PilotsEYE.tv: Quito

I was very surprised and happy to find the new PilotsEYE.tv DVD of a Lufthansa Cargo rotation FRA-DKR-VCP-MAO-UIO-BQN-FRA in my mailbox, and was eager to watch this highly anticipated episode right away. Here's my resume.

One cockpit—Two pilots—Six cameras

Since almost eight years, PilotsEYE.tv creates high-quality documentaries directly out of the cockpit of airliners—in HD quality using six cameras mounted behind the cockpit windows and on the glareshield. To date, PilotsEYE.tv is well-known for accuracy and high quality productions.

This episode is about a cargo run to South America in late 2012 on a Lufthansa MD-11F, one of the last trijets still in service. The routing is different from the usual passenger flights of other episodes, which consist of an outbound and an inbound flight: the flight heads to DKR, continues to Brazil calling at VCP and MAO, and then off to UIO (one of the highest airports in the world at 9200ft elevation), and back to FRA via BQN. The crew does a great job at explaining different aspects of the flight, from the MD-11's voice to the different approach and departure patterns for UIO caused by the surrounding terrain. The flight ends with the usual blooper reel and the full walkaround in FRA.

Resume

I have highly anticipated this episode, and was eager to watch it right after finding it in my mailbox. In all honesty, I have not been disappointed! From my perspective, the flight heads to a multitude of exotic destinations (even if you live in, say, DKR oder UIO, you'll get to see plenty of other places). The routing, along with the MD-11F, makes this episode special. The very nice music, departing from the usual ambient track and giving you a vibe of South America, adds very much to the great atmosphere. If I had to mention one thing on the downside, the return legs UIO-BQN-FRA get very little airtime, probably because they are redeyes. Overall, the DVD has a playtime of well over 2 hours, and delivers excellent quality as always.

I highly recommend the producers to search for similar flights with unusual routings or equipment, at least every once in a while. Great job!