Conspiracy Theories - The new Utterly Ridiculous Thread or is it?

[jonesfam]

In the early 70's I remember a 747 doing a long, slow & low flight over Brisbane. Might have been the first 747 into Brisbane.
We lived on a hill & it was like we were looking at it at eye level.
Cool for a kid.
Jonesfam

[4bee]

Few years ago now a friend who was a pilot for Cathy was taking off from the old Hong Kong airport in. 747 fully loaded passengers, cargo and fuel. Just at the point of take off where you cannot turn back had an engine decide it did not want to play and any more and caught fire. Made all the more exciting due to the nature of the airport location and where you had to fly once in the air

Yes, that was very restricted, turn left or right & you were into a Building & straight ahead was the drink.

Shutting down an engine would have been fraught trying to brake with all that load. Still could have finished up sliding into the drink.

A blown tyre or two could have created a tragedy.


Taking off was nearly as bad as the landing approach. At least you could see out of the window in daylight hours.
I have a series of images that some bloke posted online, AC dodging hills after sighting the Checkerboard patch on a hill making for a hard turn to Starboard before then flying past buildings that you could see the occupants through their windows, close proximity to concrete Roof tops & TV Antennas, how often does one see a B747 flying past & airborne at the end of one's street nearly at ground level etc etc.

Checkerboard Hill was interesting because the first one of the pilots that spotted it in the haze had to yell out, then the turn was made very quickly. A right turn at that point put the AC in line with runway 13 & touchdown.



Seat of the pants stuff even in 1977? You betcha.


Biggles would have loved it.
EDIT.
The Yanks have found another use for these Babys.

Global Supertanker – The Worlds Largest Firefighting Air Tanker

[4bee]

Checkerboard Hill Hong Kong - Google Search


Apparently it deteriorated when Kai Tak was closed but has since been renewed as a gesture to the old Airport.

[4bee]

In the early 70's I remember a 747 doing a long, slow & low flight over Brisbane. Might have been the first 747 into Brisbane.
We lived on a hill & it was like we were looking at it at eye level.
Cool for a kid.
Jonesfam

Without looking up dates Paul, I reckon you are spot on. Next doors went OS about then as the 747 was in it's infancy here.

[350RRC]

........................
Taking off was nearly as bad as the landing approach. At least you could see out of the window in daylight hours.
I have a series of images that some bloke posted online, AC dodging hills after sighting the Checkerboard patch on a hill making for a hard turn to Starboard before then flying past buildings that you could see the occupants through their windows, close proximity to concrete Roof tops & TV Antennas, how often does one see a B747 flying past & airborne at the end of one's street nearly at ground level etc etc.

Checkerboard Hill was interesting because the first one of the pilots that spotted it in the haze had to yell out, then the turn was made very quickly. A right turn at that point put the AC in line with runway 13 & touchdown................

747 Hard Crosswind Landing In Hong Kong - YouTube

cheers, DL

[BradC]

747 Hard Crosswind Landing In Hong Kong - YouTube

Like a hippo doing ballet. Wonderful.

[V8Ian]

747 Hard Crosswind Landing In Hong Kong - YouTube

cheers, DL

If you got caught doing that in a car, it would be impounded.

[ChookD2]

Look up Lukla airport in Nepal.

[350RRC]

If you got caught doing that in a car, it would be impounded.

A mate of mine did this:

Boeing 707 Barrel Roll - Pilot Tex Johnston Performs Roll In Dash-80 Prototype Aircraft In 1955 - YouTube

three times one way in a Ford Capri and came to a perfect 4 point landing in a driveway in Ballarat way back when.

Car wasn't impounded, he was.

DL

[JDNSW]

In 1970(?) the last DC-6 service ran from Madang to Brisbane. On departure, the captain requested and was granted permission to do a flyover. The flyover was conducted along the runway at VNE (never exceed speed) and takeoff power at an altitude of about ten feet, then zooming up to 500ft before starting a normal climb. According to rumor his termination payment was waiting in Brisbane, as was an air safety investigator.