Initial episode: “Aviation Bill”
This year marks the 10th anniversary of a chilling aviation mystery. On March 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 took off from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and disappeared from air traffic control radar 35 minutes later, disappearing somewhere over the Indian Ocean. Exhaustive searches revealed only scattered fragments, which offered no answers about what happened to the flight. In this meticulous investigative podcast, aviation expert and journalist Jeff Wise breaks down every detail of the story alongside his co-host, Andy Tarnoff. Over the course of more than 25 episodes, the duo leaves no stone unturned as they explore different theories, investigating satellite data, clues from the search effort and the story behind the flight’s pilot to gather the answers.
Initial episode: “The First Disappearance”
Created in 2015 from a blog of the same name, “Layovers” is one of the oldest aviation podcasts out there. Hosts Paul Papadimitriou and Alex Hunter spend a lot of time in the air (and in airport lounges) and share a fascination with the commercial aviation industry. In each episode, they talk about their most recent travels, offer insights into different airline and aircraft experiences, and review airports around the world. Whether you’re a frequent flyer or just want to live vicariously through your travels and relationship, it’s a fun and relatable listen.
Opening episode: “The 747 is forever, a London NY bridge at JFK T8, Air France lounge joie de vivre, guillotine 777, the airport game”
Each season of this Wondery podcast consists of several mini-seasons, each exploring the dynamics between two competing brands. Over the course of seven episodes, “Boeing vs. Airbus” shows how Boeing became the leader of the group, starting in the 1950s, after a series of disasters involving its biggest competitor, the British manufacturer de Havilland. As Boeing continued to grow, European rivals banded together to create a worthy adversary, Airbus, laying the foundation for the duopoly that has existed ever since. Now that Boeing’s recent series of incidents has revealed a culture of lax and biased safety protocols, the dynamics of this rivalry have shifted significantly in Airbus’ favor, making this exhaustive story even more vital.
Initial episode: “Get Your Wings”
Produced by the Museum of Flight in Tukwila, Washington, and based in part on its collection, “The Flight Deck” is an invaluable resource for anyone feeling nostalgic or curious about the past of air travel. There are episodes exploring the gradual reduction of legroom on passenger flights, the chaotic origins of air traffic control and the story of the still-unidentified flight hijacker DB Cooper, as well as extensive interviews with pilots, astronauts, flight surgeons and much more. The podcast recently began producing shorter seasons with specific themes – its third season, which aired last year, highlighted LGBTQ+ stories in aviation history.
