Australian Aviation Podcast Network

With outdated and confusing systems and processes common across the aviation industry, safety and compliance can be a thorny problem for many businesses, with "data silos" holding up procedures.

OneReg, a New Zealand-based company, aims to change all that, moving businesses away from cluttered folders of Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PDFs to centralise compliance on one easy-to-use platform.

With customers across Australia, New Zealand, the UK and EU, and the Middle East, OneReg is looking to enable industry-wide data sharing to help the aviation sector move away from tick-box compliance and into a new "gold standard".

On this podcast, Jake Nelson talks to Clint Cardozo and Carly Waddleton from OneReg on the perils of data silos in aviation, and how to streamline the regulatory compliance process.

After months in the works, it's official – from December, you'll be banned from using or charging your portable power bank on flights with any major airline in Australia.

Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin, which already require power banks to be carried in cabin baggage and kept within easy reach, will now prohibit passengers from using them entirely – instead, you'll need to use in-seat power if available, or simply go without.

On this week's podcast, as the start dates loom, Jake and David revisit the airlines' power bank ban and examine the safety issues that have driven it.

Plus, does Western Sydney Airport need more support to get its lofty ambitions off the ground?

It's said that every accident makes aviation safer – but that doesn't happen on its own. Across the globe, air incident investigators are on the scene whenever something goes wrong with an aircraft, finding out the root of the problem and making sure it doesn't happen again.

But what skills are most important to investigators: aviation experience, or scientific training and critical thinking? What does an investigation team need to be certain they've got it right?

In this podcast, Professor Brett Molesworth, head of UNSW School of Aviation, hosts a wide-ranging conversation on the fundamental tension between traditional aviation expertise and scientific methodology in incident investigation.

Join him in this fascinating panel discussion with Wing Commander Clare Fry, Defence Flight Safety Bureau; Dr Curtis Calabrese, United Airlines captain, director of operations for Skyways Charter, former FAA Inspector and U.S. Navy Reconnaissance pilot; Dr David Wilson, senior transport safety investigator, ATSB; and James Barnett, manager group investigations, Qantas.

It's only been a few months since the end of Jetstar Asia, but now Jetstar is looking to make a bigger push back into the Singapore market. Starting next March, the low-cost carrier will fly between the Lion City and Bali … but that won't be the end of the journey.

In an interesting twist, the Singapore–Bali services will only be one leg on direct routes connecting through to the Sunshine Coast and Newcastle, a pair of smaller airports in regional cities that wouldn't normally expect to see Singapore services – so, what's the plan for Jetstar?

On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake, David and Bethany take a look at Jetstar's new Singapore routes, what they might do for the cities they serve, and what might be next.

Plus, the plan to link Western Sydney Airport to high-speed rail – will it ever happen, and what will come of it if it does?

A few short years ago, Project Sunrise – Qantas' plan to fly non-stop from the east coast to London and New York – was a mere gleam in Alan Joyce's eye. Now, however, as the first A350-1000ULR gets ready to have its engines fitted, those marathon flights are looking closer than ever.

While there's still a lot of work to be done, including extensive test flights, before the plane can be delivered in 2026 ahead of Project Sunrise's planned 2027 launch, there's now something undeniably concrete about the Flying Kangaroo's ultra-long-haul ambitions – but will they succeed?

On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and Bethany discuss the milestone and what it might be like to spend upwards of 22 straight hours in the sky.

Plus, Avalon Airport is set to return to international flights – is Melbourne's second gateway finally seeing some love?

Last month, a remarkable journey came to an end when 16-year-old Byron Waller touched down at Brisbane Airport following 67 days circumnavigating the globe in a light aircraft.

Covering 41,700km in his Sling TSi, Byron's odyssey through the skies took him over oceans, deserts, ice fields, and everything in between, including a landing at the Grand Canyon and guest appearances at big airshows.

It was a monumental effort from a young aviator who just a few years ago was bedridden with chronic illnesses, and turned to flying – including becoming the youngest pilot to circumnavigate Australia, at age 14 – to make his dreams a reality.

On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake talks to Byron and his mum Jeni about his incredible achievement – and his future aviation ambitions.

After more than a year fossilised in amber, Australia's third largest airline looks to have avoided extinction – American firm Air T has agreed to buy Rex, prompting roars of approval from government and industry as well as the best name for any corporate buyout in history.

But while Air T brings with it plenty of Saab 340 parts to resurrect Rex's dinosaur planes, will fleet renewal still be on the menu – and will creditors get their money back?

Jake, David, and graduate journalist Bethany Alvaro make approximately too many Jurassic Park references as they dissect Air T's Rex purchase and what it might mean for the regional airline's future.

Plus, the first jet lands at Western Sydney Airport; ex-Virgin boss Paul Scurrah returns to aviation; and what, scientifically, is an "RBH"?

A year and a half after the abrupt collapse of Bonza, its erstwhile financier, Miami-based investment firm 777 Partners, is under the microscope again – and for all the wrong reasons.

Its co-founder and former CFO have both been charged by the FBI over allegations of a jaw-dropping US$500 million fraud scheme, with accusations levelled of a complex web of lies and financial chicanery that left lenders and investors holding the bag.

Jake and David dig into the charges and reflect again on how much 777 Partners' alleged dodgy dealings may have brought Bonza down.

Plus, which carrier was Australia's most on-time airline in 2024–25 – and what do you do with a radioactive cat?

Sydney is on the verge of a major aviation transformation. With Western Sydney International (Nancy Bird-Walton) Airport set to open in 2026, the city will soon operate as a two-airport metropolis. How will the two-airport city work?

Western Sydney is now Australia's third-largest economy, with its population set to grow to around 3 million by the 2030s. With air travel demand set to double over the next 20 years, Western Sydney Airport promises to unlock new opportunities in transport, business, and tourism. But delivering on that vision requires careful planning and collaboration.

In this podcast, a panel hosted by UNSW School of Aviation dives into what the opening of Western Sydney Airport will mean for passengers, businesses, and the broader economy.

Join Paul Willis, group executive, planning & delivery, Sydney Airport; Karen Jones, CEO, Destination NSW; and Stevan Sipka, senior manager, network and fleet, Qantas Freight, in a thought-provoking discussion moderated by Dr Ian Douglas, honorary senior lecturer, UNSW Aviation and former chair, International Air Services Commission, on Sydney's two-airport future.

Just when Qantas thought the saga of its frequent flyer hack might be over, a fresh headache has hit the Flying Kangaroo as online miscreants published the stolen data on the dark web.

The airline is warning customers to beware of scammers, and says it is working with "specialist cyber security experts" to investigate exactly what data was leaked – but what does all this mean for the 5 million people caught up in the breach?

Jake turns to David's cyber expertise to find out what might be next for Qantas, and what you can do to protect yourself if you're affected.

Plus, a treat for all you military aviation aficionados out there as our defence and aerospace lead Steve Kuper joins us to talk new Army Apaches, Anduril's answer to the Ghost Bat, and more.