The pilot of the drone that damaged a firefighting aircraft has pled guilty to causing the damage that grounded the Candian SuperScooper for several days. The event was detailed in Episode 253.

The pilot, a successful video game developer, paid over $65,000 to repair the aircraft, will reimburse the government Quebec for additional costs, and faces up to a year in prison. In the words of the Department of Justice, the pilot "recklessly flew an aircraft into airspace where first responders were risking their lives in an attempt to protect lives and property."

The pilot did more than damage the plane. He violated aviation safety practices. The pilot should have known that what he was doing was dangerous.

• Flying a drone into an area where firefighters and firefighting aircraft were dealing with an emergency
• Flying the aircraft out of his visual line of sight, violating one of the basic regulations for flying a small drone

John Goglia and Todd Curtis discuss the risks related to drone flights. They offer advice for all drone pilots.

Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.

Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8

The midair collision between an airliner and a military helicopter in Washington D.C. has led to actions that may hinder aviation safety and national security. And, it has highlighted issues caused by the current air traffic control system as well as vacant leadership positions at the FAA.

Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis talk about the aviation safety issues surrounding the tragic air crash and the impact of political reactions. They cover the information released by investigators.

Knee-jerk reactions from authorities like halting certain flight operations, leadership gaps in the FAA, and politicians, including President Trump, speculating on the cause of the accident before the facts were all in have all added to the complication of understanding these tragic events.

Midair collisions with airliners are rare. It has been 38 years since the last airliner midair in the U.S. John Goglia shares his personal experience with a midair accident when he had released the accident aircraft just a few hours before everyone on board was killed in a midair collision.

Greg, John and Todd offer meaningful proposals to allow for continued safe operation of Reagan National Airport and a full and complete independent investigation of the accident. This accident presents a meaningful opportunity to examine the current air traffic control system in the U.S.

Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.

Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8

Nick Lappos, former Vietnam AH-1 Cobra helicopter pilot and Lockheed Martin Senior Fellow for Rotary and Mission Systems, offers insights on the future of air mobility. The focus is on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and advanced air mobility (AAM).

Nick was part of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) certification task force that just published the report "Challenges to the Commercialization of Advanced Air Mobility.” He shares his expertise on air traffic management.

Together with Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis, he digs into the challenges of integrating UAVs into the air traffic control system. They explore what will be needed to manage all types of air vehicles. The AIAA report outlines a technological framework reminiscent of cell phone networks where UAVs are handled in real time in an autonomous or semi-autonomous way.

UAVs are expected play a significant role in delivery services and other commercial uses. The discussion covers various aspects of UAV integration, including the certification of vehicles, electronic systems, air traffic control issues, and the economic implications of UAV technology.

Extensive planning and cooperation should begin now to ensure a safe future for air space.

Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.

Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8