Australian Aviation Podcast Network – Details, episodes & analysis

It’s been a long time coming, and at last, this week saw the release of the federal government’s Aviation White Paper.

The government has pushed consumer protections to the forefront of its agenda, with a new independent ombudsman to take over from the industry-funded Airline Customer Advocate, and a Charter of Customer Rights on the horizon.

Adam and Jake dig into some of the white paper’s provisions and examine what they might mean for the sector.

Plus, as the Rex administration saga rolls on, what has the government been doing to keep the beleaguered airline’s regional services afloat – and could it be doing more?

Joel Neeb is a former F-15 pilot who flew thousands of missions for the US Air Force, including escorting Air Force One and patrolling the skies in the days after 9/11.

Rising to become lieutenant colonel, he trained hundreds of others to do the same as chief instructor pilot.

More impressively, after he left the military, he became a hugely successful business leader.

In this special episode, Neeb, visiting Sydney from the US, talks through his amazing career and the secret sauce that makes the best fighter pilots.  

Despite Virgin attracting some major allies in its fight for more capacity to Bali, ultimately Jetstar looks to have prevailed, with the IASC awarding Qantas Group the coveted seats.

So what tipped the scales in Jetstar’s favour – and why did Virgin fall short?

Adam and Jake look at the decision and what it means for Bali-bound travellers.

Plus, what caused a terrifying ride for Virgin passengers out of Queenstown this week?

Doug Morris has been an Air Canada pilot for 26 years, and currently flies 787s.

If his name sounds familiar, it’s because we ran extracts from his fantastic new book — called This is Your Captain Speaking — in our last issue of Australian Aviation’s print magazine.

In it, he spills the trade secrets of flying long haul — everything you wanted to know, but were too afraid to ask.

In this episode, Morris talks to host Adam Thorn about his passion for flying, navigating COVID, and what’s in store for the industry in a post-pandemic world.

Merren McArthur has certainly made her mark on Australia’s aviation sector as the former CEO of Virgin Australia Regional Airlines and Tigerair who was dedicated to improving female engagement in aviation.

In this episode of Sky’s The Limit, hosts Hannah Dowling and Anna Grbas sit down with Merren to discuss how she navigated her own career progression out of in-house counsel to the C-suite level in the competitive, male-dominated aviation space.

Merren also shares how she was able to improve female participation not only in her pilot cohort, but also in her senior management teams at Tiger — a plan she intends to use again in her new role.

Finally, Merren reveals the details of her new venture with Canadian startup budget carrier LynxAir, and the number one piece of advice she would offer to her younger self.

This week, Bonza unveiled its new ‘wear it your way’ uniforms, while the ACCC revealed that Australia’s domestic passenger capacity reached 89 per cent of pre-COVID levels in April.

In this episode of the Australian Aviation podcast, hosts Adam Thorn and Hannah Dowling discuss how aviation’s recovery continues to catch the industry off guard.

Plus, the team reveals Bonza’s plan for its crew to don shorts, blazers, and sneakers aboard its fleet of Boeing 737 MAX jets.

Finally, the crew discuss the newest developments in Rex and Qantas's ongoing feud over network decisions.

On Thursday, 26 May, a Chinese-built J-16 fighter jet “cut across the nose” of a RAAF P-8 Poseidon, getting so close that the fighter’s chaff was “ingested” into the aircraft’s engine.

In this episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast, hosts Adam Thorn and Hannah Dowling reveal what they know so far about the incident, the aircraft, and the message being sent by China.

Plus, the team discusses Virgin’s latest move to show support and recognition towards its workforce after two years of hardship.

Finally, Adam shares the very exciting story of Qantas’ last Boeing 747 being finally moved out of the California desert and a possible future return to Australian shores.

In April, aerospace composite business and MRO provider Quickstep signed a pioneering $30 million long-term maintenance contract with Jetstar.

It was hugely significant for our industry because it was the first time a deal of this nature had been awarded to a local, independent MRO provider after an extensive global tendering process.

In this special episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast, the business’ executive general manager of aftermarket services, Tim Gent, talks about the deal’s importance.

He also chats with host Adam Thorn about how the country competes to secure global deals, how to fix engineering skill shortages and Quickstep’s investment in unmanned aircraft.