This episode kicks off with a recap of the 2022 Aerospace Maintenance Competition. John applauds the aircraft maintenance talents of the more than 350 participants. More than 800 people attended the event!

Team and individuals earned awards and scholarships. More than 25 people also earned final interviews with companies in attendance to staff their maintenance crews.

Keeping with the aircraft maintenance theme, Greg and John cover the crash of Emery Worldwide Airlines Flight 17. Greg served at the NTSB investigator in charge. John also visited the crash site.

Originally thought to be caused by a cargo shift, the accident investigation revealed a maintenance error was the root cause. John explains the mistakes made during maintenance of the plane’s tail. It all comes down to simple bolts that were installed incorrectly.

Greg highlights the challenges of recovering the plane wreckage. The crash was into an auto salvage yard and caused a large fire. Investigators had to sift through everything to find the DC8 parts.
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Following procedures can lead to maintenance successes and failures. This episode showcases those highs and lows.

Todd Curtis has decided to return to the cockpit after decades and he’s sharing his experience. Whether you are new to aviation or are rusty after a brief or long time away from flying, this discussion is for you.

Todd and John walk through the steps and how to have a safety mindset from day one.
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• How to find the right instructor
• Having an honest health conversation with your doctor
• Getting started
• Approaches to preflight inspections and checklists
• Making your logbook an essential reference.

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Listen for tips that will help you fly safe!

Greg Feith flies solo as he presents a roundup of recent fatal air crashes. The focus is on three accidents now under investigation that add to the escalation of fatal crashes this year.

Hear preliminary details related to the crashes that involved a Cessna 340 in Georgia, a Cessna 337 in California, and a Diamond DA40. Greg surfaces the issues that could make these accidents important lessons for all pilots.

With popular flying season starting, Greg asks every pilot to ask themselves “Am I ready?” before getting into the cockpit. He makes the point that flight airworthiness extends beyond the aircraft. The pilot also needs to be proficient, comfortable, and competent before takeoff.
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“Benign situations can quickly escalate if a pilot is not prepared with the basics,” Greg says.
He wraps up with a case for the “WTF Files.” A stunt for Red Bull made headlines when an in-air pilot switch went wrong and one plane crashed. The FAA had issued a letter of denial for the stunt the day before. Aviation stunts can be entertaining, but this event compromised aviation safety.

On April 28, PAMA recognized its 2022 scholarship award recipients during the award ceremony at the Aerospace Maintenance Competition in Dallas.

The award recipients are as follows:

• Jonathan Roberts is an honors student in the Aviation Maintenance Technology program at Columbus State Community College in Columbus, Ohio, maintaining a 4.0 average. He has been on the Dean’s List every semester.  Mr. Roberts has glowing recommendations, including from the Federal Aviation Administration Safety Team (FAAST) Program Manager who describes Mr. Roberts as having impressed him with his intelligence, ability and professionalism.  Mr. Roberts works full time while attending college at night, is a military veteran and plans to use his A&P skills to serve the general aviation community and help repair and restore historical aircraft.
  Jonathan received a $1,500 scholarship, courtesy of JSfirm.com.
• Joel Mink is a straight A student at Oakbrook Academy in Florence, Kentucky scheduled to graduate high school in May of this year and begin his aviation maintenance training at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College in Cincinnati, Ohio in the fall.  He has already earned his private pilot certificate and his leadership abilities have been recognized by the Civil Air Patrol where he has been awarded several prestigious regional and national awards.  His letters of recommendation emphasize his determination, integrity and leadership skills. He plans to use his piloting knowledge to help him in his planned career as an Aviation Maintenance Technician. Joel received a $1,000 scholarship, courtesy of PistonPower™ by AEPC™.
• Anabel Rocha-Cole is a first-year student in the Aviation Maintenance and Technology program at Lansing Community College in Lansing, Michigan.  Despite being a first-year college student, she has already impressed her instructors with her abilities and determination.  She is also currently a ground handler at the Capital Region International Airport in Lansing and in training to become a customer service agent. She is bilingual and was educated in the US and Mexico, where her family were missionaries and where she herself participated in delivering supplies to needy communities in isolated mountain villages. Ms. Rocha-Cole plans to use her aviation maintenance skills to pursue her dream of helping aviation support missions in Haiti, Mexico and Africa. Anabel received a $1,000 scholarship, courtesy of PistonPower™ by AEPC™.

PAMA's scholarship committee was joined by representatives of the Aerospace Maintenance Council who presented their annual student awards as well (more on AMC award recipients here).

Congratulations to all our award recipients. Visit the scholarship page for more information on the application deadline for 2023, and to contribute to the PAMA scholarship fund.

This episode is about facts and their impact on the work of air crash investigators. Building a complete backstory with facts leads to an effective investigation.

Two recent accidents have few facts to work with. The available facts related to the 737 Max continue to be swept aside in favor of more headline-grabbing narratives.

John and Greg continue their effort to keep the focus on facts, conditions and circumstances to get to the real story of air crashes. These elements that lead to safety improvements.

They begin with a Cessna TU206 crash in Texas. Two pilots on board were killed when the plane crashed in a field. They discuss known details that could indicate striking something, a stall or lack of fuel.

A single pilot died when a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan used for a UPS cargo delivery contract crashed recently in Idaho. The plane landed inverted in a factory roof. Known facts included missed approaches, weather issues, and the importance of keeping on schedule.
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Focus turns to the two commercial aviation accidents involving the 737 Max. John and Greg address listener comments related to the crashes, the planes, and Boeing. They cover the fallout from the Boeing-McDonnell Douglas merger and how that impacted the timeline for the plane’s certification.

John, Greg and special guest Geoffrey Thomas offer the facts about Boeing and the 737 Max. They call out the sensationalism of the Netflix documentary “Downfall” and dig into facts that offer dig into facts that offer the real story with Boeing. They offer a true picture of the airline and issues that led to the Lion Air and Ethiopian crashes.

Geoff is a world-renowned multi-award-winning writer, author, and commentator and editor-in-chief at AirlineRatings.com. He is an outspoken no-nonsense critic of many aspects of airline management, technological issues related to aviation, and those related to safety and the environment.

Facts aren’t sexy, they agree, but the safety of everyone from industry to government to the public depends on understanding the real backstory.
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The episode covers factors that influence operations of Boeing and other aircraft manufacturers. The role of Boeing’s acquisition of McDonnell Douglas is discussed. They separate facts from emotion to show that business pressures can sideline safety needs.

Greg and John dive into the latest details emerging about the China Eastern Flight 5735 crash on March 21. They also cover the backstory and impact of the Aerospace Maintenance Competition coming April 25-28.

The Chinese Government has allowed the NTSB to assist as technical advisors in investigating the China Eastern crash. Greg and John talk about what that means for getting to the facts.

They share insights from previous accidents with similar themes to this crash, including the documented repair of a previous tail strike on the aircraft and incidences of deliberate crashes.

Their sights turn to the upcoming maintenance competition in Dallas in conjunction with Aviation Week Network’s MRO Americas. More than 80 teams from around the globe will compete this year.
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Teams represent educational institutions, commercial airlines, repair and manufacturing companies, general aviation and space. Up for grabs are prizes as well as bragging rights as the best of the best.

A recent deadly helicopter crash in Texas took the lives of a student pilot and a flight instructor. Helicopter fleets are growing – are there enough highly qualified flight instructors to keep pace with the demand?

Greg, John and Todd look at the initial information about this tragedy. They explore known safety issues with Robinson 44 helicopters. The tail boom appears to have been cut by the main rotor blade, a topic of a Robinson safety bulletin.

Citing data that reflects a surge in helicopter manufacturing, they wonder if there are enough flight instructors to train pilots to safely fly these aircraft.

This episode also examines a Piper PA22 Tri-Pacer crash in Arizona for the “WTF Files.” Three strikes were against the pilot and passenger before they ever took off: an expired registration, no insurance, and an unreported chronic medical condition. On top of that, they did not use the safety shoulder harnesses in flight.
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Hear the details that led to the crash about 10 minutes after takeoff. The official cause is fuel exhaustion leading to engine loss, but there is much more to learn.

Nominations for the 20 Twenties class of 2022 are in full swing and Aviation Week Network would like to ask for your assistance.

Do you have or know of any students or interns who are on course to change the face of the aerospace and defense industry? We're looking for those rising stars — the young innovators, passionate believers, and future A&D leaders. 

The 20 Twenties program was established by Aviation Week Network in 2013 to recognize talented individuals with a bright future in Aerospace & Defense.

To nominate a student, please complete this form and then share it with other deans or faculty members who have exceptional students.
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For general information on the 20 Twenties program, click here. 
All submissions must be received by April 29, 2022.
Have questions? Feel free to contact Anna Dariotis at anna.dariotis@avationweek.com

The ultimate tragedy of a runway crash at the Compton airport is that is never should have happened. For Greg, Todd and John, it’s a textbook example of what not do to as a pilot.

They explore the many bad decisions made by the pilot of a vintage T28 Warbird that landed on top of a Cessna 152.

As they review the information in the NTSB docket about the accident, Greg concludes, “there was no logic in decision making and operational discipline.”

Get the full analysis of what went wrong. The emphasis of this episode is the critical responsibility of the pilot in command to ensure safety before, during and after flight.

Greg and John also share takeaways following presentations to a flight department in Arizona. They highlight how structure and procedures can improve flight safety.
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Accident date: 2019-03-13
NTSB accident number: WPR19FA095
Aircraft #1: North American T28, N5440F
Aircraft #2: Cessna 152, N48962
Public Docket URL: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99107