Comments on: Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-400 Landing at SFO

By: Brian Powell

Brian Powell — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:18:01 +0000

It’s so sad that these 2 videos are the only ones I can find. I’ve seen the other parts once before and wished I could find them again. If the video is up for sale I’d gladly buy.

By: dan

dan — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:49:01 +0000

Does anyone have the link to the ITVV DVD for this flight? i remember seeing the videos on youtube before they were removed and they were superb.

By: Tom Ashman

Tom Ashman — Mon, 25 May 2009 00:00:32 +0000

The 747 Virgin 19 part 1,2 and 3 have been removed from youtube for copyright. This video was very helpful for pilots wanting to learn more and it has been up for a while, is there any need to remove something very useful. Dont understand! Going to Oxford Aviation Academy in 2 years and this would really help me!

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 21 May 2009 05:06:02 +0000

I see that you removed these excelent videos. Did you post them somewhere else? or do you know where else I can find them? Thanks.

By: paul davidson

paul davidson — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 22:19:50 +0000

WOW!! you can not spend a better 60mins if you are interrested in aircraft. Fantastic view of the flight crews operations during take off and landing, makes me wish that I studied and did what I always wanted to do instead of messing around with my mates and ending up doing a boring job. Cant wait as I am flying this route in 5 days time :)

By: fermin briceno f

fermin briceno f — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:18:20 +0000

Dear sir:
Thanks a lot for sharing these fantastic videos. I am just another huge fan of air traffic control communications and NASA-style checklists as well as aircrafts, so these videos for sure satisfy my curiosity.
Pleae, keep posting more interesting videos.

By: John Curtis

John Curtis — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:07:53 +0000

I once got to sit behind the captains on BA 214 & 213–747′s. I was working for them in 1995. I did about an hour on both takeoff and landing both ways. Fantastic experience. The crew pointed out things for me that I would never have noticed. It was a night departure from BOS and a day departure from LHR Very similar to the video. The flight from BOS had a very laid back captain who acted like it was all too routine, unlike the captain on the flight back from LHR. I think it can be very routine for these guys and if your being filmed you can’t risk not being completely professional. I’m not sure all pilots put on the display of professionalim that the video shows, yet still can be in complete control of an aircraft. I got to spend 15 minutes on the flightdeck in mid flight on Virgin 11 back in 1993. Not the same. I would love to do it again.

By: Ron Fredericks

Ron Fredericks — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:15:21 +0000

I love to fly and was always amazed at the cockpit and the skills of those operating the aircraft as well as all the ATC people. This was a great and well-done video. At age 70 my days are gone for flying anything but it sure was cool to just see how its done. Thanks to all who made this video plus Virgin Airlines.

By: R.A.Lashley

R.A.Lashley — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:07:52 +0000

I work GSE, (Ground Spport Equipment) @ an Airport and I know what it is like to handle the Aircraft on the ground with all the equipment needed for take off and all that’s needed for landing but I now know what it’s like in the cockpit and all the preparation for landing & take off.
Thanks for the outstanding Videos that I can now put the rest of the operation together.

Keep them coming.

Many Thanks.

By: Thomas Pesch

Thomas Pesch — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:44:57 +0000

Thank you so much for this.
It was a great thing to watch.
They make it look too easy.

Very entertaining!

By: Krzysztof Malek

Krzysztof Malek — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:53:24 +0000

Paul, you flew on the Airbus A340-600. Like you said, it’s next in size before the Jumbo but in fact it’s 5 meters longer than the Jumbo! Virgin flies from Hong Kong twice daily, flight numbers 201 and 239.

Now you’re an enthusiast ;)

Regards,
K.

By: LR

LR — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:20:58 +0000

Paul,

That is a runway incursion, which is not very common overall statistically, but very dangerous. Either ATC screwed up or the pilot on the runway screwed up. I’m sure some people got into big big trouble over that. Not only the risk to your life, but the time and hassle of a missed approach at a big airport is huge cost.

By: Paul Yarnold

Paul Yarnold — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:37:54 +0000

Hi
I wonder if you could enlighten me. Having just flown in on a Virgin flight (not Jumbo, next size down…sorry but I am not an enthusiast…yet!) from Hong Kong to Heathrow, just as we were about to land (maybe 100ft?), the pilot suddenly opened up the boosters and ‘took off ‘ again. Is this a fairly common occurance. The pilot said it was because of traffic on the runway, but if he had clearance to land, how can this happen?…and also a fairly common occurance?

By: R.A.Shaw

R.A.Shaw — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:26:37 +0000

PS to above: The landing at SFO as seen from the cockpit has an even greater “pucker factor” than watching it through the passenger cabin window ;)

By: R.A.Shaw

R.A.Shaw — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:22:03 +0000

OUTSTANDING VIDEO!! The crew, the photography, and the attention to detail is unequaled anywhere else. It is unfortunate that none of the other cockpit videos available here were as clear, complete, and easy to follow. Even the radio txs were audible and pertinent to the presentation.

The entire crew and video were total professionals and give refreshing meaning to “by the book”. Well done, indeed! Please point me in the direction of the complete dvd/tape/media of this and any other cockpit videos for other aircraft that are as well done.

Many thanks,again, to all who had some part in such a fascinating video!

By: Donald Forbes

Donald Forbes — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 13:45:48 +0000

The third crewman was introduced as an “extra” crewman at the beginning of the 1st video.

He is exactly that on this flight. Modern aircraft only require a pilot and co-pilot to operate.

Older aircraft without so much automation often required a third crewman known as the “flight engineer” who was responsible for overseeing the operation of the engines and fuel management, etc from the rear of the cockpit while the pilot & copilot kept it pointed in the right direction. Sometimes a 4th crewman was also there as a full time navigator before more modern radio beacon directional aids and later GPS came into common use. It was a full time, highly skilled job to navigate using what limited information was available: weather data (wind speed & direction info that may already be obsolete or just inaccurate) along with indicated air speeds, known altitude and stopwatches, etc used to calculate (guesstimate?) the current position of the aircraft at any given time during a flight.

Most likely, the 3rd crewman in this video was simply flying “deadhead” (free travel as an airline employee) and as a fellow flight deck officer, pitched in to help out with a few minor jobs here and there during the flight.

By: Ron Kohn

Ron Kohn — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:43:23 +0000

As one truly without experience, I found these videos to be awesome. I was just wondering what is the actual job of the third
member of the crew? Many thanks.

By: Alexis Durán

Alexis Durán — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:52:37 +0000

Very interesting video. I always had seen landing from the window of my seat, and some simulated in Flight Sinmulator, but nothing compares with the REAL ONE! Specially for the different cameras and angles shooting simultaneously. Thanks for this gift.

By: Joe Coffey

Joe Coffey — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:51:23 +0000

A great tool for building more interest into potential future pilots. I didn’t know a lot about the checklists as shown during the real flight; glad the LSE aircraft are simplier.

By: Bill Bauer

Bill Bauer — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 22:10:29 +0000

As an ex fighter pilot WWii to Vietnam I am amaed at the simplicity of the flight management of such a large bird. Vor and rapon were the main means of navigation . We did things much faster and were constantly on the lookout for other aircraft. My hat is off to these Pro’s

By: John Hanson

John Hanson — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 15:37:19 +0000

Although not being a pilot I must admit that I do like flying and find these videos of excellent quality and very informative so if I show ignorance in asking this question please forgive. Q At the spanish air disaster of 12 Sept 2008 I believe the air craft had not been confiugred for take off ( no leading edges or flaps had been set) and so after looking at all the preflight checks done by Virgin 19 how come that some how these got missed

By: JL LAWRENCE

JL LAWRENCE — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:03:15 +0000

Fabulous! Thank You so much! Have always wanted to see take off and landing from a cockpit point of view…in one of those monster planes. I drive by the Boeing plant every week and watch them being built. So thanks videographer, thanks editor, thanks pilot and crew, and thanks Richard Branson for opening your airliner!

By: Denham Meek

Denham Meek — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 23:54:12 +0000

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

By: Robert Whittaker

Robert Whittaker — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 04:04:50 +0000

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.

By: Bill Brandt

Bill Brandt — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:56:49 +0000

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