The Black Box Aviation Podcast

What happens when a private jet rejects a takeoff at high speed—and runs off the end of the runway? On this episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast , airline pilots Tom and Mike break down the reported rejected takeoff involving New Kids on the Block star Donnie Wahlberg, examining the critical decisions pilots face when a takeoff goes wrong. From rejected takeoff procedures and V1 decision spee...

How safe is commercial aviation when modern warfare, drone technology, and laser strikes threaten the skies? And what happens when an experienced airline crew discovers a stronger-than-expected tailwind during a nighttime landing? On this episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast , airline pilots Tom and Mike break down emerging threats to aviation safety and share a real-world cockpit experience...

What happens when global conflict, pilot fatigue, GPS interference, and one of the world's busiest airports collide? On this episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast , airline pilots Tom and Mike take you inside the real-world challenges of international flying, from breaking aviation news involving Saudi Arabia to a demanding arrival into Istanbul that tested communication, situational aware...

🚨 FLYDUBAI COCKPIT ATTACK — NEW REVELATIONS & AVIATION SAFETY CONCERNS What happens when the biggest threat to an airliner may come from inside the cockpit? On this episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom and Mike break down the latest revelations surrounding the FlyDubai incident, including the reported cockpit attack, concerns about pilot background screening, cockpit security, the u...

🚨 BREAKING AVIATION NEWS: FLYDUBAI FLIGHT 1073 🚨 What really happened aboard Flydubai Flight 1073 on its way from Dubai to Tel Aviv? In this breaking-news episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom and Mike break down the developing reports surrounding the dramatic Flydubai 1073 incident, including an alleged attack inside the cockpit, a massive altitude deviation, a distress call, a diversi...

✈️ Airline Pilot Life on the Road: Reserve Duty, Flight Delays, and a Heartfelt JetBlue Story | The Black Box Aviation Podcast What is life really like for an airline pilot when a trip goes wrong? In this episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast , Tom and Mike share real-world airline pilot stories, the challenges of reserve duty, international cargo operations, and a touching story about how a J...

Former 21 Air pilots raised safety concerns before the Amazon Prime Air crash in Miami — and now Amazon has paused its operations with 21 Air. In this episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom and Mike break down the whistleblower allegations, 21 Air's safety concerns, and what the ongoing investigation could mean for the cargo airline. What did former 21 Air pilots tell investigators and...

Amazon is cutting 21 Air from its Amazon Prime Air flying following the deadly 21 Air cargo crash in Miami. What happened during the approach, what does the cockpit voice recorder reveal, and why are experienced airline pilots Tom and Mike focusing so heavily on crew resource management (CRM), pilot decision-making, training, communication, and the breakdown between the captain and first officer?...

What happens when a seemingly harmless aircraft system turns into a life-threatening emergency? In this episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom and Mike break down the incredible story of Pilgrim Airlines Flight 458 , a 1981 aviation accident involving a De Havilland Twin Otter, an inflight cockpit fire, aircraft icing, and an emergency landing on a frozen reservoir in Rhode Island . This o...

A Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft operating as Prime Air Flight 7598, operated by 21 Air, overran Runway 30 at Miami International Airport after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico. In this breaking-news episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, airline pilot Thomas Gallagher breaks down what was known at the time of recording—and what investigators still needed to determine. Thomas examines the re...

What really happened to Pan Am Flight 103? And how accurate is Netflix's documentary about the Lockerbie bombing? In this episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom and Mike take a deep dive into the 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 disaster and review the Netflix documentary that revisits one of the most infamous events in aviation history. The conversation goes far beyond simply recapping the docu...

Welcome back to The Black Box Aviation Podcast ! 🎙️✈️ In this episode, airline pilots Tom and Mike pull back the curtain on the unpredictable reality of life on the road. From packing in minutes and recording a podcast while traveling to TSA mistaking aviation equipment for something else, this is a behind-the-scenes look at what professional pilots deal with. Mike is getting ready to jump on the...

What really happens behind the scenes when an airline flight starts going sideways? In this episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast , pilots Tom and Mike take you inside a series of real-world airline operations stories involving APU failures, extreme cabin temperatures, ground support problems, ATC delays, fuel management, maintenance issues, jet bridge failures, and challenging approaches into...

Ever wonder what happens behind the scenes when a pilot's trip completely unravels? In this episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, professional airline pilots Tom and Mike break down the chaos of rolling delays, crew scheduling nightmares, and what it’s really like to time out at an outstation (Fort Lauderdale edition!). We also dive into breaking aviation news, including the recent Alaska...

Tom is checking in live from his home studio after wrapping up his Boeing 777 Initial Operating Experience (IOE) trip! ✈️🌏 In this episode, Tom and Mike dive into the unfiltered realities of pilot life, tackling random post-flight drug testing, the hidden dangers of volcanic ash encounters on international routes, and the critical importance of crew resource management (CRM) with flight attendant...

What really happens behind the scenes when long-haul cargo pilots cross continents, manage fatigue, and fly through restricted airspaces? In this episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom checks in from Liege, Belgium, during a massive 13-day trip to detail the reality of flying over high-terrain routes, navigating geopolitical no-fly zones, and staying alert across time zones. Meanwhile, Mik...

Tom is checking in live from Guangzhou, China as he kicks off his B777 Initial Operating Experience (IOE) trip! ✈️🌏 In this episode, Tom and Mike dive into the growing industry-wide concern over lithium-ion battery fires onboard aircraft—highlighting recent WSJ reports, real-world cargo flight safety protocols (including EVAS and automated fire suppression systems), and what pilots do when therma...

In this episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast , airline pilots Tom and Mike dive into the highly anticipated preliminary NTSB accident report on the NetJets Citation Latitude highway crash in Laredo, Texas. We break down the timeline of the dual engine flameout, the unusual in-flight vibrations, and the critical component failures—including a fractured fuel-tube assembly and damaged starter ge...

Happy 4th of July from the crash pad! In this episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast , Tom and Mike dive deep into a legendary rock-and-roll tragedy: the 1977 Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash . We break down the technical factors surrounding the Convair CV-240 disaster, including the faulty right engine carburetor, severe fuel exhaustion, and how crew currency and the transition away from flight engi...

Can you handle the truth behind flight delays? ✈️ In this episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast , co-hosts Tom and Momo Mike welcome back resident FAA Air Traffic Controller and former Air Force C-5 flight engineer, Ian! Get a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how air traffic control (ATC) really manages the skies, how pilots handle simulator check rides, and what's changing with aviation sa...

What is it really like to live the airline pilot lifestyle during the hectic summer travel peak? In this episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom and Mike dive deep into the raw, unscripted realities of aviation commuting, crash pad living, and the chaos of getting called out on reserve. From navigating the gamesmanship of jumpseating through major hubs like Chicago O'Hare and Atlanta to sur...

What really happened to Colgan Air Flight 3407? On February 12, 2009, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 operating as a Continental Connection flight crashed during an instrument approach to Buffalo Niagara International Airport, resulting in 50 tragic fatalities. In this episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, hosts Tom and Mike break down the complex chain of events that led to the devastating crash in...

Welcome back to another episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast with your hosts Tom and Mike! In this episode, we dive deep into one of the most incredible survival stories in modern aviation history: the crash of Air France Flight 358 at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ). On August 2, 2005, an Airbus A340 flying from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris battled severe thunderstorms, rap...

On June 1st, 2009, Air France Flight 447 tragically crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. Now, nearly 17 years later, a French court has handed down a massive corporate manslaughter verdict against Air France and Airbus. In this episode, Tom and Mike break down the timeline of this historic aviation lawsuit and what it means for airline liability. Plus, we dive deep into the mechanics of pilot braking...

In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the challenges professional pilots face—from the technical demands of transitioning to wide-body aircraft to the high-stakes reality of FAA medical certification. Tom kicks things off with an update on his latest travels and the start of his Boeing 777 (B777) ground school and systems training. He shares the logistical hurdles of the transition, includi...