Episodes

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: ...

It’s a jam-packed episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast with Tom & Mike, where we talk aviation, airlines, travel chaos, grilling food, and the wild world of airline policy. This week we dig into everything from 4th of July cookout trends to TSA controversies, historic crashes, and whether Southwest Airlines is losing its soul. Here’s what’s on the flight plan: 🌭 4th of July Food & Fireworks Mayhem From baby back ribs to flying bratwurst — and a reminder that 14,700 people landed in th...

Welcome to another episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, where we talk all things aviation, flying, travel — and the occasional wild conspiracy. Your hosts Tom & Mike are back with stories from the road, industry news, and an unsolved mystery from aviation history. Here’s what we dive into this week: 🇺🇸 4th of July in the Airline World — Why holiday pay isn’t always guaranteed, contract frustrations, and how the system should work. ✈️ Stories from the Flight Deck — From Memphis to Anchor...

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...

Welcome back to the Black Box Aviation Podcast with your hosts Tom & Mike, where we dive into all things aviation, travel, and the stories that come with life in the skies. This week we kick things off with our review of the Netflix documentary “Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds” — our takeaways, the behind-the-scenes reality of these elite aviators, and how this film stacks up to the Blue Angels docs we've seen before. Spoiler alert: the “ThunderChickens” nickname made the cut, and yes, we laugh...

Welcome back to the Black Box Aviation Podcast with Tom & Mike — where we break down the latest in aviation, travel, and everything you need to know about life in the skies. This episode is a full plate! We start with the Hot Topic — the Air India incident — and we’re currently working to bring in a safety expert to go even further. We also dissect a JetBlue A220 landing incident at BOS in strong crosswinds, a dramatic heavy landing we recently had ourselves, and a few stories from our time o...

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...

Tom’s back from a monster trip across the globe, and he’s got stories to prove it—Shanghai customs chaos, underground Rolex deals with a scooter locker twist, executive lounge mochi mishaps, and a VIP connection in the infamous Fake Market. Plus, Mike teases an upcoming guest who’ll give us the controller’s-eye view of air traffic misunderstandings (and BBQ complaints). We answer listener Jameson’s question about the current status of the DC-10 in commercial service and spotlight ORBIS, the f...

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 high-flying episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, we’re diving into one of the most mysterious unsolved cases in aviation history—the legend of DB Cooper. On November 24, 1971, a man in a modest suit boarded a Northwest Orient Airlines 727 in Portland, Oregon. He handed a note to a flight attendant, claimed he had a bomb, demanded $200,000 in cash, parachutes, and a flight to Mexico... and then disappeared—literally—into the night sky over the Pacific Northwest. We’ll break do...

In this weeks episode, we’re globe-trotting and diving deep! This week’s episode is packed with travel tales, listener scenarios, and the latest in aviation headlines. Buckle up—it’s a wild ride across continents and cruising altitudes. ✈️ Captain's Log: Asia Edition Your host is heading off on a massive trip across Asia and shares how curiosity, ambition—and a little fatigue—can make or break your layover adventures. Hear about past escapades including: 🕰️ The infamous fake Rolex deal in Hon...

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...

In Hot Topic Briefing #3, we take a somber but important look at the tragic accident that claimed the life of world-renowned aerobatic pilot Rob Holland during a practice session at Langley AFB in Virginia ahead of the Air Power Over Hampton Roads Airshow. We explore Holland’s incredible legacy — from his championship career flying the high-performance MXS-RH aircraft to his leadership in pushing the boundaries of aerobatic flight. We also dive into the world of experimental aircraft, the uni...

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...

In this Hot Topic Briefing of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, we break down the dramatic incident involving Delta Flight 2276, which experienced a tailpipe fire at the gate in Orlando. What exactly caused this fiery event? What should pilots do in this scenario—and more importantly, what should they not do? We dive into the mechanics of a tailpipe fire, the crucial role of checklist discipline, and the decision-making process that determines whether to evacuate an aircraft or keep passengers ...

This week on The BlackBox Aviation Podcast, we’re diving headfirst into the chaos, comedy, and close calls of spring break air travel—aviator style. I share stories from the road (and sky), including the saga of dragging golf clubs through JetBlue's SRQ route, how a sentimental pocket knife survived post-9/11 TSA... until it didn’t, and why TSA always finds my sunscreen but misses the good stuff. Plus, we nerd out at the legendary Captain Cook Hotel in Anchorage, where volcano warnings double...

Welcome to the very first episode of our new mini-series, Hot Topic Briefing, where we dive into one pressing issue in aviation in a quick, focused format. This week, we're breaking down the tragic crash of the Mitsubishi MU-2 in upstate New York. We’ll examine what’s known so far, the aircraft's controversial safety record, and what this incident could mean for the industry. Whether you're a pilot, enthusiast, or aviation safety advocate, this briefing delivers the essential takeaways you...

Buckle up—it’s another wild ride in the jumpseat! This week on the BlackBox Aviation Podcast, we swap crazy cockpit stories, including a go-around that left more than just the passengers a little queasy (yes, a dog barfed). We also break down a walking red flag of a captain that had us all doing double-takes. On the industry side, we dive into big moves in the regional world: the surprise Mesa-Republic merger announcement and what it could mean for pilots and passengers alike. Plus, what’s ne...

In this episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, we're joined by a special guest who started his aviation journey as a P-3 sensor operator in the military, worked his way up through the ranks, and is now a major airline captain and airline interviewer. But before the stripes and interviews, the three of us were just broke pilots sharing a crashpad at the infamous Clarion Hotel in Detroit. We share hilarious crashpad memories, including how the hotel's "free" breakfast became a lifeline—beca...

In this episode, we tackle the dangers of mistaken runways for takeoff. We break down the Southwest Flight 3278 incident in Orlando, where the crew mistook a taxiway for a runway—leading to an aborted takeoff after a critical intervention from ATC. Then, we compare it to the tragic Comair Flight 5191 crash in Lexington, where a takeoff from a closed, unlit runway ended in disaster. What causes these errors, and what safeguards can prevent them? We explore real-world lessons from these cases. ...