks
  • Emirates and V Australia to codeshare on Tasman routes (Leithen Francis @ FlightGlobal)
  • V Australia to Codeshare with…Emirates? (Dan Webb @ Things in the Sky)
  • High fuel prices may clip recovery (Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
  • Premium passengers slowly return to flights (Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
  • Qantas CEO: See No Further Room For Capacity Cuts In This FY (Wall St Journal)
  • INTERVIEW: Qantas CEO: Passenger Demand Higher Than Expected (Wall St Journal)
  • Qantas jettisons JAL merger rumour (Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
  • Virgin in talks to buy $4b planes (Matt O’Sullivan @ The Age)
  • Virgin Blue to buy 30 to 50 737s? (Australian Aviation magazine)
  • Virgin Blue’s plan to seat more passengers (Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
  • Brett Godfrey true believer in 50pc Virgin share (Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
• Talking about Air Traffic Control issues with Rob & David
  • Staff shortage sparks national flight delays (ABC News)
  • Flights delayed or cancelled as air controllers “unavailable” (Sydney Morning Herald)
  • Sydney’s flight schedule ‘to return to normal’ (ABC News)
  • Airservices, staff on collision course (Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
  • Virgin Blue to pursue AirServices Australia for compensation for its air traffic failures (Ben Sandilands @ Crikey)
  • Military to lose airspace in $300m savings push (Cameron Stewart & Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
• David Vanderhoof presents “This week in Australian aviation history” covering the official approval for the establishment of the Central Flying School at Point Cook (now referred to as RAAF Williams)
• Grant went to the Mission Aviation Fellowship airshow at Coldstream Airport (YCEM) and recorded these interviews
  • Dr Bruce Searle, Dean of the Australian Centre for Mission Aviation
  • Andrew Temby, aerobatics pilot and owner of a Yak-52TW
• Matt Hall came 3rd at the Porto RedBull AirRace in Portugal – YAY!
• We discuss some military news
  • Questions over F-35′s stealth capability (ABC News)
  • Air Marshall Mark Binskin wants more fighters (Mark Dodd @ The Australian)
  • F-111 maintenance blamed for creek contamination (ABC News)
• We review some of the “Traffic” entries from the latest Australian Aviation magazine
  • OzJet 737-200s
  • V Australia’s latest 777
  • RAAF KC30 MRTT
  • Air New Zealand’s 767 with blended winglets

Please note that our theme music track is “YouNameIt5″ by Brian Simpson (aka t3cat5) and our sound effects come from SoundSnap.com.