Episoder
-
It's been a big week for drones, with news that Wing has quietly pulled its drone delivery operations from Australia, Vivid Sydney has pulled its drone show after 89 of them not-so-quietly fell in Darling Harbour, and Australian and Ukrainian troops are jointly training in counter-drone tactics.
With a report for Airservices a couple of years ago predicting Australia could see 60 million drone flights per year by 2043, it's clear drones are here to stay in our airspace – the only question is, in what forms?
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David ask whether drone delivery will come back to Australia and if drone show technology is truly ready for the big time, and examine how drone warfare is reshaping the modern battlefield.
Plus, airlines push back on the government's aviation consumer legislation – but do their arguments pass the pub test?
-
If the darkest hour is just before the dawn, it's going to be a long night for anyone looking to fly non-stop from the east coast to London or New York – yet another delay has pushed back the launch of Qantas' 22-hour "Project Sunrise" flights to later in 2027.
With the first of the Flying Kangaroo's specially-fitted A350-1000ULRs now not slated to arrive until April next year due to supply chain issues at Airbus, how much longer will Australians have to wait for the game-changing ultra-long-haul services?
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David look into the latest Project Sunrise delays and what's still needed before the flights can get off the ground.
Plus, welcome news for regional airports hit by the Rex collapse, while ASIC wins a surprising mea culpa from the airline's former boss.
-
Manglende episoder?
-
t's been two years since the collapse of Bonza and Rex – and while Koala Airlines is yet to launch, another aviation contender could be entering the market before long.
Dubbed Zinc Airlines, the ultra-low-cost-carrier would pursue a business model similar to European airlines Wizz Air and Ryanair, with its founder saying Western Sydney Airport would offer a unique opportunity for new contenders – but is he right?
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David look at Zinc's plan to shake up the domestic aviation market, whether it can avoid the fate of failed carriers before it, and how it might take the fight to the big boys.
Plus, the 2026 budget is out – what's in the government's $731.1 million aviation package, and what's got the GA and tourism sectors all riled up?
-
We've all been delayed at the airport at some point, or know someone who has – but still, to learn that 55 per cent of Aussie travellers in a recent government survey were hit by a flight delay or disruption between August 2024 and 2025 puts the whole issue in sharp relief.
And yet, perhaps more surprising is how few of them have complained – not because of how happy they were with the service, but because they didn't think their complaints would go anywhere. That might be set to change with new government regulations and an independent ombudsman … but is it too little, too late for our trust in the airline industry?
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David swap war stories of flight delays and examine just how satisfied Australians are with our airlines and airports.
Plus, amid scandals and stoushes galore, could Western Sydney Airport's metro line end up delayed until 2028?
-
In the 1970s, a young pilot called Deborah Lawrie did something nobody had thought possible: took on the might of Ansett, at the time one of Australia's two big airlines, all the way to the High Court – and won.
Her goal? To overturn Sir Reginald Ansett's long-standing ban on women in the cockpit and become Australia's first female commercial airline pilot. Her landmark case – and her incredible subsequent career – paved the way for female aviators after her to make their mark on Australian skies.
Now working for Virgin Australia, Deb is the oldest and longest-serving female pilot at any commercial airline in the world, and has just released a new memoir, Touching the Sky, recounting her fight against Ansett and what came next.
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Deb sits down with Jake to discuss how she caught the flying bug at an early age, how she took down the aviation titan that was Sir Reg Ansett, and the highs and lows of more than four decades of flying. -
When he was just 12 years old and growing up near Shellharbour Airport, Riley McDonald knew he wanted to fly – so he started spending his free time heading down to the airport and washing people's planes in exchange for lessons.
At age 16 he was flying solo and earning his pilot's licence, and now at 25, he works as a professional skydiving pilot and aircraft maintenance engineer, and has taken out a National Advanced Champion title for aerobatics.
Mentored by none other than Paul Bennet, Riley is now gearing up to fly with the Paul Bennet Airshows team at Wings Over Shellharbour this month, and says airshows and open days are the perfect entry point to bring more young enthusiasts into the industry.
On this Australian Aviation Podcast, Riley tells Jake Nelson how he chased his dream of a career in aviation – and how we can encourage other aspiring pilots and engineers to do the same.
-
With the Iran conflict driving up fuel prices amid an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, you might expect international travel to plummet and airfares to soar – but it turns out the real picture is a touch more complicated than that.
While airlines have been pruning services and hiking prices, both Qantas and Virgin have launched huge domestic sales to try to woo customers with millions of discounted seats, while Sydney Airport just saw the best quarter for international travel in its history.
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David try to make head or tail of the unexpectedly topsy-turvy outcomes of the Middle East crisis on our aviation sector, and examine how the world's airspace is being reshaped – for now or for good.
Plus, Western Sydney Airport's new flight paths are locked and loaded – what can Sydneysiders expect when the first cargo planes arrive in July?
-
It's well-known that the aviation and aerospace sector has been suffering under a talent shortage for some time now – not to mention the challenge of promoting greater diversity in the workforce.
One potential solution? To encourage more young people to enter the industry – to cultivate a love of aviation from an early age, and help kids realise it could hold their dream job.
Together with the CSIRO's STEM in Schools program, industry bodies like Aviation/Aerospace Australia are doing just that by going into schools and holding talks and workshops on what an aviation career could mean for students' futures.
On this Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake talks to Anntonette Dailey of Aviation/Aerospace Australia about the root causes behind the talent crisis, what the industry is doing about them, and the support it needs to bring young people along for the ride.
-
The government has rolled out its 2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program, and there's plenty to dissect for aviation – an early sunset for Tiger helicopters, the retirement of the C-27J Spartan, and a $7 billion boost to counter-drone defences, just to start with.
While the RAAF alone is slated to get between $34-41 billion over the next 10 years, as the world becomes more unstable and traditional alliances get shakier, is Australia doing enough to bolster its own air defences?
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David are joined by aerospace and defence lead Stephen Kuper to discuss what Australia is doing – and could be doing – to safeguard its skies.
Plus, the Iran conflict has driven Australian traffic to the Middle East off a cliff – which hubs are picking up the slack, and what's happening to our domestic capacity?
-
When plucky start-up airline Bonza collapsed in 2024, everyone was quick to point the finger at its business model as the reason for its failure – yet often overlooked was the role its financiers, 777 Partners, played in its demise by abruptly cutting off funding without warning.
With the Miami-based investment firm now drowning in lawsuits and criminal investigations, Bonza's former chief executive, Tim Jordan, this week came out swinging in an Australian Aviation interview where he pointed the finger squarely in its direction over the carrier's fate.
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David dissect the Tim Jordan interview, examine how 777 Partners pulling the plug spelt the end for Bonza, and look at the lessons for Australia's next potential domestic airline.
Plus, as the Qantas-Virgin duopoly continues to squeeze the domestic market, we ask: how much of it is actually the major airlines' fault?
-
When Bonza burst onto the scene in 2023 with its bright purple tails, its budgie smugglers, and its unique "point-to-point" business strategy, the scrappy start-up airline – and its chief executive Tim Jordan – looked to be sparking a revolution in the domestic market.
Just over a year later, however, the lofty goal of being "here for Allstralia" lay in ruins, with Bonza's financier 777 Partners abruptly pulling funding and letting its aircraft be repossessed, leaving Jordan and the rest of the airline's staff and passengers holding the bag.
It's easy in hindsight to say that the idea was doomed from the start, that there was no market for Bonza's idea of connecting regional centres and holiday destinations without connecting through big hubs, but according to Jordan, that's far from the real story.
In this exclusive interview with the Australian Aviation Podcast, his first since his airline's collapse, Jordan tells Jake Nelson how the Bonza dream turned into a nightmare – and why he still thinks there's room for more domestic airlines in Australia's skies.
-
As Gulf travel remains dicey and Australian travellers rush to connect through Asia, the usual hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong are being joined by other contenders eager to take a slice of the layover pie – and Malaysia Airlines is jockeying to make Kuala Lumpur one of them.
A stone's throw from Singapore and with a raft of connections into Asia and Europe, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA, to its friends) has the backing of Malaysia's flag carrier, generally lower airfares, and room to grow – but can it take on the might of Changi?
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, fresh from a long weekend in Kuala Lumpur at the MATTA travel expo, Jake delivers his trip report on Malaysia Airlines and KLIA's offerings for travellers, and he and David discuss how viable KL could be as an alternative to the bigger hubs.
Plus, what's in the federal government's new consumer protection legislation – and how does it stack up?
-
We often talk about the duopoly in Australia's airline sector – but if you ever needed proof of its power, you'll find it in the latest eye-popping data from the ACCC, which shows Qantas Group and Virgin between them operated almost 99 per cent of all domestic flights in the back half of 2025.
With Rex's domestic jets and Bonza's point-to-point flights a distant memory, we return to the age-old question: can any new contender hope to carve out a niche for itself in a market dominated by the two warring giants of the skies?
In this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David dissect the ACCC's newest domestic airline competition report and once again ask who – if anyone – could break the duopoly's stranglehold on Australia's airspace.
Plus, the first tickets go on sale at Western Sydney International Airport, and how many regional markets have room for more than one carrier?
-
Australians' love affair with Bali is nothing new, but it sure does seem we're seeing a lot of new and expanded flights there over the past few months – from Jetstar to AirAsia, Avalon to Newcastle, our biggest overseas holiday destination seems to be enjoying a real moment in the sun.
But as Jetstar begins flights connecting through Bali to Singapore and AirAsia offers a smorgasbord of onward fly-through services, could Denpasar become more than just an endpoint for Australian travellers and evolve into a hub in its own right?
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David take a (metaphorical) trip to Bali and examine just why it appears to be so popular lately – and what it can offer for aviation beyond just the Aussie tourism crowd.
Plus, a caveat emptor from the ACCC for anyone who might be planning to fly through the Gulf any time soon, and will Australia finally ditch the notorious yellow incoming passenger card?
-
It's a safe bet that before a few weeks ago, not a lot of us would have been able to name the Strait of Hormuz, let alone point to it on a map – but now that it's become one of the biggest geopolitical headaches on the planet (and the reason petrol prices are skyrocketing), suddenly that unassuming body of water is a household name.
More pressingly for aviation, of course, is the fact that the conduit for a fifth of the world's oil has been choked off, meaning jet fuel is suddenly harder to come by. Airlines are raising costs and slashing services to compensate, and there are worried noises from some corners about how much exactly we have in reserve – so, how concerned should we be, exactly?
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David drill into the Middle East oil crisis, how it's affecting Australian airlines, and whether sustainable aviation fuel might help safeguard against future shocks.
Plus, the first report is out into slot usage at Sydney Airport – so are the big airlines really "gaming the system"?
-
High airfares are a continual thorn in the side of Australian travellers, and especially those in the regions – which is one reason why Tim Jordan embarked on his ill-fated attempt to be "here for Allstralia" with Bonza, flying point-to-point regional services with a low-cost ethos.
After a couple of years out of the limelight, Jordan has put his head back above the ramparts with a submission to the Productivity Commission pointing the finger squarely at the dominance of the big airlines – particularly Qantas – as a major contributor to the high cost of flying from the regions.
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David examine Jordan's arguments and ask once again how Australia can bring more competition to its skies – and bring those soaring ticket prices back to earth.
Plus, updates from the Gulf as limited commercial flights resume and the RAAF sends reconnaissance planes to ward off Iranian strikes.
-
There is, as a wise journalist (no, not us, we said "wise") has pointed out, always an aviation angle. As Iranian bombs rained down across the Gulf following strikes by the US and Israel, countries like the UAE and Qatar suddenly found themselves uncomfortably less insulated than they thought, with even airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi being damaged in the crossfire.
Unfortunately, these countries also happen to be major global aviation hubs, and thousands of flights over the past few days have been cancelled, leaving passengers stranded – which raises the question: in the wake of the chaos, will cautious flyers start avoiding Europe flights through places like Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi in favour of less volatile hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong?
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and guest host Bethany Alvaro examine the Iran conflict's impact on aviation and ask whether Australian airlines and travellers have put too many of their eggs in the Gulf's basket.
Plus, half-yearly results are out for airlines on both sides of the Tasman – which carriers had a better six months than the others?
-
After decades of will-they-won't-they, the government seems determined to press on with high-speed rail from Sydney to Newcastle (honestly pinky promise for real this time) as the first stage of an ambitious plan to connect the eastern corridor all the way from Melbourne to Brisbane.
If all goes ahead, then, what will that mean for aviation on the east coast? Could Australia finally see more competition on the Golden Triangle from an entirely different source – and will airports reap the benefits nonetheless?
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David dig into the government's business case for high-speed rail and discuss whether it will actually happen – and whether it would be friend or foe to the air transport sector.
Plus, Daniel Croft from AI Daily returns to the show to go through some of the latest forays into aviation from our ever-present robot overlords.
-
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the airport, the debate over noisy aircraft – excuse us, "sky kittens" – has reared its head once again, with community advocates calling for a curfew in Brisbane.
According to the Brisbane Flight Path Community Alliance (BFPCA), curtailing the sky kittens' purring with a nightly curfew would boost residents' well-being and property values at minimal economic cost – but the airport has pushed back, saying it could be disastrous for Queensland residents.
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David wade into the continuing stoush around aircraft noise in Brisbane, and discuss how the health and comfort of locals should be balanced with the need for reliable and affordable air transport.
Plus, Qantas wins bronze in the on-time Olympics – and could Addis Ababa be the next Dubai?
-
With Productivity Commission and Senate inquiries set to spin up later this year, it's been a blockbuster week for regional aviation in the news.
From support for regional cities left in the lurch by the Rex administration, to calls for a "fairer" system for the regions, to rebrands and axed routes, the headlines have been dominated by turboprops and council-owned airports, shining a much-needed spotlight on the country.
On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, special guest host and former Rex and Virgin Australia pilot, Captain Michelle Huntington, returns to lend Jake her regional aviation expertise as they unpack all the big news from outside the big smoke.
Plus, will the government's new consumer protection measures drive up airfares as the airlines claim, and is Qantas trying to destroy the competition on a Pacific island route?
- Vis mere
