AvTalk Episode 74: Our favorite conversations from 2019

What this episode covers

Happy New Year! On this episode of AvTalk we look back at some of our favorite conversations from 2019. We’ll be back with the first new episode of 2020 on 17 January. Mark Vanhoenacker We start by revisiting episode 56 and our conversation with Mark Vanhoenaker, a first officer with British Airways and a recent convert from the 747 to 787. Vanhoenaker is also the author of multiple books and we discuss his latest, How to Land a Plane. Maria Langer Next, in episode 62, we spoke with Maria Langer, who has a very specialized piloting job: she dries cherries using a helicopter. Joseph Tar Schmidt In episode 63 we chatted with Joseph Tar Schmidt, a regional airline pilot and accomplished violinist. On a recent Christmas flight, Tar Schmidt not only flew the plane, he serenaded his passengers too. Mark Zee NOTAMs are extremely important for flight safety as they make crews aware of any hazards or special operating instructions at an airport. They can also be long-winded, confusing, and sometimes downright silly. In episode 65, we talked with Mark Zee, the founder of OpsGroup, a professional aviation organization trying to reform the NOTAM. Lisa Norman And finally in episode 67, Qantas 787 fleet captain Lisa Norman joined us to talk about Qantas’ Project Sunrise and what it’s like to fly with a brain wave monitor attached to your head. Who would you like to hear from in 2020? As we plan our episodes for the year, we’d like to hear from you. Who should we talk to, what should we learn? Email us your thoughts. Thank you for listening!