Australian Aviation Podcast Network

As chief remote pilot at the CSIRO, Amanda Meys has trailblazed through a very impressive career in risk management, drone piloting, maintenance and military aviation, just to name a few In this episode of Sky's The Limit, hosts Anna Grbas and Hannah Dowling sit down with Amanda to discuss her early career in military aviation, and her sheer determination to pursue avionics engineering. Plus, Aman...

Australian states are gearing up to end lockdowns and we're being told we'll soon have to learn to live with the virus. But are we ready to? In this episode, Phil and Adam discuss what needs to be done for airports to be ready to open borders domestically and, crucially, internationally. The pair also ask why major foreign airlines are so keen to hire Aussie pilots, and whether we'll be left short...

This year's R U OK? Day serves as an important reminder to open up the conversation on mental health, both in the workplace and at home, according to David Coleman, member for Banks and Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.   In this special episode, join Momentum Media director Alex Whitlock as he speaks to Mr Coleman.   Together, the pair discuss the...

While COVID has generated headlines for grounding commercial airlines, it's also forced those in the MRO sector to quickly innovate to keep their clients airborne. In this special episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast, host Adam Thorn speaks to the CEO of Salus Aviation, Greg Edmonds. He talks about the group's New Zealand owned and operated business Oceania Aviation, which offers nose-to-tai...

After two months in a COVID slumber, Qantas finally poked its head up to reveal its full-year financial results. And while the loss was predictable, far more interesting was its ambitious plan to get flying again this year, and bring its A380s back earlier than expected. In this episode, Adam Thorn and Hannah Dowling discuss the politics behind the story, and which of its A380s will be the first t...

This week, the RAAF's attempts to evacuate thousands of Australians from Kabul Airport in Afghanistan became mainstream news. In this episode, Phil and Adam talk about the latest updates and discuss whether the war in Afghanistan was always unwinnable. Plus, COVID and aviation stories intertwine again as state premiers appear to diverge on when the country should open up. Finally, the pair talk th...

Starting first as an aeronautical engineer, and then a flight test engineer for the Canadian Armed Forces, Kristen Raby has climbed the ranks of both the public and private sectors, to now be Nova Systems' general manager of operations. In this episode of Sky's The Limit, hosts Anna Grbas and Hannah Dowling sit down with Kristen to discuss her early fascination with the aviation industry, and how...

As NSW's near two-month lockdown rumbles on, state and territory leaders seem to be backing out of their national cabinet promise to open borders when most of us have been vaccinated. On this week's episode, Phil and a very recently jabbed Adam discuss how COVID politics is keeping domestic aviation grounded. Plus, the team discuss a screwdriver incident, Alliance's amazing profits and stand downs...

This week, Qantas announced it would stand down 2,500 employees, just one day after the government revealed its plan to provide additional financial support to the airline industry. In this episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast, host Adam Thorn and reporter Hannah Dowling discuss the conveniently-timed move, and speculate as rival Virgin bides its time. Plus, the team reveals the details of t...

People often don't take the time to consider the kind of retirement they want to have, and whether they can afford it. But delaying making a plan will only make things more difficult in the long-run. In this special episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast, Adam Thorn speaks to MGD Wealth's Richard Marsden and Alec Berry to discuss how professional financial modelling can take the guesswork out...

Aviation's deep freeze shows no sign of thawing – but this week Alan Joyce broke cover to reassure staff stand-downs will be avoided. For now. In this week's episode, Phil and Adam discuss the latest situation with borders and lockdowns, and ask how quickly domestic aviation can recover. Plus, Australian Aviation talks through its story aiming to track down all the Qantas 747s in boneyards. How di...

As domestic aviation's latest COVID slumber continues, host Phil Tarrant and guest Adam Thorn try to find some reasons to be positive. Because amid the gloom, there's been some great stories of late, not least that of hero pilot Gerry Geltch, who saved his trainee co-pilot by repeatedly re-entering the wreckage of his Cessna after it crashed into the sea. The team also discusses the space race bet...

Amy Shira Teitel is a woman of many talents – she's a space historian, YouTuber, TV host, and now, a biographical author. On this episode of Sky's The Limit, hosts Anna Grbas and Hannah Dowling are joined by Amy to discuss her latest biographical novel, titled  Fighting for Space , which tells the story of the women vying to become NASA's first female astronauts, and the Mercury 13. Amy tells us t...

Leaving any job in aviation can be hard. Particularly if you're a pilot, and even more so if you're an RAAF fighter pilot. How do you deal with giving up a lifetime's work? There's probably no person in Australia who has managed the transition better than Jim Whalley, who co-founded Nova after a hugely successful career flying Hornets. In this interview, Adam and Jim discuss his career, what posse...

Last week, it was back to the future as half of Australia went into lockdown and state borders slammed shut. On this week's episode, host Phil Tarrant and guest Adam Thorn talk through the sobering events and ask how long airlines can hold their nerve and not stand down workers. Plus, the pair chat about the effect of Australia reducing its overseas arrival caps. How much harder will it make it fo...

In this episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast, Defence Connect news editor Charbel Kadib joins Adam and Phil to discuss the latest developments in military aviation. The team begins by addressing the latest COVID-19 outbreak in NSW and its potential consequences, before reflecting on the evolution in air power, including the recent integration of the fifth-generation F-35A fleet. The trio als...

Last week, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk advised citizens not to travel to NSW – but stopped short to shutting her borders. It meant many businesses were in limbo, denied insurance payments but also unable to travel or put on events. In this week's episode, Phil and Adam discuss where Australia's state border chaos goes. Should there be a national plan, and has the country surrendered i...

Deborah Lawrie is undoubtedly a name you have heard before – She was Australia's first female pilot for a major commercial airline, following a years-long battle with Ansett Airlines that made it all the way to the High Court. On this episode of Sky's The Limit, hosts Anna Grbas and Hannah Dowling are joined by the pioneering female aviator to discuss the details of her early career in aviation, a...

How's this for a life story: Matt Hall was an ex-Hornet pilot, combat instructor and Wing Commander who transitioned into becoming an air race pilot. In 2019, he become the Red Bull Air Race World Champion. In this episode of the Australian Aviation podcast, Matt talks to hosts Boo and Phil on his 2010 crash, dealing with risk, flying in the RAAF and how he navigated COVID. Matt also talks about h...

Last week, Rex released a newspaper advert featuring supposed complaints from Qantas customers struggling to get their refund. It marked a new low in the very public fallout between the two airlines. On this week's episode, host Phil Tarrant and guest Adam Thorn discuss the fallout. Is all fair in love and war, or will Rex rue the day it hit below the belt? Plus, as Melbourne's lockdown shuffles a...

Weren't things going so well? Domestic aviation had seen record low prices, record high planes in the air and almost all employees back to work. However, Victoria's latest lockdown has sent the industry back into crisis mode. This week, Adam and Phil discuss what it means – and how big the damage could be. The team also discusses last week's big interview with Rex deputy chairman John Sharp, who t...

What a year Rex has had: from COVID-induced oblivion to fighting for the Golden Triangle via a high-profile falling out with Qantas.  In this episode, we talk to the man in charge, deputy chairman John Sharp, to find out first-hand how it all played out.  We dig deep into the rights and wrongs of Qantas launching flights on previously exclusive Rex routes, how he coped with having to stand down st...

In this inaugural episode of Sky's The Limit, hosts Anna Grbas and Hannah Dowling are joined by guest Kirsty Ferguson, Australian Aviation's own careers and training columnist and aviation recruitment extraordinaire. This week, Kirsty discusses the current state of career opportunities in Australia in the post-pandemic environment, and the shift in managers' views towards gender and diversity in l...

The ACCC has revealed it's proposing to deny authorisation for Qantas and Japan Airlines to collaborate when international travel – finally – resumes. On this week's episode, Adam and Phil discuss what this means and why the airline has also opted to remain in its current bases. Plus, the pair discuss the latest developments at Soar Aviation – the once biggest flight school in Australia that sunk...

In this week's episode, Australian Aviation's chief pilot-cum-prodigal son, Boo, returns to join Phil and Adam to discuss the latest issues in the industry. And chief among them is how the vaccine debate has changed, as worries shift from supply to demand. Aussies' reluctance to get the jab is making many worry whether the country will ever open up, with Canberra Airport's CEO arguing the inoculat...