PilotsEYE.tv: Seattle 777F

It was yet another surprise to find the new PilotsEYE.tv DVD “Seattle 777F” in my mailbox—I didn't even know about this episode! I was pretty busy the past few weeks, so here's my delayed review.

One cockpit—Two pilots—Six cameras

Since nine 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.

PilotsEYE.tv has already produced an episode featuring Seattle as destination, but the new DVD is unique: it covers the PAE-FRA delivery flight of a Boeing B777F for Lufthansa Cargo (PAE is Paine Field in Snohomish County, Washington, by the way).

Captain Claus Richter, Captain Manfred Schridde and Senior First Officer Marcus Fritze conduct the delivery flight LH 8154 PAE-FRA. The Boeing B777F D-ALFE, named “Hello Germany”, is in impeccable condition—even the PACKs smell brand-new! After taking off by the book, the crew reach crusing altitude in a mere 11 minutes—beating their personal record! The flight itself is rather uneventful, but you get a lot of footage from the Boeing factory in Everett, the delivery process, and the test flights. Did you know the rudder is pre-painted, because paint has some weight in itself, and the rudder has to be precisely balanced? Or that Lufthansa uses Apple iPads as electronic flight bag with an interface to the aircraft's FMC, so the flight plan can be downloaded from the iPad? That's what you learn here :) The DVD is concluded with bonus footage of Boeing's “Dreamlifter” aircraft, and a tour of the Boeing factory.

Resume

I've really enjoyed this DVD, maybe because I got it unexpectedly, and had to keep it on my desk quite a while before getting to watch it. It's quite unique to get an insight into the Boeing facilities and the delivery process of an aircraft, all filmed and edited in high quality for the aviation enthusiast! If you're looking for a present, or maybe are interested in aviation yourself, the only thing you could spend your $30 better on will be an airline ticket :)

Thomas, thanks for producing this unusual episode! What's up next, maybe another regular passenger flight to a sunny destination, like Lufthansa's new FRA-TPA run?

By the way, here is D-ALFE's arrival in FRA as filmed by Lufthansa Cargo: