Topic: Flight Engineers

The hosts compare their lean production to the extensive staff list of The Wall Street Journal's "The Journal" podcast. They revisit the infamous 2013 KTVU news prank where a newsreader read fake, racially insensitive pilot names for the Asiana Flight 214 crash. The segment highlights the robotic nature of modern newsreaders who follow teleprompters without scrutiny.

Southwest Airlines is systematically pulling aircraft for complete maintenance checks following a previous mid-air engine failure. This safety initiative has led to widespread flight cancellations, particularly affecting travelers in New Mexico and other regions. The rigorous inspection process is expected to impact flight schedules for up to a year.

The conversation shifts to the technical requirements of operating a turboprop aircraft, focusing on the complexity of starting turbine engines without over-revving them. One host recounts a personal experience of damaging a jet engine, which resulted in a costly repair. They also discuss the efficacy of modern flight simulators in providing realistic flight training for non-pilots.

The Airbus A320 has a history of cockpit fume incidents caused by hydraulic fluid leaking into the auxiliary power unit (APU). The hosts discuss how toxic fumes could incapacitate a flight crew, potentially explaining why a pilot might leave the cockpit or fail to respond. They argue that the removal of flight engineers from modern cockpits has increased the risk of unmanaged technical failures.

The computational search engine Wolfram Alpha now offers a feature that displays real-time data for flights currently overhead based on the user's location. The tool provides details on airline, aircraft type, and altitude, though it does not currently track unmanned drones. One host demonstrates the feature, identifying a SkyWest flight arriving in San Francisco.