Durban’s Comeback, Airshow Tragedy & FAA Evacuation Reality Check
Release Date: 08/15/2025
We Asked Pilots If They'd Choose Aviation Again - The Answers Were Brutal
Bryan Air
🎙️ EPISODE SNAPSHOT Welcome to The Bryan Air Podcast. Boardroom decisions land on your flight deck—we translate them first. This is The Bryan Air Debrief, where we break down airline strategy, economic forces, and the business moves shaping your career. No corporate spin. Just the intelligence pilots actually need. We asked our listeners a simple question: if you could go back and choose a different career path, cargo, corporate, regional, international—would you? The responses hit harder than we expected. One pilot says he'd leave aviation entirely. A 40-year veteran...
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The Flight Deck Is Just The Beginning: Career Strategy for Pilots | Plus Southwest Kills 55 Years of Open Seating
Bryan Air
🎙️ EPISODE SNAPSHOT Welcome to The Bryan Air Podcast. Boardroom decisions land on your flight deck, we translate them first. This is The Bryan Air Debrief, where we break down airline strategy, economic forces, and the business moves shaping your career. No corporate spin. Just the intelligence pilots actually need. When people ask what it takes to become a pilot, they're usually thinking about one thing—the flight deck. But the flight deck is just the beginning of a much bigger question: whose flight deck, and on what terms? This week we dig into career strategy that actually works:...
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Pilot Hiring Heats Up, EU Saves Your Delay Rights, and United's Historic Aircraft Order
Bryan Air
🎙️ EPISODE SNAPSHOT Welcome to the Bryan Air Podcast, your weekly dose of real aviation talk. No PR polish. No corporate spin. Just pilots breaking down the stories shaping the skies: airline chaos, crew culture, decision-making, flight deck leadership, and the conversations you only hear at 38,000 ft. The pilot hiring market just shifted from emergency mode to sustainable growth—if you've been waiting for your shot, this is it. Meanwhile, the EU Parliament just voted to keep your flight delay compensation at three hours (airlines wanted four), and United's about to take delivery...
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Why We’re Picking Boeing: A320 “Solar” Glitches, Toxic Fumes & The $70M MH370 Bet
Bryan Air
🎙️ EPISODE SNAPSHOT Welcome to the Bryan Air Podcast your weekly dose of real aviation talk. No PR polish. No corporate spin. Just pilots breaking down the stories shaping the skies: airline chaos, crew culture, decision-making, sport banter, and the conversations you only hear at 38 000 ft. We’re closing the hangar doors on 2025 with the ultimate cockpit debate: If the pay is the same, do you fly Boeing or Airbus? While the media hates on Seattle, we’re taking a hard look at the A320’s recent "solar radiation" nose-dive, toxic fume lawsuits, and why real...
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#252 Are PILOTS in Short Supply Because of This ONE Thing?
Bryan Air
🎙️ EPISODE SNAPSHOT Bryan and Ryan dissect the massive aircraft orders from the Dubai Air Show and the looming talent drain to the Gulf. We analyze the controversial claim that the global "pilot shortage" is a farce, debating why lifestyle stability and rosters are becoming more valuable than a paycheck. Plus, we cover why expats are returning to South Africa despite the pay cut, the final days of the MD-11 fleet, and why crew strikes are threatening to grind global carriers to a halt. Welcome to the Bryan Air Podcast your weekly dose of real aviation talk. No PR polish. No corporate...
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#251 The $38 Billion Emirates Order: What It Means For YOUR Pilot Career Progression
Bryan Air
🎙️ EPISODE SNAPSHOT Welcome to the Bryan Air Podcast your weekly dose of real aviation talk. No PR polish. No corporate spin. Just pilots breaking down the stories shaping the skies: airline chaos, crew culture, decision-making, sport banter, and the conversations you only hear at 38 000 ft. The Dubai Air Show just triggered a global talent drain with a massive $38 billion Emirates order for new aircraft, and we're breaking down the direct impact on your cockpit and paycheck. Bryan analyzes the 10,300 new pilot demand in the Middle East and asks the critical question: is your...
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#250 SA Aviation on the Brink: 12-Year Engine Rule Chaos & Global MD-11 Shutdowns
Bryan Air
🎙️ EPISODE SNAPSHOT Welcome to the Bryan Air Podcast come for the cockpit chatter, stay for the galley banter… and as always, we’re holding short of Taxiway Serious. In Episode 250, Bryan and Ryan unpack the biggest stories shaking aviation right now: the fallout from the 12-year engine rule in South Africa, the MD-11 cargo crisis, SAA’s regional push, FlySafair labour tension, and the never-ending ATC chaos. Plus: a hard-hitting Captain’s Announcement with real travel hacks, and a full round of rugby, F1 and UFC cockpit chatter. Straight talk, sharp...
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Alien Mothership Panic, AI Deepfakes & Major Aviation Shake-Ups | Bryan Air Podcast
Bryan Air
🎙️ EPISODE SNAPSHOT In Episode 248, Bryan and Ryan break down the viral rumors of the “3I Atlas” alien mothership, exposing how AI-generated deepfakes fuel panic online. They link the hype to bigger risks of misinformation while delivering crucial aviation updates: Lufthansa’s job cuts, Boeing’s certification changes, new E-Jets in South Africa, and Emirates’ power bank ban. The hosts also weigh in on SA Express legacy battles, Airlink’s expansion, and the latest on global sports from Springboks rugby dominance to UFC fireworks. This is your weekly flight plan...
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Airlink’s New Embraer E195-E2 Lands in SA: Why This Jet Fits Africa
Bryan Air
🎙️ EPISODE SNAPSHOT This week we break down Airlink’s fleet upgrade as the Embraer E195-E2 makes its South African debut. Bryan and Ryan unpack why the E2 is such a strong fit for Africa’s operating reality, how it stacks up against the Airbus A220, and what it means for Airlink’s future. Plus, we cover major global aviation stories, from cyberattacks on European airports to drone disruptions and regulatory chaos. ⏱️ TIME-STAMPED FLIGHT PLAN 00:00 - Welcome to the Bryan Air Podcast 00:49 - Discussing Airlink's New E2 Aircraft 01:34 - Embraer's...
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Investigating Durban Airshow Crash What REALLY Happened
Bryan Air
🎙️ EPISODE SNAPSHOT This week, the Bryan Air Podcast takes a hard look at the preliminary accident report into the tragic Extra 300 crash at the Durban Airshow — breaking down key findings, safety gaps, and lessons for the aviation community. We also dig into the bizarre case of a South African-registered Sling 4 shot down in South America, and debate the global push to raise the pilot retirement age. Plus, we round up major aviation headlines from engine failures to eVTOL progress, airline policies, and the world’s longest direct flight. ⏱️ TIME-STAMPED...
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From world-class beachfronts to a shocking aviation incident, this week’s episode takes you from the sunny shores of Durban to the hard truths of aviation safety. We unpack the last-minute airshow that ended in tragedy, explore why evacuations remain one of the most poorly executed flight deck procedures, and question whether the FAA’s 90-second evacuation rule is grounded in reality. Plus: sports pride, airline bans, eVTOL funding moves, and why South Africa must value its current aviators as much as the next generation.
⏱️ TIME-STAMPED FLIGHT PLAN
00:00 – Welcome & Durban family trip highlights
00:24 – South African pride & upcoming UFC + Springbok clashes
00:37 – National Aviation Summit & last-minute airshow announcement
01:28 – Durban’s remarkable transformation and tourism revival
09:13 – Airshow tragedy: Extra 300 crash and safety culture concerns
18:07 – Senator Tammy Duckworth calls for FAA evacuation rule review
22:17 – Why evacuations are often poorly executed in training and real life
23:17 – Delta crash lawsuit: pilot experience under scrutiny
26:01 – Emirates bans power banks on flights starting Oct 1
28:12 – Eve Air Mobility secures $230M with Embraer ties
29:44 – South African sports weekend: DRAs vs Chimaev & Bokke vs Australia
37:14 – Aviation commentary: Supporting current aviators over “next-gen” events
40:25 – Closing thoughts & weekend send-off
❤️ THANK YOU TO OUR PATREON SUPPORTERS
Special thanks to our supportive community members: Craig Wood, Bradley Stephenson, Alan Macaulay, Catharine, Gavin Hitzeroth, ACE, Gerg, Caroline Koll, Jared Le Roux, Iain, Martin Lockyer, William Barwise, Mike Mason, Jaco, Franziska, Dale Williams, Duncan Gillespie USA, Imre Kurucz, George Bramley, Pedro Skov
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