Todd Curtis of airsafe.com, and PAMA treasurer, joins John and Greg for a look at the alarming rise in unruly passenger behavior on flights. Fistfights, attempts to open cabin doors and more are disrupting flights.

They outline the federal rules and regulations in play as well as airline policies to attempt to keep everyone on board safe. Offenders are prosecuted in federal courts and risk federal prison.

Advice for passengers who encounter unruly behavior on board:

• Try to diffuse the situation
• Help flight crews by encouraging fellow passengers to follow the rules
• Document bad behavior to aid in prosecutions to deter bad actors

​As more people return to the skies, they remind everyone of the saying, “Time to spare? Go by air.” Give yourself ample time to get to the airport and board your flight to avoid getting stressed and frustrated. That alone can make the return to air travel safer for everyone.

Flight Safety Detectives is sponsored by Avemco Insurance. Mention the Flight Safety Detectives podcast and receive a 5% discount!

Each year PAMA recognizes students' accomplishments through a scholarship program. This years' award was provided by PistonPower™ by AEPC™ and will be used to further the recipient's aviation education.

This year's recipient is Elias Wiley, a straight-A student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He has earned a place on the Dean's List the past three semesters.  He is an Aviation Maintenance Science major with a concentration in Avionics Cybertechnology and Security.  He is minoring in Computer Science.

His professors describe him as demonstrating the highest professional and ethical standards, as well as having an outstanding attitude and willingness to learn.  

His professional goals include using his maintenance electronics skills to work in the drone industry or possibly in the space industry.  Wherever his career takes him, he is confident that if he's working on aircraft, he will have found meaningful work that he enjoys.

Wiley received a cash award and was recognized during a virtual awards ceremony on Wednesday June 23rd. 

Visit the scholarship page for more information  and to support the PAMA 2022 scholarship fund.

Airports are humming again with COVID restrictions being lifted. That has John and Greg talking about commercial airline safety.

The focus of this episode is maintenance lessons learned from the 1979 American Airlines DC10 accident in Chicago. Greg was just coming on board NTSB when the investigation began and John knows several of the key players involved.

The DC10 involved had been recently had maintenance done that required removal of the engine. The work compromised the pylon arm that comes out from the wing to the top of the engine. The engine fell off on takeoff just 10 days later.
​
John and Greg walk through the accident and key findings. They also talk about safety recommendations that were never implemented.

Rebecca Lutte from University of Nebraska and Cassandra Bosco of TailWinds Communications Inc visit to talk about attracting more people to careers in aviation. Special focus is closing gender gaps and access for under-served communities.

Wide-ranging programs and resources are highlighted. Many organizations are working on efforts to create and sustain interest in aviation industry careers.

If you want to start or advance a career in aviation, this episode offers the inspiration you need! This are also great ideas for experienced professionals who want to play a role in mentoring the next generation.