Polar Air Cargo 747-200F & 747-400F DVD

Once again the Just Planes team take you on another fantastic cockpit ride, this time with crews from Polar Air Cargo as they fly 747-200F and 747-400F freighters around the world. As with other productions from Just Planes, you are a “fly on the wall” of the cockpit as the crew go about their business, getting to watch their actions and listen in on their discussions with Air Traffic Controllers. From time to time a member of the crew will provide a presentation on a particular aspect of the flight or aircraft. Produced for the aviation enthusiast, the content can be quite heavy going at times for the casual view, but pilots, flight simmers and aviation buffs should feel right at home.

In the first part of this great DVD we get to spend time with a 747-200F crew flying from New York to Atlanta to Glasgow to Liege in Belgium. On the 747-200F the First Officer gives us a very nice cockpit preparation brief which includes many of the tests the crew carry out to ensure various systems are functioning correctly. Later, the Flight Engineer gives us a tour of his station and includes some interesting and obscure items such as the emergency escape harnesses. We also get to see some approach briefings and all the take offs and landings.

Moving onto the 747-400F we meet various crews on our trek across the world visiting Seoul, Narita, Chicago, Miami, Viracopos in Brazil then, finally, back to New York via Miami. The crew happily show us around the 747-400F, providing some nice detailed descriptions of the cockpit layout and Flight Management Computer (FMC) along with some specific information on such topics as altimetry, autopilot mode control and electrics. The 747-400F segment boasts some fantastic scenery from around the world with lots of ‘out the window’ time during cruise, descent and approach. We also get taken on a pre-flight walk around of the 747-400F in Miami.

Throughout the DVD we get to see the professional crews at work flying in some very foul weather. We get to see low visibility approaches, challenging cross winds, a go-around, lots of rain and of course some nice dawn and dusk scenery. This DVD really highlights the differences between the 747-200F and 747-400F operations, giving you a great insight into the quantum leap that Boeing took when developing the 747-400F.

This DVD is highly recommended for your collection.

(Review provided by Jason Vallis, Instructor at Flight Experience Melbourne)