How to Take Off & Land a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 (LHR > SFO)
guest post by Todd Lappin (Telstar Logistics)
This video taken from the cockpit of a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-400 making a final approach to SFO seems to have been filmed with official sanction, so the production quality is excellent. If you’ve ever wondered what’s going on in the front of the plane as you prepare to land at SFO — or if you’re just a fan of air traffic control communications and NASA-style checklists — these videos should more than satisfy your curiosity.
UPDATE 1: Here are the videos from the same Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 flight as it takes off from London Heathrow:
UPDATE 2: These videos are from the ITVV Boeing 747-400 (VIR) DVD.
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on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 at 11:16 am
This is taken from the ITVV DVD of the full flight. Highly recommended.
on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 at 12:21 pm
The corresponding takeoff video is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHmIR1JJXyw
on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Thanks Jeffery, I've updated the post.
on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
is this DVD available anywhere in the US? google only yields a couple of stores in the UK, and its like 22 pounds. (ouch)
on Thursday, December 4th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
And this is part-2 of takeoff: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UUQr6T4EZ0
on Thursday, December 4th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Please send this taking-off video urgently to the Spanair Company in Spain
or even better to de Judge in Spain in charge of te case. Wonderful
on Tuesday, December 9th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Very interesting videos. Thanks.
BTW, I wouldn't characterize them as “NASA-style” checklists. I do checklists just exactly that way in my two-seater Cessna 152.
– Jack Hodgson, Uncontrolled Airspace Podcast
on Monday, December 15th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
As the son of a U.S. Naval aviator who flew P2V’s and P-3’s and a total flight nut, this has been the best 30+- minutes spent on flight in my life. Never have I learned so much valuable inforamtion. My biggest thrill up to this video has been to fly in a 2 engine turboprop from Dulles to Norfolk in the seat directly behind the co-pilot which allowed me to observe every move they made. The other experience was in th Philippines in 1975 when flying in a single engine job and being asked to take the “stick”. I learned quickly that the way to fly level was to use a magic thing called the trim. What fun and thank you for this video.
on Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
what does “heavy” mean in aircraft language?
on Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
“Heavy” is an aircraft above a specific Max Takeoff weight. I cannot give the exact weight without looking it up, but it is on the order of 300,000 pounds. The Boeing 747 is the ‘original’ “HEAVY” -
Heavy aircraft cause Air Traffic Control to use greater separation rules for Takeoffs & Landings than do aircraft such as Boing 737’s, McDonnell MD-10’s etc.
on Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
The increased separation rules are used for heavy aircraft due to the vortices left behind in the air aka “Wake turbulence”.
All aircraft leave disturbed air behind them because, heck, air was just stretched to support the weight of the plane and to let the plane occupy that volume for that moment as it passed through.
The air reacts afterward. The bigger the plane, the bigger reaction.
Cheers,
RH
on Thursday, December 18th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Heavy is one of three aircraft classes identified by air traffic controllers for the purposes of wake turbulence separation. Aircraft are classed as small if they are certificated for takeoff weights of less than 41,000 pounds. Aircraft are considered large if they are certificated for a takeoff weight of between 41,000 pounds and 255,000 pounds. And 255,000 pounds and above are heavy. How much separation controllers must leave between aircraft depends on their classification.
on Thursday, December 18th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Great Video…thnx John…As an ex Airport Security Operations Manager for A major International Airport…I have been in the cockpit during flight on the 747 and others…but never was on the flight deck during landings and take offs….
This video filled in the missing pieces…Thnx…
on Thursday, December 18th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Fantastic. And those British pilots are so polite! ha! loved it
on Friday, December 19th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Tremendously interesting !!!
on Friday, December 19th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Excellent video! The attention to detail the Captain gives, especially discussing the pre-takeoff gameplan, is commendable. I’ve ridden in a lot of jumpseats, and many do not elaborate on what they will do if they lose an engine, or abort a takeoff.
on Sunday, December 21st, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Comentário de Aurimar Reis
22 de Dezembro de 2008 - Segunda Feira 01:05 hr.
Excelente apresentação. Pilotos muito muita competencia e operando com segurança total, bem tranquilos e obedecendo todas as normas e regras para pousos e decolagens. Parabéns
on Monday, December 22nd, 2008 at 5:36 pm
This has to be every mans desire in life. Piloting an aircraft just once would be the thrill of a life time.
on Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008 at 1:21 am
As An Ex RAF Assistant Air Traffic Controller, & an airline ground Operations Officer (Stansted A/P)….. I can relate to these Take-off’s & Landing’s very well!
This was text book stuff………By the ‘BOOK’ & very professional!! Too bad they did not have any ‘Bad Weather’ to deal with! That would have made it more interesting!
on Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008 at 2:10 pm
As a retired Air Force pilot experienced as Instructor in 8 types of aircraft, this is a very professional job under absolutely benign conditions. It would be entertaining to see similar footage during night -weather with a minor emergency in progress such as one engine out . Thanks for an interesting video.
on Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008 at 11:56 pm
This video was outstanding - as interesting as the time 22 years ago when a Quantas 767 pilot let me come up and sit in the hump seat from Auckland to Melbourne - those days are gone forever…
I used to fly until the expense got to me VFR, light single engine fixed gear planes) - I was astounded at (a) how the glass cockpit simplifies things , (b) how automated everying is even in the decent - dial in the heading, speed, altitude…
I want to see if we can get the DvD here in the US
on Friday, December 26th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Great stuff.I’ve piloted a Cessna 172 as a student pilot and thought that my checklist was long. To watch these professional pilots at work has given me a new appreciation for flying and the attention to detail.The view from a 747 is something that i’ll probably never experience in real life; but what a thrill.Thanks.
on Friday, January 2nd, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Watching this gives me more faith in our pilots than ever before. It may look like a mundane job, but the apparent simplicity hides a lot of skill and training. The equipment sophistication is amazing compared to old time flying when the seat of one’s pants was very important.
Thank you for the effort in making this show.
Denham Meek