In Hot Topic #7, we dive into the future of flight: Sustainable Aviation. From contrails and carbon to biofuels and bizarre theories, this episode explores what’s really going on up there.

We break down:
✈️ How much aviation contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions
🌫️ Why contrails matter more than you think
🛢️ What sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is—and who’s actually using it
💡 Airline efforts from United to Delta and FedEx to JetBlue
🚀 A shoutout to one of our buddies working on high-tech contrail research with a Challenger jet

And yes... we go there.
🔥 Chemtrails? Weather control? COVID fog? Mind manipulation?
We unpack the wild conspiracies and separate fact from fuel-grade fiction—with a healthy dose of sarcasm.

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🌐 Website: www.theblackboxaviationpodcast.com
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Whether you’re into science, sustainability, or just here for the jet fuel and jokes—this one’s worth the cruise at altitude.

Tom’s back from a monster trip across the globe, and he’s got stories to prove it—Shanghai customs chaos, underground Rolex deals with a scooter locker twist, executive lounge mochi mishaps, and a VIP connection in the infamous Fake Market. Plus, Mike teases an upcoming guest who’ll give us the controller’s-eye view of air traffic misunderstandings (and BBQ complaints).

We answer listener Jameson’s question about the current status of the DC-10 in commercial service and spotlight ORBIS, the flying hospital still making a difference worldwide. Also up for discussion: JetBlue’s bold new Dunkin’ livery—orange you curious?

Packed with laughs, insight, and international jetlag, this episode brings you sky-high stories and real talk from the flight deck to the fish tunnels of the Shanghai Aquarium.

Got a question or want to share your own travel tale? Hit us up:
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📞 Hotline: (203) 699-6792 (Leave your name!)
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✈️ Subscribe, review, and share the pod with your favorite co-pilot!

In this week’s Hot Topic, we’re revisiting one of the most tragic and influential accidents in U.S. aviation history: American Airlines Flight 191, the catastrophic DC-10 crash just moments after takeoff from Chicago O’Hare on May 25, 1979.

This wasn’t just a terrible accident—it was a turning point. In this episode, we dive deep into:
✈️ Personal Memories – Flying the DC-10, the 727, and now the MD-11
🧰 The Maintenance Misstep – How a shortcut during engine removal led to catastrophic failure
📉 Aerodynamics Breakdown – Slat damage, wing stall, and why speed matters
🔧 The Disconnect Between Pilots & Mechanics – And why that relationship should be stronger
📼 Cockpit Voice Recorder Fail – Why it stopped recording mid-event
🛫 What Changed After – From slat redesigns to V2+10 climb speeds now practiced worldwide

This isn’t just about a single flight—it's about how pilots, engineers, and maintainers continue to learn and adapt, so the skies stay safer for everyone. You’ll also hear how the Air Force had already adopted practices that could’ve prevented this tragedy—and how those ideas eventually made their way into civilian operations.

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In this high-flying episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, we’re diving into one of the most mysterious unsolved cases in aviation history—the legend of DB Cooper.

On November 24, 1971, a man in a modest suit boarded a Northwest Orient Airlines 727 in Portland, Oregon. He handed a note to a flight attendant, claimed he had a bomb, demanded $200,000 in cash, parachutes, and a flight to Mexico... and then disappeared—literally—into the night sky over the Pacific Northwest.

We’ll break down:
✈️ The Hijacking Timeline – From takeoff to mid-air jump
💼 DB’s Strange Demands – Gas, cash, food... and flaps at 15°
🪂 The Parachute Mystery – Military training? Skilled jumper?
🚬 The Cigarettes & Tie Clues – The only real evidence he left behind
🗺️ The Search Areas – From grid sweeps to the shocking discovery of $5,800 in a Washington riverbed
🛫 Why the 727 Was the Perfect Plane – Including those famous aft stairs and the clever flight plan

We also explore how this case influenced aviation security, pop culture, and even inspired military-style hijacking protocols. Plus, how Josh Gates' Expedition Unknown helped reignite public curiosity and inspired this Hot Topic.

Was Cooper a rogue hero or a highly trained ghost? Did he die in the jump or live out his days in quiet anonymity? We’re not DB Cooper experts—but we sure have thoughts.

🔗 Contact Us & Stay Connected:
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✉️ Email: [email protected]
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In this weeks episode, we’re globe-trotting and diving deep! This week’s episode is packed with travel tales, listener scenarios, and the latest in aviation headlines. Buckle up—it’s a wild ride across continents and cruising altitudes.

✈️ Captain's Log: Asia Edition
Your host is heading off on a massive trip across Asia and shares how curiosity, ambition—and a little fatigue—can make or break your layover adventures. Hear about past escapades including:
🕰️ The infamous fake Rolex deal in Hong Kong
🧥 Getting measured for a suit in back-alley showrooms
🏊 Finding the best pools, running spots, and food in new cities
🏟️ Catching a Giants game in San Francisco
…and yes, the ongoing saga with “Rocky” the watch guy.

📍 Mike chimes in with his favorite U.S. and international overnights and tips for making the most out of layovers (excluding SDQ, of course).

🎧 Listener Question of the Week:
What should you do when your in-flight neighbors are throwing a party in the row behind you? We break down in-flight crew authority, FAA policies, and how to de-escalate a sky-high frat party.

📰 Industry News Briefing:

• ATC Systems Are Still Outdated: Radar and radio blackouts, bureaucratic delays, and a system older than Apollo 13.

• Swiss International Cancels Flights: Pilot shortages, post-COVID travel pressures, and EASA licensing hurdles.

• Pratt & Whitney Engine Woes: Cracks in the NEO engine are causing havoc across Airbus fleets, delaying deliveries, and complicating airline growth.

🔥 From air traffic nightmares to Rolex alley deals, it’s another week of unfiltered aviation insight and storytelling.

📩 Stay in the loop and reach out to us:
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✉️ Email: [email protected]
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In this powerful Hot Topic Briefing #4, we mark the 29th anniversary of ValuJet Flight 592, which tragically crashed into the Florida Everglades on May 11, 1996, killing all 110 souls aboard. This episode dives deep into the accident, the systemic failures behind it, and how its legacy reshaped aviation safety forever.

We’ll explore:
✈️ The story of ValuJet, the ultra-low-cost airline that cut corners to stay profitable
🔥 How illegally loaded oxygen generators led to a catastrophic cargo fire
🌿 The unforgiving terrain of the Florida Everglades, which has seen several aviation disasters
📉 The brand collapse of ValuJet and its transformation into AirTran
🧯 The broader implications for hazardous materials handling, cargo safety, and lessons learned from similar fires, including UPS Flight 6

We also reflect on Eastern Flight 401, another Everglades tragedy, and how these incidents forced the industry to face difficult truths about complacency, cost-cutting, and oversight.

Have you ever flown on ValuJet or AirTran? Ever thought about how you’d handle a cargo fire mid-flight? We unpack these hard questions with aviation insight and real-world experience.

📩 Connect with Us:
🌐 Website: ⁠www.theblackboxaviationpodcast.com⁠
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This week on The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom is back from training with a flight bag full of stories. From shooting RNP .2 approaches to trying out the tricky Newark Stadium Visual Runway 29, it was anything but routine. After delays in Newark reroute his trip, Tom finds himself sprinting through DTW, dealing with valet bag failures, and navigating late-night hotel decisions—at a place that may or may not have had a dead flight attendant.

We break down the chaos at Newark Liberty Airport, including ongoing runway closures, staffing walkouts at PHL Center, and critical radar and communication losses. Is this a one-off or a symptom of a deeper issue in U.S. airspace management?

Also in this episode:

• Dangerous gas station encounters near the airport

• Rolling delays and pilot fatigue realities

• The NYC helicopter in-flight breakup investigation

• Trump gets offered a used 747—should he take it?

• And why the airplane lav may be the most overrated amenity in aviation

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

In this episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, we’re hitting turbulence from every angle—literally and figuratively. Broadcasting from a hotel room I paid for myself thanks to a contract that still doesn’t include training accommodations (because we’re "in base" 🙄), I dive into two stories that prove aviation never takes a day off.

First, I recap a Delta flight that was hotter than the surface of the sun thanks to a deferred climate control MEL. Add in Alabama Slammers, five lav runs, and a captain call that should’ve gone the other way, and you’ve got a cabin experience that makes Spirit look luxurious.

Then it’s training travel drama—Known Crewmember inconsistencies, TSA power trips, and the slow death of standardization. Sound familiar? Thought so.

We also unpack the massive ATC meltdown at Newark: from equipment outages and walkouts to United slashing flights and Secretary Duffy throwing hiring bonuses around like confetti. Plus, I’ll tie in a low-altitude P-3 Hurricane Hunter transmission that reminded me just how wild this airspace really gets.

And if that’s not enough:
⚠️ DCA's back in the headlines after a Blackhawk disrupted arrivals—again—sending two airliners into go-arounds. This follows the recent flyby fiasco. Is it staffing? Is it airspace complexity? Is it both? We break it down.

Oh—and it’s my 10-year wedding anniversary. I missed my son’s baseball game… but at least I flew over it.

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

In Hot Topic Briefing #3, we take a somber but important look at the tragic accident that claimed the life of world-renowned aerobatic pilot Rob Holland during a practice session at Langley AFB in Virginia ahead of the Air Power Over Hampton Roads Airshow.

We explore Holland’s incredible legacy — from his championship career flying the high-performance MXS-RH aircraft to his leadership in pushing the boundaries of aerobatic flight. We also dive into the world of experimental aircraft, the unique risks they pose, and the passion aviators have for pushing aviation forward despite the dangers.

You’ll hear about how experimental aircraft differ from certified planes, famous accidents involving experimental builds (including the LongEZ flown by John Denver), and a closer-to-home story of a fellow aviator, Lance Hooley, and his JetEZ tragedy.

This episode reflects on the balance between innovation and safety, the spirit of aviators who challenge limits, and why their pursuit leaves a lasting impact on the future of flight. It’s a powerful reminder of both the rewards and realities of aviation’s cutting edge.

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

Buckle up for a hilarious and unforgettable ride in this week's episode of the BlackBox Aviation Podcast!

We kick off answering a fantastic listener question from our text line about how high school students can best prepare for aviation careers, including the difference between Part 61 and Part 141 flight schools, discovery flights, and early steps toward a pilot license. Mike trained in both of these types of training. Whether you're just starting or guiding someone who dreams of flying, this is a must-listen!

Then Tom shares a wild weather story flying into Boston — complete with turbulence, crying passengers, and hilarious misunderstandings and finishes by telling his jaw-dropping Navy story about a low approach around the Statue of Liberty...with live sonobuoys onboard — and the "hot water" that followed!

Plus, funny travel tales from the Dominican Republic, a deep dive into military airspace, and the unforgettable chaos (and lessons) from late-night missions.

Don't miss this episode packed with funny, jaw-dropping, and inspiring stories from the skies and beyond!

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