E2, flown home

E2, flown home

Author: Momentum Media September 17, 2025 Duration: 57:31

After almost 30 years in service, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines is finally allowing its old Fokkers to retire with the arrival of the Embraer E190-E2, the first of which touched down from Brazil this month.

With an improved range, a new cabin, and more efficient engines, the E2 might just be what Virgin's regional arm needs to expand its operations across WA – and potentially even further east.

On this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake is back to deliver his full trip report on the ferry flight from Canberra to Perth, and to look at where the new E-Jets could fit in to Virgin's larger network… as well as to reveal his new co-host at the thrilling conclusion of the "Game of Thorns"!

Plus, Sydney Airport unveils plans to link its two domestic terminals – could the T2/T3 "Franken-terminal" set it up to compete with its new western rival?


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: English Episodes: 385

Australian Aviation Podcast Network
Podcast Episodes
A fresh reprieve for Bonza [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:23
Will Bonza fly again? That's the question that has been on the mind of the aviation sector ever since the low-cost carrier went into voluntary administration at the end of April, with its planes seized and its employees…
Virgin dethrones Qantas as most reliable Aussie airline [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:52
For 19 months, Qantas reigned as Australia's most reliable airline group – but no more, with Virgin Australia last month knocking the Flying Kangaroo off its perch in a clean sweep of on-time arrivals, on-time departures…
How this Qantas A330 pilot is flying high with his brokerage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:16
Richard (Rick) Garner is a non-executive director on the board of Qantas Superannuation and an A330 pilot. He's also, incredibly, an award-winning mortgage broker who worked in financial services and now runs his own fir…
What next after Bonzageddon? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:51
A week after Bonza's fleet was abruptly seized in a move that sent shockwaves through the Australian aviation sector, the airline is still yet to get back in the air as its administrator fights to save it. With a big que…
Is it all over for Bonza? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:37
It was as sudden as it was brutal: grounded planes, stranded passengers, and chaos across the east coast as Bonza suspended its services without warning. With reports that its entire fleet had been repossessed in the dea…
Bonza sets the record straight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:07
Bonza has come out swinging after reports in The Australian Financial Review that consultant KordaMentha had been called in to advise the airline. In one of the more blunt denials we've seen, the low-cost carrier's CEO,…
Flying Kangaroo plays it safe on Perth–London route [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:45
With tensions flaring between Israel and Iran, Qantas has paused its non-stop Perth–London services, adding a new stop in Singapore on the northbound journey. Given the difficulties of avoiding Iranian airspace between P…
Qantas offers frequent flyers a $120m olive branch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:44
Qantas has unveiled a massive shake-up to its frequent flyer program, adding 20 million new seats per year. The "Classic Plus" seats will cost more than the existing 5 million annual "Classic Rewards" seats, but will be…
Holiday headaches on the horizon as strikes loom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:50
No sooner have the Network Aviation strikes in WA ended than Airservices Australia becomes the next big name in the sector to face industrial action, as aviation rescue firefighters plan a work stoppage for 15 April and…
Boeing, going, gone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:15
Heads are continuing to roll at Boeing, with the CEO and chairman both announcing their retirement by the end of the year. It's the latest fallout in the ongoing turmoil stemming from the mid-air blowout on board an Alas…