Interviews and a tour of the Sullenberger Aviation Museum. In the news, Boeing delivers its quality improvement plan to the FAA, and United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby calls for more competition in the airline industry.

Sullenberger Aviation Museum

The museum at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North Carolina has been reimagined with new interactive experiences for visitors. The centerpiece is the “Miracle on the Hudson” exhibition featuring the jet that landed safely in New York’s Hudson River in 2009 - US Airways Flight 1549.

The Sullenberger Aviation Museum (an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution) tells stories of innovation, hope, and heroism throughout the history of aviation, It seeks to inspire visitors of all ages to pursue their dreams and goals.

Sully Sullenberger next to Flight 1549

We spoke with:

Katie Swaringen, Vice President of Collections, took us on a walking tour of the museum and explained some of the interactive experiences.

Stephen Saucier, President and CEO of the Sullenberger Aviation Museum, describes the museum’s vision, the master planning process, and experience design with Freeman Ryan Design. The result meets the needs of the community (STEM education, access to careers, workforce development), the many sponsors and contributors.

Todd Giles, the CTO at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, describes the company’s motivations for sponsoring the museum and the Maker Space. We talk about the Honeywell APU in Flight 1549 and touch on the SmartRunway and SmartLanding traffic awareness offerings to come, as well as new bizjet and eVTOL cockpits.

Inspire, educate, and elevate: The Miracle on the Hudson – The Sullenberger Aviation Museum takes flight in Charlotte

Video: The Sullenberger Aviation Museum takes flight in Charlotte

https://youtu.be/FTPUgdipMi0?si=pXCW5NPmKpPlN-Ju

Aviation News

Boeing Gives F.A.A. Plan to Address Systemic Quality-Control Issues

In response to an FAA order, Boeing delivered a “comprehensive action plan” to address the airframer's systemic issues. Boeing did not set a timeline to make changes. Boeing developed six metrics for tracking the plan’s progress.

Video: FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker holds a briefing to discuss Boeing's safety issues — 5/30/2024

https://www.youtube.com/live/_DmZrP50paI?si=br5w-tIMGzeOo3iv

Scott Kirby Says It’s Time to End the Big Jet Airline Duopoly

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby says it’s time for more competition. From The Air Current.

Mentioned

Whirlwind - Wikipedia

Bristol Helicopters - Wikipedia

Iran President’s Crash Highlights Struggle to Upgrade an Aging Fleet - WSJ paywall

Japan Air Lines Flight 123 - Wikipedia

Hosts this Episode

Max Flight, Rob Mark, David Vanderhoof, and our Main(e) Man Micah.