AvTalk - Aviation Podcast

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, CNBC aviation reporter Leslie Josephs tells us why some young former Spirit Airlines A320neos are being dismantled and where the usable parts are going. Also on this week’s episode, Lufthansa and Fraport unveil the “Gate of the Future” in Frankfurt and we have a few thoughts.

Virgin and Delta are furious at Heathrow Airport as Delta could be forced to move out of the terminal it shares with Virgin, Swiss is ending its wet lease arrangement with Air Baltic, Boeing’s Q3 earnings are notable for what the company says it isn’t doing. And more airlines are delaying service in the Middle East, while Riyadh Air shifts its base of operations to Al Qassim, 4.5 hours north of its namesake city.

Helpful links for this week’s episode

• Leslie’s piece on the scrapping of newer airplanes
• Alaska Airlines’ Anchorage-Tokyo announcement
• The new diesel bush plane

Check back soon for a transcript of this week’s episode.

The post AvTalk Episode 393: The pieces are worth more than the whole appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we’re onboard the final Lufthansa A340-600 flight with a few hundred of our closest friends. Boeing’s largest 737 is finally certified by the FAA nearly 10 years after being announced by the the airframer. And third quarter earnings reports from airlines have been mostly positive, but all are warning of trouble ahead as we close out the year.

Helpful links for this week’s episode

• Onboard the final Lufthansa A340-600 flight (VIDEO)
• 737-10 MAX receives FAA certification
• First flight from Sydney’s new Western Sydney Airport
• How Air Canada flies domestically in the US
• More about NASA’s new 777 & how to track N577NA

Check back soon for a transcript of this episode.

The post AvTalk Episode 392: Certified at last appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, flights in Saudi Arabia are facing intense disruption following a series of strikes by the Houthi’s on Saudi aviation infrastructure. Riyadh Airport is closed until at least 18 October after a strike on a terminal building killed at least 12 people and injured hundreds more. Airports like Jeddah and Dammam have also faced disruptions and airports in the southwest of the country have been closed this week.

Elsewhere, Israel is banning airline crews from a long list of countries from flying to/from Israel, leaving some airlines in the lurch.

Retirement flights

Austrian airlines is preparing to retire its 767 fleet at the end of next month. The airline has operated the type across five decades and this week we’re joined this week by two people who know the aircraft better than most. Pilot Christian Flatschart and Purser Thomas Lechner share their stories from their time on the 767. Join the farewell journey in the airline’s official WhatsApp group and join the final fan flight on 1 December.

And this weekend, Lufthansa will operate its final A340-600 flight. LH419 from Washington-Dulles to Frankfurt will depart on 18 October. We’ll have full report from onboard next week.

Check back soon for a transcript of this week’s episode.

The post AvTalk Episode 391: A critical path faces its greatest challenge yet appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, the latest on the investigation into flydubai flight 1073. The NTSB releases its preliminary report on the 767 runway overrun in Miami last month. The Houthis warn airlines against using Saudi Arabian airspace. And airlines are still using decade-old software to avoid glitches in the 737.

Keep up with the stories in this week’s epsiode

• 0:00–02:12 Opening / Plans for Lufthansa’s final A340-600 flight
• 2:12–05:00 Planes on a train
• 5:00–11:11 flydubai incident update — investigation, captain’s recovery, and future aviation safety possibilities
• 11:11–17:16 NTSB preliminary report on the 21 Air 767 runway overrun in Miami
• 17:16–20:27 Biman Bangladesh is on a shopping spree
• 20:27–23:01 Norse cuts its transatlantic network (even more) and shifts capacity to Thailand
• 23:01–25:39 Houthi threats to Saudi airspace and disruption around Riyadh
• 25:39–30:44 British Airways’ A380 set for the world’s largest business class cabin
• 30:44–32:22 JetBlue gets Spirit’s LaGuardia slots with some conditions
• 32:22–34:17 JetBlue’s disappearing-reappearing flights and the scramble to restore bookings
• 34:17–35:21 airBaltic restructuring and proposed workforce cuts
• 35:21–40:58 Boeing 737 MAX software problems, certification delays, and airline workarounds
• 40:58–42:32 Widerøe extends its Dash 8 fleet’s life through 2035
• 42:32–43:59 KLM’s first A350 and the wait for business class seat approval
• 43:59–47:37 Korean Air–Asiana merger scrutiny — Jeju needs more seats!
• 47:37–49:10 A hot-air balloon lands behind a Delta flight in Albuquerque, internet camaraderie ensues
• 49:10–52:16 Flightradar24’s new automated Heathrow live stream with BigJetTV

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

The post AvTalk Episode 390: Running a decade behind to avoid the glitches appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we unpack what we know so far about flydubai flight FZ1073, what happened to the aircraft itself, and what might lie ahead for any investigation.

Also this week, German investigators find brake application on the Vietnam Airlines 787 in Munich, the Airbus A350F makes its first flight, Alaska Airlines makes a big push toward more premium cabins (with a big caveat), and in a twist we don’t think anyone expected, NASA is in the early stages of returning an SR-71 to the skies.

2:50–flydubai FZ1073 discussion

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

The post AvTalk Episode 389: flydubai flight FZ1073 appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s AvTalk, we’re back from Dorkfest/SpotLAX with a busy week of news. We’re digging into the ATC failure that snarled traffic in the northeast US to start the week. And the preliminary technical report from NATS on the 8 September outage of the London Control Area says that one millisecond made all the difference between normal operation and the the cancellation of 2,000 flights. Plus Michael O’Leary gives his thoughts.

And we have a new kind of show notes this week thanks to some feedback from long-time listeners. Once you click play on the podcast, you can click the time code to jump straight to that section. Links to supporting materials are in the section title.

• 0:00–01:45 Opening / A380 episode-number discussion
• 1:45–05:38 Cranky Dorkfest and SpotLAX recap
• 5:38–09:38 FAA SMART system and machine learning vs AI
• 9:38–14:35 PHL TRACON outage — those cables aren’t buried that deep
• 14:35–19:10 NATS September 8 outage: preliminary technical report
• 19:10–23:26 Prestwick connectivity outage and airline reaction with a choice quote from Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary
• 23:26–26:52 GAO report on aviation communications security
• 26:52–29:19 Embraer E2 GPS problems — Azul, Porter, others?
• 29:19–33:09 KLM power-bank fire and inconsistent airline battery rules
• 33:09–35:04 Beijing airspace restrictions — A 600 km wide safety zone
• 35:04–38:20 Nice runway investigation yields proposed safety improvements
• 38:20–38:56 Turkish Airlines 737 MAX order
• 38:56–40:37 Istanbul adds another runway
• 40:37–42:35 Boeing 777 freighter emissions waiver
• 42:35–43:35 777X engine mid-seal durability and ETOPS certification
• 43:35–44:20 Boeing engineering union contract
• 44:20–45:11 Icelandair mechanics’ “indefinite” strike
• 45:11–48:17 JSX puts down a deposit on the Heart Aerospace ES-36
• 48:17–49:20 A321XLR wing becoming standard across A321neo models
• 49:20–50:14 Qantas Project Sunrise New York announcement — finally
• 50:14–53:32 Picasso Pilot flight-path artwork

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

The post AvTalk Episode 388: The difference a millisecond makes appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Ian and Jason prepare to head to Los Angeles for the annual CrankyFlier Dorkfest and NYC Aviation’s SpotLAX events. If you’re in town, stop by and say hello.

But before we take off, the NTSB released a partial summary of the cockpit voice recorder from the 21 Air 767 that overran the runway in Miami. Far from providing clarity, the summary only adds to the questions raised about the pilots’ actions in the final minutes of the flight.

Anews helicopter covering a fatal car collision crashed in Los Angeles, killing the pilot and reporter onboard the aircraft, as well as one person on the ground.

Virginia Senators Time Kaine and Mark Warner have introduced a bill to limit flights at DCA in Washington DC. We discuss why the DCA Air Safety Act has a long, uphill battle for passage.

A GAO report on the FAA’s recent push to modernize the nation’s air traffic control systems calls for greater cost and schedule planning, noting that there are 11,389 individual project schedules.

And you’re going to be hearing a lot about “capacity” over the next few months. What that means for airlines—and airfares.

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

The post AvTalk Episode 387: The CVR makes it worse appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, the more we learn about last Sunday’s fatal runway overrun in Miami, the more confusing the circumstances become. We break down what we know from the ADS-B data and the limited flight data recorder information released by the NTSB thus far.

A computer failure at NATS leads to the cancellation of 1500 flights over two days in the UK, while Anak Krakatau’s eruption halts flights in Jakarta.

One of only two active DC-8s suffers a runway overrun and gear collapse in Kinshasa. We learn about Honeywell’s Mag Mav, Italian passengers and the danger of steep stairs, and the Swiss transport museum needs to figure out where its going to put a retired A340.

And United’s planned 9/11 flypast in Denver is getting push back. (Ed. note: the flypast was canceled after recording of this episode)

Click here for a transcript of this week’s episode.

The post AvTalk Episode 386: The Miami runway overrun appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we discuss the low Airlink flypast in Cape Town, what’s been lost in the discussion so far, and what the South African civil aviation authority has to say about it.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns airlines to avoid Russian airspace as drones play an ever increasing role in the war between Russia and Ukraine. German authorities blame Russia for the recent explosive-laden drone in Leipzig.

The FAA is moving to fire a pair of controllers who left the La Guardia tower early on the day of the crash between an Air Canada CRJ and ARFF truck. But the situation isn’t as straightforward as it seems.

South Korean officials move to charge seven officials from the transport ministry with falsifying documents after the Jeju Air crash in Muan.

And US airlines continue the race to be as premium as possible.

Helpful links for this week’s episode

• Airlink’s low flypast: video, data, airline statement, South Africa CAA statement
• La Guardia Controllers left the tower early
• JetBlue’s new first class
• American Airlines’ new premium heavy 777-300ER
• Chinese airlines swing to losses in the first half of 2026
• Airline Atlas, the new map prints powered by Flightradar24 data

Click here for a transcript of this week’s episode.

The post AvTalk Episode 385: “Looking into” that low flypast appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

After a week away, there’s much to discuss on this week’s episode of AvTalk. We start in Munich, where the Runway 26L took a great deal of abuse. We discuss the Vietnam Airlines 787 runway overrun and tail strike, followed two days later by a Lufthansa A380 touching down before the threshold on the same runway.

We also examine what happened aboard Air India A320neo VT-EXO, which briefly lost pressure across all three hydraulic systems, causing an upset that injured nearly two dozen people. Plus, American puts two aircraft with the same call sign on the same frequency—again—and investigators say an unqualified passenger may have been flying a Phenom 100 that overran a wet runway.

Elsewhere, a ramp worker is killed during the pushback of a French bee A350 in Montreal, a Frankfurt Airport employee dies from a rare case of malaria, and a Qantas A380 flies to Dallas and back with a maintenance light left inside its wing. We also discuss rising runway incursions in Australia, the return of the Delta–Aeromexico joint venture, Eurowings’ new Premium BIZ seats, the FAA’s war on plastic cups, United’s orphaned 737 MAX 10 seats, and American’s plan to bring seatback screens back—eventually.

Please click here for a transcript of this week’s episode.

The post AvTalk Episode 384: And we’re back appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this episode of AvTalk, we’re joined by Goodyear Blimp Chief Pilot Michael Dougherty to learn more about his unique role in the aviation industry.

Also on this week’s episode, German investigators continue looking for answers for how a drone was able to make it onto the Leipzig Airport ramp. FedEx paints a 777 in a special retro livery to coincide with the renaming of Memphis Airport in honor of FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith.

Apollo Global Management wins the battle for easyJet and Air Baltic will shrink its fleet for stability. A BEA report on an incident involving an Air France A320 showcases the dangers of turbulence. And Iberia’s special flight gives us a unique perspective on the total solar eclipse.

Helpful links for this week’s episode

• Iberia’s live stream from the eclipse
• FedEx retro livery 777
• Transponder landing system at McMurdo Station in Antarctica
• Mr Porter Blind Box

Click here for a transcript of this week’s episode.

The post AvTalk Episode 383: Goodyear Blimp Chief Pilot Michael Dougherty appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this episode of AvTalk, we jump back to Oshkosh for a conversation with David Ostdiek of GE Aerospace for an in-depth update on the progress being made on the CFM RISE program, as the manufacturer moves toward first flight of the new engine design by the end of the decade.

Also on this week’s episode, a drone laden with explosives is found on the ramp in Leipzig and a DHL 757 strikes something on approach to the airport. The NTSB’s preliminary report on the crash of a Beech King Air in New Mexico leads to popular press reporting that misses the mark. TCAS proves its worth once again as it helps prevent a mid-air collision in Tokyo. And the FAA certifies the Boeing 737-7 MAX after nearly a decade.

Helpful links for this week’s episode

• An overview of the RISE program
• DHL 757 flight path
• NTSB Preliminary report on the crash of N249CP
• FAA statement on 737-7 MAX certification
• Norse statement on IndiGo agreement
• National Airlines 777 flight from Prestwick to Melbourne
• Airbus A350F ground vibration testing

Check back soon for a transcript of this week’s episode.

The post AvTalk Episode 382: The RISE of the Open Fan appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this episode of AvTalk, we speak with Xavier Pepin, the captain of the Airbus 24 hour, 24 minute Airbus A350-1000ULR flight from Melbourne to Toulouse. We talk about flight planning, crew resource management, fatigue and rest, and what’s next for the A350-1000ULR flight test program. Also on this week’s episode, highlights from EAA Airventure […]

The post AvTalk Episode 381: Xavier Pepin, Ultra Long Range Pilot appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

It’s episode 380, so the Airbus A380 is most certainly on the agenda. But first we’re checking in on the orders placed at this year’s Farnborough Airshow. Sir Tim Clark opines on the proper use of early build Boeing 777X frames. Then we get to learn about the important mission for Airbus’ A380 Flight Lab. […]

The post AvTalk Episode 380: A Whale of a time appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, a Ryanair (Malta Air) 737-800 suffers an uncontained engine failure after departing Thessaloniki, Greece, resulting in a shattered cabin window and a passenger partially sucked out of the cabin. We discuss the specifics on this accident and its similarities with Southwest 1380. German investigators release their preliminary report on […]

The post AvTalk Episode 379: This feels eerily similar appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we’re headed to Farnborough for an inside look at how the airshow comes together. From state of the art aircraft tracking technology to making sure all of the toilets are working, Farnborough International director of operations Ben Gleenson explains what it takes to make sure the biannual airshow goes […]

The post AvTalk Episode 378: How the Farnborough Airshow comes together appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, a pair of powerful earthquakes cause widespread damage and significant loss of life in Venezuela. We look at how aid is reaching the country and the impacts on commercial aviation. A low pass at Horseshoe Bay by a 777 is under investigation by the FAA. After a small aircraft […]

The post AvTalk Episode 377: About that low, low pass by the 777 appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, airspace safety and efficiency take center stage as the NTSB begins an investigation into a close call in Boston. The US Coast Guard says changes to DC’s airspace have actually made helicopter operations in the region less safe. US congressional leaders remain at odds over competing aviation safety bills, […]

The post AvTalk Episode 376: Transferring that risk elsewhere appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Indian investigators issue a progress note, but don’t necessarily note their progress. After more than a decade of negotiations the European Parliament keeps its signature airline compensation legislation much the same. Qantas announces the first Project Sunrise route for its forthcoming Airbus A350-1000ULRs. And Spirt gets the go-ahead to […]

The post AvTalk Episode 375: Progress, but to what end? appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

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. […]

The post AvTalk Episode 374: 17 years without a license appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.