Welcome back to the Black Box Aviation Podcast, where Tom and Mike talk aviation, travel, and the real-world experiences flyers and crews deal with every day—covering the things you need and WANT to know about flying.

This episode blends technical aviation insight, travel chaos, and classic road stories, with plenty of humor along the way.

• Heather joins us while navigating a difficult family loss—huge thanks for powering through
• Producer tracks in the studio failed to record
• A strong follow-up discussion on LVTO (Low Visibility Takeoff) and Heather’s technical feedback
• Why technical conversations matter—and how we sometimes lose listeners when things get too deep
• Our commitment to doing a better job bridging technical aviation topics for the entire audience
• Florida iguanas falling out of trees 🦎
• Olive Garden… with no salad dressing 🥗

• Tom’s daughter Anna flying JetBlue to Florida
• Mike’s England recap: MCO–HPN connections and Uber decisions
• A standby return from London that went so badly it cost $10,000 to get home
• Why we’d probably be great (or terrible) running a travel agency
• Mike’s story of getting stuck in Hawaii
• The Terminal 5 waiting game
• Uber to T5 or the TWA Hotel—the real debate

• Reaching out to Delta pilots for insight—surprisingly little clarity
• Flying pets in cargo: what actually happens
• A real-world example of a dog flying Hawaiian Airlines from Boston to Honolulu

• U.S. strikes in Venezuela and the resulting FAA no-fly zone
• Massive airline disruptions
• JetBlue cancellations (CNX 290 flights)
• Combined with winter weather, nearly 4,000 delays by early Saturday morning
• Why every airline was affected

• Managing anxiety during major travel disruptions
• How the family handled the chaos
• Airline support during the disruption
• Would she fly that airline again?
• Loyalty programs and reward considerations
• Choosing a hotel under pressure
• Transportation challenges
• Prepping the family for the next day’s travel
• Seat availability issues and how it worked out
• Full Turks and Caicos resort review

📩 Contact the Show: theblackbox01@yahoo.com
📞 Hotline: (203) 699-6792 (Leave your name!)
📱 Instagram / X: @the_black_box01

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Please head to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music and smash the 5-STAR rating. Reviews help push the show into more searches and bring new listeners into the cockpit.

Real aviation talk. Real travel chaos. No autopilot. ✈️

🎙️ Recap of Last Week’s Technical Mishap🧳 Stories From the Road🐾 Pet Transport Services🌍 Breaking News: Venezuela & Airspace Disruptions🌴 Heather’s Turks & Caicos Travel Story

In this post-Christmas episode of the Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom and Mike recap the holidays, listener corrections, airline life on the road, and dive deep into recent aviation accidents and industry discussions.

The guys break down listener call-outs and corrections from the Christmas episode, talk airline schedules, training culture, and what it’s really like balancing family life with flying during the holidays. From childhood Christmas nostalgia to international travel prep, nothing is off the table.

The conversation turns serious as Tom and Mike revisit the Greg Biffle Citation 550 crash, analyzing what we currently know from the NTSB preliminary findings, including flight path data, CVR recovery, emergency communications, and potential power or configuration issues. They also compare this tragedy to other notable business jet accidents, including the Thurman Munson Citation crash and the Learjet 60 accident involving Travis Barker.

This episode blends aviation safety analysis, airline culture, personal stories, and industry insight—the exact mix that makes the Black Box Aviation Podcast a must-listen for pilots, aviation professionals, and anyone fascinated by flying.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music
📩 Contact the show: theblackbox01@yahoo.com
📞 Listener Hotline: (203) 699-6792 (leave your name!)
📱 Instagram / X: @the_black_box01

aviation podcast, airline pilot podcast, aviation safety, NTSB investigation, business jet crash, citation 550 crash, Greg Biffle crash, holiday travel aviation, airline training, pilot life, flying for airlines, general aviation accidents, aviation news podcast, cockpit culture, airline operations, flight training

Welcome back to the Black Box Aviation Podcast, where Tom and Mike talk aviation, travel, pilot life, and the things you NEED—and WANT—to know about flying, with a special Christmas edition of the show.

This episode blends holiday traditions, aviation culture, travel memories, and real-world news, with plenty of laughs and meaningful moments along the way.

🎶 Holiday Talk & Traditions
• Elvis and Christmas music debates
• Favorite Christmas songs (Bing Crosby, Billy Idol, and a few hard passes 👀)
• Wrapping presents: neat vs messy—and why TSA doesn’t love wrapped gifts
• Traveling as a kid during Christmas
• Classic holiday movies through an aviation lens
– Home Alone aircraft discrepancies
– Die Hard (Is it a Christmas movie? 🎄✈️)
– Airport scenes, travel tips, jet lag, and stretches

😂 Funny Stories
• A superfan encounter at Big Y that ends with a holiday cookie pyramid collapse
• Grocery store chaos, laughter, and small-town moments

📣 Shout-Outs
• Dan and Craig (more Elvis—delivered)
• Jim the contractor in Djibouti
• Dedicated listeners and longtime supporters of the show

🌍 Christmas Stories From the Road
• Tom shares a powerful story about spending Christmas and New Year’s on deployment in Africa
• Life at Camp Lemonnier: plywood bases, crew camaraderie, homesickness, church, ice cream, and base generals serving Christmas dinner
• Watching A Christmas Story overseas and finding holiday meaning far from home

📰 In the News – Aviation Safety
• Citation II (Cessna 550) crash near Charlotte
• Discussion of aircraft performance, accident statistics, and pilot factors
• Broader context on Citation safety history and recent tragic accidents

🔮 Looking Ahead to 2026
• Show anniversary approaching
• Returning guests, meaningful aviation stories, and what’s next for the podcast
• A heartfelt holiday message to listeners

📩 Contact the Show: theblackbox01@yahoo.com
📞 Hotline: (203) 699-6792 (leave your name!)
📱 Instagram / X: @the_black_box01

⭐ Support the Podcast
Please smash the 5-star rating on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music—it helps more aviation fans discover the show.

From all of us at The Black Box, Merry Christmas, safe travels, and clear skies—no matter how or where you celebrate the holidays. 🎅✈️