Airplane Geeks Podcast

We celebrate our 500th episode with messages from our listeners and contributors, some Airplane Geeks facts and trivia, an AusDesk report, and a big announcement. In the news, we look at an emergency airworthiness directive for certain CFM engines, and a proposed mandatory retirement age for charter pilots.

A Southwest Airlines B737 experienced an uncontained failure in one of its CFM56-7B engines that resulted in the death of one passenger. The engine manufacturer, CFM International, issued a service bulletin for ultrasonic testing of the fan blades. This can be performed on-engine in about four hours. The FAA said the “emergency” order was based on a service bulletin. CFMI estimates 352 engines in the U.S. are affected and 681 engines worldwide.

See also:

The FOX News Rundown Podcast for 4/20/2018.

The Pilot Who Saved That Southwest Flight Is A Badass

Video: Turbine engine blade fail test

https://youtu.be/wcALjMJbAvU

A manager’s amendment in the FAA reauthorization bill would require a mandatory retirement age of 65 for certain Part 135 charter and Part 91K fractional pilots. In a letter to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster and ranking member Pete DeFazio, the AARP says they have “long opposed mandatory retirement; using an arbitrary age as a proxy for competence is wrong in any occupation, and it is wrong for pilots.”

Our sincere thanks to all our listeners, past guests, and especially:

• The AeroShell Aerobatic Team.
• Dave Hirschman, AOPA Pilot Magazine Editor at Large.
• Dave Shallbetter, Chairman of Sun ‘n Fun Radio.
• Carl Valeri from the Stuck Mic AvCast and the Aviation Careers Podcast.
• Dave Pascoe from Live ACT.net.
• Jack, Dave, and Jeb from the Uncontrolled Airspace podcast.
• John and Martha King from King Schools.
• Kevin Lacey from Airplane Repo on the Discovery Channel.
• Lance Phillips, Marketing Director at Mooney International.
• Mark Baker, AOPA CEO.
• Melissa Rudinger from AOPA Live.
• Paul Bertorelli of AvWeb.
• Pilot Jim Gee from Uncontrolled Airspace, the Stuck Mic AvCast, and Sun ‘n Fun Radio.
• Rob Reider, air show announcer, host of the Sporty’s Pilot Shops “Learn to Fly” videos.
• Steve Pope from Flying Magazine.
• Tom Haines, AOPA Editor in Chief.
• Dave Homewood, the Wings Over New Zealand Show.
• Pieter Johnson, Gareth Stringer, Tim Robinson from Xtended.
• Lt Col Grijspaardt, Commander 302 Squadron, Dutch Royal Air Force.
• Jennifer Adams, Tales from the Terminal.
• Steve Vischer and Grant McHerron.
• Our Main(e) Man Micah.

1. Our first 6 episodes.
2. The Airplane Geeks archive.
3. Subscribe by Email.
4. The AvGeekFests aviation calendar.
5. The Airplane Geeks Slack Team.

CREDIT

Outtro by Bruno Misonne from The Sound of Flaps.