Drew talks about managing throught the Summer flight schedule and Doug is getting ready to head back to training, this time in Altus, Oklahoma, the middle of nowhere. Is it really the middle of nowhere though? Drew does some research and finds goat petting, corn shucking, and axe throwing to keep Doug occupied. We also discuss: Spirit Aerosystems and the IAM reach a tentative agreement to avoid a strike and delays to 737 and 787 deliveries Qantas details its A350 cabin layout for its Project Sun...
Jun 19, 2023•55 min•Ep 186•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back in California for a break from KC46 training and Drew is managing through the crazy busy Summer flght schedule. We touch on the Air India diversion to Siberia and SFO go-arounds drama before we head down memory taxi lane with a look back at the Boeing 727. Also on this episode: SAS opens up reservations on the first electric airliner - the Heart ES 30 B52 Stratofortress might fly for 100 years with new engines and navigations system Jetblue offers slots at LGA to Frontier in an effo...
Jun 12, 2023•56 min•Ep 185•Transcript available on Metacast Cathay Pacific ’s Senior VP, Americas, Chris van den Hooven joins us as his carrier bounces back from Covid19. China’s “zero covid” policy has kept Cathay Pacific out of the resurgent Asian travel market but now, with restrictions lifted, the sky’s the limit. Also on this episode: We look at rising traffic volumes in Asia China’s first large jet, the COMAC C919, starts commercial service What are the angriest airports in the US? Cathay Pacifics pre-Covid rise in the Pacific We end with Chris reg...
Jun 05, 2023•57 min•Ep 184•Transcript available on Metacast Doug and Drew are on location in Wichita, Kansas which claims to be the Air Capital of the World. Is it? We tour the city to find out. Bombardier/ Learjet facilities Cessna and Textron Spirit Aerosystems Airbus B29 Museum https://www.b29doc.com/ Kansas Aviation Museum https://kansasaviationmuseum.org/ All these aviation giants here but “The I C..T.” is not all about aviation. We visited breweries, a nature trail, the charming Old Town, and played pickleball! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/ http...
May 29, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Ep 183•Transcript available on Metacast Airlines are asking for more time to update aircraft altimeters but will the FAA extend the deadline at the end of June? Telecoms executive Hugh Odom, president of Vertical Consultants , joins us to talk about the concerns. Doug goes down memory taxi lane with a visit to Enid Oklahoma where he did early flight training. Drew talks about ensuring thousands of bags fly with passengers. We also discuss: Hawaiian gets first 787s. Where will they fly? Cargolux 747 loses a main gear assembly Russian a...
May 22, 2023•51 min•Ep 182•Transcript available on Metacast Nose to the grindstone for Doug and Drew this week with Doug hitting the KC46 books and simulator and Drew prepping for a busy summer airline hub operation. We dive into commercial aviation jet routes which could be a J route or Q route based on if its using ground based VORs or GPS - confused yet? Don’t change the station, we’ll explain. Also on this episode: 737 orders keep coming with Ryanair ordering 150 Max 10s India’s Go First files for bankruptcy, blaming Pratt and Whitney engines Emirate...
May 15, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep 181•Transcript available on Metacast Drew is back from another Summer IRROPs preparation meeting and Doug is back to Wichita in KC46 training. Drew talks about how airlines and ATC work behind the scenes to make sure your flight is safe. Both Doug and Drew talk about how they individually work with ATC and Dispatch, real time, to get planes moving. We also discuss: Will the A220-500 and EMB 195-E2 kill the A320 and 737? The US allows airlines from China to add 4 additonal roundtrips per week for a total of 12 now American and South...
May 08, 2023•59 min•Ep 180•Transcript available on Metacast Drew is back from an IRROPs strategy session in Las Vegas and Doug is on the way home from Wichita for a break from KC-46 training. They were both on direct flights …or were they non-stop flights? Doug av-splains the difference. Also on this episode: Fedex closes bases at Anchorage, Los Angeles, and Cologne Mexico is closer to regaining Category 1 status with the FAA Engine manufacturers, like airlines, are enjoying tailwinds Southwest posts a 1st quarter loss and American posts a profit Tickete...
May 01, 2023•43 min•Ep 179•Transcript available on Metacast Doug's in KC46 school in Wichita and Drew's back from helping improve airline ops tools in Chicago. This week we discuss: Aviation word of the week : RUD - Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly SpaceX Starship Southwest internal gound stop Alaska Airlines removing kiosks from ticket counter areas New Avelo Airlines base at Wilmington, Delaware United posts small 1st quarter loss Turbulence getting worse with climate change Join the conversation https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/ https://www.next...
Apr 24, 2023•55 min•Ep 178•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is at DFW for a meetup with our buddies at Nonrev Lounge Podcast. He also talks about flying the competition from Sacramento to Wichita and driving (?) to DFW. Drew's about to leave for Chicago to help improve a tool they use to manage the operation. We also discuss: Word of the week: DOD - domestic object damage Airlines are asked to reduce NYC flights due to ATC staffing issues Delta posts a small loss but forecasts a strong Summer season The Dutch government tries to limit traffic a...
Apr 17, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep 177•Transcript available on Metacast Drew gets coworkers from 4 departments together because teamwork makes the dream, and the operation, work. Doug is on break from flying the 777 - any withdrawal symptoms? We check on him and discuss: Our word of the week - PACK Airbus adds final assembly line in China NASA names 4 astronauts for the Artemis II moon mission How do airlines choose where to build hubs? Our buddies at Nonrev Lounge podcast host a get together on April 14/15. Visit them on Instagram at @nonrevloungepodcast https://ww...
Apr 10, 2023•50 min•Ep 176•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back from his first trip to Sydney, Australia and Drew is taking new hires on ramp tours. On this episode we discuss: Aviation word of the week - ADIRU Jetblue/Spirit merger update - hurry up and wait Delta starts their Propel flight school Transatlantic travel is growing Indian aviation capacity to double by 2027 Artificial intelligence at the airlines Join the discussion! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/ https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Apr 03, 2023•59 min•Ep 175•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back from a fun, and tiring, family vacation in Disneyland and Drew spent another day at the Udvar-Hazy Aviation Museum in DC. How many trips must he make before he gets docent status and free parking? On this episode we discuss: Aviation word of the week - TCAS Archer Aviation’s Midnight eVTOL may have its first route - Downtown Chicago to O’Hare Airport UPS and Fedex plan to retire their MD11’s Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway are in talks to form a joint force of 250 combat aircra...
Mar 27, 2023•57 min•Ep 174•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back from Kona and Denver and Drew had an unexpected deicing event, and major delays due to winds and a single runway operation, the next day. Also on this episode: Aviation word of the week - RAT, ram air turbine New Saudi airline RIA hopes to challenge the ME3 Flair Airlines 737s seized Alaska's Northern Pacific first route is LAX to Las Vegas (?) SFO runway incident https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/ https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Mar 20, 2023•48 min•Ep 173•Transcript available on Metacast Greg, our buddy and show contributor, joins us to talk about aircraft engines - how they work, air-starts, and engine supply chain issues. He also is excited to be back in the aviaton industry with what could be his dream job. Doug regales us with a pilot memoir about his 2nd trip to Japan and reveals he’s a train (rail?) geek too. We also discuss: The Department of Justice trys to block the Jetblue/Spirit merger The Airport Service Quality Awards names the best airports for customer experience ...
Mar 13, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep 172•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is back from his KC10 “fini” flight and Drew’s been spending time with visitors at DC aviation museums. Which one is best for avgeeks? Also: We remember Susan Wright, “the mother of flight", on Women’s History Month Drew quizzes Doug on business class cabin names Central Asian traffic rises as Russian airspace is closed Norse Air plans several US flights Airline sign on bonuses are not just for pilots Air fare trends over time Join the conversation! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/ htt...
Mar 06, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep 171•Transcript available on Metacast https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/
Feb 27, 2023•49 min•Ep 170•Transcript available on Metacast Doug takes his mom, Ruth, along for the ride to Japan where she was born. We talk about how it feels to be “back home" and how Japan is getting back to normal after Covid19. Also on this episode. A quick history on balloons Near misses and aviation safety Airbus ramping up production Historic Air India order JFK Terminal 1 closure and diversions Join the conversation! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/ https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Feb 20, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep 169•Transcript available on Metacast Doug and Drew are back from trips in opposite directions. Doug flew to post-Covid Taipei as crew and Drew to Tenerife on a quick avgeek getaway with friends. We discuss our trips and: Iberia still required masks onboard. Who else does? White balloon shot down over the Atlantic Another near miss, this time with a Fedex 767 and a Southwest 737 at Austin Jetblue/Spirit merger update ATC waypoints https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/ https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Feb 13, 2023•59 min•Ep 168•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is flying to Taipei and Drew is off to Tenerife this week. We look at flight planning and considerations for turbulence and taking advantage of the jet stream to save time. Also: The last 747 is delivered to Atlas Super Bowl extra flights Passenger bills of rights https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/ https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/
Feb 06, 2023•49 min•Ep 167•Transcript available on Metacast Drew is back from an Airport Ops conference and Doug flew a KC10 on its final flight. Drew talks about the need for widebodies to make better use of scarce pilot crews and slots at busy airports. Doug regales us with his recount of flying a KC10 low along a sunny California coast and then east to Tucson. Also on this episode: Boom Supersonic breaks ground on a factory in North Carolina Sustainable Aviation Fuel or SAF will become more prevalent but it won’t be easy getting there. https://www.nex...
Jan 30, 2023•48 min•Ep 166•Transcript available on Metacast This episode is packed - we talk about the crash of a Yeti Airlines ATR72, a runway incursion at JFK, and what an aircraft stall is and how to avoid one. But wait there’s more - airport lounge access and hotel elite status, Lufthansa makes a bid for Italy’s ITA, and the “Continental Mafia”. Biscoff lovers wait until the end to hear our cookie rant! https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/ https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Jan 23, 2023•57 min•Ep 165•Transcript available on Metacast This episode is all about ULCC’s with Travis Christ, Head of Avelo Marketing, joining the show. We were supposed to fly on Avelo’s inaugural from Orlando to Dubuque, Iowa but the flight was canceled due to DBQ Airport still establishing their security plan. Avelo had an awesome recovery effort which led to Travis joining the show. He tells us all about the new airline and about his path from ramper to airline executive. Doug and Drew proceed with our ULCC run with plans to fly Avelo soon. We tak...
Jan 16, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep 164•Transcript available on Metacast To divert or not to divert, that is the question for Doug and crew over the North Atlantic. Drew and Doug discuss diversion decisions from flight and station operations perspectives. On this episode we also discuss: Cargo airlines lose some business with e-commerce coming off COVID highs Southwest recovers from crew scheduling woes Porter Airlines get its first EMB195-E2 with up to 100 more coming. We said the “E2" and the A220 would be big stories in 2023 California irrops with SFO diversi...
Jan 09, 2023•58 min•Ep 163•Transcript available on Metacast Doug and Drew have to split taping between 2 airline lounges as Doug travels home to California after check rides in Denver. This episode’s wifi issues can't hold us back from our last 2022 taping, making a 100% completion factor. Thank YOU for sticking with us! In this episode: Southwest's crew scheduling woes Chat GPT can write 747 poems? Our top stories of 2022 Our predictions of top stories of 2023 https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/ https://www.nexttripnetwork.com/...
Jan 02, 2023•56 min•Ep 162•Transcript available on Metacast We’ve talked about deicing planes before they takeoff but how do we keep them from turning into 737 popsicles when they’re sitting at the airport? Drew talks about processes to keep airplanes and ground equipment from freezing over before he goes in to deal with -1F temperatures. Doug is about to fly to Munich before Christmas Eve - will it be festive or sad? See the pictures below. Also on this episode: Do civilians care if they are on a narrow or widebody plane? Congress extends Boeing’s deadl...
Dec 26, 2022•42 min•Ep 161•Transcript available on Metacast Things didn’t go as planned for Doug or Drew this week with both grounded with health issues and full flights, respectively. Doug was sick at home, and Drew couldn’t get to Europe and visited the DC Air & Space museum instead. The podcast cheered us up though! On this episode we discuss: Fuel shortages in Auckland and Florida Boom has a plan for its SST engine - its complicated United orders up to 200 787’s to replace older 767’s and 777’s Air India is about to make a 500-plane order Leisure...
Dec 19, 2022•47 min•Ep 160•Transcript available on Metacast Doug is in Hawaii and Drew is in Charlotte, with our buddy Matt, who rejoins the show to rant with us on a multitude of topics. Did you know that Charlotte was the 5th busiest airport in the world in 2021 by numbers of flights, and that it is American Airlines’ 2nd largest connection hub. We talk about its history and its rise from a Piedmont Airlines station to a megahub. Also on this episode: Boeing’s last 747 rolls out of the factory. We discuss some 747 memories Airlines see profits returnin...
Dec 12, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Ep 159•Transcript available on Metacast Doug was in Hawaii for Thanksgiving but got out before Mauna Loa erupted. We discuss how volcanic ash affects aircraft engines and review some near-disasters where 747’s lost all 4 engines due to eruptions around the world. Also: TSA screened over 2.5 million passengers last Sunday, the most since the start of the pandemic Saudi Arabia announces the launch of RIA, a new airline based in Riyadh, to compete with the ME 3 New low fare airline Fly Atlantic will be based in Belfast, Northern Ireland ...
Dec 05, 2022•57 min•Ep 158•Transcript available on Metacast The traffic is terrific as we roll into the holiday travel season. Doug is mixing work and pleasure on his trip while Drew is enjoying the week off. We discuss passenger volumes and how airlines hope to avoid the meltdowns we saw this summer. Also: European carriers are looking to safely operate large jets with a single pilot FAA creates guidelines for electrical air taxi We look at the busiest routes this month around the world Nonstop LAX to Singapore or 5 stops? https://www.nexttripnetwork.co...
Nov 28, 2022•52 min•Ep 157•Transcript available on Metacast 
