Episode 368 - With Mike Ling MBE - Blades Aerobatic Team Pilot

Join Carlos, Matt, Nev and Armando for this week's aviation fun. Joining us also is special guest, Blades Aerobatic Team Pilot, Mike Ling MBE FRAeS!

The Blades are a leading display team, world-famous for flying close-formation aerobatics to the highest level. The world's only aerobatic airline to fly passengers in formation, on their unforgettable flying experience days, in line with the same safety standards as your mainstream airline.

Mike flies as Blade 3 and has been with the team since 2019. Mike previously flew over 2500 sorties with the RAF Red Arrows!

You can find out everything you need about Mike and the Blades Display team here : https://theblades.com/

In this week's commercial news a AN26 decides to lose some weight, one airline is offering a private jet experience for nine pounds & we hear of one guy who really does pull out all the stops for a marriage proposal.

In the military the Irish get an up close look at a USAF C-17 Globemaster and Armando tells us about training in the DC-3.

Armando also talks to Dick Knapinski who is the Communications Director at EAA.

Don't forget you can get in touch with us all at : WhatsApp +44 757 22 491 66 Email podcast@planetalkinguk.com or comment in our chatroom on YouTube.

Here are the links to the stories we featured this week :

COMMERCIAL

AN26 NEAR BOR ON MAY 20TH 2021, DROPPED PROPELLER IN FLIGHT https://avherald.com/h?article=4e7b085a&opt=0

PRIVATE JET EXPERIENCE FOR UNDER £9 AS RYANAIR FLIES PLANE WITH 176 EMPTY SEATS https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ryanair-private-jet-flight-faro-stansted-b1849413.html?amp

AIRLINE CREATES 'NAP PODS' FOR PASSENGERS WHO NEED TO SLEEP BEFORE THEIR FLIGHT https://www.heart.co.uk/lifestyle/british-airways-nap-pods-sleep-flight/

U.S. AIRLINES MAY START WEIGHING PASSENGERS AT THE GATE https://viewfromthewing.com/u-s-airlines-may-start-weighing-passengers-at-the-gate/

BUSHTALK RADIO ADDS THOUSANDS OF AUDIO TOURS TO MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/microsoft-flight-simulator-bushtalk-radio

RYANAIR SCORES FIRST WINS IN FIGHT OVER RIVALS' COVID AID https://www.dw.com/en/ryanair-wins-eu-legal-challenge-to-airline-state-aid/a-57585185 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-19/ryanair-scores-first-wins-in-eu-challenges-to-rivals-covid-aid?fbclid=IwAR08wYUSq0ypWhFK8R2C58lWMFx0PBPNkhrHuRCyuXnXBzPV4qoOKorZ96A

A MAN SURPRISED HIS GIRLFRIEND WITH A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL WRITTEN IN THE SAND OF THE WORLD FAMOUS BARRA AIRPORT. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-57170601

MILITARY

A MASSIVE US AIR FORCE JET WENT ON A DETOUR IN IRISH AIRSPACE - SO ITS PILOT COULD FLY OVER HIS HOMETOWN! https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/massive-air-force-jet-changes-24144886