- This is probably the
best restaurant in the sky.
(upbeat rock music)
Oh, every little inch is
precious here on the 747 cargo.
(upbeat rock music)
We don't need any Qsuites
on this aeroplane.
I'm gonna show you something even better.
(upbeat rock music)
Who needs first class?
(upbeat rock music)
Let's quickly go back to the upper deck
because we just got a
seatbelt, there's a turbulence.
There you go, your full
flat bed in the sky.
I have super power, I'm
gonna use one of my finger
to pull the container forward.
(upbeat rock music)
(upbeat dance music)
It's been a longtime dream for me.
Today I'm gonna fly on a cargo plane!
And what's better than the one behind me,
the 747-8 cargo of Qatar Airways?
Let's fly together guys.
(upbeat dance music)
It's really, really crazy
weather outside in Hong Kong
but the cargo loading just
started onto the 747-8.
So let's check it out.
(beeping)
- Hi, my name is Guillaume Halleux.
I'm the chief officer
cargo for Qatar airways.
We are very pleased to welcome Sam today
on board our 747-8 freighter
from Hong Kong to Doha.
Very unique flight today, fully loaded,
as quite often with Hong Kong.
We expect 34 positions,
main deck of cargo.
We expect one engine
connecting in Doha into Madrid.
And very soon Alberto will
open the nose door for us
so that, Sam, you can show our viewers
from the outside, the unique
feature of that aeroplane.
Well this is really,
really, crazy weather.
A non-stop torrential rain in Hong Kong.
But, look at this, 747
nose is about to open
to load a cargo in.
(upbeat dance music)
I'm soaking wet but this is the operation.
They must go on.
I mean, I'm with all
the people who work hard
on the frontline, the operation.
You must load all the cargo in the plane
and in about 40 minutes, we're
closing the door to take off.
So hats off to all the people
who work under rain or shine like this.
(upbeat dance music)
- This unit here, as we
can see, is a rubber wheel.
It's called the power drive unit, PDU.
It basically helps the traction
of the pallet inside the main deck
so that the staff and
our pulleys don't have
to push very hard.
Each pallet can go up to
seven tonnes for one position.
But sometimes we even
have 20 tonnes pallet.
So nobody can really move it.
Those roller blades here
are actually helping
also the movement.
So be careful where you step
'cause I don't want you to fall down.
- I'm on the flight deck of the nose here.
And just one more pallet will come in
through the 747 nose.
There's already one right here,
which I filmed from down under the plane.
So there's one more from
this position gonna come in.
What's happening, Alberto?
- So now, due to the heavy rain,
the pallet has a lot
of water on top of the
- [Sam] Oh the water's
on top of the pallet!
- Yeah, so we have to get
rid of all this excess water.
So that's why they're
bringing the pallet down
so that they can remove that excess water.
- [Sam] Shake it off.
- Yeah, it's part of the job so.
- [Sam] Look at all this
water on the pallet.
Yeah, get rid of the water, too wet.
- [Man On Radio] (mumbles)
higher on the below deck.
- [Sam] So this is how you lock it?
- [Alberto] Yeah.
- Can I try?
- [Alberto] Yeah, yup, and
then make sure they click down.
- [Sam] Oh sorry, lift it up?
- [Alberto] Yup.
- Yeah, clicks down.
- [Alberto] There you go!
- We're like fully loaded
from Hong Kong here.
Ready to go.
Look at it, it's still wet!
Everything is plastic sealed.
- So, Sam, I want you to
see and observe this pallet
in the nose part.
Look how high it is.
It's actually a couple of centimetres
from the ceiling of the plane there.
This is pure optimization
of the space we have
on the freighter.
This is how we maximise the aircraft
and we move as much cargo as possible
in an efficient manner.
(upbeat dance music)
- [Sam] Oh, barely, barely made this door.
- [Guillaume] See how precise it is?
- [Sam] Precise, yes, oh wow!
- [Guillaume] People like Rolls-Royce,
when they design an engine, or GE,
they make sure that the maximum
size fits the cargo doors
of the aircraft available in the market.
Because they know that otherwise
nobody can transport it.
- That's right!
Talk about real estate here.
Every little inch is precious here
on the 747 cargo.
Just barely fits the ceiling
of the cargo deck here,
this engine.
They're still having problems moving.
So it's going back and
forth at the moment.
(upbeat music)
- So Sam, what you just
saw is called a turn.
The turn meaning that the
pallet enters perpendicular
to the aeroplane, then they have
to turn it 90 degrees in order to load it.
(upbeat, funky music)
- So now the engine is in position.
What we'll do is listen to the load master
and apply tie down on the engine.
We'll spend approximately
20 minutes on the tie down.
- Normally, we use
these locks on the floor
to secure the pallets on the aircraft.
But for this type of loading,
which is centre loaded on the 747,
we have to use straps.
We cannot use locks to secure the cargo.
That's why we are having all these straps
to secure the cargo.
There's nothing else holding
this pallet to the aircraft.
(upbeat, funky music)
- On each side of the 747 freighter,
you have a narrow passage
you can come through.
'Cause the whole main deck, everywhere
in the centre is occupied
by the cargo pallets.
And today we have full cargo pallets.
This plane's huge!
Taking 135 tonnes capacity of cargo.
- Hi guys, I'm Captain Orso.
Today doing the freighter flight,
Qatar Airways cargo to Doha from Hong Kong
on our beautiful 747-8.
And let's move on for
the outside inspection.
Okay before each flight, we check
that all wheels are in a good
position, that there's
nothing wrong with them.
All the tyre pressure is
good, nothing leaking.
We have our landing lights.
Everything looks nice.
Entrance of the pickup tubes
is not blocked or something.
That's very important for
- [Sam] You mean these two?
- [Captain] Yes.
- [Sam] This is the sensor, right?
- This is the sensor.
It takes the air and we have also
static sensors and according
to what they have as an input,
we get the air speed out of
this and also other things.
Here we check that everything is good
with our powerful GE
(mumbles) double engines.
We check downstairs that
there is nothing leaking,
no hydraulic, no fuel.
And then proceed forward
to check our in blades.
(upbeat music)
- We have a huge engine
being loaded in our aircraft.
- I was told Rolls-Royce Trent 700.
- Exactly, the one used on the Airbus 330.
And of course since it's so big,
we have to strap it down very tightly.
- You want it extra strapped down.
- [Captain] Exactly to
have a safe flight today.
- [Sam] So you do the final
check before you sign off.
- Exactly, before we close the doors,
I come down and check all the locks
and everything inside the main deck.
And then after if I agree with everything,
I do sign off the load sheet
and we close the doors and go.
(upbeat music)
- And now I'm just climbing up the stairs
to go to the upper deck,
where the pilots fly.
And where also there's a crew rest
where I'm gonna sit today as
a passenger on the 747 cargo.
(upbeat music)
- Suggest you to keep
your seatbelts fastened.
If they see anything that
there will be any turbulance
or we are already in turbulence.
Sometimes it's a clear air turbulence.
We cannot see before.
I will set the seatbelt signs on.
So you just sit.
If there is anything today
during the departure,
if we have to abort the
takeoff for example,
I will call you guys supernumaries.
So if I say, "Supernumaries, be seated,"
just keep seated.
Don't stand up.
We don't use this door for any emergency.
We have another door right here.
If we tell you to evacuate in such a case,
which will hopefully not happen.
- [Sam] Right here.
- Yup.
We have this done and in such a case,
we go always already come to you.
And we will open the
door, push out the slide,
and then we will slide down all together.
- These are the seats
on the 747-8 upper deck.
There are six seats, two
private bunks back at the back.
Ciao, Giancarlo.
- Hello!
- Today first officer from Italy.
- Today on our flight
from Hong Kong to Doha,
that'll be around seven
hours and 35 minutes.
We will cruise initially at
an altitude of 30,000 feet,
since we are really topped
up today, fully loaded.
And thereafter, after
using some more fuel,
we plan to climb to 32,000 feet
to continue until Doha.
- Captain, I wanna know
like you fly 747-8 cargo.
Have you flown passenger flights?
I want to know what kind of difference
as a pilot flying cargo
compared to flying passenger?
- Yeah, I did passenger
flights as well before.
I feel that cargo flights
are a little bit easier
for the crew.
- Yeah.
- There is no passengers,
nothing to wait for.
If the load is finished, you
just close the doors and go.
- Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, bye!
- Good to go!
(intense music)
- [Man On Radio] Qatar 841 niner
behind the landing triple seven.
Line up and wait, 1007 right behind it.
- [Captain] Behind landing
traffic line up and wait,
07 is right behind the Qatari 841 niner.
(dramatic music)
- [Man On Radio] Qatari 841 Niner,
wind at the upwind end 100 degrees,
one eight knots from a 07
right, clear for takeoff.
- [Captain] Clear to take off 07 right,
Qatari 841 niner.
(dramatic music)
Rotate.
(mumbles)
- [Giancarlo] Gear up.
- Gear up.
(mumbles)
- [Man On Radio] Qatari 841 niner contact
for departure from 123 days night clear.
- [Capatain] One two three point eight,
Qatari 841 niner bye.
(dramatic music)
- [Sam] Fly over Bangladesh, Calcutta,
just north of Bombay,
over Arabian Sea.
Were flying over north
over the Strait of Hormuz,
down to Qatar.
So after takeoff, we're
all getting hungry.
- Yes.
- Alberto is the load master.
I think you are also
the chef on this flight.
- I will be onboard today yes.
- Yeah, we'll see what kind of meals
on a cargo plane we have,
gourmet, five-star Qatar Airways food.
- Of course.
That we call the magic box.
So we have
- Magic box?
- Yes I don't know what's why
- Let's have a look!
What's the magic?
- [Alberto] So
- [Sam] Oh!
- [Alberto] Snacks.
- [Sam] Snack.
- [Alberto] Snacks, cookies.
- [Sam] Oh this is nice.
This is like nuts.
- [Alberto] Yeah.
- [Sam] All right, cookies.
- [Alberto] Cookies, some wheat.
- [Sam] Weeatbix, wow!
Cool!
- [Alberto] Plus we also have
tea, coffee, very important.
- [Sam] Coffee, oh, Nairobi coffee.
Oh yes, cup noodles.
- [Alberto] (laughing) Of course.
We have salmon.
- [Sam] Salmon, ooh.
- [Alberto] We also have chicken.
- [Sam] Chicken.
- [Alberto] And pasta.
- [Sam] What's this one, pasta?
- [Alberto] Pasta.
- There's no flight attendants.
So you gotta help yourself,
come to the galley here,
order your food, and help yourself.
Much quicker, no?
(upbeat music)
Well there are six seats on the upper deck
on the 747-8 freighter here.
I mean like these seats
are not really the Qsuites,
but they do recline pretty deep.
It's like an old La-Z-Boy.
It feels very, very comfy.
- In order to go downstairs, we have
to carry this oxygen bottle
because there's no oxygen mask
like in the passenger aircraft.
So this in case of a decompression.
So, in case we need it,
you just open the valve,
place the mask, breathe normally.
That's it.
- Now I'm just going downstairs.
So now, I'm wearing this oxygen mask
in case of decompression.
Just going down to the deck
to take a look all the cargos.
(upbeat music)
I was just looking out this window.
It has amazing engine view.
Okay, let's go continue now.
Coming to the middle of the fuselage,
where the engine is now.
(upbeat music)
- So these flashing lights mean
that the seatbelt sign has been turned on.
So we have to return to the
main deck because of turbulence.
So.
- Let's quickly go back to the upper deck
because we just got a seatbelt.
There's a turbulence.
Oh I can tell you
carrying this oxygen mask.
It's a couple kilos, it's not easy.
Ooh, better sit down and seatbelt now.
Captain, the CB, what's the ceiling like?
It looks really bulbous.
- According to the weather
charts we have today,
it's going up to 45,000 feet.
It's well above us so
there's no another chance
than avoiding as we're
just doing right now.
- You are small adjustment
trying to go around going,
not going through, okay.
- Exactly, it would be real dangerous
to go inside those clouds.
And we are just going, we try
to do smallest adjustments.
Sometimes we have to do larger ones.
Like right now, we are 30 miles
to the right of our track,
but we have to do it.
There is no other chance to avoid them.
- So now, I'm gonna
show you the best thing.
We don't need any Qsuites
on this aeroplane.
I'm gonna show you something
even better than a Qsuite.
Follow me.
Now, look at this!
I have my own private bedroom here.
There you go, your full flat
bed in the sky on the 747-8.
There's nothing better than this.
Your feet doesn't hit the wall
and you know you got all the room.
Look at how wide this seat is.
And it's full flat, it's
like a mattress on here.
This is better than all
the business class seats
I have tried out.
(upbeat music)
We finally went past the weather system.
The seatbelt sign's off now.
So I'm going down to check out the cargo.
(upbeat music)
747 hold about 145 tonnes,
pallets and pallets of cargo.
(upbeat music)
Oh my god, this part is really narrow!
By the nose coming out
from the back to the nose.
Oh, very narrow, made it, geez!
(upbeat music)
(white noise)
Actually self-serving
and now I'm going to
the cockpit for my meal.
What a great place to have a meal at.
This is probably the best
restaurant in the sky.
Ah, look at this, beautiful, huh?
- Yeah, that looks good.
(upbeat music)
- Nothing better, cruising 34,000 feet.
Just flew over the Indian coast,
on our way toward Arabian Sea
and having my second meal in the cockpit.
(dramatic music)
- [Man On Radio] Qatari
8419, runway 34 right,
clear to land, surface
wind 020 degrees 05 knots.
- [Captain] Clear to enter
for flight Qatari 841 niner.
- [Other Man On Radio] (mumbles)
- [Robot Voice] 50, 40, 30, 20, 10.
- [Giancarlo] Speed brake up.
- [Man On Radio] Qatari
84 delta go higher left
34 I BOEs 136.
- [Man On Radio] Qatari
8 Hotel Tango tower east,
continue approach, Q and H
niner niner, eight tack pascals.
(dramatic music)
- Welcome to Doha!
Thank you very much for joining us today.
And I hope you have enjoyed the flight.
Hope to see you on another
flight at Qatar Airways.
All right, Giancarlo
- Thank you.
- Yeah, thank you and.
- So this is your last flight I heard
before you go back to your home country,
stationed at your home country.
- That's correct.
- Are you gonna miss this?
- Of course.
- Big time.
- This is an amazing job so I
really enjoyed all this time
here in Doha so it's time to go home.
- Well, thank you so much for looking
after me on the flight.
I learned so much and this
is a flight to remember.
- Yes of course, even for me this is
I will remember this for a
very long, long, long time.
Thank you very much also.
- And guys, it's not the end.
We haven't shown you all
the cargo facilities,
loading, offloading activities in Doha.
So stay tuned!
Super, super humid in Doha here.
But nothing better than
walking down a 747.
What a glorious arrival!
(upbeat rock music)
- Welcome to the Hamad
International Airport cargo campus.
This is our hub.
This is where all the transit cargo
that came to Doha will be broken down,
sorted, and put on a connecting flight.
Again, similar process as the passengers.
So this is an example
of a lower deck pallet
that is ready to go and to be loaded.
The three components, the aluminium sheet,
this is the base of the pallet.
The boxes inside have been positioned
to a certain height to make
sure it fits in the belly.
And then the plastic sheet
to protect from water.
And the net, and the
net would be tightened
to avoid that the content collapses
on the side of the pallet.
(upbeat rock music)
Sam, earlier in the flight today,
we talked about the
contour of the aircraft
and contour of the pallets, right?
If you come with me to that side,
you clearly see that one side
is actually very straight
with a top, and then it goes
and it makes sort of an arch.
And the arch is designed
to match the fuselage
of the aircraft in order
to maximise the space used
on the pallet. (upbeat rock music)
- Sam, we're now in a danger zone.
We're talking dangerous goods.
So we have classfied them
- Dangerous?
- Very dangerous.
So we've classified them
in several categories.
And they're segregated from one another.
So you have your corrosives.
You have your flammables over there.
And further down here.
I don't want to go too close,
but again, properly segregated.
So it's all in safe hands.
And this specific one is
for cargo aircraft only.
So it will not travel in the
belly hold with passengers,
only cargo aircraft.
- All right.
So most dangerous goods
travel on cargo planes.
- Not all, but certain categories.
It's all categorised and
you see it in the labels
that are displayed on the box.
So this has the categories so.
(upbeat rock music)
- Qatar Airways, we transport
more than 1,000 cars per year.
- A thousand cars?
- To around the world,
this one is a new one.
It's a main deck car.
It's too high to go on
the passenger flight.
But sometimes we move Ferraris or Porsches
in the passenger plane.
So don't be surprised
if next time you fly,
through the window, you
see a Ferrari being loaded
under your feet.
(upbeat rock music)
- Sam, this illustrates
one of the great pride
that we have at Qatar
Airways, contributing
to a better world by
sending aid and relief
to people and populations in need.
So we do it twofold.
We do it with NGOs.
We also do it, part of
our humanitarian activity,
meaning we ship some cargo free of charge
to a number of locations
when people are in need.
- We are in our live animal facility,
full air-conditioned facility
where we look after all of our
animals, the smaller animals.
Little cat here going, coming from Sofia
and going to Jakarta, fabulous nation.
- [Sam] From JFK to Lahore.
Beautiful cats. (meowing)
- This is area for dogs where
we just have delivery coming
in from Washington here for Doha.
So the owner, very happy owner,
will be soon collecting his beloved dog.
- So Frank, what kind of
exotic animals do you transport
as cargo?
- Oh Sam, we go from zebras to lions
to elephants, but not
today, unfortunately.
(upbeat rock music)
- Welcome to our climate control centre.
This is where all the
perishable cargo we transit.
We guarantee temperature
from 15 to 25 degrees.
In the other room over there
from three to eight degrees.
And we carry here pharmaceutical
as well as food and any sort
of other perishable products.
(upbeat music)
- It's actually really easy.
These wheels made it.
I mean you can push four tonne by one man.
On your own, you can
push four tonne in cargo.
Oh, look, you got fresh fish coming in.
It looks really easy, they
just push it like this!
(upbeat rock music)
Well thanks for showing me so much.
I actually never thought about you know
when people think about cargo,
we don't really think much
about it really, honestly.
And now seeing all the facilities you have
like the perishable one, like
you have a dangerous one.
You have so much, so much areas.
You have all sorts of cargo.
You know when you think about,
for example, the phone I'm holding here.
This came in on a cargo plane.
- You're right, Sam.
Cargo is an industry
that is not well-known
to the wider audience.
However, it's everywhere.
The shirt you're wearing
came to your shop in cargo.
The watch, your iPhone,
probably your shoes,
and the salmon you had last night
in your hotel in Hong Kong came
to Hong Kong on Qatar Airways cargo.
- Wow, well thank you very much
for showing me.
- My pleasure!
- It's a huge pleasure to fly
on a 747-8 Qatar Airways cargo
and also see the world-class
facility here in Doha.
- It was a great pleasure to have you.
Thank you.
- Thank you.
I have super power.
I'm gonna use one of my fingers
to pull the container forward.
Watch it.
Using one finger, let's go.
(squeaking)
Wow, that was the super power I have
after the 747 flight, but honestly,
it is an empty container.
Thank you so much for watching!
