Australian Aviation Podcast Network

As the "big four" airports – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth – bring in record revenues for their aeronautical operations, they're starting to splash a lot of that cash on future-proofing their infrastructure.

Between third runways, terminal renovations, new safety technologies, and of course the ongoing construction of a second Sydney international gateway, airports on both sides of the Tasman are set to spend billions on upgrades over the next decade.

Adam and Jake look at some of the latest projects in the spotlight and what they mean for the sector as it continues to recover from the lingering effects of the pandemic.

Plus, does the government's proposed aviation charter of customer rights go too far – or not far enough?

Between tropical cyclones, cockpit medical episodes, and airport security breaches – and all of those just in Australia – one could perhaps be forgiven this week for having a sudden bout of aerophobia.

There's been a harsher spotlight on aviation safety stateside, too, with staffing cuts threatening the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as SpaceX's latest Starship explosion forcing the closure of four major airports in Florida.

Adam and Jake look back at a wild week in the skies and discuss some of the safety concerns that have been brought to the forefront.

Plus, some long-awaited white smoke at Virgin Australia as a new chief executive is announced just hours before the carrier is awarded its coveted 28 weekly flights to Doha – so what will Jayne Hrdlicka's legacy be as she finally bows out of the top job?

Since the departure of Alan Joyce in late 2023, new Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson has largely eschewed her predecessor's bombastic camera-friendly style, instead keeping her head down and focused on rebuilding Australia's trust in the Flying Kangaroo.

Passenger experience has become the watchword, with the recent announcement of another solid half-yearly profit being accompanied by the promise of a cabin refit for 42 aging 737-800s as the airline awaits more of its new-generation Airbus fleet – but is Hudson's approach bearing fruit?

Adam and Jake discuss the delicate balancing act and whether Qantas is beginning to climb out of the trust deficit the old management left behind.

Plus, Qatar Airways' bid for a stake in Virgin gets the all-important green light from the government, and how can the aviation sector address the lingering gender pay gap?

More than 10 years after the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight 370 in the Indian Ocean, the plane has yet to be found despite two search efforts – and the families of those who lost their lives still have no answers.

But a new search effort, led by Ocean Infinity, has once again raised hopes that the wreckage may yet be uncovered – this time, by examining four potential "hotspots" west of Perth that were missed on previous expeditions. The question is, are these hopes just an illusion?

Adam and Jake are joined by special guest Hannah Dowling to discuss the search and whether or not there is any chance for a breakthrough.

Plus, Chinese naval exercises in the Tasman Sea spark concerns about air safety – why did pilots only find out after they had already started?

In this special episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast, host Adam Thorn speaks with Jeff Shaknaitis, the customer sustainability leader at GE Aerospace, about the industry's push toward net-zero emissions by 2050.

Jeff shares his career journey and how his passion for sustainability led him to play a key role in GE's efforts to help airlines decarbonise, including its groundbreaking 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel test flight.

They explore innovations like the Open Fan engine, hybrid-electric propulsion, and the challenges of scaling SAFs in future.

As Rex has limped on in administration over the past half-year, with prospects for a sale dimming, the question has occasionally been asked: might the government step in more forcefully to keep its essential services in the air?

Now we have our answer: if the administrators can't find a buyer, the government is looking at the option to buy Rex itself, which would make the carrier the first in Australia to be publicly owned since the privatisation of Qantas around 30 years ago. But what would await the government if it were to stump up the cash for the ailing airline – and is it a good idea in the first place?

Adam and Jake discuss what might be behind the decision, and whether it's scuppered any chance for a commercial sale.

Plus, with the ACCC looking to wave the Qatar deal through, are Virgin Australia flights to Doha now all but inevitable?

The news came like an assassin in the night: Paul Jones, the long-rumoured frontrunner to replace Jayne Hrdlicka as CEO of Virgin Australia, was out of contention following pushback by the powerful TWU.

With no further word on who might be under consideration for the top job – and with Hrdlicka still saying she intends to leave the airline – when might we know who will sit in the captain's chair of Australia's second-largest airline group?

Adam and Jake discuss what might be next for Virgin as the CEO search continues.

Plus, will a Finnair pilots' strike throw a spanner in Qantas' works?

It's been a few months since the announcement of one of the biggest deals in recent Australian commercial aviation history: the purchase of 25 per cent of Virgin Australia by Qatar Airways, and with it, the return of Virgin international wide-body services through a wet-lease agreement for flights to Doha.

Approval for those services currently rests with the International Air Services Commission, a government body that will decide whether to award Virgin the necessary 28 flights per week to Qatar – and Virgin has said in a letter to the IASC that there is essentially no reason to block the proposal, which has received widespread support and is not being contested.

Adam and Jake revisit the politics at play and ask when the airlines – and punters – could see the new flights greenlit.

Plus, is the federal government on a path to nationalising Rex, and could we see the return of commercial supersonic travel sooner than we expected?

The Spitfire, the Hurricane, the Kittyhawk – when asked to name the fighter planes that won World War II, most people would place these legendary machines high on the list.

Yet largely absent from these lofty histories is the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation's CA-13 Boomerang – Australia's home-grown fighter plane, adapted from a training aircraft design and deployed in the Pacific theatre.

Though it was plagued with teething problems and never took down an enemy aircraft, the Boomerang carved out its own niche working with the Army in battlefields like the dense jungles of New Guinea.

In this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake Nelson talks to Don Williams, author of The CAC Boomerang: Australia's Own WWII Fighter, about the unique role played by the Boomerang in Australia's aviation history – and how it can be better remembered.

In the wake of Bonza's collapse and Rex's administration last year, another prospective domestic carrier – Koala Airlines – was suddenly garnering media attention despite not yet having aircraft or a clear business plan.

While its website, filled with glossy renders of 737 MAX 8s, promised to "carve out a unique niche" in Australia's aviation sector, a winding-up application filed against it in Victoria last week has raised questions about whether it would ever actually get off the ground.

Adam and Jake discuss whether Koala's lofty ambitions of "creating a lasting impact on the industry" are over before they even began.

Plus, Perth Airport booms as it invests big in the future, transport links to Western Sydney Airport take shape, and how many podcast hosts does it take to assemble a model plane?