Libsyn Directory

367 Learjet X-AUCI Philadelphia Crash and Reagan MidAir Update + GA News

Release Date: 02/07/2025

387 Vectors to Final and glide path behavior on RNAV (GPS) approaches + GA News

Aviation News Talk podcast

Max talks about common gotchas with RNAV GPS approaches, especially when using vectors to final (VTF). The conversation picks up where Episode 383 left off, with listeners asking how vectors to final (VTF) influences glidepath capture on WAAS approaches. He explains that under normal circumstances—flying the approach via own navigation from an initial approach fix (IAF)—the GPS glidepath doesn’t turn magenta or allow autopilot coupling until the FAF becomes the active waypoint. The magenta color indicates that the GPS receiver has completed a signal quality evaluation, verifying...

386 When a Door Ajar Becomes a Fatal Distraction: GA Door-Open Accidents and What Pilots Should Do + GA News

Aviation News Talk podcast

A cabin door pops open just after takeoff. It’s noisy, surprising—but the aircraft is still flying just fine. So why are general aviation pilots still crashing and dying in these scenarios? In this episode, Max explores the unsettling trend of fatal accidents caused not by mechanical failure, but by how pilots react to in-flight distractions—specifically, an open cabin or baggage door. In just the first five months of 2025, four U.S. GA crashes involved doors opening shortly after takeoff. Three were fatal; the fourth resulted in serious burn injuries. Max walks through each...

385 N666DS Citation S550 Crash in San Diego – Flying below Minimums

Aviation News Talk podcast

Max Trescott examines the tragic crash of a Citation S550, N666DS, in San Diego during an attempted RNAV (GPS) 28R approach to Montgomery Field at approximately 3:46 AM. After departing Teterboro, NJ, and making a fuel stop at Wichita's Jabara Field, the pilot continued westbound overnight. After refueling, the flight continued to San Diego, where the Montgomery Field AWOS was inoperative, and weather was marginal. The pilot requested weather at nearby airports. The aircraft correctly crossed the final approach fix PENYY at 2500 feet but then flew below the glide path and failed to...

384 NTSB News Talk podcast - Unpacking the Fatal Crash of a Citation Jet, N611VG Caused by Cabin Decompression

Aviation News Talk podcast

Max Trescott and Rob Mark launch the first episode of NTSB News Talk, diving into NTSB agency news, recent accidents and newly published NTSB reports to help pilots better understand accident causes and improve decision-making in the cockpit. Please help us improve the show by . To hear future episodes of NTSB News Talk, Follow or Subscribe to the show in your podcast app. They begin with a surprising administrative shake-up: the unexplained . Rob questions the lack of transparency, pointing out how an independent agency like the NTSB should not be subject to political scapegoating...

383 Why Your RNAV Glide Path Won’t Capture—and How to Fix It + GA News

Aviation News Talk podcast

Max tackles a common frustration among pilots: why RNAV (GPS) glide paths sometimes fail to couple with the autopilot. A recent Facebook post from a pilot flying a Cirrus SR22T triggered the discussion, as the poster encountered exactly this problem during an LPV approach, mistakenly attributing it to an expired database. Max explains that the real culprit was a fundamental misunderstanding of RNAV approach procedures. Unlike an ILS glide slope, which is a physical radio beam transmitted from ground equipment, an RNAV glide path is a computed construct generated by the aircraft’s GPS...

382 Best Garmin G1000, G3000, G5000 and Cirrus Perspective Settings to Fly Safer and Smarter

Aviation News Talk podcast

Max Trescott shares his top recommended settings for Garmin avionics systems, specifically the G1000, G1000 NXi, G3000, G5000, and the Cirrus Perspective and Perspective+ systems. These configuration tips enhance situational awareness, flight safety, and pilot efficiency—and many also apply to Garmin standalone navigators like the GTN 650 and 750. The episode begins with a critical safety upgrade: switching the Traffic Page vectors from Absolute to Relative. Unlike absolute vectors (which only show heading), relative vectors display a target aircraft’s flight path in relation to your...

381 STEM to the Skies: How Aviation Inspires Rural Students with Dr. Victor Vogel

Aviation News Talk podcast

Dr. Victor Vogel, a former oncologist turned flight instructor, founded the nonprofit Susquehanna STEM to the Skies to improve STEM education in rural Pennsylvania. The aviation-based STEM program was launched to address declining science and math scores among students, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. By combining aviation concepts with hands-on learning, the program offers a powerful way to teach science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in real-world contexts. Victor discovered that aviation offers rich, practical applications for STEM—such as flight navigation,...

380 Max Trescott on Aviation Safety, Judgment, and Human Performance on Dr. Tony Kern’s podcast + ForeFlight News

Aviation News Talk podcast

In this special crossover episode, Max Trescott, host of the Aviation News Talk podcast, appears as a guest on Dr. Tony Kern’s Only Human podcast. The two aviation safety advocates engage in a candid, insightful conversation that bridges their shared backgrounds in aviation, safety culture, and leadership. The episode begins with a segment called “This Week in Safety Land,” spotlighting a tragic helicopter crash involving tourists over the Hudson River. The Director of Operations (DO) at the company involved chose to cease operations pending investigation, only to be overruled and...

379 Ferry Pilot Flying, Everything Explained with Sarah Rovner + GA News

Aviation News Talk podcast

Max talks with ferry pilot Sarah Rovner, founder of Full Throttle Aviation, about her adventures and challenges flying planes across continents. Sarah stumbled into ferry flying when she helped deliver a plane and quickly found herself flying everything from gliders to agricultural aircraft across Central America and even the Atlantic. Her unique edge wasn’t just piloting—it was handling the complex international paperwork required for cross-border flights. Sarah explains the nuances of flying foreign-registered aircraft, using handlers, and dealing with customs and regulatory...

378 More on Best Glide + Bad Pilots and ATC in the News

Aviation News Talk podcast

Max discusses engine-out scenarios and best glide strategies, prompted by listener feedback on Episode 372, which analyzed the crash of a Bonanza B35B (N2UZ) that suffered engine failure at 7,500 feet near Charlottesville, VA. Although the pilot did many things correctly, he overshot a long field and crashed. Max highlights choices that might have improved the outcome, such as flight following and alternate route planning. Listener emails, read by Aviation News Talk intern Kelly, offer insights and experiences. Karen Larson shares how a conversation about the episode helped her husband...

More Episodes

Max provides updates on the midair collision over the Potomac River between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and a regional jet, followed by an analysis of the fatal crash of a Learjet 55 in Philadelphia.

Regarding the Potomac collision, the episode clarifies earlier reports about the Black Hawk's flight path, noting that it was slightly off its assigned helicopter route but not landing at Reagan National. Preliminary findings indicate that the helicopter was higher than permitted and slightly off course. The episode also examines ATC staffing at the time of the accident and systemic safety concerns, rather than placing blame solely on individuals.

The second half covers the Learjet 55 crash, which occurred shortly after departure from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The aircraft experienced a sudden loss of power—likely an engine failure—and crashed within seconds. The discussion explores how night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and potential pilot response factors may have contributed to the accident. The episode stresses the importance of safety management systems (SMS) and training in both cases to mitigate risks in aviation.

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