Safety & Operations Episodes

This week on the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike dive deep into aviation emergencies, strange skies, and one of the eeriest stories in airline history — the haunting of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401. We start off with a quick recap of last week’s interview with Nate Ehlers, founder of TheBackseatPilot.com. Don’t forget — you can still grab 15% off your order with code BLACKBOX at checkout! Then, it’s time for: ✈️ Shoutouts from listeners — including Will’s question about the origins ...

This week on the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike sit down with special guest Heather, a passenger on Southwest Flight 2169 — the flight that suffered a wing strike on landing in Hartford back in 2019. Heather relives that terrifying day: the violent touchdown, passengers getting sick as the plane attempted two more landings, and the final emergency diversion to Providence. It’s a firsthand story of fear, confusion, and what it’s like when a routine flight goes very wrong. We talk about...

This week on the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike share real stories from the cockpit and the road: FedEx substitution vs. industry standards Riding Delta to Anchorage, hitting Diamond Status, and getting reprimanded for recording inflight 🎥 FAA landing currency rules and what happens when your trip gets dropped McDonald’s new “value” meals vs. $18 airport Big Macs 🍔 Breaking news: The Pilot Mental Health Bill (H.R.2591) passes the House — what it means for ...

On this episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike break down one of the most shocking aviation stories ever—FedEx Flight 705. In 1994, Auburn Calloway, an off-duty FedEx pilot, attempted to hijack a DC-10 using hammers, mallets, and even a speargun. His plan: crash into FedEx headquarters in Memphis. What followed was a brutal cockpit battle, a desperate fight for survival, and aerobatic maneuvers in a jumbo jet that were never meant to be possible. We also discuss the book Touchi...

In this powerful episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike reflect on September 11, 2001—walking through the timeline, sharing where they were in their own pilot training, and discussing how 9/11 reshaped aviation forever. We cover the hijackers’ path from Portland to Boston, the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the heroic stand of United Flight 93. We also discuss the long-term impact on flight training, passenger vigilance, and how “Let’s Roll” became a symbo...

This week the Black Box Aviation Podcast brings you something special — our first live guest, Air Traffic Controller Ian! Tom & Mike sit down with Ian for a candid look behind the mic at the people who keep airplanes moving safely through the skies. Ian shares his path to ATC, from school and training timelines to life inside the radar room. We talk about the stress myths vs. reality, favorite movie scenes about controllers, how clearances work over voice vs. CPDLC, and what pilots say that s...

In this episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike kick things off by answering listener hotline questions: What is ETOPS flying? And how do pilots use the Great Circle Route? Plus, an update on the tragic NYC helicopter crash. From there, it’s stories from the road: Mike flies his family for the very first time — only to end up deplaning them after an APU failure 😬. We also cover an unexpected sidewalk emergency in Santa Monica, a flight from LAX to Newark with six horses onboard,...

In this Hot Topic Briefing episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike dive into the fascinating world of drones — past, present, and future. We trace drone flight from its surprising beginnings in 1849 unmanned balloons to modern military UCAVs, kamikaze drones, and modified commercial UAVs. We also look at the civilian side: FAA regulations, Part 107 licensing, and how drone pilots can turn their skills into an $80K career. But it’s not all smooth flying — we cover drone near-m...

Welcome back to the Black Box Aviation Podcast with Tom & Mike — where we talk about aviation, travel, and the things you NEED (and want) to know about flying. In this episode, we cover it all: 🌪️ Landing in San Juan with Hurricane Erin on the radar 🚨 A Southwest pilot arrested for DUI on the jetbridge 🌴 Hawaiian adventures — snorkeling with manta rays, golfing on lava fields, and the quirks of “island time” ✈️ Plus: lounge drama, tipping debates, and the sweaty palms of an MD-11 landing at S...

Ever had a lounge showdown over a dirty glass? Tom shares a hilarious (and slightly awkward) encounter at an airport lounge that you won’t believe. We also talk about pilot coffee obsessions, hotel breakfast rip-offs, and a flap/slat disagreement at cruise altitude—plus what really happens when a heavy MD-11 takes off from Anchorage. Mike brings us along for his family trip to Boston, including Fenway Park magic, the Freedom Trail, and why hotel breakfasts are the biggest rip-off in aviation ...

Welcome back to the Black Box Aviation Podcast! In this episode, Tom & Mike take you inside the cockpit to discuss layover fatigue, crazy stories from the road, and the latest aviation headlines you NEED to know about. ✈️ Topics We Cover: ✅ Layover Fatigue Reality Check: Why fatigue is more dangerous than you think OAK to ANC trip chaos and why timing matters Navy SEAL breathing tips for staying sharp ✅ Stories from the Road: Midnight street fight in NYC outside the cra...

In this episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike take a deep dive into one of the most shocking tragedies in modern aviation: the Germanwings Flight 9525 crash. On March 24, 2015, an Airbus A320 was intentionally brought down by its first officer, killing all on board. We break down the timeline, the cockpit voice recordings, and the critical lessons learned from this heartbreaking event. But that’s not all—we also explore: ✅ The State of Mental Health in Aviation New researc...

Buckle up for an Episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast as Tom & Mike take you behind the cockpit door for an action-packed discussion on the latest in aviation. ✈️ Main Topics: ✅ GPS Jamming & Aviation Safety – How modern warfare tech is now disrupting civilian aviation and what pilots do when GPS fails. ✅ Air Rage Epidemic – Why unruly passenger incidents are skyrocketing, shocking stories from real flights (including a Halloween flight gone completely off the rails), and the jaw-droppin...

In Hot Topic #9 of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike dive into the haunting story of Northwest Orient Flight 2501, a DC-4 lost over Lake Michigan in 1950 during a violent storm—becoming the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history at the time. With chilling similarities to modern incidents, and a 75-year mystery that ends not with discovery, but with surrender, this episode explores low-level icing, microbursts, and the limitations of vintage aviation tech. We’ll also touch on the...

In Episode 28 of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike dive deep into the just-released preliminary report on Air India Flight 171, the tragic 787 crash out of Ahmedabad. What initially looked like a puzzle of flap settings, weather, and electrical theories now zeroes in on a chilling cockpit moment: both engines lost power after the fuel cutoff switches were mysteriously triggered just seconds after takeoff. Was it mechanical failure or human error? We break it all down. We also hit: ...

Welcome to Hot Topic #8 on the Black Box Aviation Podcast with your hosts Tom & Mike, where we break down the latest and most pressing events in aviation. Today’s episode takes a hard look at the tragic Air India crash involving a Boeing 787 that went down on June 12th shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London. We examine: The sequence of events captured on video, including the unusually high angle of attack, gear still down, and ultimate impact beyond the runway. Pos...

Strap in for Hot Topic #7 on the Black Box Aviation Podcast with Tom & Mike! This week, we’re going back to basics with a beginner-friendly walkthrough of a standard traffic pattern—something every pilot in training will experience on their first flight toward earning a Private Pilot License (PPL). With Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) Mike sharing real-world insights from thousands of instructional hours, we break down the entire first flight experience—from taxiing out, taking off, and ent...

Welcome back to The Black Box Aviation Podcast, where Tom & Mike take you through everything from fighter jet flight plans to sushi near train stations in Tokyo. In this episode, we kick things off with Navy sweatshirts and golf tournaments, touch on Greta Thunberg’s headline-making arrest, and revisit the mystery of D.B. Cooper. Listener Bentley (not the car, but close!) asks how pilots really get weather updates—prompting a full breakdown of flight planning in the digital age, the old-schoo...

In Hot Topic #7, we dive into the future of flight: Sustainable Aviation. From contrails and carbon to biofuels and bizarre theories, this episode explores what’s really going on up there. We break down: ✈️ How much aviation contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions 🌫️ Why contrails matter more than you think 🛢️ What sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is—and who’s actually using it 💡 Airline efforts from United to Delta and FedEx to JetBlue 🚀 A shoutout to one of our buddies working on high...

In this week’s Hot Topic, we’re revisiting one of the most tragic and influential accidents in U.S. aviation history: American Airlines Flight 191, the catastrophic DC-10 crash just moments after takeoff from Chicago O’Hare on May 25, 1979. This wasn’t just a terrible accident—it was a turning point. In this episode, we dive deep into: ✈️ Personal Memories – Flying the DC-10, the 727, and now the MD-11 🧰 The Maintenance Misstep – How a shortcut during engine removal led to catastrophic failur...

In this powerful Hot Topic Briefing #4, we mark the 29th anniversary of ValuJet Flight 592, which tragically crashed into the Florida Everglades on May 11, 1996, killing all 110 souls aboard. This episode dives deep into the accident, the systemic failures behind it, and how its legacy reshaped aviation safety forever. We’ll explore: ✈️ The story of ValuJet, the ultra-low-cost airline that cut corners to stay profitable 🔥 How illegally loaded oxygen generators led to a catastrophic cargo fire...

This week on The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom is back from training with a flight bag full of stories. From shooting RNP .2 approaches to trying out the tricky Newark Stadium Visual Runway 29, it was anything but routine. After delays in Newark reroute his trip, Tom finds himself sprinting through DTW, dealing with valet bag failures, and navigating late-night hotel decisions—at a place that may or may not have had a dead flight attendant. We break down the chaos at Newark Liberty Airport,...

In this episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, we’re hitting turbulence from every angle—literally and figuratively. Broadcasting from a hotel room I paid for myself thanks to a contract that still doesn’t include training accommodations (because we’re "in base" 🙄), I dive into two stories that prove aviation never takes a day off. First, I recap a Delta flight that was hotter than the surface of the sun thanks to a deferred climate control MEL. Add in Alabama Slammers, five lav runs, and...

Buckle up for a hilarious and unforgettable ride in this week's episode of the BlackBox Aviation Podcast! We kick off answering a fantastic listener question from our text line about how high school students can best prepare for aviation careers, including the difference between Part 61 and Part 141 flight schools, discovery flights, and early steps toward a pilot license. Mike trained in both of these types of training. Whether you're just starting or guiding someone who dreams of flying, th...