Articles — Pilot’s Talk

Flight safety and incidents

01 ARTICLE

Aircraft wreckage recovery following the Washington, D.C. midair collision

FLIGHT SAFETY AND INCIDENTS

Washington, D.C. Midair Collision: Systemic Safety Failures

The January 2025 collision near Reagan National Airport killed 67 people. The NTSB identified long-standing gaps in helicopter route design, safety oversight, air traffic control, and collision avoidance technology.

Aircraft systems and equipment

01 ARTICLE

A fire-damaged Air Busan aircraft with investigators nearby

AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT

Onboard Battery Events Surging as Power Bank Use Grows

Cabin power bank/lithium battery thermal-runaway events up 15%, now over 2/week — driven by passengers carrying more personal electronics. FAA stresses cooling/containment (not just dousing flames); airlines tightening power-bank policies; crews reminded to treat battery reports as high-value intel.

Aircraft performance and fuel

01 ARTICLE

Ryanair Boeing 737-800 EI-EVO taxiing at Cologne Bonn Airport

AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE AND FUEL

Ryanair Fuel Mayday After Multiple Windshear Go-Arounds

Three windshear warnings, a refused diversion and a fuel Mayday during Storm Amy. A Boeing 737-800 landed at Manchester with just 363 kg of fuel remaining. Explore fuel planning, alternate decisions and the safety lessons.

Aviation security

01 ARTICLE

A drone flying near an airport with a passenger aircraft in the background

AVIATION SECURITY

How vulnerable are airports to rogue drones?

A drone sighting at Brussels Airport stopped runway operations. Explore detection, safe responses and the disruption that a single drone can cause.

Career and personal speaking topics

01 ARTICLE

Two pilots in the cockpit on approach to landing

THE PATH TO THE FLIGHT DECK

So You Want to Be a Pilot?

Two routes to the flight deck — modular or integrated training. Costs, licences and key milestones from first flight to line flying; a career-changer’s story shows the challenges along the way.