AvTalk Episode 370: The man collecting Spirit’s pieces

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we’re joined by Nomadic Aviation Group co-founder Steve Giordano to talk about what happens when you suddenly need to move dozens of aircraft in a very short amount of time. Steve and his crew have spent the past two weeks bringing former Spirit Airlines aircraft to the desert for storage following the collapse of the airline on May 2nd. What does it take to make sure those aircraft can be legally, safely, and efficiently moved from wherever they ended up when the airline shut down?
Also on this week’s episode, a tragedy in Denver as a man intentionally entered the runway and was struck by a departing Frontier flight. FedEx returns the MD-11 to service, Lufthansa Group ups its stake in ITA Airways and orders new aircraft, while Air India formalizes its summer schedule reductions in the face of geopolitical and economic headwinds. The FAA says it will now add transponders to all of its airport ground vehicles, but the agency has been reminding airports that money is available to equip vehicles for the last 3 years. And to everyone’s dismay, MHIRJ’s chief says the CRJ-200 could fly for another 20 years.
Helpful links for this week’s episode

* An early look at the latest episode of Cockpit Casual featuring Steve and his team’s efforts moving former Spirit Aircraft, as well as a heartfelt goodbye from Spirit staff
* Where former Spirit Airlines aircraft are located now
* Frontier A321neo strikes person in Denver
* NTSB two-day investigative hearing on UPS crash
* New Zealand Q300 final report

 

Click here for a transcript of this week’s episode.