Are we ready for the next Black Summer?

Are we ready for the next Black Summer?

Author: Momentum Media January 15, 2025 Duration: 46:05

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?


You'll find the Australian Aviation Podcast Network right at the intersection of runway tarmac and boardroom strategy. Produced by Momentum Media, this collection of shows digs into the stories that define flight in this part of the world, moving well beyond the headlines. Each episode feels like a hangar chat with the people who know the industry best-pilots, engineers, executives, and analysts-offering a grounded perspective on everything from the engineering marvels of new aircraft to the complex logistics of running an airline. We explore the sheer joy and freedom of recreational flying just as deeply as the tough commercial decisions that keep the sector aloft. Whether it's a discussion on sustainable fuel technologies, the revival of regional routes, or the history behind a beloved aircraft type, the conversation is always driven by genuine curiosity. Tune in for clear, informed talk that connects the dots between the business of aviation and the passion that fuels it, all delivered with a distinct Aussie lens. This podcast network is for anyone who feels that lift of anticipation when an aircraft throttles down the runway, or who simply wants to understand the forces that shape how we connect across this vast continent and beyond.
Author: Language: en-au Episodes: 100

Australian Aviation Podcast Network
Podcast Episodes
The Boomerang's comeback [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:28
The Spitfire, the Hurricane, the Kittyhawk – when asked to name the fighter planes that won World War II, most people would place these legendary machines high on the list. Yet largely absent from these lofty histories i…
Has Koala already fallen out of the tree? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:27
In the wake of Bonza's collapse and Rex's administration last year, another prospective domestic carrier – Koala Airlines – was suddenly garnering media attention despite not yet having aircraft or a clear business plan.…
South Korea crash puts safety back in the spotlight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:07
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 box…
How Cyclone Tracy produced Australia's greatest airlift [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:34
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 – an…
Australian Aviation's 2024 year in review [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:53
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 t…
The fight for disability rights on flights [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:14
A few months after the government's Aviation White Paper promised action on disability access in airports and planes, a new advocacy campaign is calling for faster change in the industry. Led by disability rights spokesp…
Virgin rolls ahead on Qatar deal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:34
Virgin Australia's tie-up with Qatar Airways is gathering steam, with the ACCC giving interim approval to sell tickets on 28 weekly wet-leased services to Doha, while the airline has officially applied to the IASC for al…
Top dollar in the Top End [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:54
Think your airfares are bad? Spare a thought for the people of Darwin, who according to a recent ABC Stateline report, are having to pay thousands of dollars – even months in advance – for an interstate flight. Both Qant…
Splitsville for Virgin and Etihad [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:52
It's official – after more than 10 years codesharing with Virgin Australia, Etihad has called it quits, announcing the tie-up will end next June irrespective (it seems) of whether the exclusivity arrangement between Virg…
Rex's $80m life raft [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:04
It's been three-and-a-half months since Rex went into administration, and while the planes are still flying, so far the administrators have yet to find a buyer for its regional turboprop operations despite securing a dea…