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Take flight on the Twin Otter, the Canadian legend that can take off and land in spots few other planes could. It's found around the world in jungles, deserts, mountains, the Arctic, and anywhere rugged reliability and short-take-off-and-landing are needed. Canada's northwest territories are rich in gold and diamonds, but running a mining operation in extreme Arctic conditions with very few roads can be tremendously challenging. Enter the Twin Otter, the rugged aircraft of choice in remote Canadian communities. Powered by two turboprop engines, the Twin Otter maneuvers like a bird and is capable of landing just about anywhere--on land, sea, and snow. Follow this mighty plane as she handles icy skies and frozen-lake runways on a series of critical missions.
The German Air Force is overhauling their entire fleet of outdated cargo planes and replacing them with Airbus' latest, the A400M, which hauls massive loads. The Luftwaffe's A400M Atlas is able to move massive cargo, provide medical support, and bring the fight to the enemy. Enter its manufacturing facility in Seville, Spain to get an inside look at how this state-of-the-art aircraft is built for action. Whether transporting a three-ton tactical helicopter, whisking away paratroopers on a dangerous training mission in the German countryside, or delivering live cargo to Italy, the A400M is the future of military transport.
Russia's mighty Volga-Dnepr Ilyushin-76 is built military-tough to deliver heavy-duty cargo around the world, but her maiden voyage into the Arctic Circle proves to be a challenge. To support summer shipping operations, follow the IL-76's attempt to airlift a multimillion-dollar fleet of trucks and trailers to the Baffinland Iron Mines in a remote part of Nunavut, Canada. It's a mission no other plane can pull off, and the Arctic will throw everything it has at the Ilyushin, from blinding polar storms to icy runways.
U.S. aircraft carriers all over the world rely on a quiet backstage hero: the C-2 Greyhound--one of the strongest most dependable transport Greyhounds of all time. This lifeline for the U.S. Navy provides critical logistics support transporting high-priority cargo such as critical aircraft parts, passengers, and even the mail. But, it takes a very skilled pilot to land this massive plane on busy, rolling flight decks. Discover the training that goes into becoming such a pilot as we follow four students pushing themselves to the limit to join this elite group.
The Stargazer L-1011 is a unique kind of storm chaser, able to shoot NASA weather satellites into space from 39,000 feet in the air. See how this onetime Air Canada jetliner was converted to carry a very different kind of passenger: the Pegasus XL rocket, which launches satellites designed to detect the speed, magnitude, and intensity of hurricanes. Follow the Stargazer on her latest mission, one plagued by bad weather, mechanical issues, and launch delays.
Formula E auto racing is redefining motorsport, but AirBridgeCargo's 747-8F is poised to take the checkered flag. See her fly from China to Russia to England in a race against the clock to deliver a fleet of electric-powered race cars and gear in time for the next race. Intensifying matters for the pilots and loading crew: a dangerous cargo of potentially explosive lithium-ion batteries and a typhoon threatening to hit Hong Kong before they even take off.
This special episode celebrates the best of the series. From the planes that transformed travel, to the biggest passenger plane, as well as the mightiest plane of all – the all-around hero, the C130 Hercules. These are the shining stars of aviation's most impressive performers: Airbus A380, Trump 757, Blue Angels F/A-18 Hornet, T-38 Talon, Martin Mars, Orbis DC-10, Antonov 124, C-17 Globemaster III, Skibirds LC-130 Hercules, P-3 Orion, and C-130 Hercules.
She's the "Workhorse of the North," powering through the vast Arctic region, where conditions can turn deadly in seconds. The rugged Nolinor Aviation's 737-200 C is a combination cargo and passenger aircraft. In this episode, the flight crew delivers 4,500 kilograms of essential food, two pallets of vital mining equipment, and 57 miners from Val D'Or, Quebec to Meadowbank, the coldest mine on Earth. The gold mine depends on this super hauler four times a week, but common temperatures of minus 50 degrees and 80 mph Arctic winds often wreak havoc on the aircraft and her missions. Follow her on a typical job, which poses challenges that are anything but routine.
This legendary flying behemoth, built from parts of 1950s aircraft, not only flies – she carries NASA's bulkiest and most cutting-edge aerospace components. The NASA Super Guppy has hauled vital aerospace hardware across the country in her 50+ years of service, including parts of Apollo, the Hubble Space Telescope, and Skylab. Now, after being grounded for eight months for major upgrades and maintenance, she and her dedicated crew fly from home in El Paso, Texas to the Boeing facility in Long Beach, California to pick up a multi-million dollar payload. Fully loaded, the pilots muscle the bloated aircraft to the East Coast for delivery, making multiple stops along the way on a challenging three-day mission.
When lives are in peril on Canada's West Coast, the search and rescue plane everyone counts on is the CC-115 Buffalo. This Canadian Air Force legend can turn on a dime inside the dangerously boxed valleys of British Columbia, and take off and land on rugged terrain as short as a soccer field. Because the Buffalo responds to over 200 emergency calls every year, training the crew is vital to success. Follow the Buffalo crew on two training exercises: saving sailors in a sinking vessel at sea and searching for a missing aircraft.
Flying the T-38 jet trainer is the ultimate test for any pilot wanting to join the world's elite club of fighter jet pilots. The T-38 Talon is a twin-engine, two-seat, supersonic marvel. It climbs 30,000 feet per minute, flies at a speed of 858 miles per hour, and rolls up to 300 degrees per second. If you can fly the T-38 with its unimaginable G-forces, you can fly just about anything. Go on a high-altitude mission in the greatest fighter jet trainer in the world and join three student NATO pilots who push the T-38 -- and themselves -- to the limit.
It's been called one of the greatest submarine hunters in the world, and it's still one of Canada's best-kept secrets: the CP-140 Aurora. This Cold War legend remains a state-of-the-art spymaster, flying 17 hours straight to find ISIS targets in Iraq or exposing illegal traffickers around the globe. The Aurora must prove it still has the right stuff in an exercise to search for a mock submarine hiding in the Georgia Straight of the coast of British Columbia -- but her flight crew finds some unexpected obstacles.
Thrilling millions of Americans every year with their death-defying aerial maneuvers and pinpoint precision, the Blue Angels are one of the best military display teams on Earth. Get ready for an up-close look at the six F/A-18 Hornets that make up the fleet. Meet the top guns who fly them, and the maintenance and support crews working nonstop to make each show a triumph. The stakes are high when you're flying just inches apart at 700 miles per hour, a mere 15,000 feet above the crowd. Only the Blue Angels team can pull this off.
Unlock the secrets of the cosmos aboard the world's only flying space observatory, the SOFIA, a converted Boeing 747 jumbo jetliner.
Enter the eye of the storm in this battle-tested hurricane hunter, NOAA's P-3 'Kermit.'
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's hurricane hunting WP-3D Orion aircraft fly where other planes refuse to venture.
Follow the dangerous job of air-to-air refueling with the Omega, the flying gas station seen at top speeds and great heights.
The C-17 Globemaster III is the most versatile cargo plane in the US Air Force fleet. Meet the ultimate flexible flyer, strong as a weightlifter and nimble as a gymnast.
Take a luxurious ride aboard Donald Trump's massive private jet and meet the pilot entrusted with his life.
The Antonov 124, the king of cargo aircrafts can air lift trains, tanks, whales, even other planes. Witness the obstacles this mighty plane and its crew must overcome to complete the mission.
Flying cargo into deadly war zones is all in a day's work for mighty plane C-5M Super Galaxy. The C-5 is the U.S. Air Force's largest and most powerful plane; follow its mission to Afghistan.
The Hercules Skibird is the go-to aircraft for tough jobs in frozen places, and it's just 48 hours away from one of its most challenging missions yet. Follow this mighty plane and its dedicated crew to the top of the world as they prepare to evacuate climate scientists from Greenland's icy terrain. This mission will push the team and their powerful cargo plane to the limit as they attempt to fly, land, and take off in a country that holds the record for the worst flying conditions on the planet.
A revolution in aircraft design, the Airbus A380 is the word's largest and first double-decker passenger airliner. With room for more than 500 passengers, a tail as high as an eight-story building, and a wingspan nearly the length of a football field, this massive commercial airliner is a game changer. But it's also a big gamble for Lufthansa. Take flight on this mighty plane's maiden journey from Frankfurt, Germany to San Francisco, California as they try to win over customers and maximize profits. If the flight is successful, this Airbus may force other airlines to go big or go home.
When firefighters are powerless to extinguish wildfires on the ground, Martin Mars is the go-to aircraft to battle blazes from above. This water bomber is the world's largest seaplane with 8,000 missions under its belt, but this next assignment may be the toughest one yet. Take to the skies and witness an aerial assault against one of the worst fire seasons in Mexico's history. Over 16 days, this mighty plane will scoop and dump more than half a million tons of water on the flames, but mechanical breakdowns, severe weather, and exhaustion threaten to end the mission first.
This McDonnell Douglas DC-10 has been reborn as a first-rate and world's only eye-hospital in the sky. The ORBIS brings its state-of-the-art operating room, laser treatment facility, and high-tech classrooms to developing countries all over the world... that is, when it can reach them. Follow this hospital with wings as it attempts to reach Mongolia, a mission plagued by a series of setbacks that threaten to derail the trip entirely.
The Hercules is the most flexible airlifter in the world. It has been for over half a century, first flying on Aug 23, 1954. With more than 70 variants used by over 70 countries, the C130J or "Super" Herc is the newest model in the longest continuous production run of any plane in aircraft history. This medium-range bird is the tactical cargo and personnel transporter for the U.S. Air Force, and serves multi-mission capabilities. Its many jobs include: special operations; search and rescue; aerial refueling; medevac; natural disaster relief missions; fire fighter; maritime surveillance; and hurricane hunter. In this two-hour special, MIGHTY PLANES takes flight with the delivery of a brand-new C130J fresh off the Lockheed Martin production to the Little Rock Air Force base in Arkansas. Then, meet Tim Nguyen, a Lockheed Martin Aviation Engineer who has dedicated his life to protecting the mighty Hercules from attack. He journeys to Little Rock to visit the very C-130A Herc that saved his life 40 years ago during the fall of Saigon.
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