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With Part of The Wing Missing, This 707 STILL Made a Miracle Landing

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With Part of The Wing Missing, This 707 STILL Made a Miracle Landing

“It was a miracle” were the only words a Pan Am pilot could find to describe landing his plane safely after a wing fell off and the plane caught fire in mid air. The mishap occurred in 1965, during the Viet Nam war. The plane had been on its way from San Francisco to Hawaii.

It had only been in flight for a minute or two when an apparent engine fire and explosion caused the engine to separate from the wing. The aircraft spewed debris over South San Francisco before lumbering in the air long enough to make a shallow turn towards a divert field. By the grace of God and some miraculous flying by the crew, the severely damaged plane somehow managed to land safely at Travis Air Force base, about 50 miles northeast of San Francisco.

As the wing blew off and the plane caught fire, the Captain came over the loud speaker and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We are experiencing some minor difficulties… well, perhaps not so minor.” The passengers laughed nervously as the Captain explained that they would be landing at Travis.

Minutes later, the Captain kept his promise, lowered the landing gear manually and touched down at Travis AFB. Everyone on the plane was safely evacuated. These were the days before cell phones made it so easy to take pictures. Still, two of the plane’s passengers happened to have an 8mm camera with them, and were able to take amazing footage of the scene.

The Captain said he had no idea what caused the problem. It could have been a bird flying into the wing, or it could have been engine failure.

The day wasn’t finished though. Pan Am sent a second 707 to pick up the passengers from the first flight and take them to Hawaii. On landing, the nose gear of the second jet collapsed leading to the second emergency of the day for Travis AFB! Finally, a third 707 was sent to the Air Force Base. That plane landed safely at Travis AFB and continued on to Hawaii.

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If Your Diecast Planes Were To Come Alive, This is What It Would Look Like

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If Your Diecast Planes Were To Come Alive, This is What It Would Look Like

If you call yourself an avgeek, Miniatur Wunderland better be put on your bucket list.

Many people are collectors of model airplanes.  With GeminiJets and mahogany models, its way easier than before to get a replica of your favorite aircraft.  Yet Miniatur Wunderland at Hamburg, Germany has taken model aviation to a whole new level. Miniatur Wunderland is a railway attraction that contains a full replica of Hamburg airport called Knuffingen Airport, which was completed in May of 2011. They meticulously keep the field up to date, adding new aircraft to the mix and keeping a few special but now retired ones like the Concorde in the mix.  Each model has some fantastically realistic features like flashing strobes along with working flaps and gear, just like the real airplanes they represent.

How do these models work?

At Miniatur Wunderland, as the model plane goes down the runway, two metal bars underneath it support the aircraft(the one in front higher than the one in back), causing the plane to “lift” in the air. Then the plane goes through a rubber barrier that looks like part of a cloudy grey sky, and disappears. . It’s a very clever illusory effect. There’s plenty of plane spotting going on here – Emirates, Thai, Air Berlin, Air France, China Eastern, United, and the beautiful white Condor with colored hearts that has “We Love Flying” printed in German across the side of the plane. These are to name just a few.

The whole set up is actually quite cool looking. The background scenery is positively quaint, with trees, lights, houses, office buildings, trains, planes, moving vehicles, and human figurines. When it comes to art imitating life, Miniatur Wunderland leaves no stone unturned.

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Would You Let Your 13 Year Old Boy Pilot a Business Jet?

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Would You Let Your 13 Year Old Boy Pilot a Business Jet?

He calls for Gear Up Like He’s Done This A Time Or Two Before.

Caden Urschel is not your average 13 year old. While he’s not even old enough to drive yet, Caden already has about two hundred hours of flight time under his belt. He has piloted various small planes and helicopters through the years with the help of his father, Scott. Scott Urschel, is a flight instructor and commercial pilot.

It’s not uncommon to see a father (or mother) taking their teenager up in a small plane to learn how to fly. But there is a huge difference between taking your child flying in a Cessna 172 and a Citation business jet.  Recently, a video was posted of Caden flying the Citation M2. In the video, Caden looks like a pretty good stick. He successfully accomplishes the takeoff and a touch and go in the business jet.

The Citation M2 jet is an American light business jet built by Cessna. It is 42 feet and seven inches in length, with a wing-span of just over 47 feet. It is powered by two Williams International turbofans. It is not every day you see a child flying one of these jets. This is legal because the Citation is certified as a single pilot aircraft. The second seat can be vacant or be occupied by a non-qualified pilot.

While Caden might be able to fly along and have the physical skills to fly a plane, it will be a few years until he can do it legally. According to Federal law, Caden cannot solo an airplane until he is sixteen years old. He can’t actually get his license or legally carry passengers until he is 17 years old. A multi-engine rating to fly a plane like the M2 will require an additional rating.

Rare Air: This Stubby Fokker 70 Still Flies Like A Champ Even In Her Sunset Years

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Rare Air: This Stubby Fokker 70 Still Flies Like A Champ Even In Her Sunset Years

Soon to be gone, flying on the Fokker is a real treat.

Rare jets are the holy grail for Avgeeks. Over the past few years, aviation enthusiasts have flocked to fly on the last flights on the MD-11, DC-9, 727, 737-200 and DC-8. If you are an aviation enthusiast, you need to put the Fokker 70 on your radar. Less than 50 Fokker 70s were produced. Right now, only 38 Fokker 70s remain in service. By October 29, 2017, KLM will retire their fleet leaving less than 20 in service worldwide citing rising operating expenses.

This video features a 3-minute time lapse movie of a flight from Zurich to Amsterdam, in a very contemporary looking KLM Fokker 70. Take a ride with this passenger over the beautiful Swiss Alps, through the clouds, to the airplane’s Dutch destination. See the beautiful Holland farmlands on your way in. There’s a fabulous view from row 15 with the engine just feet from the passengers. The real trip takes about 90 minutes non stop. This particular flight took one hour and sixteen minutes. The gentle roar of the Rolls Royce Tay 620’s engines will remind you of what peak-efficiency sounded like in the mid-90s.

What’s interesting about the Fokker 70 is it’s simplicity and stubbiness. The wing is stubby and flaps 0 takeoffs are common in order to reduce wear on the engines.

What is most impressive about this jet is how short the Fokker 70 is. It literally is a shrunken Fokker 100 with a 15 feet shorter fuselage than the F100. It harkens back to a time where manufacturers thought that they could shrink aircraft (or offer shorter aircraft) for additional sales (See also MD-95, Boeing 737-600, ATR-42).

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KLM 747 Crew Wows Tourists With Approach To St. Maarten

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KLM 747 Crew Wows Tourists With Approach To St. Maarten

Measuring a mere 7,500 feet, and surrounded by hills, Saint Maarten has one of the world’s most challenging runways for a heavy aircraft and one of the best spotting locations for Avgeeks!

Join the captain onboard a flight to this serene tropical island. Get ready for an exciting landing in this 6-minute video production.
By now most Avgeeks know about Maho Beach. It is the most famous plane spotting location in the world. Plane spotting is almost a national sport in Saint Maarten.  Hundreds of people gather to view the most spectacular approach of the day – the landing of a Boeing 747 that left Amsterdam 8 hours earlier. The plane is a beautiful sky blue color, with gleaming white wings.

The total distance from Amsterdam to Juliana International Airport in Saint Maarten is almost 5,000 miles. This flight’s cockpit crew are Captain Tim ten Velde, and his first officer, Michel Vat. The Captain checks the route map app on his iPad. His GPS locates the plane on a map. Then he checks his iPad approach app to find the best method of approach to this difficult runway. There is a RNAV approach available that helps pilots find the airport in conditions of poor visibility.

On approach, the cockpit crew hears from the Juliana Airport approach control. A person in the tower lets them know the wind speed, altimeter setting, temperature, and expected approach.  The video is unique in a few ways.  One, St. Maarten is amazing.  Two, KLM is the only airline that flies the Boeing 747 into the field (only for another two months as they begin to phase out the Queen of the Skies).  Lastly, the pilots demonstrate the professionalism and skill required to operate the jumbo jet into a relatively small field safely.

 

Skip The Herc, These Paratroopers Try Out The New KC-390 Jet (Watch in 360!)

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Skip The Herc, These Paratroopers Try Out The New KC-390 Jet (Watch in 360!)

Embraer posts 360 video of paratrooper drop in the new KC-390 Jet

In 2009, Embraer was awarded with a 1.5 billion dollar contract to build two prototypes of the KC-390. Only two KC-390s have been built so far. This video shows the first ever paratroop drop using one of the prototypes.

The Embraer KC-390 is a mid-sized, twin engine military jet aircraft recently developed by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace manufacturer. It is a tactical airlifter with a roomy, cargo bay that is similar in size to a C-130. Ruggedized landing gear allows the aircraft to take off and land of semi-prepared surfaces. Aircraft avionics include HUD displays for both pilot and co-pilot, a night vision system, GPS, and a CARP (Computed Air Release Point) system, which allows for automatic opening of the cargo doors. The unit cost of each KC-390 aircraft is about 85 million dollars.

The KC-390 transports cargo and troops, as well as performing aerial refueling. It is Embraer’s largest aircraft to date. Its first flight was on February 3rd, 2015. In June of 2016, Portugal announced plans to buy six KC-390 aircrafts. Peru has also shown interest. Meanwhile, the Brazilian Air Force has ordered 28 of this model, in addition to the two prototypes. A total of 60 units have been ordered for Chile, Portugal, Czech Republic, Argentina, and Colombia.

The KC-390 holds a crew of two, and has room for 80 passengers. The plane is nearly 110 feet long, with a wing span of more than 111 feet. It is 37 feet and six inches in height.The service ceiling (maximum altitude) is 36,000 feet.

Secret C-17 Mission: Is This Really How Pokemon Are Restocked?

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Secret C-17 Mission: Is This Really How Pokemon Are Restocked?

A not so serious story about Pokemon.

We’re proud to report many unique stories about aviation.  We also really enjoy sharing exciting videos that highlight the airplanes we love and the people who fly them.  But every once in a while, we come across a video that is just ummm…odd but we are still compelled to share it.

As we all know, Pokemon Go has taken over smartphones all over the world.  It’s now pretty common to see zombie looking people walking in parks and on streets.  They are oblivious to the world with their head buried in a phone.  They are catching Pokemon.  If everyone is so busy catching them, how do they replenish them?  Watch this video and find out.  It’s 30 second of your life that you’ll never get back.  We warned you.

Bonus:  As a true avgeek, what really irks you about this video?

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Remember American Trans Air? Ride Along In One Of Their L-1011s

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Remember American Trans Air? Ride Along In One Of Their L-1011s

Before mega-carriers dominated the skies, ATA was a unique airline that flew a diverse fleet.

ataairlinesFor a time, American Trans Air was a top-notch, thriving airline. They did a great job of balancing fun and professionalism. ATA operated a fleet of 707s, 727-200s, 737-800s, 757s, L1011s and later DC-10s, L1011s and 757s. This video shows vintage footage of ATA during the late ’90s. The video focuses on aviation safety using ATA as the primary airline for the focus of the documentary. It highlights the intense training it took to be a crew member in the industry. The video features a now-rare L1011 ridealong from Indianapolis to Las Vegas. The documentary even shows a malfunction of the number 2 engine during start that forced a delay. The cockpit crew worked with maintenance to get it fixed.

Founded in 1963 as Ambassadair, ATA Airlines (also known as American Trans Air) was a low cost airline based in Indianapolis. Its first aircraft was a Boeing 720 known as Miss Indy. A second Boeing 720 was added in 1978. This one was named Spirit of Indiana. For decades, ATA operated scheduled passenger flights throughout the United States and most of its territories. The airline’s focus cities were Chicago, Honolulu, and Oakland. At one time, ATA was north America’s largest charter airline. It transported more troops for the U.S. Military than any other commercial airline.

For a while, ATA kept up with its competition, and grew with a modern fleet and a diverse set of revenue. ATA also had Travel City Direct as one of their biggest clients.

Then, there was a major economic upheaval in the airline industry as a result of the 9/11 attacks. Because of this, ATA suffered serious financial hardships from which it never recovered. Adding insult to the already tumultuous time, ATA services to the UK ended in 2002 when Travel City chose another airline – Air Atlanta.

Like other smaller low-cost airlines during the era, ATA continued its financial death struggle while making changes to try to survive. They attempted to code-share with Southwest Airlines, pared down their fleet, shut down routes and even closed their Indianapolis base. Nothing worked though. They shrunk themselves into further losses. On April 2nd, 2008, ATA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, after losing a major contract for its military charter business. Soon after, an ATA representative announced that the company would be discontinuing all services. While ATA was still ‘operating’ under bankruptcy protection, Southwest purchased the rights to the remaining gates at Midway Airport and operating certificate for 7.5 million.

But first, a safety video of the venerable L1011.

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Ok, now you are cleared for takeoff…

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Brotherhood in The Skies: German Pilot Could Have Shot Down The American B-17 But Gave Him Safe Passage Instead

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Brotherhood in The Skies: German Pilot Could Have Shot Down The American B-17 But Gave Him Safe Passage Instead

Charlie Brown was born in Weston, West Virginia, and eventually became an American pilot during WWII. One day, his plane was severely damaged by German artillery. Franz Stigler was a German pilot who, among other German pilots, saw the damage to Brown’s plane from the ground.

Stigler took his plane in the air, and instead of shooting Brown’s plane down, he flew alongside it and gestured that Brown should try to get to Sweden. Brown and his crew didn’t understand Stigler’s gestures. They decided they should try to make it to England. When Stigler realized their intentions, he flew in formation just above the wing of Brown’s crippled plane, so the Germans wouldn’t target it. Eventually, they flew over open water. Brown, unsure of Stigler’s intentions, asked one of his crew mates to point a gun at Stigler. Stigler got the message, saluted, and flew off.

Basically, Franz Stigler risked his own life to save the enemy. He could have been shot down by Brown’s plane. What’s more, if his own side had caught him protecting the enemy, execution would be a virtual certainty. So Franz Stigler never mentioned the incident to anyone.

Both men survived the war. Charlie Brown moved to Canada in 1953 and became a successful businessman. Forty years after the fact, Charlie Brown, after a tremendous effort, learned the identity of the man in the other plane. The two men were reunited in 1990, and stayed close friends until their deaths, just a few months apart, in 2008.

Their story is the subject of a book entitled, A Higher Call. The book spent 19 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list.

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What Happens To Your Poo On A Plane?

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What Happens To Your Poo On A Plane?

On an average long haul flight, there are over 1,000 flushes.  Where does it all go?

Admit it! You’ve wondered what happens when you flush a toilet on a plane. Modern airplane toilets have suction so strong that your waste (including the smell) accelerates through pipes at the speed of a Formula One race car! Now that’s fast!

Airplane toilets used to rely on a large amount of blue sanitation fluid to keep the toilet flushing. These days, it still gets flushed but via an invention called the “vacuum toilet.”  The toilet relies on strong suction and slick walls instead of blue fluid. The bowl is coated with non stick teflon. When you press the flush button, a valve opens, sucking down the contents of the bowl. The pipes carry their contents into large tanks that are stored underneath the main cabin.

First_class_Lavatory_with_WindowThe plane has to be emptied of human waste, typically on every landing. A grounds crew gentleman/woman rolls up in a vehicle called the “honey truck,” to collect the waste containers from the back of the plane. The honey truck has an 800-gallon stainless steel waste tank. A powerful pump can fill this tank in about ten minutes. Still, the driver must connect the pump to the aircraft by hand. He/she carefully connects the waste pipe to the release valve, making sure it is locked in place. If it is not locked properly, it will come flying off, spewing sewage everywhere. (It happens occasionally.) The honey truck operator wears gloves, of course. Once he is finished sucking sewage from a plane, he connects a flush pipe to clean out the plane’s waste tanks.

When the tanks are drained, the driver makes a run to the waste management facility that is usually located on the airport property. There, he/she drives the truck to the receptacle, opens a valve, and empties the truck.  Video was posted by the Smithsonian Channel

Remember When Pepsi Leased A Concorde?

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Remember When Pepsi Leased A Concorde?

The blue paint limited the speed of the world’s fastest airliner

In 1996, the Pepsi Cola company underwent a major rebranding. As part of this, they signed a deal with Air France to charter the Concorde and paint it blue. They put the Pepsi logo on the tail, and the word Pepsi on the side of the plane. The new Pepsi can design was set to be electric blue in color, to distinguish it from the red cans of Coca Cola.

Pepsi arranged for the Concorde to make 16 flights in this new color scheme. Sounds expensive, this is the same soda company that hired Michael Jackson in his heyday too.

Commissioning special vehicles to promote a product is nothing new. But chartering the Concorde is a bit over the top, to say the least. At the time, there were only 20 Concorde aircraft in existence. Pepsi kept the cost confidential, but the cost of just painting a Boeing 747 can exceed $150,000. The paint they used was specially designed to handle the intense heat of the Concorde. Workers spent 2,000 hours and used 200 liters of blue paint.

Eventually, the plane was flown to London’s Gatwick Airport, where hundreds of journalists were assembled from 40 countries to cover the story. For the big reveal, Pepsi hired supermodels Claudia Schiffer and Cindy Crawford, as well as tennis star Andre Agassi.

The Pepsi Concorde completed 16 flights to ten cities in Europe and the Middle East. Due to the paint, the Concorde had to fly at Mach 1.5 or slower throughout the trip. After the tour, the Concorde was restored to its original Air France colors.

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The C-17 Globemaster III is Overhauled In the Largest Hangar In the World.

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The C-17 Globemaster III is Overhauled In the Largest Hangar In the World.

This hangar is huuugge!

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the Boeing facility in San Antonio is the largest freestanding airplane hangar in the world. It is 1,760 feet long. This massive hangar can fit sixteen C-17 Globemaster Fleet III planes. More than 600 employees work there. Workers have upgraded and delivered almost 1,000 planes from this facility, to locations around the world. The crew boasts 95 percent on time deliveries. Says Boeing C-17 Globemaster III Program Leader Rene Vargas, “What we do now is we basically take a C-17 and do maintenance, overhaul and repairs of the aircraft.”

The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is the Air Force’s primary heavy transport aircraft, developed in the 1980s and delivered from 1994 to 2013. The C-17 routinely performs tactical and strategic airlift missions, as well as medical evacuation and airdrop. It is designed to airdrop 102 paratroopers and their equipment. The C-17 can take off from runways as short as 3,500 feet, and as narrow as 90 feet wide. It can even operate from semi-prepared and unimproved runways, although this increases the risk of damage to the aircraft.

The C-17 is about 174 feet long and has a wingspan of about 170 feet. The cargo compartment is 88 feet long by 18 feet wide. The C-17 is powered by four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbo engines.

The final C-17 was completed in the Long Beach, California facility, and launched on November 29th, 2015.

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