- 2 days ago
World's Biggest Civil Airplanes: The most extraordinary aircraft in the sky are exceptionally large, like the A380 and the Antonov-124, are exceptionally luxurious, like the 787 business jet, or, like the DC-3, they initiated a new era in flying.
The origin of modern aviation technology lies only one hundred years in the past. And yet the first airplanes, built of wood and often with rectangular wings, have little in common with today’s muscle men in the sky. Some of the strongest engines ever have been developed so that more and more passengers and cargo can take off.
The A380 is the biggest and heaviest passenger aircraft in the world. Airbus developed it to outdo its competitor Boeing, in the process setting new standards for aviation: the A380 provides space for a maximum of 853 passengers over two levels. Innovative materials were used for the first time in the construction of this plane.
What the A380 is to passengers, the Antonov An-124 is to cargo. It is the biggest production cargo plane in the world. This giant’s arrival is an event at any airport around the globe. Today it flies mostly civil cargo, but it is actually a relic of the Cold War. Designed for transporting rocket launching ramps.
It was once the biggest passenger aircraft in the world. Today it is a flying observatory. We accompany SOFIA, the world’s biggest research aircraft, on one of it’s nighttime missions.
Flying was once the privilege of the rich. Today those who want to disginguish themselves from the masses charter a business jet. The most exclusive of them all is the Dreamjet, a Boeing 787. It can be had for 700,000 US dollars an hour. A glance inside is usually reserved for a few eyes only.
The DC-3 initated a new era in flying. Thanks to its robust technology and good flight characteristics, it is still being used 70 years after it stopped being produced. For a few remote areas of Colombia’s Amazon basin, it is the connection to the outside world.
The origin of modern aviation technology lies only one hundred years in the past. And yet the first airplanes, built of wood and often with rectangular wings, have little in common with today’s muscle men in the sky. Some of the strongest engines ever have been developed so that more and more passengers and cargo can take off.
The A380 is the biggest and heaviest passenger aircraft in the world. Airbus developed it to outdo its competitor Boeing, in the process setting new standards for aviation: the A380 provides space for a maximum of 853 passengers over two levels. Innovative materials were used for the first time in the construction of this plane.
What the A380 is to passengers, the Antonov An-124 is to cargo. It is the biggest production cargo plane in the world. This giant’s arrival is an event at any airport around the globe. Today it flies mostly civil cargo, but it is actually a relic of the Cold War. Designed for transporting rocket launching ramps.
It was once the biggest passenger aircraft in the world. Today it is a flying observatory. We accompany SOFIA, the world’s biggest research aircraft, on one of it’s nighttime missions.
Flying was once the privilege of the rich. Today those who want to disginguish themselves from the masses charter a business jet. The most exclusive of them all is the Dreamjet, a Boeing 787. It can be had for 700,000 US dollars an hour. A glance inside is usually reserved for a few eyes only.
The DC-3 initated a new era in flying. Thanks to its robust technology and good flight characteristics, it is still being used 70 years after it stopped being produced. For a few remote areas of Colombia’s Amazon basin, it is the connection to the outside world.
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TVTranscript
00:00This episode, Giants of the Skies, the biggest passenger aircraft in the world.
00:06When cargo is too bulky for other aircraft, this giant goes into action, the Antonov-124.
00:12A jumbo jet that flies with a hatch open, the biggest research aircraft in the world.
00:20An airplane for $70,000, an hour, the first Boeing 787 designed as a business jet.
00:28And the ancestor of all modern airplanes, the DC-3, used in the Amazon basin.
00:37It is the king of the skies, the Airbus 380.
00:43The biggest and also the heaviest passenger airplane on Earth.
00:47It's maiden flight was in April 2005.
00:59The 70-meter-long plane has space for up to 853 passengers.
01:03And with its 80-meter wingspan, it is wider than a soccer field.
01:07Germany's largest airport is home to Lufthansa's A380 fleet.
01:31Every eight days, a service check is performed.
01:36Landing gear, engines, wings, empennage and electronics are checked, just like the plane's interior.
01:45The two passenger decks are as large as two tennis courts.
01:49According to Airbus, these are the largest and most comfortable cabins around.
01:53Joachim Schwarzenberg and his two colleagues are among the airline's 370 pilots qualified to fly the A380.
02:06Their destination today, Hong Kong.
02:10They head to the airplane with the 21 members of the cabin crew.
02:14Another record.
02:16The airline puts such a large cabin crew on no other airplane.
02:19Every time you come here, you're impressed.
02:26By the size, by everything.
02:29You see all the baggage, like a whole village is about to fly through the air.
02:33More than 500 people.
02:35It's really quite special.
02:40Joachim Schwarzenberg has been flying the A380 for seven years.
02:44In addition to the size, it is above all the cockpit that thrills him.
02:48It is the most modern in the world.
02:54This is a real evolution with respect to the last generation of planes.
02:58We now have an interface between the screens.
03:01We have a keyboard here, which lets us work differently.
03:05And the plane is in communication with the ground the whole time.
03:08We have a keyboard here, which means that it is in communication with the air.
03:12We have a keyboard here, which means that it is in communication.
03:14Errors and problems are recognized much sooner.
03:17Yet, despite state-of-the-art technology, a final exterior check before take-off is required.
03:22Captain Joachim Schwarzenberg looks for tears in the exterior skin, for dripping lines, and checks the 22 wheels.
03:30These are truck tires in Formula One format.
03:36They have to hit a speed of 360 and be able to handle it.
03:40So, it's important that they're all okay.
03:45While Joachim Schwarzenberg checks the last parts, 15 meters above him, the last passengers board the plane.
03:51The A380 can carry as many as 853 passengers.
04:00Lufthansa offers only 509 seats on the A380.
04:04But this is still more than on the second largest plane, the Boeing 747.
04:09Almost the entire upper deck on this A380 is reserved for first and business class.
04:15The so-called main deck is home to the cockpit, seven galleys and over 400 economy class seats.
04:23The lower deck has places for the crew to sleep and plenty of space for luggage and extra freight.
04:29After all passengers have boarded, the 11-hour flight to Hong Kong begins.
04:39I'm releasing the brake and we can push back.
04:42This is very hard work for the aircraft tractor.
04:48Fully loaded and refueled, the A380 weighs a hefty 560 tons.
04:53Then, Captain Joachim Schwarzenberg starts the four powerful Rolls-Royce engines.
05:05Stabilized, take off.
05:07Despite its gigantic proportions, the A380 does not need a longer runway than any other wide-bodied aircraft.
05:20After fewer than 3,000 meters, it lifts off.
05:26Toulouse, France.
05:28This is where final assembly of the A380 takes place.
05:31In only four weeks, this aircraft is assembled from over 4 million individual parts and over 500 kilometers of cable.
05:41Richard Kakayi is the company's head of strategic marketing and has closely followed the airplane's development.
05:46At the end of the 90s, air passenger volume rose so drastically that the largest plane to date, the Boeing 747, was no longer big enough.
05:57Airbus was still a very young company at the time and wanted to expand in the sector in which Boeing had had a monopoly for 30 years.
06:03It took just about five years and 12 billion dollars to design and build the first A380.
06:12The engineers were confronted with serious challenges.
06:14State-of-the-art technology was necessary in every aspect.
06:26Aerodynamics, materials for reducing the aircraft's mass, and the engine, designed to consume 15 to 20 percent less fuel per seat compared to the 747.
06:37To meet these needs, the engineers chose a form that was entirely new.
06:48In contrast to the Boeing 747, the A380 has three decks that stretch over the entire fuselage.
06:56This makes the airplane more streamlined and thus more aerodynamic.
06:59But the true revolutionary thing is the lightweight construction.
07:07For the first time, glare was used, a laminate composed of aluminium and glass fiber.
07:13As a result of using new materials like this, an empty A380 weighs about 15 tons less than a comparable traditional airplane.
07:22On the 27th of April 2005, it was ready.
07:26With two test pilots and four engineers on board, the first A380 took off for a five-hour maiden voyage.
07:34In an emergency, the six testers could have parachuted out of an escape bay, but the flight experienced no problems.
07:43Richard Cacayet still remembers this day well.
07:45Working on a program like this that lasts eight years, with an airplane for which you've developed a certain affinity,
07:59when the first flight takes place and everyone is watching and inspecting the plane,
08:04that is a special feeling.
08:08And everyone clapped.
08:10Despite initial problems with serious production, the A380 is today used by 13 airlines
08:24and is among the safest and most reliable airplanes in the world.
08:27This Lufthansa A380 has meanwhile almost reached its destination, Hong Kong.
08:39Captain Joachim Schwarzenberg and his colleagues are preparing the approach.
08:45The A380 actually lands very nicely.
08:48We have to pay attention to the mass, of course.
08:50The mass is so great that we must do everything a bit earlier, to make up for inertia.
08:57During landing, the so-called brake-to-vacate system is used.
09:02First employed in the A380, it calculates the optimal braking distance
09:06and automatically activates the brakes at a predetermined point on the runway.
09:11The landing itself remains the job of the pilot, however.
09:15One run.
09:2015, 15, 40, 30, 20, retard.
09:25Retard.
09:26Retard.
09:29After 11 hours in the world's biggest aircraft,
09:33the 508 passengers have reached their destination.
09:37Joachim Schwarzenberg is satisfied with his plane.
09:41This plane was amazing.
09:43I would pet it if I could.
09:44The crew will rest for two days, but in seven hours, the A380 will take its next 508 passengers to their destination.
09:54Later in this episode, the AN-124, the biggest serially produced cargo plane in the world.
10:01Originally designed for transporting rocket launching ramps, today it is used in civil aviation.
10:07From the modern pinnacle of passenger air travel to its very beginnings,
10:16this next ultimate vehicle opened the skies to the masses.
10:28It is a legend.
10:31The father of modern air travel.
10:34Something from this ultimate vehicle is found in every modern airplane.
10:39The DC-3.
10:41A revolutionary plane that ushered in a new era of flying.
10:45And, a good 70 years after it stopped being produced, it is still being used.
10:52The Douglas DC-3 completed its maiden flight on December 17, 1935.
10:58It is almost 20 meters long and has a wingspan of about 30 meters.
11:03More than 16,000 aircrafts of this type have been built in total.
11:09Hundreds of DC-3s are still flying in many places.
11:14But nowhere as regularly as in Villa Vicencio in the middle of Colombia.
11:19The small city is about 100 kilometers away from the capital, Bogota.
11:30This is where the legendary airplane takes off and lands.
11:34More precisely, at La Vanguardia Airport.
11:38From here, the DC-3 regularly flies important aid supplies to the Amazon region.
11:42Just about unreachable by car.
11:46The flight lasts one hour.
11:53The DC-3's great advantage.
11:55It can withstand mighty gusts and very heavy rainfall.
11:59According to myth, it can even land without a pilot.
12:02Be that as it may, German Romero sits in the cockpit every day.
12:07As pilot, he is also responsible for the entire cargo.
12:11And today, for something special too.
12:14There is a music festival at our destination.
12:19So, we are also taking a porta potty and many instruments for the musicians.
12:25While cargo is being loaded at the tail, technicians check the front of the aged plane and refuel it.
12:34Everything manually and more or less according to feeling.
12:39There are no electric fuel gauges.
12:41No wonder, considering the aircraft's age.
12:45The aircraft is 81 years old.
12:48And I've logged over 20,000 flight hours with it.
12:53I've been flying it for 38 years.
12:57No mistakes are allowed during the inspections.
13:00German Romero has already made it through many dicey situations with the plane.
13:06And he has faith in it precisely because of its simple design.
13:13In my view, it is the safest aircraft by far in all kinds of weather.
13:18With incredible performance.
13:20The father of aviation.
13:25More DC-3's have been produced than any other passenger airplane in history.
13:30In Colombia, it is an indispensable means of transportation.
13:34To maintain the plane's balance, the crew weighs every piece of baggage by hand
13:39to determine its place in the cargo hold.
13:46Loading is complete.
13:48German Romero moves into his living room, the cockpit.
13:52Computer and high-tech equipment are nowhere to be found.
13:55But that doesn't bother the experienced pilot.
13:59On the contrary.
14:01This is an aircraft that is simply fun to fly.
14:04Many people are trained on it.
14:06Because you have to be able to fly with this aircraft.
14:08The runway is clear for take-off.
14:22The eight tons of flying metal start moving.
14:25From this point on, it is all a matter of feeling.
14:32And muscle strength.
14:34There are no hydraulic systems.
14:36In flight, the DC-3 is uncommonly easy to handle.
14:39Its design lets it fly very smoothly.
14:40This is thanks to what was at the time an innovation in aircraft construction.
14:56In all pre-DC-3 models, the wings are at a right angle to the fuselage.
15:01But the plane's creators discovered that an arrow-shaped wing design shifts the centre of gravity, thus improving stability.
15:10This innovation continues to be incorporated in modern airplanes.
15:14In addition, designers came up with a trick to reduce turbulence.
15:18A small curvature where the wing meets the fuselage.
15:21All this makes German Romero's work easier.
15:29Still, the classic plane doesn't fly itself.
15:33Take-off is the hardest part.
15:36But landing is the most dangerous.
15:43Mechanics carry out daily maintenance to keep the DC-3 flying smoothly.
15:47In Colombia, this takes place not in an orderly hangar, but on the side of the runway, under a blazing 40-degree sun.
15:56All under the watchful eye of chief mechanic Mario Para.
16:01Spare parts are taken from old planes that are no longer fit to fly.
16:10It's an old plane, but it's so well designed that it can fly with only one motor.
16:14As long as we maintain it, everything is fine.
16:18The engine technology and wing design were revolutionary.
16:25And even today, the DC-3 is considered tough, flexible, easy to operate and easy to maintain.
16:32All the parts are welded together with half a million rivets.
16:36The DC-3's history begins with supply problems at the competitor, Boeing.
16:44Transworld Airline needed airplanes and asked Douglas to design an aircraft.
16:50This was the birth of the DC-3 and thus of commercial air travel.
16:54Since it needed less fuel, flying became affordable.
16:57The new airplane was also supposed to be bigger.
17:03Till then, bigger had always meant longer.
17:06But not with the DC-3.
17:08Earlier planes had a square fuselage.
17:11But this shape put limits on size.
17:14The DC-3 was designed with a round fuselage, which provided greater stability.
17:18Structural shapes still in use today.
17:26Only the electrical systems and individual parts of more recent airplanes have been improved.
17:31And thankfully so.
17:32Most of the DC-3's problems are the same as in other planes.
17:47But one crops up frequently.
17:49When it rains a lot and the engine gets wet,
17:52then the electrical system goes haywire as the old parts get mouldy very quickly.
17:56Problems not faced any more by mechanics dealing with modern airplanes.
18:04Nevertheless, people in Villa Vicencio still keep on flying the DC-3.
18:09Especially due to its ability to land on non-paved runways when flying to remote Amazonas regions.
18:16Like German Romero does.
18:19The flight to La Macarena lasts about one hour.
18:21A small onboard computer gives the pilot information about altitude and GPS position.
18:32When there is room, the plane also takes passengers.
18:38Being a pilot is a dream job for many people, including German Romero.
18:44I always wanted to become a pilot, even as a young boy.
18:47And now I've been in the pilot seat since I was 18.
18:51It's the best.
18:57The approach to La Macarena airport.
19:00Especially difficult due to extreme crosswinds and heavy gusts.
19:03But German Romero nails this landing too.
19:12Not perfectly, but safely and skillfully.
19:15The flight was good.
19:33But we had really strong winds while landing.
19:37It wasn't easy, actually somewhat rough.
19:40Otherwise, perfect.
19:42Here we are.
19:44Another successful deployment for the DC-3 here in Colombia's Amazon Basin.
19:50The over 80-year-old classic airplane has succeeded in bringing important goods to the remote location of La Macarena.
19:56And today's load also includes the port-a-potty for the upcoming music festival.
20:01Outstanding loading capacity and a nose that opens.
20:18Later in this episode, the biggest serially produced cargo plane in the world.
20:23The Antonov AN-124.
20:25The DC-3 made flying a pleasure for the masses.
20:33But there are still massive status differences in the skies.
20:44This so-called dream jet is the first 787 business jet.
20:49And at the same time, one of the most luxurious business jets in the world.
20:52The Boeing 787 is the most modern commercial aircraft in the world.
21:06A business model was first unveiled in May 2016.
21:10It can fly 16,000 kilometers non-stop.
21:12This 224 square meter plane provides space for 380 people on commercial flights.
21:20The rent for the business model is $70,000 per hour.
21:25The home airport for this 787 is Haiku on the island of Hainan in southern China.
21:31Aloof from normal air operations, the dream jet awaits its next assignment.
21:40With a wind span of 53 meters, a height of 17 meters, and a length of 56 meters,
21:46it is one of the biggest business jets in the world.
21:50Jessie Mi Shanpan is the 787's cabin chief.
21:54She makes sure that its upscale passengers want for nothing.
21:57We just received a trip request from the owner, and he wants to fly to the States,
22:04so it's going to be a long-haul operation for us.
22:07A lot of work, but we'll have to make sure the cabin is ready and perfect for him to fly later on.
22:14Today, for the first time ever, a film crew is allowed to get a closer look at the exclusive luxury airplane.
22:20The first stop is the main cabin, which serves as a lounge and conference room.
22:26There is room for up to 16 people.
22:29Like normal airplane seats, the luxurious sofas and armchairs are outfitted with seat belts and life jackets.
22:35In the back, there is place for 24 more passengers.
22:39The 18 first class and 6 business class seats are for the crew and the client's attendants.
22:44Here too, a premium was placed on appearance and luxury.
22:50The galley is located in the tail of the airplane.
22:54For safety reasons, it is a standard galley, like in every other 787-8.
22:58The lounge and the first and business class area take up most of the airplane.
23:08The tail provides just enough space for the galley.
23:11The front of the 787 contains private rooms for the main client.
23:18A bedroom as large as a whole apartment, including a king-size bed.
23:22And an adjoining luxury bathroom.
23:32Next to the bedroom, a narrow passage leads to the cockpit.
23:37Only a handful of pilots are allowed to fly this 787.
23:40In the main cabin, Jessie Mishan Pan and her team prepare everything for the upcoming flight.
23:52In less than two hours, the client will be there.
23:55And there is much to do.
23:56We also need to test to see every seat working.
24:02So we will do the testing.
24:09This is good.
24:11All the cabin electronics, like the adjustable sofa, multimedia devices and the lights,
24:16can be controlled from a central unit.
24:18In addition, 42 kilometers of cable were laid and 17,000 electrical connections installed.
24:24The electricity comes from alternators on the engines.
24:28The 787's engines are especially economical.
24:32Normally, hot compressed air, so-called bleed air, is taken from the airplane's engines.
24:37It is then used to maintain cabin pressure, among other things.
24:41The missing air makes combustion in the turbine less efficient.
24:45In the 787, however, this air comes from intakes in the fuselage and is then compressed electronically.
24:52The engines work more effectively and consume less fuel.
24:59Jessie Mishan Pan and her team are preparing the bedroom for the client.
25:04In addition to exquisite materials like cashmere and satin, a 42-inch television awaits the client.
25:10This bedroom, because of the material of the wall, you can feel the texture.
25:21Because of these materials, it can keep the noise down to a very low level.
25:28Even when we are flying, it is under 48 dBs.
25:32That corresponds to the noise level in a normal apartment.
25:38So, we have different light scenarios for the lighting.
25:44That makes our job very easy.
25:47For example, we usually keep the bedroom lighting to relax.
25:51And this is where the 787 Dreamjet comes from.
26:05Everett, near Seattle, in the US.
26:07This is the home of Boeing's main plant.
26:10Charles Coburn is Director of Marketing and sees to the exclusive clients who want to buy a 787.
26:15In his view, the 787 is one of the best airplanes for a private jet.
26:21It's the only airplane that is all composite.
26:26That lets you do so much.
26:28You know, increasing the humidity so you don't have to worry about corrosion.
26:3410, 20 years down the line.
26:3980% of the 787 is made of composite materials.
26:42The Dreamliner is about 20% lighter than an aircraft of comparable size.
26:50Range is essential for a business jet.
26:54The 787 BBJ has the capability to fly nearly 10,000 nautical miles.
27:02Which means you can go non-stop anywhere in the world that you want to.
27:07For example, from China to the US.
27:11The route for which the Dreamjet is being prepared today.
27:15At this moment, the food for the long-haul flight is being delivered.
27:19Sometimes they want Madonna or Kentucky.
27:24But this time he wants catering from this hotel.
27:28After the choice food, which must be paid for separately, is stowed in the warming cabinets, the cabin chief begins her final inspection.
27:38Usually at the end of the check, we will have to sit on this seat because this is the seat that the principal client usually sits.
27:50When we check the cabin, we simply walk around and then we might be in different eye level.
27:55So we usually sit in here on his eye level and we might be able to pick up something wrong.
28:04It looks everything good now, finally.
28:07And we actually have not enough time today, but I think we are able to make everything perfect.
28:16And we will wait for the client to board now.
28:18In only two hours, Jessie Mishanpan and her team have prepared the 787's 224 square meters according to the client's wishes, down to the last detail.
28:31Now, the client can come.
28:42Later in this episode, a jumbo jet filled with technology and a 20-ton telescope.
28:49SOFIA, the biggest research aircraft in the world, provides images of remote galaxies.
28:55From a capricious luxury airplane to a true working horse of the skies.
29:14It's absolutely unique. There is nothing like it.
29:18The Antonov AM-124, the biggest serially produced transport aircraft in the world.
29:25On December the 26th, 1982, the Antonov took off for the first time.
29:36The giant's cargo hold, with a volume of 1,040 cubic meters, can load up to 150 tons.
29:44Production cost, up to 80 million US dollars.
29:47Today, the AN-124 is still flying cargo around the world.
29:56The next stop, the East Midlands in Great Britain.
30:02Logistics manager Tom Blakeman is waiting here for the giant to arrive.
30:08Even for this airport employee, it is a special event every time.
30:18It weighs 400 tons, and has engines as big as a car.
30:22So far, only 56 units have been produced.
30:27The Antonov is employed for exceptionally heavy transports.
30:31Tom Blakeman speaks with the flight manager.
30:33At 9 o'clock, we start preparing aircraft for...
30:34Yeah, okay.
30:43In the giant's belly.
30:45Here it is not the length that matters, but the height.
30:46Yeah, okay in the giant's belly here. It is not the length that matters, but the height
30:52Loads of up to 4 meters 40 centimeters fit in the cargo hold. That's a world first
30:58It's always an awesome site as it's taxiing towards you. Yeah
31:03And I think that's really the awe of it before you you enter the the cargo compartment
31:09But once you enter this place, it's very much like a warehouse a cathedral even
31:17For the aim want to fall to be able to transport its heavy cargo its designers had to take the engines to their limits
31:24Four turbines ensure that the giant reaches a maximum speed of 865 kilometers an hour
31:34Outsize machinery aero engines are all designed
31:38So that maximum dimensions of that aircraft because they know that's the only way to fly it
31:43There isn't a Western aircraft that can come close to it
31:47Ten main landing gears each with two wheels ensure that the giant can land safely
31:53The two nose landing gears have double ties and can even be retracted
31:59For the an-124's true highlight
32:02Cargo can be loaded in the front and in the rear as opposed to other aircraft
32:06The Antonov needs no ground-based aids like loading ramps or lifting platforms
32:11Rather, it is entirely self-sufficient
32:18Today, the crew must also face a special challenge
32:22Quickly loading a 60-ton alternator and then transporting it to Seoul, South Korea
32:28For the Antonov's charter flight, the client pays up to 300,000 euros
32:33Once the alternator is on the rails, two winches pull the 5-million-euro cargo into the belly of the transport aircraft
32:52All under the watchful eyes of the loadmaster, Sergei Bulachenko
33:00Loading finished on time, indeed 15 minutes early
33:03So everyone's happy, it's all good
33:07Now we're taking a break, since our work is done
33:11In the cargo business, lost time means above all, lots of money
33:16Four hours after loading began, the giant's nose closes
33:25Originally, the AN-124 was developed as a strategic military transporter for the Soviet Armed Forces
33:32An advantage, thanks to the flat ramp in the nose
33:35Armoured track vehicles can drive directly into the cargo hold from the ground
33:39In addition to easy loading, the Antonov also scores with another feature
33:49The air pressure of the tyres can be adjusted in flight by a whole 30%
33:56Thus, the transport plane can also operate on unprepared runways or on hard-packed snow
34:02Whether on a gravel track or asphalt, the Antonov is versatile and robust
34:09As a result, it has achieved a monopoly that endures today
34:18About one and a half hours before take-off, the six-man cockpit crew arrives at the airport
34:24Flying the giant requires a captain, a co-pilot, two flight engineers, a navigator and a radiator
34:32Operator
34:39Evgen Bashinsky is finishing his training as an Antonov pilot
34:43For the 32-year-old Ukrainian, the cargo plane is one of the most thrilling aircraft of our time
34:55Computers make his job, his job
34:58In modern aircraft
35:01But here we should have a navigator
35:05Flight engineer control all the instruments and systems of this aircraft
35:16The airplane was designed in the late 1970s
35:19Thus, every instrument must be operated and checked by hand
35:23But for Evgen Bashinsky, this is not the Antonov's biggest challenge
35:32One thing makes this aircraft harder to control, harder to operate
35:37Not each airport
35:39It can provide enough clearance for us
35:48Behind the cockpit, there are quiet rooms for the crew
35:51The crew travels with the AN-124 around the world for up to three months
35:55No routine emerges
36:01Every assignment is unique
36:07You never get over familiar with this airplane
36:10Because every time it comes in
36:12You always learn something new about its capabilities
36:16After seven hours, the giant takes off again
36:20The next destination, Korea
36:22Korea
36:23The Antonov AN-124
36:25Truly, an ultimate vehicle
36:27The next ultimate vehicle transports the same heavy cargo every night
36:41A 20-ton telescope
36:43This is no normal airplane
36:47But rather, the biggest airborne observatory in the world
36:55In the hull of a Boeing 747
36:59It's absolutely a privilege to be here and do this
37:04There's only one SOFIA in the world
37:06There's no replacement
37:07SOFIA is an acronym for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
37:12Its objective
37:15To study star-forming regions, planets, comets and interstellar medium
37:20On the basis of the infrared rays they radiate
37:25The Flying Observatory has been in use since May 2010
37:29The cost of development and retrofitting, $1 billion
37:33SOFIA is actually a short version of the Boeing 747
37:37It has a range of about 10,460 km
37:42And can reach a maximum altitude of about 14 km
37:51SOFIA's base is in the US
37:53At NASA's Neil Armstrong Flight Research Center in California
37:57On the edge of the Mojave Desert
37:59Until the maiden flight of the A380
38:05The 747 was the biggest passenger aircraft in the world
38:09The raised nose and the bulging cockpit
38:12Make the jumbo jet one of the few airplanes
38:14Whose silhouette is immediately recognizable
38:22SOFIA is a project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center
38:26Engineer Oliver Zeiler checks the core element before every mission
38:31The infrared telescope
38:33He does this in the command central, the former passenger cabin
38:37The tail contains the telescope's mechanical system
38:41Which compensates for the plane's movements
38:46It's very different from flying with a normal plane
38:49If something goes wrong on board with the telescope
38:51You feel a little pressure and some tingling
38:54Trying to fix it as fast as possible
38:57But it's fun
39:08All right, welcome to Flight 391
39:10Take off at F28
39:12The weather is always important
39:15As it influences the telescope's accuracy during the flight
39:18Two areas of issue right now
39:21The British Columbia
39:22Almost all the entire British Columbia
39:24A lot of turbulence has been reported today
39:26If it is too strong
39:28The telescope stops working
39:30Shortly before take-off
39:32Flight Engineer Moose Peer
39:34Performs his final check
39:35Our pre-flight inspection
39:41We just basically make sure the aircraft is ready for the flight
39:45No panels missed
39:47The tire is very good to see
39:48The maintenance turns the aircraft over to ops
39:50We take responsibility for that
39:5340 minutes before take-off
39:55The pilot, scientists and engineers are on board
39:58Now for something everyone is familiar with before a flight
40:01The safety instructions
40:03In the meantime
40:05Moose Peer and the pilots prepare the 747 for take-off
40:08Are you guys ready for start down there?
40:11Ready for engine start
40:12Thank you
40:13This is pilot
40:14You guys ready to start down there?
40:15We're ready for you to start wherever you are
40:17Okay, we'll start two and three
40:18As opposed to a standard passenger aircraft
40:23Sofia takes an extremely long starting run
40:26The idea is to go easy on the fragile devices on board
40:30Especially the 17-ton telescope in the tail
40:36After take-off, the pilots give steady full thrust
40:39To gain altitude as fast as possible
40:41The goal, to maximize observation time for the scientists
40:46Tonight, they plan to examine the composition of the atmosphere of various stars
40:51Missions like this take place exclusively at night
40:54The telescope cannot be used during the day
41:00This mirror has a diameter of two and a half meters
41:04A parabolic mirror
41:06When sunlight hits it, it naturally focuses the light on a point
41:09And this point, in the posterior cavity where the telescope is, gets very, very hot
41:14It can reach several hundred up to a thousand degrees
41:17And that would be dangerous for the plane
41:19In addition to flying at night, altitude is also crucial for studying the universe
41:25We do operate them higher than most airlines would like to
41:32And the whole reason for that is
41:34The higher you get, the less atmospheric moisture
41:37Moisture is one of the things that obscure the science observation
41:40So the higher you get, less moisture
41:43Less moisture equals better science
41:45The aircraft reaches an altitude of 10,700 meters
41:51Perfect for opening the door to the telescope
41:54And now, the unbelievable happens
42:00A huge hole opens on the side of the 747
42:04Every passenger's nightmare
42:06But this time, it's on purpose
42:08And at a speed of about 1,000 kilometers per hour
42:12When the door opens, you don't hear it or feel it
42:16The pilots don't feel it in the airplane's trim
42:18You don't really even notice it at all
42:20There's a fairing back there that creates the airflow
42:23To not get in the telescope assembly
42:26So, it's a pretty brilliant design
42:29With a door open, air should rush into the airplane
42:33The result, increased fuel consumption
42:36And air vibrations that would disrupt the telescope's aligning accuracy
42:40And over time, damage the airframe
42:43This is avoided thanks to a sophisticated covering
42:46In front of and behind the door
42:48It leads the air current away from the telescope
42:51To keep the plane steerable
42:53Behind the opening, the air slides along the plane to the empennage
42:57In this way, SOFIA can fly steady
42:59Even with a huge hole in its side
43:04SOFIA is at the forefront of technology
43:07It was designed and built over a period of 20 years
43:11Today, project leader Eddie Zavala is in charge of this unique plane
43:16When you first see SOFIA, many people tell me that their first reaction is
43:22Wow, this is a big airplane
43:25And it truly is
43:26It is the world's largest airborne observatory
43:30SOFIA's basic frame is a modified Boeing 747
43:34The idea was to combine the biggest airplane of the day
43:38With the biggest possible infrared telescope
43:41The aircraft was disassembled into three pieces
43:44And then put back together
43:46By the same company that builds Air Force One
43:49For the American president
43:53There were a lot of engineering challenges
43:55Primarily, first of all, putting a 17 metric ton telescope
43:59With a 2.5 meter primary mirror
44:02In the back part of the airplane
44:04With a door that opens up
44:06Without causing aero-acoustic resonance
44:09If we had had acoustic resonance when we opened the door
44:13SOFIA would sound like a train whistle
44:15As the airplane is flying at 500 knots
44:18Another challenge
44:20The big telescope makes the airplane tail-heavy
44:23Thus, a counterweight is provided by tungsten plates under the cockpit
44:27The scientists are observing objects in the night sky that are light-years away
44:39The telescope always maintains the same position
44:42Compensating for the airplane's movements and turbulence
44:45Right now, as you feel this little light turbulence, this little chop
44:51The telescope assembly is stabilized
44:55And it's kind of like a rigid in space
44:58It's almost like a flying gyro
45:01But today, the telescope is taken to its limits
45:04The turbulence is too strong
45:06And the telescope no longer responds to computer commands
45:09A mad rush at mission control on board
45:12The problem is quickly found
45:14There's no electricity
45:16What are you proposing for a solution here?
45:18I'm just going to take everything down and show which one is there
45:19Alright, so we've got one shot to reboot that to reset that circuit, right?
45:28Rebooting the system
45:31A big problem, a simple solution
45:33But not simple for a priceless plane while still in the air
45:37There's a mission rule on board
45:42When a circuit breaker trips, you can reset it once and continue
45:47But if it trips again, then it is clear that there is a problem somewhere in the device
45:52And then you can't keep trying to reset it two or three times
45:55And you either have to keep this system turned off, or the mission is over
46:00A catastrophe for the scientists
46:07They often work on their research for years
46:09And have only this one moment to test their theories
46:12Thus, Oliver Zeiler and the engineers on board must resolve the problem
46:17As fast as possible
46:21Now I feel better
46:23We resolved everything and the scientists are happy again
46:26We're observing again, collecting data
46:29Yes, now it's working again
46:33The telescope and the computer are working again, according to plan
46:37The mission has been salvaged and much money saved
46:41The flight's kerosene alone costs 80,000 euros
46:45Oliver Zeiler and his engineering team make sure that the telescope performs dependably
46:52The airplane itself is constantly being checked by Moose Pier
46:56It fascinates the flight engineer as much as it did on his first day
47:00It was kind of overwhelming that, you know, you can take something that is such a modification
47:07And actually get it airborne
47:09And you think about all the coordination and the teamwork that takes place
47:13To make every mission work is fascinating every time you fly
47:18Sophia's research missions are planned until 2030
47:21What happens after that is unclear
47:24Until then, the 747 operated by NASA and the German Aerospace Center
47:29Remains the only and the biggest airborne observatory in the world
47:34And a true ultimate vehicle
47:36The ultimate vehicle
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