Even pro travelers make rookie mistakes — Tom forgot to pack underwear. 🧳✈️ Mike won’t let him live it down as the Black Box Aviation Podcast takes off with stories from the road.

This episode dives into the world of fuel dumping: why airlines do it, FAA rules, and what happened when Delta Flight 89 dumped thousands of gallons over Los Angeles, showering neighborhoods and schools below. Tom and Mike share their own experiences with emergency fuel dumps in the P-3 and MD-11, breaking down the regulations and real-world decision-making pilots face.

To lighten it up, we wrap with Hawaiian vacation stories — from tarmac strolls in tropical air to oddball encounters with locals, surfboards, and beach chairs.

📩 Connect with Us:
✉️ [email protected]
📸 Instagram & X: @the_black_box01
📞 Hotline: (203) 699-6792 (Leave your name!)

#Aviation #FuelDumping #DeltaFlight89 #PilotLife #Travel

In this Hot Topic Briefing episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike dive into the fascinating world of drones — past, present, and future.

We trace drone flight from its surprising beginnings in 1849 unmanned balloons to modern military UCAVs, kamikaze drones, and modified commercial UAVs. We also look at the civilian side: FAA regulations, Part 107 licensing, and how drone pilots can turn their skills into an $80K career.

But it’s not all smooth flying — we cover drone near-misses with commercial jets, wildfire collision incidents, and the mysterious New Jersey drone sightings that even reached the White House briefing room in 2024.

Whether you’re a pilot, drone hobbyist, or just curious about how unmanned aircraft are reshaping aviation, this episode delivers history, insights, and some jaw-dropping stories.

📩 Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: www.theblackboxaviationpodcast.com
✉️ Email: [email protected]
📸 Instagram: @the_black_box01
🐦 X (Twitter): @the_black_box01
📲 Text Line: 203-699-6792

#Aviation #Drones #PilotLife #BlackBoxAviationPodcast

Welcome back to the Black Box Aviation Podcast with Tom & Mike — where we talk about aviation, travel, and the things you NEED (and want) to know about flying.

In this episode, we cover it all:
🌪️ Landing in San Juan with Hurricane Erin on the radar
🚨 A Southwest pilot arrested for DUI on the jetbridge
🌴 Hawaiian adventures — snorkeling with manta rays, golfing on lava fields, and the quirks of “island time”
✈️ Plus: lounge drama, tipping debates, and the sweaty palms of an MD-11 landing at SJU

If you’ve ever wondered what aviation looks like behind the cockpit door — this one delivers turbulence, humor, and real talk.

📬 Connect with Us:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📸 Instagram & X: @the_black_box01
📞 Hotline: (203) 699-6792 — Leave your name & story for a chance to be featured!

Ever had a lounge showdown over a dirty glass? Tom shares a hilarious (and slightly awkward) encounter at an airport lounge that you won’t believe. We also talk about pilot coffee obsessions, hotel breakfast rip-offs, and a flap/slat disagreement at cruise altitude—plus what really happens when a heavy MD-11 takes off from Anchorage.

Mike brings us along for his family trip to Boston, including Fenway Park magic, the Freedom Trail, and why hotel breakfasts are the biggest rip-off in aviation travel. And in the news: a Delta A330 hits severe turbulence over Wyoming, leaving passengers and crew injured—what went wrong? We break it down.

✈️ Inside This Episode:

• Airport lounge etiquette gone wrong

• The ultimate coffee snob hacks for pilots

• $32 hotel breakfasts & why Mike hates them

• Real-world flap/slat malfunction in flight

• Delta turbulence scare: lessons learned

📩 Connect with Us:
✉️ Email: [email protected]
📸 Instagram & X: @the_black_box01
📲 Call/Text Hotline: (203) 699-6792 (Leave your name!)

🎧 Whether you’re an aviation enthusiast or just love a good behind-the-scenes travel story, this episode has laughs, lessons, and real-world aviation insights. Hit play and join us!

Welcome back to the Black Box Aviation Podcast! In this episode, Tom & Mike take you inside the cockpit to discuss layover fatigue, crazy stories from the road, and the latest aviation headlines you NEED to know about.

✈️ Topics We Cover:
✅ Layover Fatigue Reality Check:

• Why fatigue is more dangerous than you think

• OAK to ANC trip chaos and why timing matters

• Navy SEAL breathing tips for staying sharp

✅ Stories from the Road:

• Midnight street fight in NYC outside the crashpad

• Return to gate for rudder trim fail and the surprise St. Lucia layover

✅ IN THE NEWS:

• Southwest Near Miss at Burbank – What happens when TCAS Resolution Advisories kick in

• SkyWest vs. B-52 Bomber over North Dakota – How close is too close?

• American Airlines Evacuation Gone Wrong – Blown tire, fire, and passengers grabbing their bags

• Alaska Airlines Kodiak Incident – Deer on the runway, bloodbath aftermath

🔥 If you’ve ever wondered what REALLY happens behind the scenes when things go wrong in aviation, this episode is for you!

📬 Connect with Us:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📸 Instagram & X: @the_black_box01
📞 Hotline: (203) 699-6792 — Leave your name and best aviation story!

🎧 Stream now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen!

#AviationPodcast #PilotStories #LayoverFatigue #NearMiss #TCAS #AirlineSafety #BlackBoxPodcast #PilotLife

In this episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike take a deep dive into one of the most shocking tragedies in modern aviation: the Germanwings Flight 9525 crash. On March 24, 2015, an Airbus A320 was intentionally brought down by its first officer, killing all on board. We break down the timeline, the cockpit voice recordings, and the critical lessons learned from this heartbreaking event.

But that’s not all—we also explore:

✅ The State of Mental Health in Aviation

• New research showing thousands of pilots may be hiding health conditions

• Why fear of reporting still dominates pilot culture

• FAA and airline responses to mental health challenges

• Peer-to-Peer support and the role of ALPA advocacy

✅ Key Questions We Answer:

• Could a similar tragedy happen again?

• How do pilots balance transparency with career security?

• What changes are being proposed by legislation like the Mental Health in Aviation Act (H.R. 2591)?

🔥 Real-World Perspective:
Tom shares personal insight into how airlines handle these sensitive issues today, the gaps in policy, and why many pilots still distrust the system.

🎯 If you’re a pilot, an aviation professional, or just passionate about safety, this episode will open your eyes to a topic that impacts every single flight.

📬 Connect with Us:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📸 Instagram & X: @the_black_box01
📞 Hotline: (203) 699-6792 — Drop us your name & your best aviation story!

🚨 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms!

#AviationPodcast #Germanwings9525 #PilotMentalHealth #AirlineSafety #BlackBoxPodcast #AviationNews #PilotLife

Buckle up for an Episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast as Tom & Mike take you behind the cockpit door for an action-packed discussion on the latest in aviation.

✈️ Main Topics:
✅ GPS Jamming & Aviation Safety – How modern warfare tech is now disrupting civilian aviation and what pilots do when GPS fails.
✅ Air Rage Epidemic – Why unruly passenger incidents are skyrocketing, shocking stories from real flights (including a Halloween flight gone completely off the rails), and the jaw-dropping stats you need to know.
✅ Delta Pilot Alcohol Scare – A U.S. pilot pulled from the cockpit in Sweden after a failed breathalyzer test—but cleared by a blood test. We break down what happened, breathalyzer accuracy, and FAA rules for alcohol in aviation.

🔥 Stories from the Flight Line:

• Layover chaos: MEM-OAK flight drama and system failures

• Wild Air Rage encounter mid-flight that ends with police on the jetbridge

• GPS sensor failures, transponder issues, and real-world emergency procedures

• Upcoming vacations, hotel life hacks, and free bacon on layovers

🎯 If you’ve ever wondered how pilots handle technology disruptions, out-of-control passengers, and media-fueled airline scandals, this episode is a must-listen!

📬 Connect with Us:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📸 Instagram & X: @the_black_box01
📞 Hotline: (203) 699-6792 — Drop us your name & your best aviation story!

🚨 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms!

#AviationPodcast #AirlineStories #PilotLife #AirRage #AviationSafety #DeltaPilot #GPSJamming #FlyingTips #BlackBoxAviationPodcast

What really happens after the jet parks at the gate? In Episode 29 of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, we bring back the “Day in the Life” series — but this time we go beyond the cockpit and deep into hotel layovers, crew routines, unexpected travel perks (like free bacon!), and the realities of life on the road as an airline pilot.

Tom & Mike open up about:
✈️ Navigating FAA Part 117 rest rules
🥓 Free bacon and late-night pizza
🏊 Swimming laps at Ala Moana in Hawaii
🏁 NASCAR’s ARCA Menards Series in Dover
🧑‍✈️ Layovers from Minot to Paris
💤 Pilot sleep strategies & workout routines
😳 The Air India flight where the captain shut down both engines
📊 Airline passenger disturbances and rage — are they increasing?
📆 Involuntary trip extensions up to 84 hours and how to mentally prepare

Plus, stories of:

• 🍕 Pizza buffets in Buffalo

• 🍺 $2 Labatt drafts

• 📱 Convincing a crew member to call in sick for safety’s sake

• 👟 Ironman training and marathon runs while on layovers

We explore how lifestyle, fitness, and mental wellness intersect with the job — and how good crews look out for one another on the road.

📩 Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: www.theblackboxaviationpodcast.com
📧 Email: [email protected]
📸 Instagram & X: @the_black_box01
📲 Hotline/Text Line: (203) 699-6792 — Leave your name and a story or question!

🔍 #PilotLife #AirlinePodcast #LayoverLife #AviationLifestyle #FreeBacon #PilotFitness #AirIndia #HotelLayovers #AirRage #PodcastClips #BlackBoxAviation #AviationHumor #TravelStories

In Hot Topic #9 of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike dive into the haunting story of Northwest Orient Flight 2501, a DC-4 lost over Lake Michigan in 1950 during a violent storm—becoming the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history at the time. With chilling similarities to modern incidents, and a 75-year mystery that ends not with discovery, but with surrender, this episode explores low-level icing, microbursts, and the limitations of vintage aviation tech.

We’ll also touch on the emotional quest of a son searching for his mother’s cowbell, the role of Charles Lindbergh and the airline’s great circle legacy, and why this story still matters today.

📬 Got thoughts or stories? Reach out!
📧 Email: [email protected]
📸 IG & X: @the_black_box01
📞 Call or text: (203) 699-6792 — Leave your name, and you might hear yourself in a future episode!

📰 Based on the New York Times article:
“75 Years After a Deadly Plane Crash, the Search for Its Wreckage Ends” by Ashivarya Kavi

#aviationmystery #nw2501 #blackboxaviation #lakeMichiganCrash #aviationhistory #airdisaster #aviationpodcast #trueaviationcrime #charleslindbergh #microburst #aircrash

In Episode 28 of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike dive deep into the just-released preliminary report on Air India Flight 171, the tragic 787 crash out of Ahmedabad. What initially looked like a puzzle of flap settings, weather, and electrical theories now zeroes in on a chilling cockpit moment: both engines lost power after the fuel cutoff switches were mysteriously triggered just seconds after takeoff. Was it mechanical failure or human error? We break it all down.

We also hit:

🧳 Stories from the Road

• TSA shenanigans, PreCheck weirdness, and the return of “swamp crotch”

• Elevator etiquette and breakfast missions in Anchorage

• Hotel crew discounts getting shady – who’s pretending to be a pilot?

📉 Air India 171 Full Breakdown

• Engine and MEL history

• Weather, flap settings, and failed theories

• A haunting cockpit exchange: “Why did you cut off the fuel?”

• The unexpected deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT)

• A similar story from a T-1 student pilot who cut off fuel… on the ramp. A rare mistake, but not unheard of.

🛫 In The News

• TSA considers ending the shoe removal rule (Finally.)

• Why you’ll still need to take out your charger but might get to keep your shoes

• Southwest’s pricing changes and customer identity crisis

• Hotel charging setups – why does every room seem built for 2003?

This one’s full of insight, stories, and those moments in aviation that make you go: Wait, what just happened?

📬 Connect with Us:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📸 Instagram & X: @the_black_box01
📞 Hotline: (203) 699-6792 — Drop us your name & story!

✈️ The Black Box Aviation Podcast
Real pilots. Real stories. What really happens when someone accidentally shuts down both engines? Let’s talk about it.