Podcast
Aviation Masters
Hosted by Savvy Aviation · EN
Hosted by Mike Busch, Aviation Masters features in-depth conversations with the innovators, engineers, mechanics, and visionaries shaping the future of general aviation.
Each episode dives into how these leaders got their start, what drives their work, and the breakthroughs transforming how we fly, maintain, and think about airplanes.
Tune in for:
✈️ Expert insights from aviation pioneers and industry leaders
✈️ Deep dives into aircraft technology, maintenance, and engineering
✈️ Candid conversations about leadership, innovation, and problem-solving in aviation
✈️ Forward-looking discussions about where general aviation is headed
Subscribe so you never miss a conversation.
6episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Future of Flight Safety: Automation, Training & Hard-Won Lessons with Bruce Landsberg
4w ago02:11:05Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Aviation Masters, Mike Busch sits down with Bruce Landsberg—former NTSB Vice Chairman, longtime president of the AOPA Air Safety Institute, and author of the new book Learning from Icarus—for an extraordinary conversation spanning nearly 50 years of aviation safety experience.From his early days as a Cessna demo pilot to pioneering simulator training at FlightSafety, leading accident investigations at the NTSB, and analyzing the future of automation in aviation, Bruce shares hard-won insights that every pilot, owner, and aviation professional needs to hear. This episode covers single-engine emergencies in twins, the value of realistic training, accident investigation philosophy, weather-related crashes, the promise and pitfalls of automation, and why learning from past mistakes is the key to staying alive in aviation.⏱ Chapters00:00 – Introduction: 40 Years of Friendship & Aviation Safety03:00 – The Reality Check: Twin Engine Failures in the Simulator vs. Real Life08:00 – Growing Up in Washington DC & Getting Into Aviation12:00 – Vietnam, Air Force ROTC & Learning to Fly at College Park18:00 – From Psychology Major to Professional Pilot23:00 – Cessna Aircraft Company & Selling Fleets to Flight Schools28:00 – The 310 Demo Flight That Changed Everything35:00 – Moving to FlightSafety & The Revolution in Simulator Training42:00 – Why Simulators Teach What Aircraft Can't48:00 – Transitioning to AOPA & The Air Safety Foundation55:00 – Building the ASI: Philosophy, Programs & Outreach1:02:00 – JFK Jr.'s Fatal Crash: What Really Happened1:09:00 – Spatial Disorientation, VFR Into IMC & The "What Was He Thinking?" Question1:17:00 – Joining the NTSB: From Advocacy to Investigation1:25:00 – Inside NTSB Accident Investigations: Process, Politics & Public Perception1:33:00 – The Colgan 3407 Crash: Fatigue, Training & Industry Change1:42:00 – Weather Accidents: Why Smart Pilots Still Fly Into Storms1:49:00 – Icing, Convective Weather & The Role of Get-There-Itis1:56:00 – Automation in Aviation: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly2:03:00 – Tesla Autopilot, AI & What Aviation Can Learn from Automotive2:09:00 – The Future: Flight Data Monitoring for GA Aircraft2:15:00 – Learning from Icarus: Writing the Book & Key Takeaways2:21:00 – Where to Get the Book & Final Thoughts📍 Subscribe to Aviation Masters for more long-form conversations with the people shaping the future of GA.🔗 Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeBruce Landsberg's Book: Learning from Icarus – https://learningfromicarus.com/Email: learningfromicarus@gmail.comBooks by Mike Busch: https://www.savvyaviation.com/resources/#books
Transcribe →How Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Aviation with John Sipple
Apr 301:55:24Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Aviation Masters, Mike Busch sits down with Dr. John Sipple — machine learning professor at George Washington University, former Boeing Phantom Works engineer, Google AI veteran, and Diamond DA40 owner — for one of the most forward-looking conversations in the show's history.From tracking ballistic missiles with Kalman filters to training neural networks at Google to building AI-powered diagnostics for GA aircraft, John brings a uniquely deep and practical perspective on where artificial intelligence is headed in aviation. The conversation covers everything from how to certify ML models with the FAA, to why technicians struggle with troubleshooting, to the Diamond DA40 oil pressure failures that inspired John to found Vyzerion AI.If you own, maintain, or fly a piston aircraft, and especially if you've ever wondered what AI can actually do for GA safety, this episode is essential listening.⏱ Chapters00:49 – Introducing Dr. John Sipple05:30 – Boeing Phantom Works: Missile Tracking & Kalman Filters09:30 – From Big Data to Machine Learning: The Career Pivot11:45 – AI vs. Machine Learning vs. Deep Learning: Defining the Terms14:00 – How Neural Networks Work & Why 2012 Was a Turning Point18:00 – Applying ML to Telemetry: From Missiles to Aircraft Engines26:00 – What Is Explainable AI (XAI) and Why It Matters in Aviation36:00 – Anomaly Detection in Piston Engines: How It Works47:00 – Project Spark: Savvy Aviation's AI Diagnostics Initiative53:00 – Training vs. Inference: Why the FAA Draws a Hard Line55:00 – How You Certify an ML Model for Aircraft Use59:00 – Why Tesla FSD Couldn't Happen in Certificated Aviation1:00:00 – Experimental Aircraft as the Path to AI in the Cockpit1:05:00 – Three Lines of Defense for AI in Mission-Critical Systems1:09:00 – The Vision for Self-Diagnosing Airplanes1:13:00 – Why Mechanics Struggle with Troubleshooting (And How AI Fixes It)1:18:00 – Project Squawk: Training an LLM on Aviation Maintenance Data1:19:00 – The Data Funnel: Small Models → Explainability → LLM Reasoning1:24:00 – The Cadillac Index & Why GA Affordability Is Getting Worse1:25:00 – Autonomous Aircraft vs. Autonomous Cars: Why Is GA So Far Behind?1:27:00 – Vyzerion AI: Smarter Diagnostics, Healthier Aircraft, Safer Flying1:28:00 – The Diamond DA40 Service Bulletin & In-Flight Oil Pressure Failures1:35:00 – Broader AI Fears, Regulation & the Elevator Analogy1:48:00 – Multimodal AI & the Future of Richer Diagnostics1:49:00 – Using LLMs to Query the NTSB Accident Database1:51:00 – Annual Inspections: Are They Helping or Hurting Safety?📍 Subscribe to Aviation Masters for more long-form conversations with the people shaping the future of GA.🔗 Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeVyzerion AI —https://vyzerionai.com/Savvy Aviation — savvyaviation.comNTSB Aviation Accident Database - https://carol.ntsb.gov/
Transcribe →The Future of General Aviation with George Braly
Mar 601:10:07Tap to summarizeIn this in-depth episode of Aviation Masters, Mike Busch sits down again with George Braly to tackle some of the most urgent issues facing general aviation today.From aging aircraft fuel system failures to the FAA’s draft unleaded fuel transition plan, and from certification gridlock to PMA delays, this episode dives deep into what aircraft owners, mechanics, and industry leaders need to understand right now.If you own, maintain, or operate piston aircraft — this conversation affects you.⏱ Chapters03:00 – Elastomers, O-Rings & Why Old Seals Are Causing Fires07:00 – Upgrading to Modern FKM (Fluorosilicone) O-Rings11:30 – Why Fuel Leaks Don’t Always Show Up During Inspections18:00 – FAA Draft Plan to Transition to Unleaded Avgas21:00 – The Risks of Modifying Engines for Lower-Octane Fuel26:00 – How Retarded Timing Impacts Horsepower & Twin Safety33:00 – Is There Already a True Drop-In Replacement for 100LL?41:00 – FAA Reorganization: Why Certification Is Slower Than Ever48:00 – DERs, ODAs & Why Delegation Keeps Aviation Alive57:00 – PMA Parts, OEM Shutdowns & The Parts Supply Crisis1:04:00 – Is Certification Still Worth the Cost?1:08:00 – What Aircraft Owners Should Do Now📍 Subscribe to Aviation Masters for more long-form conversations with the people shaping the future of GA.
Transcribe →Six Decades of Aviation Engineering with Jimmy Tubbs
Feb 601:31:42Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Aviation Masters, Mike Busch sits down with legendary aeronautical engineer Jimmy Tubbs for a deep, wide-ranging conversation that spans more than six decades of aviation experience.From military engineering and piston engine innovation to PMA certification battles and the future of autonomous flight, this episode is a masterclass in how general aviation has evolved and where it may be headed next.Jimmy shares the untold engineering stories behind cylinder design, chrome vs. nickel processes, engine certification challenges, and the hard lessons learned while building some of the most influential piston engine components in modern aviation.This is a candid, technical, and deeply human conversation with one of the quiet architects of how we fly today.⏱ Chapters 03:00 – From Small-Town Texas to Aeronautical Engineering07:00 – Military Aviation, Engineering Labs & Learning to Fly12:00 – Inside ECI: Cylinder Reconditioning & Early PMA Work17:00 – Channel Chrome vs. Nickel Cylinders: What Really Matters27:00 – Building New Cylinders & The Birth of Titan Engines36:00 – TBO, On-Condition Maintenance & FAA Certification Reality42:00 – The Titan Cylinder AD: What Actually Happened53:00 – Engine Monitoring, CHT Management & Pilot Responsibility01:05:00 – Life After ECI: PMA Consulting & Supply Chain Challenges01:19:00 – Diesel Engines, Automation & The Future of General Aviation01:30:00 – Final Reflections on Innovation, Aging Aircraft & Passion for Aviation📍 Subscribe to Aviation Masters for more long-form conversations with the people shaping the future of GA.
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George Braly on Lean-of-Peak, G100UL, Certification Battles, and Why Aviation Myths Die Hard
Jan 901:16:26Tap to summarizeIf you have ever been told, “That’s just how piston engines work,” this episode of Aviation Masters might make you raise an eyebrow and then start asking more questions.In this episode, host Mike Busch sits down with George Braly, one of the most influential (and unapologetically analytical) minds in modern general aviation. Braly is an inventor, trial lawyer, entrepreneur, and the co-founder and chief engineer of General Aviation Modifications, Inc. (GAMI)—the company behind GAMjectors, Tornado Alley Turbo systems, and the FAA-approved high-octane unleaded avgas G100UL.This is not a surface-level conversation. It is a deep, technical, and refreshingly honest look at how innovation actually happens in aviation and why it is often resisted at every step of the way.⏱️ Chapters01:17 — Meet George Braly02:53 — Early Aviation Roots in Oklahoma04:51 — Learning IFR the Hard Way07:09 — From Aerospace Engineering to Law School08:59 — Buying a Bonanza and Returning to Engineering10:43 — Founding GAMI and Balanced Fuel Injectors12:29 — Calling the FAA Certification Bluff15:24 — Lean-of-Peak: Where Angels Fear to Tread17:10 — Fuel/Air Balance and Engine Monitor Insights19:01 — Validation from a Continental Engineering Legend22:05 — Building the Aircraft Engine Test Cell25:04 — Teaching Thousands of Pilots How Engines Work28:47 — Manufacturer Pushback on Lean Operations30:23 — Airline History Confirms Lean Mixture Operations35:11 — Tornado Alley Turbo and System Improvements38:08 — Flying a Turbo Cirrus SR22 at Altitude42:57 — Cirrus Adopts the Tornado Alley System46:02 — FAA Rule Changes and Engineering Workarounds49:19 — The Long Fight for Unleaded Avgas (G100UL)53:16 — Political Resistance Inside Certification58:15 — Restarting the Fuel Certification Effort01:02:31 — Detonation Testing at the Edge of Failure📍 Subscribe to Aviation Masters for more long-form conversations with the people shaping the future of GA.
Transcribe →About Aviation Masters
Dec 300:00:47Tap to summarizeMeet Mike Busch & Aviation Masters.Tune in for: ✈️ Expert insights from aviation pioneers and industry leaders ✈️ Deep dives into aircraft technology, maintenance, and engineering ✈️ Candid conversations about leadership, innovation, and problem-solving in aviation ✈️ Forward-looking discussions about where general aviation is headedSubscribe today & never miss an episode!
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