What happens when an ordinary day of paragliding transforms into a battle against one of nature's most violent forces? Join Alice and Zach as they explore the extraordinary survival story of Ewa Wiśnierska, a champion paraglider who was literally sucked into a massive thunderstorm and carried to an altitude higher than Mount Everest. Discover how this elite athlete endured temperatures of minus 50 degrees, oxygen levels too thin to sustain consciousness, and violent hailstorms that should have proven fatal. Learn what happens to the human body when suddenly exposed to conditions more extreme than the "death zone" of high-altitude mountaineering—without specialized equipment or training. Buckle up for an incredible journey into the stratosphere and back.

Sources:

• Wikipedia article on Ewa Wiśnierska
• "Not Today" podcast, Episode 141: "Straight To The Stratosphere"

Find FINAL BOARDING CALL online:

• Website: finalboardingcallpodcast.com
• Instagram: @FinalBoardingCallPod
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Credits: Final Boarding Call is hosted by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas, researched and written by Alice Stern, produced and edited by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas. This special episode featured guests Lydia Stern and Terren Judson.

On August 16, 1987, Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashed just moments after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, killing 154 people and leaving only one survivor—a four-year-old girl who became known as the "miracle child." Discover how an experienced crew's missed checklist, combined with schedule pressure and a disabled warning system, led to one of America's deadliest aviation disasters. Learn about the fundamental safety changes that emerged from this tragedy and why Flight 255 became a watershed moment for aviation checklist procedures worldwide.

• NTSB Accident Report AAR-88/05: "Aircraft Accident Report - Northwest Airlines, Inc., McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82, N312RC, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Romulus, Michigan, August 16, 1987"
• Mayday: Air Disaster - Season 9, Episode 4, titled "Alarming Silence"
• NTSB Investigation Database Case DCA87MA046
• Aviation Safety Network Database Entry for Northwest Airlines Flight 255
• "The Sole Survivor: Cecelia Cichan's Story" - Various news interviews and documentaries
• NASA Ames Research Center Checklist Design Studies
• FAA Advisory Circulars on Takeoff Warning Systems

Website: finalboardingcallpodcast.com

Instagram: @FinalBoardingCallPod

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Final Boarding Call is hosted by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas, researched and written by Alice Stern, produced and edited by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas.

In Part 1, we explored the three terrorist incidents that shaped TSA policy. Now, we examine whether the agency actually works. Join Alice and Zach as they dive into the TSA's shocking 95% failure rate in security tests, the human cost of security theater, and the recent policy changes that have everyone asking: if we can keep our shoes on now, why couldn't we before? After 23 years and over $200 billion, has the TSA made us safer, or just made us feel safer? This episode asks the tough questions about one of America's most controversial federal agencies.

Sources:

• "Transportation Security Administration" - Wikipedia
• "It Was Shoes On, No Boarding Pass Or ID. But Airport Security Forever Changed On 9/11" - David Schaper, NPR, September 10, 2021
• "A Look at How Airport Security Has Evolved Post 9-11" - Diane Gerace, Philadelphia International Airport, June 11, 2021
• "DHS to End 'Shoes-Off' Travel Policy" - Department of Homeland Security Press Release, July 8, 2025
• "TSA's new airport security: What travelers need to know in 2025" - Doc Louallen, ABC News, July 17, 2025
• "Is TSA PreCheck still worth it after security changes?" - Steph Whiteside, NewsNation, July 18, 2025

Find FINAL BOARDING CALL online:

• Website: finalboardingcallpodcast.com
• Instagram: @FinalBoardingCallPod
• Facebook: Final Boarding Call

Credits: Final Boarding Call is hosted by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas, researched and written by Alice Stern, produced and edited by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas.