Airplane Geeks Podcast

Airplane Geeks again attended the annual Innovations in Flight Family Day and Outdoor Aviation Display. The event is held at the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. The event is sponsored by United Airlines.

Micah, Max, and Robert at Innovations in Flight.

Innovations in Flight adds special indoor exhibitors and an outdoor fly-in to the regular museum exhibits. This podcast has had the honor of being included as an exhibitor for many years. The aircraft outside include military, commercial, and private aircraft, several of which were flown in by Airplane Geeks listeners.

This year, Airplane Geeks was represented by Max Flight, our Main(e) Man Micah, and Robert Fairbairn. During the course of the day, we recorded a number of interviews for this episode:

Betty Chen from the Vertical Flight Society, a non-profit technical society for the advancement of vertical flight. The organization was formerly known as the American Helicopter Society. [6:33]

Past guests Jonathan Baron and his son Thomas talk about the Shark airplane and give us an update on the Remora heads up display for GA showing airspeed and AOA to reduce loss-of-control accidents. [20:14]

We meet Oscar Gagliardi Kindlimann who flew Republic P-47 Thunderbolts and other aircraft in the Peruvian air force in the 1950’s. [30:16]

Peruvian Air Force pin, courtesy Oscar Gagliardi.

Also exhibiting at the museum was the Bishop O’Connell High School engineering club. We talk with students Kavon and Alex about creating and launching “thin-sat” satellites into extremely low earth orbit. [38:27]

The Smithsonian’s Family Day Coordinator Nick Murray talks about the Innovations in Flight event, which draws the second largest crowd of visitors to the museum each year. (You’ll have to listen to find out what event draws more!) [50:14]

Victoria Neuville from the Stuck Mic AvCast came to the event representing the Ninety-Nines, an international organization of women pilots. She flew into Dulles in an AutoGyro. [1:00:35]

We hear from Capt. “Bear” Williams, USAF 27th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB about flying the F-22 into the event. [1:02:46]

Regional jet pilot Frank Noe also flew in on a gyroplane (or autogyro or gyrocopter). [1:06:39]

Courtesy AutoGyro

Since we last saw him, First Officer Craig has become Captain Craig, flying the Embraer 175. [1:10:08]

Lt. Col. Katrina Davis is the Admissions Liaison Officer for the US Air Force Academy. The Academy provides opportunities for students in many areas and she explains the Academy Admissions process. [1:23:05]

Air & Space Magazine Art Director Ted Lopez tells us about the magazine’s new look and explains what makes a good photograph to accompany an article. [1:36:12]

Past guest Princess Aliyah Pandolfi from the Kashmir World Foundation gives us an update on the foundation’s activities, including drone workshops now taught internationally and the Teachers Take Flight program. [1:43:38]

Outtro by Bruno Misonne from The Sound of Flaps.