Destination Aviation

Dan Cooper… Who B. That? His name wasn't D.B. Cooper. At least... probably not. In 1971, a man calling himself Dan Cooper boarded Northwest Orient Flight 305 in Portland, headed for Seattle—and became part of one of aviation's most enduring mysteries. In this episode of Destination Aviation, we're diving into the airplane, the hijacking, the infamous jump, the money, the clues, and the question that still hasn't been answered more than half a century later: Who was Dan Cooper... and what happ...

The title may be tongue-in-cheek, but the conversation is all about the future of private aviation. In Episode 79 of Destination Aviation, I sit down with Alan Walsh, President & CEO of Sentient Jet, to discuss how technology is reshaping the private aviation industry while keeping the customer experience at the center of it all. We explore Sentient Jet's pioneering role as the inventor of the jet card, how digital tools like app-based and text-to-book services are changing the way travel...

In this episode of Destination Aviation, we sit down with entrepreneur Andy Ellwood to explore an incredible journey that spans private aviation, Silicon Valley, and the future of grocery shopping. Andy shares how he went from selling private jets for Warren Buffett to building startups acquired by Facebook and Google, before setting his sights on solving one of the biggest challenges facing families today—making grocery shopping smarter, more transparent, and more affordable. Along the way, ...

What does it take to lead one of aviation's most influential organizations? In this episode of Destination Aviation, I sit down with Curt Castagna, President & CEO of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), for a conversation that goes far beyond titles and job descriptions. Curt shares his journey through the aviation industry, the experiences that shaped his leadership style, and what it's like guiding NATA during a pivotal time for business aviation and general aviation. We...

In 1956, a U.S. Air Force B-25 Mitchell bomber was flying a routine Cold War training mission when everything started to go wrong over western Pennsylvania. Low on fuel and running out of options, the crew made a desperate decision to put the aircraft down in the Monongahela River near Pittsburgh. What followed was a dramatic emergency ditching that was witnessed by many—and initially thought to be a survivable crash. But then something unexpected happened. The aircraft that everyone saw go i...