4 chapters across the catalog
Airbus Hydrogen Plane, False Civilization Transition, Port of Rotterdam
Airbus announced plans to test a hydrogen-powered A380, the world's largest passenger aircraft. The Mayor of Rotterdam characterized the shift to hydrogen as a "fourth civilization transition" comparable to the move from the Stone Age to electricity. The hosts remain skeptical of the science, citing the poor power-to-weight ratio of hydrogen fuel cells for aviation.
A Challenger 604 private jet was nearly destroyed after encountering wake turbulence from an Airbus A380 flying 1,000 feet above it near the Maldives. The smaller jet flipped several times and plummeted 10,000 feet before the pilots regained control. The aircraft was declared a total loss due to extreme G-forces, and several passengers were seriously injured.
The Airbus A380 has begun service at San Francisco International Airport, requiring specialized gates for its double-decker configuration. This prompts a reminiscence of MGM Grand Air, a luxury airline that operated between New York and Los Angeles in the late 1980s. An anecdote involves sharing a stateroom with actor Sean Penn shortly after his divorce from Madonna.
Airbus A380 Technical Issues and In-Flight Entertainment
A listener shares an anecdote about using the USB port on an Airbus A380 to listen to No Agenda episodes, followed by news of Qantas grounding its A380 fleet due to engine failures. The segment touches on the ongoing competitive "wars" between Airbus and Boeing.
