The Wing Wag

The Space Shuttle Orbiter frequently landed far from its launch site.  The orbiter could not fly on its own, so NASA developed the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft to bring it back to the launch site at Kennedy Space Center.

The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft is a heavily modified Boeing 747 that had mounts on its back to support the orbiter.  Little did NASA know, they had just developed the world’s most expensive piggyback ride!

Imagine that you're an airline pilot flying a standard red-eye route.  You've done this route dozens of times before with very little variation, and this time looks to be no different.  All of a sudden the primary flight display shows a flashing red alert and an automated voice saying "PULL UP, PULL UP, PULL UP" fills the cockpit.

From experience you know that there are no obstacles on this route, but your training kicks in and you execute a high-performance climb.  After a few seconds, you realize that something doesn't feel quite right; the alarm is still blaring, but at 35,000 feet and climbing, there couldn't be any terrain anywhere near the airplane.

Then you notice that the GPS shows you in a place hundreds of miles from the planned route.  ATC then calls you asking why you busted your assigned altitude.

GPS spoofing is when a malicious actor sends a false GPS signal to a receiver leading to incorrect GPS locations and a failure of many systems in a modern aircraft.  Ever since early 2024 we've seen an alarming increase in GPS spoofing.  Can we do anything about GPS spoofing, or does this signal the end of GPS?

Most of the information in the episode came from the "GPS Spoofing Final Report" from the GPS Spoofing Workgroup.  Take a look at the full report for a very interesting, in-depth investigation on GPS spoofing:
https://ops.group/dashboard/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GPS-Spoofing-Final-Report-OPSGROUP-WG-OG24.pdf

Once you get your pilots' license, it's easy to view flying as a chore, something that you must do every month to stay current.  The real joy of flying comes from the adventures that having a pilots' license opens up to you.

This week, I am joined by my Kiara to discuss some of the adventures that we have done together in the airplane, and the ones we want to do in the future!

Join us this week for a chilling Halloween tale!  We will be reading "The Horror of the Heights" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, an early aviation horror story about the creatures that lurk beyond the clouds.

Originally published in 1913, just 10 years after the Wright brothers' first flight, this story brings together aviation and science fiction terror as one adventurous pilot attempts to fly higher than any pilot has flown before.

Aviation was born with the balloon when, in 1783, the first manned hot air balloon rose off the French soil.  But ever since the Wright brothers made their first flight out of Kitty Hawk in 1903, the balloon has been vastly overshadowed by the airplane.

With the advent of space tourism, the balloon could rise again to the forefront of aviation!  Join Matthew and I as we talk about the company Space Perspective and their goal to bring tourists to space suspended from a balloon.

Probably not, but maybe.  Definitely don't do it without first checking to see if your plane has an auto gas STC.  This episode is all about aviation gas (avgas).  Why does it still contain lead when leaded auto gas was phased out 50 years ago?  Why does avgas have 2 octane ratings instead of just 1?  What makes ethanol so dangerous for airplanes?  Join Hunter and I as we answer all of your avgas related questions!

Meet the Cessna 170, the tailwheel older brother to the ubiquitous Cessna 172.  In this episode, Matthew joins us to discuss why the 170 is such versatile tailwheel aircraft, how we found one, and what we learned from the buying process.

This week, I'm flying solo through the hurricane!  As pilots, we are always thinking about weather when we are flying or planning a flight.  When you become an airplane owner, you have to worry about weather not only in the air, but also when the plane is on the ground.  This worry is made even worse when you have an airplane that you keep outside in Florida during hurricane season!  Join me as we discuss keeping you plane airworthy and shiny no matter the weather.

At Oshkosh 2025, the FAA announced a new ruling called MOSAIC, which stands for Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification.  This ruling greatly expands the privileges of sport pilots and what is considered a light-sport aircraft.  Matthew Olinde of Olinde Aerospace joins us to discuss how this exciting new ruling will affect pilots, airplane owners, and flight schools.

Welcome to "The Wing Wag"!  In this episode, I will be introducing the podcast and explaining what a wing wag is.