The Black Box Aviation Podcast

• Free Bacon, Hotel Layovers & Shutdowns in the Sky: Airline Pilot Life Unplugged

  What really happens after the jet parks at the gate? In Episode 29 of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, we bring back the “Day in the Life” series — but this time we go beyond the cockpit and deep into hotel layovers, crew routines, unexpected travel perks (like free bacon!), and the realities of life on the road as an airline pilot.Tom & Mike open up about:✈️ Navigating FAA Part 117 rest rules🥓 Free bacon and late-night pizza🏊 Swimming laps at Ala Moana in Hawaii🏁 NASCAR’s ARCA Menards Series in Dover🧑‍✈️ Layovers from Minot to Paris💤 Pilot sleep strategies & workout routines😳 The Air India flight where the captain shut down both engines📊 Airline passenger disturbances and rage — are they increasing?📆 Involuntary trip extensions up to 84 hours and how to mentally preparePlus, stories of:🍕 Pizza buffets in Buffalo🍺 $2 Labatt drafts📱 Convincing a crew member to call in sick for safety’s sake👟 Ironman training and marathon runs while on layoversWe explore how lifestyle, fitness, and mental wellness intersect with the job — and how good crews look out for one another on the road.📩 Connect with Us:🌐 Website: www.theblackboxaviationpodcast.com📧 Email: [email protected]📸 Instagram & X: @the_black_box01📲 Hotline/Text Line: (203) 699-6792 — Leave your name and a story or question!🔍 #PilotLife #AirlinePodcast #LayoverLife #AviationLifestyle #FreeBacon #PilotFitness #AirIndia #HotelLayovers #AirRage #PodcastClips #BlackBoxAviation #AviationHumor #TravelStories

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• Hot Topic #9 – The Vanishing of Northwest Flight 2501: Aviation Mystery Over Lake Michigan

  In Hot Topic #9 of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike dive into the haunting story of Northwest Orient Flight 2501, a DC-4 lost over Lake Michigan in 1950 during a violent storm—becoming the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history at the time. With chilling similarities to modern incidents, and a 75-year mystery that ends not with discovery, but with surrender, this episode explores low-level icing, microbursts, and the limitations of vintage aviation tech.We’ll also touch on the emotional quest of a son searching for his mother’s cowbell, the role of Charles Lindbergh and the airline’s great circle legacy, and why this story still matters today.📬 Got thoughts or stories? Reach out!📧 Email: [email protected]📸 IG & X: @the_black_box01📞 Call or text: (203) 699-6792 — Leave your name, and you might hear yourself in a future episode!📰 Based on the New York Times article:“75 Years After a Deadly Plane Crash, the Search for Its Wreckage Ends” by Ashivarya Kavi#aviationmystery #nw2501 #blackboxaviation #lakeMichiganCrash #aviationhistory #airdisaster #aviationpodcast #trueaviationcrime #charleslindbergh #microburst #aircrash

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• Fuel Cutoff Confusion: The Air India 171 Report, TSA Tales & Hotel Life

  In Episode 28 of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom & Mike dive deep into the just-released preliminary report on Air India Flight 171, the tragic 787 crash out of Ahmedabad. What initially looked like a puzzle of flap settings, weather, and electrical theories now zeroes in on a chilling cockpit moment: both engines lost power after the fuel cutoff switches were mysteriously triggered just seconds after takeoff. Was it mechanical failure or human error? We break it all down.We also hit:🧳 Stories from the RoadTSA shenanigans, PreCheck weirdness, and the return of “swamp crotch”Elevator etiquette and breakfast missions in AnchorageHotel crew discounts getting shady – who’s pretending to be a pilot?📉 Air India 171 Full BreakdownEngine and MEL historyWeather, flap settings, and failed theoriesA haunting cockpit exchange: “Why did you cut off the fuel?”The unexpected deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT)A similar story from a T-1 student pilot who cut off fuel… on the ramp. A rare mistake, but not unheard of.🛫 In The NewsTSA considers ending the shoe removal rule (Finally.)Why you’ll still need to take out your charger but might get to keep your shoesSouthwest’s pricing changes and customer identity crisisHotel charging setups – why does every room seem built for 2003?This one’s full of insight, stories, and those moments in aviation that make you go: Wait, what just happened?📬 Connect with Us:📧 Email: [email protected]📸 Instagram & X: @the_black_box01📞 Hotline: (203) 699-6792 — Drop us your name & story!✈️ The Black Box Aviation PodcastReal pilots. Real stories. What really happens when someone accidentally shuts down both engines? Let’s talk about it.

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• Hot Dogs, Shoe Bombs & Southwest's Identity Crisis: 4th of July & Industry Buzz

  It’s a jam-packed episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast with Tom & Mike, where we talk aviation, airlines, travel chaos, grilling food, and the wild world of airline policy. This week we dig into everything from 4th of July cookout trends to TSA controversies, historic crashes, and whether Southwest Airlines is losing its soul.Here’s what’s on the flight plan:🌭 4th of July Food & Fireworks MayhemFrom baby back ribs to flying bratwurst — and a reminder that 14,700 people landed in the ER last year from fireworks injuries. Don’t be a stat.🛫 Vacation Plans & Evermore Resort OrlandoHear what’s on deck for our next trip and whether it's worth checking out for your next family adventure.📉 Delta Flight 1141 Crash BreakdownA cautionary tale from 1988: flaps not set, TOWS system failed, cockpit distraction, and a deadly crash just 22 seconds after liftoff. We draw eerie parallels to the recent Air India 787 incident.👞 TSA Might Finally End the Shoe RuleA potential end to the smelly foot parade? ABC reports TSA may ditch the outdated policy tied to 2001’s Richard Reid “Shoe Bomber” — plus a look at PETN explosives and how close flights came to tragedy.📦 Southwest Airlines’ New DirectionWill they abandon free bags and open seating? We talk CEO Bob Jordan’s moves, Wall Street pressure, and whether the new strategy will alienate their famously loyal flyers.📻 Stories from the RoadAnchorage storms, flight deck dynamics, and why you never assume clear weather means an easy approach. Oh, and that spicy sausage story from Uncle G...📦 In The NewsTSA bans high-proof alcoholRevisiting lithium battery dangersAnd the latest buzz from the terminal floor📬 Connect with Us:📧 [email protected]📸 Instagram & X: @the_black_box01📱 Hotline: (203) 699-6792 — Leave us your name and your story!Black Box Aviation PodcastReal pilots. Real stories. And no, we don’t miss the shoe scanner either.

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• Holiday Pay, Conspiracies & The National Airlines Flight 967 Mystery — Plus Travel Gear Talk!

  Welcome to another episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, where we talk all things aviation, flying, travel — and the occasional wild conspiracy. Your hosts Tom & Mike are back with stories from the road, industry news, and an unsolved mystery from aviation history.Here’s what we dive into this week:🇺🇸 4th of July in the Airline World — Why holiday pay isn’t always guaranteed, contract frustrations, and how the system should work.✈️ Stories from the Flight Deck — From Memphis to Anchorage to dodging thunderstorms in Memphis, hear how weather, windshear alerts, and good old-fashioned pilot instinct played out.🚫 TSA’s Latest Ban — High-proof alcohol is now off-limits on flights. We discuss the reason (hint: it involves an infamous Guam crash and duty-free booze).💣 The National Airlines Flight 967 Mystery — A vanished airliner, a convicted con-man, a briefcase, life insurance, and one of aviation’s eeriest unsolved disasters. Was it an accident — or a faked death?🔌 Travel Gear Review — Mike shares his take on the Tessan Universal Travel Adapter and how to avoid international power problems with your devices.We’ve got true crime, travel tips, pilot rants, and aviation history all packed into one episode.📬 Connect with Us:📧 [email protected]📸 Instagram & X: @the_black_box01📱 Hotline: (203) 699-6792 — Leave us a message with your name and you might make the next episode!Black Box Aviation Podcast — Honest flying stories. Real travel advice. A little conspiracy on the side.

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