mindFly Katha, From cockpit to culture — one podcast, many flight paths.

On the evening of 8 January 1989, British Midland Flight 092 fell out of the sky onto the M1 motorway near Kegworth, Leicestershire. Forty-seven people died. The crew had shut down the wrong engine. In this episode, Capt. Amit Singh FRAeS examines the cognitive mechanism that made a skilled, experienced flight crew certain of the wrong answer — and stay certain until it was too late. Premature cog...

On February 23, 2026, a Redbird Airways Beechcraft King Air C-90A operating as an air ambulance from Ranchi to New Delhi crashed in Jharkhand, tragically claiming the lives of all seven people on board, including two pilots, medical personnel, and a patient. Minutes after takeoff, the aircraft encountered a severe thunderstorm and suffered a catastrophic in-flight structural breakup , scattering i...

In this episode, we dive into IndiGo’s recent decision to appoint Willie Walsh—former CEO of British Airways and IAG—as its new Chief Executive. While the market reacted with a euphoric 9% jump in share prices, veteran airline captain Amit Singh argues that this hiring pattern demands deeper scrutiny. Why does India export its finest managerial minds to lead global giants like Google, Microsoft, a...

Have you ever wondered why a ground vehicle at LaGuardia Airport drove right past illuminated red Runway Entrance Lights (REL)? The system didn't fail, but the driver's perception was severely compromised. In this video, we dive into the fascinating world of aviation safety, human factors, and visual physiology to explain why the color red might actually be a safety hazard at night. Due to a physi...

In this episode, we expose a serious safety violation at Air India involving the operation of an Airbus A320 (VT-TQN) without a valid Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC). Based on leaked internal investigation reports, we break down how an aircraft flew eight revenue flights carrying passengers while illegally undocumented. In this episode: • The Incident: How VT-TQN operated a test flight and...

Why do preliminary aviation reports sometimes distinguish between milestones occurring "as per EAFR" and specific statistics like "maximum recorded airspeed"? In this episode, we analyze the technical nuance behind these terms, using the example of a 180 KIAS peak to illustrate the difference between procedural events (like V1 or Vr) and peak values captured in a data trace. We...

In this episode, we deconstruct the preliminary acoustic evidence surrounding the infamous cockpit exchange: “Why did you cut off?” — “I didn’t do it.” . While media reports suggest the CVR audio needed to be "cleaned up" to identify these voices, this necessity for heavy post-processing reveals a critical forensic clue. It suggests investigators were forced to rely on the Cockpit Area M...

On July 9, 2024, a LATAM Boeing 777-300ER dragged its tail along the runway at Milan Malpensa for over 700 meters. How does a modern cockpit with an Instructor Captain and a Relief Captain fail to notice that their takeoff speeds are dangerously low? In this episode, we break down the preliminary report and apply a "cognitive view" to understand how a "100-tonne class" error sl...

In this podcast, we analyse the critical gap between written Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and the tactile reality of cockpit practice, using the AI132 fuel control switch incident as a key case study. 1. The "Mess Hall" Problem We begin with an analogy from A Few Good Men : just because the procedure to get to the mess hall isn’t in the book, it doesn’t mean the Marines don’t eat....

On September 30, 2001, a King Air C-90 carrying former Aviation Minister from the sky, killing all eight onboard. The official report blamed heavy rains and pilot error—a "convenient story" for a high-profile disaster. But 25 years later, a new forensic analysis suggests the investigation was filled with comforting lies rather than hard truths. In this episode, we explore the dangerous i...

re passengers at Chennai International Airport safe? In this video, we investigate the alarming reports regarding fire safety violations at the newly commissioned terminal and the urgent remedial measures taken by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). 🚨 The Allegations: Sealed Exits & Fire Risks Aviation safety experts, led by Capt. Amit Singh of the Safety Matters Foundation, raised a red f...

When the AI-171 crash occurred, the public saw flames, wreckage, and the heroism of those who rushed in to help. But beneath the narrative of bravery lies a "real safety scandal": a system that allowed responders and civilians to enter a toxic environment unaware and unprotected .In this episode, we uncover the "unseen toxins" that turn modern aircraft accidents into "invi...

नमस्ते दोस्तों! इस वीडियो में हम वराह (Varaha) कुल के अद्भुत इतिहास और उनकी वंशावली के वैज्ञानिक प्रमाणों पर चर्चा करेंगे। जानिए कैसे पुरातात्विक, आनुवंशिक और ऐतिहासिक रिकॉर्ड इस बात की पुष्टि करते हैं कि वराह राजपूतों की जड़ें मध्य एशिया में थीं और उन्होंने भारतीय इतिहास में एक महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाई। 🔍 वीडियो के मुख्य बिंदु: आनुवंशिक प्रमाण (Genetic Evidence): डीएनए विश्लेषण से यह साबित हुआ है...

“ Varaha uncovers how the Varaha Rajputs—traced to the Xiongnu —migrated via Central Asia into India and defended Bharat’s northern borders for centuries. Using Persian and Chinese sources, Indian records, and DNA insights , the book rebuilds a story mainstream history forgot, including the rise of the Hindu Shahis . It’s rigor, not romance—a reclamation of truth and a restoration of honour .”

🕯️ Buried by time. Erased from memory. But not from truth. They ruled the hills. They fought empires. They left behind temples, coins, and stories… but no one remembers their name. Who were the Varaha Rajputs ? Why were they written out of history? In this opening episode, we peel back the layers of forgotten chronicles and uncover a warrior clan whose legacy was deliberately silenced. Before the...

Seat belts save lives; however, their purpose differs between aeroplanes and cars. Seat belts on aeroplanes are primarily designed to prevent injuries arising from in-flight turbulence, not sudden deceleration in the event of an accident.

Discover the impact of negative commands on pilot performance and aviation safety. Learn how cognitive biases like negativity bias contribute to real-life aviation incidents and how clear, positive communication can prevent disasters.

Hey there! Have you heard about the latest developments in the aviation industry? We have a great video that sheds light on the current situation and shares some exciting survey findings. Let's stay positive and hopeful about addressing potential safety concerns in the Indian skies!

In 2019, as per ILO/WHO report, 745,000 deaths have ocurred due to stroke and heart conditions linked to duty over 55hrs per week. Pilots are permitted 60 hrs of flight duty period.

There are a number of myths that mislead the pilots as well as the traveling public about safety.

Do you know the hidden dangers linked to excessive flight duty hours ? Listen to this episode of mindFly katha to understand the adverse effects of pilot fatigue.

No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law. Article 21 Indian Constitution 1950. The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India concurring opinion, stated that  "it is evident that right of privacy and the right to sleep have always been treated to be a fundamental right like a right to breathe, to eat, to drink, to blink, etc."....

The trainers are a key element in the learning triangle connecting the content wth the trainees.

Advaita Katha is about experiential learning. Learn from the tales narrated by an air crash survivor.

The irregularities in operations and compromise in safety while flying helicopters in mountainous areas was identified in the June 2022 audit by DGCA. The audit took place after being forced under public pressure after a video of a hard landing at Kedarnath emerged in the social media. A fine of just INR 5 lac was akin to legalising crimes and the unsupervised flying continued.