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Newark Chaos, Missed Flights, and Visual Approaches: A Pilot’s Wild Week
May 14, 2025 · 61 min

This week on The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom is back from training with a flight bag full of stories. From shooting RNP .2 approaches to trying out the tricky Newark Stadium Visual Runway 29, it was anything but routine. After delays in Newark reroute his trip, Tom finds himself sprinting through DTW, dealing with valet bag failures, and navigating late-night hotel decisions—at a place that may or may not have had a dead flight attendant.

We break down the chaos at Newark Liberty Airport, including ongoing runway closures, staffing walkouts at PHL Center, and critical radar and communication losses. Is this a one-off or a symptom of a deeper issue in U.S. airspace management?

Also in this episode:

Dangerous gas station encounters near the airport

Rolling delays and pilot fatigue realities

The NYC helicopter in-flight breakup investigation

Trump gets offered a used 747—should he take it?

And why the airplane lav may be the most overrated amenity in aviation

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