Aerospace Unplugged

In this episode of Aerospace Unplugged, our host Adam Kress is joined by Thea Feyereisen, Distinguished Fellow at Honeywell Aerospace, and Captain Steve Jangelis, Aviation Safety Chair at the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).

They dive into aviation safety from two vantage points, from the perspective of the pilot, and the other from someone who has studied pilots and helps design the cockpits they use.

Together, they explore how aviation safety is rapidly evolving, the role pilots play in influencing safety efforts, the growing impact of artifiical intelligence and more. 

Episode Highlights:

• The Evolution of Aviation Safety: Discover how aviation safety priorities have shifted in the past decade toward emerging risks and data-driven insights from aircraft and operations, and what that means for pilots and the role of human factors. 

• Airspace Transformation and Critical Need for Air Traffic Control (ATC) Modernization: Learn why ATC modernization efforts are crucial for the industry, and what changes must take place to make it successful.

• Impact of Technology, Pilot Shortage and Fatigue: Learn how pilot shortages and fatigue are straining airline operations, and how technology, smarter scheduling and fatigue risk science can reduce workload and keep crews alert.

• AI in Aviation and the Road Ahead: Explore how AI is being leveraged today to analyze flight and safety data, the pilots’ perspective on AI as a decision-support tool and why it’s critical to keep humans in the loop. 

In this episode of Aerospace Unplugged, guest host Matt Hassan, Director of Internal Communications, sits down with David Allvin, recently retired four-star general and the 23rd Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force.

Together, they explore how the global defense environment is shifting as threats become more interconnected and contested, and what that means for the United States and its allies.

They also discuss why alliances, coalition operations, and true interoperability are becoming mission-critical, and examine the growing role of Collaborative Combat Aircraft in maintaining air dominance. 

Episode Highlights:

• The Evolution of Global Defense and Why Rethinking Modern Defense is Key
  Learn how the defense environment has evolved over the past 40 years, and why speed, adaptability and iteration now matter more than perfect, long-lived platforms in an era of accelerating change.
• Why Agility is the Defining Advantage of the Next Decade
  From leadership and culture to acquisition and technology, explore why agility is a critical enabler for faster decisions, smarter risk‑taking, and sustained deterrence.
• Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and the Future of Air Dominance
  Dive into how CCAs reshape airpower by enabling human‑machine teaming, accelerating operational tempo, and helping the U.S. and its allies maintain air dominance in increasingly contested environments.
• Industry, Government, and Allies: Accelerating Together
  Explore how closer collaboration, open architectures, and interoperability—designed in from the start—are essential to maintaining global security and coalition effectiveness.

In this episode of Aerospace Unplugged, our host Adam Kress is joined by Pulkit Agrawal, Certification and Regulatory Affairs Leader for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) at Honeywell Aerospace, and Devin Patterson, Director of Strategic Engagement at Southwest Mission Accelerator Center (MAC). 

Together, they take a deeper look at the rapidly evolving regulatory landscape that’s shaping advanced air mobility, discussing the current progress and challenges, as well as shifting policies across different government levels, and more. 

Episode Highlights

• Current Industry Developments, Needs, and Challenges: Explore how Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiatives, such as the EIPP program, are enabling early AAM operations, supporting data-driven rulemaking, and influencing collaboration among OEMs, regulators, and regional stakeholders.
• State of the AAM U.S. Regulatory Landscape: Learn what the U.S. regulatory approach for advanced air mobility is, including an overview of the national AAM strategy and how programs like EIPP fit into the broader effort to scale safe, early operations.
• Industry Collaborations & Their Significance: Discover how collaboration among industry, municipalities, states, and federal agencies is growing and how it's helping align infrastructure planning, policy development, and community engagement to support AAM deployment.
• Future Outlook for Advanced Air Mobility: Get a forward-looking view of what to the future may hold as AAM progresses toward broader operations, spanning regulatory frameworks, infrastructure readiness, public acceptance, and more.(No character limit / Highlights)

In this episode of Aerospace Unplugged, our host Adam Kress is joined by special guest, Ben Hutchins, Senior Director of Government Relations for Defense & Space at Honeywell Aerospace.

They discuss the journey involved when transitioning from military service to civilian life and into a successful career in the aerospace industry.

Episode Highlights:

• Pilot’s Experience in the Military: Learn about our guest’s journey during his service, including what it was like flying an F-35 fighter jet, what prompted his new step in career, and more. 
• The Transition into Civilian Life: Explore the lessons and challenges learned moving from military service to the private sector, and how his expertise continues to be leveraged to support Honeywell’s defense programs, inclduing the F-35 PTMS.
•  Reflection on Career Journey & Outlook for the Future: Dive into advice our guest has for veterans considering a similar military transition journey to civilian life, and what he looks forward to for the future of defense and space.

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In this episode of Aerospace Unplugged, our host Adam Kress chats with Tom Konicki, Director of Business Development for Defense and Space at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies.

They explore what’s really at stake in today’s data-driven battlespace, and why multi-network, multi-orbit, resilient connectivity is now a strategic advantage for global defense forces.

Episode Highlights:

• Why Connectivity is Central to Modern Military Operations: Understand the challenges and requirements in today's defense landscape and why resilient, secure connectivity is the backbone of modern operations.
• The Growing Need for Robust SATCOM Systems in Mission Critical Scenarios: Explore how multi-orbit, multi-network SATCOM solutions like JetWave X deliver reliability and flexibility ensuring mission success.
• Cybersecurity's Role in Defense Connectivity: Learn how secure data transfer and advanced cybersecurity measures protect connectivity in high-stakes defense environments.
• Future Trends in Defense Connectivity: Dive into what's next in secure connectivity and how it'll become the strategic edge in global defense operations. 

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Discover the latest expert insights on the advances in connectivity across all operations. Download the Connectivity Whitepaper.

In this special episode of Aerospace Unplugged, our host Adam Kress reports on location from the inaugural American Aviation Leadership Summit hosted by Honeywell Aerospace in Washington, D.C.

The event gathered hundreds of aviation professionals, including regulators and lawmakers, for a series of panels that cover what’s needed to ensure America remains the global leader in aviation.

Throughout the day, discussions focused on major industry topics such as safety, smarter airspace management, innovation, and more—all of which are spotlighted in this episode.  

Episode Highlights:

• Modernization as the Cornerstone of American Aviation: Explore how lawmakers and industry leaders emphasized the urgent need to modernize aviation infrastructure and airspace, highlighting government and industry collaboration as essential for progress.
• Integrating New Technologies for Safety and Efficiency: Understand the critical role of airspace integration and air traffic control modernization, as discussed by expert panels, in ensuring safety and operational efficiency as advanced technologies enter the market.
• Advancing Public Acceptance and State-Level Innovation: Learn how state initiatives, such as those in Florida, are driving modernization in advanced air mobility, drones, and ATC systems, with a focus on public acceptance and regulatory adaptation.
• Regulatory Pathways and the Future of Aviation Autonomy: Dive into the evolving landscape of aviation certification, autonomy, and artificial intelligence, including insights from industry CEOs and policymakers on the regulatory needs and future trends shaping national airspace and safety.
• Here insights from: James Currier, President and CEO, Honeywell Aerospace; Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of Transportation; Chairman Troy Nehls (R-TX), U.S. House Transportation Committee, Aviation Subcommittee; Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS), U.S. House Transportation Committee, Aviation Subcommittee; Sharon Pinkerton, Senior Vice President, Legislative & Regulatory Policy, Airlines 4 America (A4A); Brandon Lint, Regulatory Affairs and Certification Specialist, Skygrid; David Murphy, Chief Architect and Product Manager, ANRA Technologies; Kevin Cox, CEO, Atlantic Vertiports; Justin Barkowski, Legislative and Regulatory Counsel, American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE); Clint Harper, Advanced Air Mobility Community Advocate; Jared Perdue, Secretary of Transportation, Florida Department of Transportation; Todd Sigler, Senior Director, Global Safety & Regulatory Affairs, Boeing; Eric Holmberg, Chief Developmental Test Pilot, Gulfstream; Captain Steve Jangelis, Air Safety Chair, Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA); Bryan Bedford, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Cindy Comer, Vice President, SMS, Certification & Quality, Wisk; Scott O'Brien, Vice President, Legislative Affairs, Reliable Robotics; Dómhnal Slattery, Chairman of the Board, Vertical Aerospace; Eloa Guillotin, Co-Founder & CEO, Beyond Aero; Marc Allen, CEO, Electra; Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA), Co-Chair, Artificial Intelligence Task Force, U.S. House of Representatives.

In this episode of Aerospace Unplugged, our host Adam Kress sits down with Taylor Alberstadt, Senior Director of Global Sales and Account Management for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, and Dr. Yemaya Bordain, Emerging and Advanced Technologies Strategist.

Together, they continue the conversation around autonomy in aviation, specifically, the industry efforts currently underway to bring autonomy to life and the road ahead for technology adoption and public acceptance. 

Episode Highlights:

• Current State of Autonomy in Aviation: Explore what the rising trends in aviation as autonomy progresses and how they’re evolving.
• Technology Adoption & AAM Integration: Discover how the role of AI and autonomy are being integrated in aviation, with real-world examples.
• Regulatory Landscapes & Challenges: Learn about the regulatory hurdles AAM companies face as autonomy advances, including a rigorous ceritifcation process, aligning with public safety priorities and more.
• Public Acceptance & The Road Ahead: Dive into the challenges of building public trust and acceptance for autonomous aviation, and what the future may hold over the next 5 to 10 years. 

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Download our Autonomy Whitepaper to discover the latest expert insights on the current state of aviation, autonomy and more.

What does automation and autonomy feel like from the pilot’s seat?

In this episode of Aerospace Unplugged, our host Adam Kress sits down with seasoned pilots Alyssa Silva, First Officer and Pilot for Republic Airlines, and Pete Zaccagnino, CEO and Owner of PC Aviators, to explore how these evolving technologies are reshaping responsibilities in the cockpit and what it means for the future of flight.

Episode Highlights:

• Pilots’ Experience with Autonomy’s Evolution in Aviation: Learn about our guests’ aviation journeys and how they’ve encountered autonomy’s impact in aviation. 

• Real-World Applications: From advanced weather radar to terrain-following technology, hear how autonomy actively enhances flight safety.

• Balancing Technology and Human Skill: Why pilots believe automation should support, not replace, critical decision-making.

• What’s Next: What rigorous simulation and real-world testing will look like as AI and autonomy expand and how the role of pilots will evolve.

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Download our Autonomy Whitepaper to discover the latest expert insights on the current state of aviation, autonomy and more.

Autonomy is unfolding through a series of deliberate steps across defense, cargo and eventually passenger travel – each one building toward a safer, smarter future.

In this episode of Aerospace Unplugged, our host Adam Kress talks with Sapan Shah, Senior Director of Product Management for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, about how autonomy and automation differ, where Honeywell is leading and why trust is key to adoption.

You’ll hear how we’re helping partners retrofit existing airframes, simplify complex systems and build new solutions that support safety, scale and readiness.

Episode Highlights:

• Difference Between Automation and Autonomy: Why the distinction matters in real-world aviation applications and how each has evolved over the years.

• Autonomy and Automation’s Role in Aviation: How they each contribute to enhancing safety and reduce pilot workload.

• Misconceptions About Autonomy: What it is (and isn’t), and how it’s key to advancing the future of aviation across applications 

• The Future of Autonomy: Where the technology is headed and how Honeywell is leading the way 

Get More Insights Now

Download our Autonomy Whitepaper to discover the latest expert insights on the current state of aviation, autonomy and more.

In this episode of Aerospace Unplugged, we dive into the fascinating history and evolution of black boxes in aviation. We discuss why they were developed, their role in ensuring flight safety, and their importance in accident investigations. 

Our host, Adam Kress, is joined by Borka Vlacic, a Director of Product Management for SATCOM at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, and Stephen Leaper, the Recorder Product Line Manager for our partner Curtiss Wright Avionics, Video and System. 

From discussing how black boxes have transformed over the years to exploring the groundbreaking advancements driving aviation safety into the future, don’t miss out on this insightful conversation.

Episode Highlights:

• Historical Content and Impact: Discover why black boxes were developed and what challenges they were designed to address in the aviation industry.
• Technological Evolution: Learn how the technology advancements have transformed the early flight records to today’s advanced devices.
• Connected Recorders Improving Aviation Safety: Dive into the critical role connected recorders play in improving accident prevention.
• Future Prospects and Operator Feedback: Learn about operators’ perspectives on the latest connected recorder technologies and what the future holds for the evolution of black boxes.
  
  

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