TSA Takedowns, Volcano Warnings & the VFR Maze: Spring Break in the Sky

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 as desk decor and you can spot fellow pilots by their iPads. Oh, and wait ‘til you hear about the group heading straight into the volcano. No joke.

Then we shift gears to talk about a tragic helicopter crash in the NYC VFR corridor—what the corridor is, why it matters, and how airspace classes work (yes, there’s a pop quiz). From Sully’s miracle on the Hudson to a Yankees pitcher’s fatal SR20 crash, we revisit New York’s infamous aviation incidents and the evolving safety landscape.

Whether you’re hauling sunscreen to Hawaii or skimming the East River in a P-3 Orion, this episode’s packed with laughs, lessons, and love for aviation.

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