Airplane Geeks Podcast

Airlines that might go bankrupt and financial assistance to aircraft producers and airlines, Boeing contributes manufacturing capability to PPE production, coronavirus insurance from Vietjet, and the FAA waiver of medical certificate enforcement action. Also, FAA revokes Collings Foundation passenger flights, the FAA requests information from low-altitude manned aircraft pilots about how they want to use identification data from drones, things to keep you occupied while you quarantine yourself at home, and cosmic rays in the atmosphere.

The FAA wants to hear from aircraft operators who fly at low altitudes to learn more about how manned aircraft can receive and use the network or broadcast UAS Remote Identification information. In FAA Low Altitude Manned Aviator Participation In UAS Remote Identification Request for Information, the FAA seeks input from those who could be routinely affected by UAS operations in the United States. This includes pilots who fly aerial firefighting, agriculture, survey, pipeline and infrastructure patrols. Responses will be accepted until April 16, 2020.

The impact of the COVID-19 virus on the airlines is reportedly worse than that following 9/11. IATA says airlines could lose $252B in 2020 and the CAPA Centre for Aviation said most carriers will go bankrupt by the end of May if they don’t get support. Bloomberg News used the Z-score statistical method to predict the probability that an airline will go into bankruptcy.

Boeing plants in St. Louis, El Segundo, Mesa, Huntsville, and Philadelphia are using 3-D printing machines to manufacture face shields for medical personnel and first responders. Boeing also offered its Dreamlifter to deliver critically needed supplies.

In “Help make face masks for aviation crews,” the Institute for Women of Aviation Worldwide provides instructions for making face masks at home. These can be donated locally or to aviation organizations that need masks. “We are building a global database of organizations seeking masks for their essential aviation professionals.”

The Senate’s $2 trillion package includes a $17 billion federal loan program for businesses deemed “critical to maintaining national security.” The package does not specifically mention Boeing, but the Washington Post reports it “…was crafted largely for the company’s benefit.”

Bob Crandall retired in 1998 as chairman, president, and CEO of AMR, parent organization to American Airlines. “You can’t simply let these companies go away,” he said. “But these companies need to understand there needs to be some kind of controls put in place. It probably needs to be regulated like some form of utility.”

Budget airline Vietjet launched “SKY COVID CARE” to protect passengers who become infected while traveling on one a Vietjet flight. Those passengers can claim up to 200 million Vietnamese dong (about $8,500). The policy is free and covers all domestic flights through June 30, 2020.

The FAA published a notice of enforcement policy: “…from March 31, 2020, to June 30, 2020, the FAA will not take legal enforcement action against any person serving as a required pilot flight crewmember or flight engineer who holds a medical certificate that expires within this time period.”

The B-17G bomber Nine O Nine operated by the Collings Foundation crashed shortly after takeoff from Bradley International Airport on Oct. 2, 2019, killing the pilot, co-pilot and five passengers. Seven others survived. The FAA has now revoked the Collings Foundation’s permission to carry passengers aboard all its vintage aircraft, saying the Collings Foundation “lacked a safety culture when operating the B-17G.”

Our reporter-at-large Launchpad Marzari provides a primer on Living History Flight Experience flights.

Things to keep you occupied while being stuck at home:

• The Crown on Netflix
• Craig Ferguson, episode 5 on Amazon Prime
• NEAMathome
• Tiger King on Netflix
• Dogfights on History Channel
• Garmin webinars that were planned for Sun n Fun and AERO Friedrichshafen.

SpaceWeather.com for airline flight cosmic radiation data.