Australian Aviation Podcast Network

As water bombers try to contain the dramatic wildfires besieging Los Angeles, there are fresh warnings that longer fire seasons overseas may prevent other countries from sending their firefighting aircraft to help Australia in future. Though the bushfire seasons since 2019–20’s Black Summer have been comparatively mild, it’s likely only a matter of time before the conditions are right for a repeat – but will Australia’s sovereign firefighting fleet be ready? Adam and Jake discuss the progress that has been made since the royal commission and whether successive governments have done enough to prepare for the next catastrophic bushfires. Plus, as Jetstar continues to expand its Sunshine Coast operations and Launceston looks for new entrants to take over Bonza’s former routes, will other airlines try – or be able – to fill the void the low-cost carrier left behind?

Last year ended in another aviation tragedy, with the horror crash of Jeju Air flight 7C2216 in Muan, South Korea, killing all but two people on board. As investigators sift through the plane’s wreckage and the black boxes to figure out what went wrong, light aircraft crashes closer to home are raising questions about whether our own transport safety watchdog, the ATSB, should expand its remit. Adam and Jake examine once again the issue of aviation safety and look at what might have gone wrong in Muan. Plus, the government’s proposed charter of customer rights is out – will it actually improve the passenger experience?

It’s been five decades since the year “Santa never made it into Darwin”, when Cyclone Tracy devastated the Northern Territory capital in the wee hours of Christmas morning 1974. In the wake of the disaster, the city – and all of Australia – pulled together to make sure its 40,000 people could safely rebuild. This included the nation’s aviation industry, with Darwin Airport becoming a vital lifeline as airlines and the RAAF brought much-needed people and supplies to and from the Top End in one of the biggest airlifts in Australian history. In this special episode of the Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake Nelson talks to Paul Boyce, who was TAA’s Darwin manager when the cyclone hit in 1974, for his firsthand account of the disaster – and what came next.

Twelve months is a long time in aviation, and 2024 has been longer than most – not least because of the ignominious collapse of two domestic airlines, Rex and Bonza, which a year ago had seemed in far better shape than they actually were. Of course, these weren’t the only major developments, with Qatar and Virgin announcing a big new tie-up, the government releasing its highly-anticipated Aviation White Paper, and supply chain issues continuing to squeeze aircraft production. In this final regular Australian Aviation Podcast for 2024, Adam and Jake break down the biggest stories of the year and look ahead to 2025. Plus, speculation abounds that the government might buy out the biggest share of Rex’s debt – but would it get its money’s worth?