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AvTalk Episode 31: Aviation Uncertainty

On this episode of AvTalk, aerospace journalist John Walton joins us for a wide ranging discussion about aircraft and airlines new and old. And we speak with Joe Duval, the chief test pilot at Honeywell Aerospace about what it’s like to fly a 757 with an engine attached to the fuselage and some of the other interesting projects he’s working on.

Download a transcript of this episode

Lufthansa Group’s Aircraft Order

Lufthansa Group announced an order for new aircraft for its Lufthansa, Swiss, and Lufthansa Cargo airlines. We discuss why this relatively small order is of interest.

‘Papa Fox’—Austria’s new (to them) 777

OE-LPF, Austrian’s new (to them) 777 in new livery with special decals applied

Labor Relations

We explore the turmoil at Air France, which recently saw its CEO resign and is dealing with crew strikes, and where the airline possibly goes from here. We also return to Joon, which presents an interesting challenge and opportunity for Air France.

Joe Duval, Chief Test Pilot and Site Leader, Honeywell Aerospace

Joe Duval is the chief test pilot for Honeywell Aerospace and leads the team of test pilots who operate aircraft ranging from the Boeing 757 to the Embraer E170 to the Convair CV-580. We talk with Joe about his job and what its like to fly a wide range of aircraft in a unique environment.

The Honeywell Aerospace 757 with a test engine attached to the fuselage pod

The JCPOA and Aircraft Orders

With the recent withdrawal of the US from the JCPOA (Iran nuclear deal), we look at what’s next for Boeing and the orders from Iranian airlines.

A bigger picture on engine issues

We talk about how consolidation in the aerospace industry affects how airlines can react to problems, like issues affecting a whole family of engines.

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