Aircraft Grade - The Aviation Podcast Alex Edwards

Britain has two flag carriers when it comes to its aviation market. British Airways, an ex-nationalised carrier that can trace its routes back to 1919, and Virgin Atlantic, an airline established in the 1980s by disgruntled millionaire Richard Branson who had become fed up with the state of the airline industry. 

Despite its much smaller size Virgin has competed closely with BA throughout its existence, mainly across the Atlantic. Using provocative advertising techniques and unique taglines, Virgin entered the market with a bang and offered passengers a completely different experience. British Airways on the other hand had just completed the process of privatisation and was one of the biggest and most successful airlines in the world and didn't worry too much about the elusive threat of Virgin Atlantic.

The competition was civil, until the abolition of the London Air Traffic Distribution Rules, which gave Virgin access to the prestigious London Heathrow. This put them in direct competition with British Airways. Angry, chairman Lord King commissioned a slander campaign against Virgin Atlantic. All this and more coming up this week, on Aircraft Grade.

00:00 - Introduction 

00:33 - Background 

01:58 - Origins of British Airways  

09:37 - Origins of Virgin Atlantic 

14:33 - Close Competition 

16:36 - Dirty Tricks 

23:10 - Modern Day 

34:20 - Final Words 

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It's been a while since a new episode of Aircraft Grade has hit your subscription boxes. Well, here's some good news, today marks the return of the podcast. In this episode, Alex sits down to discuss where we went, why we went and where we're going in the future!

Alex discusses his motivation for starting this podcast and where his interest in radio and journalism comes from. He touches on how his interest in aviation came to be and why it is so special to him. 

He also talks about the podcast itself; why it is laid out the way it is. The inspiration for the show is covered along with how it has changed in its relatively short lifespan. 

More importantly, Alex talks about why there hasn't been a new Aircraft Grade episode for 7 months and his experience with work overload both at college and employment wise. He talks about how he fell out of love with producing the podcast but how his drive has been reinvigorated recently. 

This week it gets a personal and is different from any Aircraft Grade content that came before. 

This week we chat. Coming up this week, on Aircraft Grade.

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The Westland Sea King will forever be famous for its role as the British Force's chosen Search and Rescue helicopter during its years of service, saving thousands of lives. The red and grey Royal Navy or bright yellow liveried RAF Sea Kings will always be a quintessential piece of the British coastline. 
Originally developed by Sikorsky to overcome the increasing threat of Russian submarines during the Cold War in the late 1950s and early 1960s it has since been developed into a reliable, military workhorse. 
From Anti-Submarine Warfare powerhouse to troop transporter to Falklands War hero the Sea King is a truly incredible aircraft. 
The helicopter is reaching the end of its service life with major operators the USAF, US Navy, RAF and Royal Navy having already retired the type, its future isn't looking so bright. 
This week we look at the Westland Sea Kings' history, development and future over its life span. Coming up this week, on Aircraft Grade.
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The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an iconic piece of Air Force fleets around the world, it’s even the fifth aircraft to mark 50 years of continuous operations with its primary customer, the US Air Force.
Designed in the 1950s as a replacement for the World War 2 era cargo planes, struggling with the demands of the new and modern Korean War. 
Conceived with one simple job to be a tactical medium transport that could land on unimproved ground, be extremely rugged and fly 30,000 pounds of cargo for 1,500 miles. The C-130 has morphed and transformed into a plane so much better and more versatile than that. 
As the plane faces retirement in the UK and other Air Forces around the world, we take a look at its history, development over the decades and its future. Coming up this week, on Aircraft Grade.
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Welcome to Aircraft Grade, the Aviation Podcast. Coming up this week:
- We talk rivets
- Qantas still confident in Project Sunrise
- Airbus' unique way of getting super fast WiFi on their aircraft
- Another update on the situation around the super-jumbo
Plus this weeks news roundup and the biggest airline deliveries.
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Welcome to Aircraft Grade, the Aviation Podcast. Coming up this week:
- Why do airlines operate subsidiaries?
- A big delay in the conversion of the US Presidents new 747
- UPS have big ambitions for eVTOL aircraft
- Could the A380 see a future as a freighter after all?
Plus this weeks news roundup and the biggest airline deliveries.
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🌐 - www.aircraftgrade.co.uk