Fortunately, we were all spot on with our news analysis, including such topics as:

• Use of composites in airliners and the indications that it won’t really be effective for another 10 to 20 years
• QANTAS still claiming that they’re going to get their 787-9s on a date that would be before Air New Zealand (the launch customer) despite Boeing making a statement contradicting this
• The changes that are afoot with the Virgin Blue group being under new leadership:
  • Brett Godfrey’s farewell bash
  • John Borghetti not getting the top job at QANTAS but, perhaps, getting something better with running Virgin Blue
  • Fleet choices and the possibility that they’ll get A330s or B767s, especially on high density routes like Sydney to Melbourne
  • The likelihood that they’ll rebrand the group (Virgin Blue, V Australia, Pacific Blue, Polynesian Blue) under a single name
• Singapore Airlines having veto rights over the name Virgin for any new international airline
• Tiger Airways recording a profit and becoming more of a stable, solid threat in the market
• Australia’s transport minister Anthony Albanese wanting to restrict cockpit access to only the two pilots flying and any check pilots or safety reviewers
• The F35 and how Australia seems to be one of the few countries NOT getting upset about all the delays and problems

After chatting with Ben, we have an interview with James Baldwin & Glen Somerville from EmptyJets, an organisation that gives you the chance to get rides in charter aircraft that would otherwise be flying empty on positioning flights. From helicopters to Gulfstream Vs, they’re all on the list and well worth checking out.

After that we dive into the mail bag where:

• Matt McCabe compares the cost of learning to fly here in Australia against the USA
• Errol Cavit enjoyed the Red Bull show and will be catching up with us when he comes over from New Zealand (for a Sci Fi convention, no less)
• Vince Bezzina who volunteers at the RAAF Museum at Point Cook was checking if we knew about the DC6 coming to Australia from South Africa. Oh yes, do we ever!

We also have a couple of shout outs to:

• Damien Rose who is now a private pilot and on his way to a commercial license (and speaking of the cost of learning – Damien sold his house to fund all this! He must have a VERY understanding wife, that’s for sure :)
• Steve Cooke from the Flying Podcast in the UK has released his latest episode on a topic that’s very important for Grant: ballooning

• Matt Hall & Nigel Lamb
• Carlo Santoro from Flight Experience Melbourne
• Nick Brau on flying hot air balloons over Melbourne city

The news items we covered include:

• British Airways again discussing a merger with QANTAS
• The US FAA wil be conducting an Air Safety examination of Australia’s air operations
• 30th Anniversary of Air New Zealand’s DC10 crashing on the side of Mt Erebus in Antarctica
• Virgin Blue likely to have a profit in FY09/10
• QANTAS to purchase additional aircraft and will be assigning more of their 787s to Jetstar
• QANTAS introduces the airport of the future concept
• Airport capacity in Sydney and the need for a second airport
• Australian Transport Safety Bureau provides interim reports on the QANTAS A330 ADIRU issues and QANTAS 747 oxygen bottle incidents
• RAAF to purchase 14 F35 fighters even though Lockheed has admitted the project is running late
• The first two Wedgetail AEW aircraft have been delivered
• Last flight of the Caribou in Australia & it’s potential replacement

We hope you enjoy the show and we will return to our usual levels of interviews, discussions & opinionated news reviews in a week or so.

• Airlines PNG Twin Otter crash at Kokoda
  • Pilot in PNG crash had six months’ experience (Michael McKenna and Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
  • Flyers may have lost their bearings (Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
• Landing gear incidents @ Bankstown (YSBK)
  • Planes Lose Wheels (The Torch newspaper)
• Regional airlines worrying about aircraft
  • Regional airlines face plane shortage (Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
• Flying Doctor losing a contract
  • Flying doctor service loses $70m contract (Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
  • Royal Flying Doctor Service – history
  • Royal Flying Doctor Service – Wikipedia
• Steve discusses his visit to the TWiT Cottage and meeting Leo Laporte (go on gang, you *know* you’re jealous :)
• Steve clarifies that he went to Eaker AFB while in the USA but named it incorrectly during his update on the previous episode
• Steve talks about his flights with V Australia
  • Tainted Virgin Blue chicken wraps induced births (Jamie Walker @ The Australian)
  • Virgin-Delta joint venture to get a clear run (Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
• We discuss an article by Andrew McLaughlin in the July issue of Australian Aviation magazine about United Airlines fighting to retain share on the Pacific route
• Tiger is taking steps to improve its image
  • Airline complaints head sky-high (Clive Dorman @ The Age)
• V Australia wants to fly to Fiji
  • V Australia applies for Fiji route (Greg Waldron @ Flight Global)
• Grant talks about his experiences going to Sydney for the SimpliFlying/PCDU Tweet Up along side the Asia Pacific Aviation Outlook Summit 2009 conference
• QANTAS links its frequent flyer program to the Woolworths loyalty program
  • Qantas loyalty deal with Woolies a big seller (Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
• AirAsiaX news
  • Capital city rivals out to land Asia (Steve Creedy @ The Australian)
  • AirAsiaX will boost its Gold Coast route
• Malaysia Airlines getting stung by low cost carriers
  • Discount rivals hit MAS results (Geoff Easdown @ The HeraldSun)
• Laser taggers arrested
  • Laser pointer accused faces court (ABC News)