Above the Wing

This week, we talk about bird strikes and the multitude of rules & regulations our aircrafts undergo to share our skies with these friendly animals. We also briefly discuss other wildlife disturbances -- listen to learn what else pilots have to dodge!

In this episode, we took a look at cabin pressurization in airliners and portable oxygen systems for General Aviation. In the evolving market, portable oxygen has allowed pilots in GA to reach new heights, while commercial airliners have always relied on consistent technology.

In this episode, we discuss the debate of who was first in flight. Specifically, we focus on Brazilian Alberto Santos-Dumont and his rise to his first flight. We contrast his journey and flight with the American Wright Brothers and their famous flight in Kitty Hawk. We also took a look at the evolution for flight during their time, and how far we have come since then.

Air show season is in full swing! This week, we recap Kim's trip to the 2022 NY International Air Show! We talk about what she saw, who performed, and the target audience. We also compare and contrast Kim's experience to Ashley's experience at AirVenture.

At the end of July, Ashley attended AirVenture, the world's largest airshow that takes place annually in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. In the episode, we discuss what Ashley saw and her favorite parts. Since it was her seventh year attending, we also touch on what made this year's show unique.

This week, we revisit the Moon landing that took place in July 1969. We not only discuss the tech specs of the rockets, but we also compare the rocket to what we see today. Then, we take a look at how the media covered the monumental event.

Inspired by the recent release of Top Gun: Maverick, we decided to chat about the original Top Gun move, released in 1986. We discuss how it came to be, our personal ratings, and some surprising facts about Tom Cruise himself.

This week, we recap our thoughts on the second episode of Challenger, which is available for streaming on Netflix. Challenger: The Final Flight recounts the events that led to an ultimate disaster. It features testimonies from employees, family members and friends of the crew, and behind the scenes events that were outside of the public eye at the time.

This week, we discuss freight flights, which is something that we think is often overlooked in the aerospace and aviation industry. We take a look at freight and cargo flights throughout history, and how current events played a crucial role in shaping these flights' development.

In this episode, we take a closer look at Airbus as a company. We discuss their history, comparison to Boeing, and recent new headlines.

This week's episode looks into the second part of the Netflix documentary, Downfall. This portion focuses on the turbulent history of Boeing, and how decisions made on the corporate level ultimately led to the company's downfall.

In this episode, we share our thoughts and opinions on the first half of Downfall: The Case Against Boeing, which can be streamed on Netflix. The first portion details the aftermath of the two 737 MAX crashes and introduces us to those affected by and close to the crashes.

In this episode, we discus how concepts from the aerospace and aviation industry are used for an unlikely application - the Winter Olympics!

This week, we continue our Featured Flyer series with Bessie Coleman. We chose to feature Bessie in honor of Black History Month, which occurs each February. We discuss her impressive affinity for flight, and her journey to becoming the world's first Black woman to earn her pilot's license.

This week, we kick off a potential new series, Featured Film, where we watch an aviation- / aerospace-related film and share our thoughts. We started this potential series with the first episode of Challenger: The Final Flight, a Netflix original documentary. Let us know what you think of this new series!

In this episode, we discuss the recent dispute over implementing 5G and its threat to airline safety. We give an overview of what 5G is, why it affects pilots, and how this issue quickly turned political.

In this episode, we discuss the career of the inspirational Sirisha Bandla. Aside from being onboard Virgin Galactic's recent inaugural spaceflight, she has a glittering career in engineering and aerospace. Despite her incredible accomplishments, she has stayed true to her inner space kid, and we are so excited to introduce her story to you.

In this episode, we discuss the background of aerial firefighting, including aircraft types and attack strategies. We also touch upon recent research and studies in the field, and some of the major players might surprise you! We definitely enjoyed learning more about this application of aviation that we usually don't think twice about.

In this episode, we give an overview of Boeing's doomed 737 MAX aircraft and the generations that preceded it. We touch upon the culture at the aircraft company, the FAA's response, and how the fleet operates now.

In the second and final part of our guest episode with Stefan, we discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic affected individuals within and the airline industry as a whole. Stefan gives insight on how fatigue affects pilots and the regulations that are put into place to ensure that airline safety is never compromised. This episode is sponsored by Anchor.