Airplane Geeks Podcast

The Senior Vice President, Aviation Strategy and Programs for AOPA describes the You Can Fly program and the Air Safety Institute. Also, we look at the increased student enrollment in flight-training programs, adhesively bonded splice joints as an aircraft assembly method, the White House nominee for the NTSB, and Ryanair’s strategy for pilot retention.


Guest
Katie Pribyl is Senior Vice President, Aviation Strategy and Programs for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Katie is responsible for the organization’s You Can Fly program and the Air Safety Institute.

The You Can Fly program includes initiatives to get lapsed pilots back in the air, providing more affordable access to aviation through flying clubs, best practices in flight training, and It introduces high school students to aviation. Be sure to look into the AOPA High School Aviation STEM Symposium November 6-7, 2017.

The AOPA Air Safety Institute (ASI) produces free programs to help pilots fly safer. These include online courses, live seminars, and videos. ASI recently started publishing the There I Was... podcast.

Katie is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and she flew the Canadair Regional Jet with Atlantic Coast Airlines/Independence Air. She served as the director of communications for GAMA (the General Aviation Manufacturers Association) and Katie is a CFI and rated seaplane pilot. She is a member of Ladies Love Taildraggers and loves flying her 1956 Cessna 180 Skywagon in her home state of Montana.

Katie was featured in the January 2017 issue of AOPA Pilot in A Daughter’s Homecoming: A Ranch Airstrip FulFills a Cowgirl’s Dream. Follow Katie on Twitter and Facebook.


Aviation News
Embry-Riddle Sees Rising Number of Students in Nation’s Largest Collegiate Flight Training Program
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s flight-training program is planning for the largest incoming freshman class in 15 years. Contributing factors include demand for more commercial airline pilots, an increase in a starting salary, and quicker return on investment with an Embry-Riddle degree.
Advanced joint technology viable method for aircraft assembly
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Northrop Grumman partnered to test a new aircraft assembly method where adhesively bonded splice joints replace the legacy method where large components and subassemblies are joined with bolts.
White House To Nominate AOPA's Landsberg to NTSB
The White House announced that Bruce Landsberg will be nominated to a five-year term on the National Transportation Safety Board beginning Jan. 1, 2018, as well as to a two-year term as vice chairman. Bruce led the AOPA Foundation and Air Safety Institute (ASI) as executive director and then president for 22 years. He’s currently a senior safety advisor for AOPA and the ASI, he also has served as the industry co-chair of the FAA’s runway safety program.
Trip Report
Brian got together with some of our listeners during his trip to South Africa, and recorded some of the conversations.
Airline Story of the Week
This Airline's Response to Hurricane Irma Is a Masterclass in Compassionate Pricing

JetBlue announced that it was capping ticket prices after the devastating hurricane in Florida.
Mentioned
The Cod Father restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa.



#PaxEx Podcast #50 Flyers Rights makes the case for seat size standards with guest Kendall Creighton, director of communications for consumer advocacy group Flyers Rights on aircraft seat spacing, the Daily Beast article, their recent judicial victory, and ATC privatization.

Bag fees driving up cost of lower airfares for many U.S. flyers

Video: Aterrizando en Quito (Landing in Quito)