AvTalk Episode 374: 17 years without a license

AvTalk Episode 374: 17 years without a license

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, a Lufthansa 787 takes a bow in Frankfurt, the NTSB issues its preliminary report on the United 767 accident in Newark, and Canadian authorities charge a former Air Canada pilot with fraud and forgery after it was discovered he flew for the airline without ever having the appropriate license. We also check in on the IATA annual general meeting to see airlines looking hopeful about Boeing’s certification efforts, gloomy about sustainable aviation fuel, and stormy about the current (and future) price of jet fuel.   The post AvTalk Episode 374: 17 years without a license [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/avtalk-podcast/avtalk-374/] appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog].

AvTalk Episode 373: Eight hours to nowhere

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, SAS’s India relaunch doesn’t quite make it to India. The first Airbus A350-100ULR for Qantas’ Project Sunrise [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/aviation-news/airline-news/qantas-orders-airbus-a350s-for-project-sunrise/] takes to the skies. Boeing is advancing the 737 MAX monthly production rate as it says it anticipates MAX 7 and MAX 10 certification by the end of the year. Violence flares in the Middle East with fresh strikes, including one that hit Kuwait Airport, killing one person and injuring dozens in the terminal. Swiss is parting out a pair of A220-100s and parking the rest to support its A220-300 fleet. Want to buy an MD-83? A former Far Eastern Air Transport frame is up for auction [https://www.tpkonsale.moj.gov.tw/Detail/Chattel?NO=cd2bfb62-f81f-452f-af89-36fb195beb00]. Send us your questions about the Goodyear Blimp! Email us at podcast@fr24.com ---------------------------------------- Click here for a transcript of this week’s episode [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/AvTalk_373_Transcript.pdf]. The post AvTalk Episode 373: Eight hours to nowhere [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/avtalk-podcast/avtalk-373/] appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog].

AvTalk Episode 372: Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should

We’re in Stockholm for a our semi-annual Flightradar24 crew meetup this week. Ian is joined by Gabe Leigh to discuss what’s it like behind the scenes capturing the stories of aviation professionals around the world. We review the recent incident where NTSB cockpit voice recorder data from UPS flight 2976 was used to recreate simulated audio. The NTSB removed the public docket system in order to prevent further such efforts. The preliminary investigation into the China Eastern A350 jet bridge collision in Shanghai finds a total brake failure on the aircraft. Qantas says its Project Sunrise A350-1000s are delayed again due to supply chain issues. And we recap our flights with the Flying Veterans Association  this week and our plan to get on one of the rarest flights in the world. Planning on visiting ILA Berlin this year? AvTalk listeners can receive 10% off trade visitor tickets using the code ILA26_flightradar on ILA Berlin’s ticketing site [https://ila-berlin.de/en/tickets]. Visit our YouTube channel for an all access pass to the best of the world of aviation professionals [https://www.youtube.com/@Flightradar24DotCom]. ---------------------------------------- Click here for a transcript of this week’s episode [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AvTalk_372_Transcript.pdf]. The post AvTalk Episode 372: Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/avtalk-podcast/avtalk-372/] appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog].

AvTalk Episode 371: “So that started this on the wrong trajectory to begin with”

On this episode of AvTalk, we follow the NTSB’s thread as the agency holds two days of investigative hearings [https://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/Pages/DCA26MA024InvHearing.aspx] on the crash of UPS flight 2976 [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/flight-tracking-news/major-incident/ups-md-11-crashes-departing-louisville/], the MD-11 that crashed in Louisville after one of its engines separated from the wing. The FAA issues its first official response [https://theaircurrent.com/aviation-safety/faa-dca-crash-recommendations-response-ntsb/] to the NTSB’S safety recommendations following the 2025 DCA mid-air collisions. And the NTSB calls for more realistic training [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msfwnWzhfBw] of smoke in the cockpit scenarios after a 2023 incident. A Croatia Airlines A220 [https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/9a-can#3fb8918b] suffers a runway excursion during a rejected takeoff in Split. Indian investigators will travel to Seattle in June to be present for tests of 787 fuel cutoff switches at Boeing’s Pacific Northwest facilities. And WestJet is under investigation [https://www.cbc.ca/news/gopublic/go-public-westjet-flight-cancellations-9.7191542] for what passengers are calling a deceptive practice of swapping flights to airplanes undergoing maintenance before cancelling those flights to avoid paying compensation.   ---------------------------------------- Please click here for a transcript of this week’s episode [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AvTalk_371_Transcript.pdf]. The post AvTalk Episode 371: “So that started this on the wrong trajectory to begin with” [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/avtalk-podcast/avtalk-371/] appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog].

AvTalk Episode 370: The man collecting Spirit’s pieces

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we’re joined by Nomadic Aviation Group co-founder Steve Giordano to talk about what happens when you suddenly need to move dozens of aircraft in a very short amount of time. Steve and his crew have spent the past two weeks bringing former Spirit Airlines aircraft to the desert for storage following the collapse of the airline on May 2nd. What does it take to make sure those aircraft can be legally, safely, and efficiently moved from wherever they ended up when the airline shut down? Also on this week’s episode, a tragedy in Denver as a man intentionally entered the runway and was struck by a departing Frontier flight. FedEx returns the MD-11 to service, Lufthansa Group ups its stake in ITA Airways and orders new aircraft, while Air India formalizes its summer schedule reductions in the face of geopolitical and economic headwinds. The FAA says it will now add transponders to all of its airport ground vehicles, but the agency has been reminding airports that money is available to equip vehicles for the last 3 years. And to everyone’s dismay, MHIRJ’s chief says the CRJ-200 could fly for another 20 years. HELPFUL LINKS FOR THIS WEEK’S EPISODE * An early look at the latest episode of Cockpit Casual featuring Steve and his team’s efforts moving former Spirit Aircraft, as well as a heartfelt goodbye from Spirit staff [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moEixIux1b0] * Where former Spirit Airlines aircraft are located now [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/aviation-news/airline-news/spirit-airlines-ceases-operations/] * Frontier A321neo strikes person in Denver [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/flight-tracking-news/major-incident/frontier-4345-hits-person-denver/] * NTSB two-day investigative hearing on UPS crash [https://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/Pages/DCA26MA024InvHearing.aspx] * New Zealand Q300 final report [https://taic.org.nz/inquiry/ao-2024-001]   ---------------------------------------- Click here for a transcript of this week’s episode [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AvTalk_370_Transcript.pdf]. The post AvTalk Episode 370: The man collecting Spirit’s pieces [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/avtalk-podcast/avtalk-370/] appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog [https://www.flightradar24.com/blog].