

AvTalk - Aviation Podcast
Flightradar24
An aviation podcast from Flightradar24, the world’s most popular flight tracking service.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 3, 2026 • 56min
AvTalk Episode 364: Emergency management mode
On this week’s episode of AvTalk, airlines—and entire countries—outside of the Middle East are facing a reckoning as the high price and impending unavailability of fuel. The FAA is making changes to approaches in San Francisco, reducing the arrival rate even further than planned runway construction already will. A Delta A330 suffers an uncontained engine failure departing São Paulo.
Major leadership changes are coming at Air Canada and IndiGo and Jason nominates Ian for IATA director general. And it’s a busy week for new special liveries.
Helpful links for this week’s episode
SAS’ 80th anniversary livery
JetBlue’s Blueprint II
Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary employee livery
Thank you for listening!
Whether this is your first episode of AvTalk or you’ve listened to every single episode, we appreciate you spending your time with us. If you’d like to help other people find AvTalk, please consider leaving a rating and review on the the platform of your choice. Happy tracking and thanks for listening!
Please check back soon for a transcript of this episode.
The post AvTalk Episode 364: Emergency management mode appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

Mar 27, 2026 • 1h 3min
AvTalk Episode 363: Collision on the runway
They dissect a runway collision involving a CRJ‑900 and an ARFF truck, walking through timelines, radar and transponder failures, and tower procedures. They probe why airport vehicles often lack transponders and how surface surveillance missed the incursion. Other topics include Qatar parking jets, looming jet fuel concerns in Asia, United’s new aircraft plans and premium seating moves, and recent FAA rules on helicopter separation.

Mar 20, 2026 • 56min
AvTalk Episode 362: Beware tall elk and low flying hog hunters
On this week’s episode of AvTalk, more updates on the war in the Middle East, including the mid-air collision between two US Air Force KC-135s and an Iranian drone attack on a fuel facility next to Dubai International Airport. We take a gander at some wildlife related accidents and Atlas Air places the largest A350F order so far. A Tunisian appeals court increases the sentences of two airline executives convicted in hiring fraud. And LEGO is ready with another aviation set that we can’t wait to get our hands on.
Helpful links for this week’s episode
Middle East war live blog
Beware elk and hog hunters
Spirit’s new plan
LEGO’s new DC-3
Thank you for listening!
Whether this is your first episode of AvTalk or you’ve listened to every single episode, we appreciate you spending your time with us. If you’d like to help other people find AvTalk, please consider leaving a rating and review on the the platform of your choice. Happy tracking and thanks for listening!
Click here for a transcript of this week’s episode.
The post AvTalk Episode 362: Beware tall elk and low flying hog hunters appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

Mar 13, 2026 • 56min
AvTalk Episode 361: When saving money costs lives
On this week’s episode of AvTalk, updates on the war in the Middle East and the widening effects on the aviation industry. We cover the new airspace restrictions in Azerbaijan, additional rescue flights by airlines in the region, and the pressing problem of skyrocketing fuels costs around the world.
Also on this week’s episode, Air India Express loses a nose wheel in Phuket, while IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers abruptly resigns. Auditors in South Korea explain why the ILS antenna in Muan was constructed with a concrete wall.
China is considering a large Boeing order to be timed with a state visit by US President Trump to Beijing. We review preliminary reports on the SAS attempted taxiway takeoff and the Bangor Challenger crash.
And another search for the missing MH370 yields no results as we mark 12 years since the 777 disappeared.
Helpful links for this week’s episode
Middle East updates live blog
Air India Express loses its nose wheel
SAS attempted taxiway departure report
Bangor crash preliminary report
Thank you for listening!
Whether this is your first episode of AvTalk or you’ve listened to every single episode, we appreciate you spending your time with us. If you’d like to help other people find AvTalk, please consider leaving a rating and review on the the platform of your choice. Happy tracking and thanks for listening!
Please click here for a transcript of this week’s episode.
The post AvTalk Episode 361: When saving money costs lives appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

Mar 6, 2026 • 44min
AvTalk Episode 360: War shuts down Middle East airspace
On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we discuss the US-Israeli attack on Iran and Iranian response with an eye on the effects on commercial aviation. Airspace closures, flight cancellations, reroutes, diversions, and how airlines are coping with the rapid changes.
Also on this week’s episode, another emergency evacuation with passengers carrying their baggage, the FAA steps in between United and American in Chicago, investigators issue their final report on LATAM’s 2024 inflight upset, and Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary livery 747 comes home to Frankfurt.
Helpful links for this week’s episode
Middle East airspace closures live blog
GPS jamming map
Brett Snyder’s article on United vs American in Chicago
Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary 747 arrives in Frankfurt
Thank you for listening!
Whether this is your first episode of AvTalk or you’ve listened to every single episode, we appreciate you spending your time with us. If you’d like to help other people find AvTalk, please consider leaving a rating and review on the the platform of your choice. Happy tracking and thanks for listening!
Please click here for a transcript of this episode.
The post AvTalk Episode 360: War shuts down Middle East airspace appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

Feb 27, 2026 • 43min
AvTalk Episode 359: Reading them the ROTOR Act
On this week’s episode of AvTalk, after passing unanimously in the Senate, the US House of Representatives votes down the aviation safety-focused ROTOR Act, which was championed by the NTSB, pilots’ unions, and families of the victims of last year’s mid-air collision in Washington DC. The House will now turn to an alternate bill, the ALERT Act. We break down the differences between the bills and reaction to Tuesday’s vote.
Elsewhere, Spirit Airlines says it has a plan to emerge from bankruptcy, cartel violence paralyzes a pair of Mexican airports early in the week, a big news from Really Cool Airlines (yes, that is their actual name).
Helpful links for this week’s episode
Flights return to New York and Boston after the snow
NTSB fact sheet on differences between the ROTOR Act and the ALERT Act
Spirit’s plan to exit bankruptcy
Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary livery A380
Aireon data now available on Flightradar24
Thank you for listening!
Whether this is your first episode of AvTalk or you’ve listened to every single episode, we appreciate you spending your time with us. If you’d like to help other people find AvTalk, please consider leaving a rating and review on the the platform of your choice. Happy tracking and thanks for listening!
Click here for a transcript of this week’s episode.
The post AvTalk Episode 359: Reading them the ROTOR Act appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

Feb 20, 2026 • 52min
AvTalk Episode 358: Not how you want the day to go
Plenty to discuss on this week’s episode of AvTalk:
More clarity on what exactly led to the closure of airspace above El Paso last week
A United Airlines flight from Lagos experiences an extraordinary series of events (UA613 leg 1 | UA613 leg 2)
ANA operates a 14 hour flight from Tokyo to Tokyo
An Arik Air 737 experiences an uncontained engine failure
A LATAM 777 rejects take off beyond V1
The NTSB releases its final report on the DCA mid-air collision
Brussels Airlines unveils new Tintin livery
Thank you for listening!
Whether this is your first episode of AvTalk or you’ve listened to every single episode, we appreciate you spending your time with us. If you’d like to help other people find AvTalk, please consider leaving a rating and review on the the platform of your choice. Happy tracking and thanks for listening!
The post AvTalk Episode 358: Not how you want the day to go appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

Feb 13, 2026 • 56min
AvTalk Episode 357: Frickin’ drones with frickin’ laser beams
On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Ian is joined by Ned Russell in the studio as Jason and Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren report from their outpost in the Caribbean. We try to understand what happened in El Paso on Wednesday morning and offer some thoughts on the FAA administrator’s actions to close airspace around the city. Cuba says it is out of jet fuel. This has led to flight cancellations by some airlines, but a few seem to still be able to top up before returning home. Lufthansa pilots strike for better compensation and investigators focus their sights on why a LATAM 777 suffered a tail strike on departure from Milan last year.
Helpful links for this week’s episode
A photo of the Britten Norman Trislander
The El Paso NOTAM
Havana Airport departure and arrival boards
SAS taxiway departure
PT-MUG tail strike final report
Thank you for listening!
Whether this is your first episode of AvTalk or you’ve listened to every single episode, we appreciate you spending your time with us. If you’d like to help other people find AvTalk, please consider leaving a rating and review on the the platform of your choice. Happy tracking and thanks for listening!
The post AvTalk Episode 357: Frickin’ drones with frickin’ laser beams appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

Feb 6, 2026 • 53min
AvTalk Episode 356: Finally, a 25 hour rule
On this week’s episode of AvTalk, the FAA finalizes the rule mandating 25-hour recordings on cockpit voice recorders. Confusion ensues after President Trump says he’s decertifying “Canadian made” aircraft. Air India and Indian investigators probe a fuel cutoff switch incident aboard a Boeing 787 in London. And the Singapore Air Show brings some interesting orders.
Thank you for listening!
Whether this is your first episode of AvTalk or you’ve listened to every single episode, we appreciate you spending your time with us. If you’d like to help other people find AvTalk, please consider leaving a rating and review on the the platform of your choice. Happy tracking and thanks for listening!
Click here for a transcript of this week’s episode
The post AvTalk Episode 356: Finally, a 25 hour rule appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.

Jan 30, 2026 • 53min
AvTalk Episode 355: Systemic failures
On this week’s episode of AvTalk:
The NTSB holds its board meeting to determine the probable cause of the mid-air collision above the Potomac River last January
UPS announces it has retired its MD-11 fleet
A Bombardier business jet crashes attempting to depart Bangor, Maine
Airlines are modifying their routes and schedules to avoid tensions in the Middle East
A massive winter storm forces airlines to cancel more than 20,000 flights
A British Airways A350 loses a wheel departing Las Vegas
JetBlue livery contest
Thank you for listening!
Whether this is your first episode of AvTalk or you’ve listened to every single episode, we appreciate you spending your time with us. If you’d like to help other people find AvTalk, please consider leaving a rating and review on the the platform of your choice. Happy tracking and thanks for listening!
Check back soon for a transcript of this episode.
The post AvTalk Episode 355: Systemic failures appeared first on Flightradar24 Blog.


