Here is the story behind the flight and drawing in the sky via flight path https://aviationsourcenews.com/breaking/atlas-air-to-fly-spe...
Easter egg in flight path of last 747 delivery flight
71–80 of 421 posts
Re: Easter egg in flight path of last 747 delivery flight
#72Any flight buffs know the estimated cost of doing something like that? I’m all for having fun, and I love that they spent the money to do it
I'm guessing it is in the range of 50..60k. The sibling posts come up with lower values, including only fuel, ignoring the cost of the required regular (flight hours in this case) maintenance.
Re: Easter egg in flight path of last 747 delivery flight
#73I find it just really endearing that at companies, regardless of how many other issues they have or the dysfunctions and bland corporate culture, there are people who keep the pride of purpose and "olden days / traditions" in their memory and do things like this. Or are able to call on institutional memory of something bygone, that reappears once in a while. (whether it's a big gesture like this or small cultural day…
Every complex project lives and dies by a relatively small group of true believers.
From the outside, we don't know who they are, but sometimes we get a glimpse of their passion.
Re: Easter egg in flight path of last 747 delivery flight
#74[flagged]
speaking from experience, I would tell you the sky penis is one of the easiest things to "draw" by flying an airplane. It's two turns around a point and a quick run out to maybe to a training maneuver or two, them a 180 and head back to where your turns were, and then head home.
Re: Easter egg in flight path of last 747 delivery flight
#75I find it just really endearing that at companies, regardless of how many other issues they have or the dysfunctions and bland corporate culture, there are people who keep the pride of purpose and "olden days / traditions" in their memory and do things like this. Or are able to call on institutional memory of something bygone, that reappears once in a while. (whether it's a big gesture like this or small cultural day…
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Re: Easter egg in flight path of last 747 delivery flight
#76I see two planes now flying very close to each other... https://imgur.com/a/QcZohkC
The planes are not drawn to scale. Looks like your screenshot is over South Dakota. Looking at the scale on the map those planes are around 6km apart, not considering altitude differences.
Re: Easter egg in flight path of last 747 delivery flight
#77Any flight buffs know the estimated cost of doing something like that? I’m all for having fun, and I love that they spent the money to do it
Former pilot here: $3-4 million easy. FAA regulations alone require $500k per sky-number drawn by any aircraft [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MKOFTEN
i think you either linked to the wrong article or i misunderstood a joke
Re: Easter egg in flight path of last 747 delivery flight
#78As someone who does not like flying (I don't like heights), I will miss those planes. The large size makes me more comfortable in one.
Interesting. I often feel safer in smaller (but not too small planes), where I don't see the wings visibly flapping. Something like a A320 or a 737. With 747s the wings flap up and down quite visibly in turbulence, and you can even see the fuselage twisting if the curtains aren't closed between the sections. There's also just the wall thickness to mass ratio. You ever notice that you can crash toy RC cars all you wan…
Now you have me imagining an articulated-bus version of the 747....
Re: Easter egg in flight path of last 747 delivery flight
#79I find it just really endearing that at companies, regardless of how many other issues they have or the dysfunctions and bland corporate culture, there are people who keep the pride of purpose and "olden days / traditions" in their memory and do things like this. Or are able to call on institutional memory of something bygone, that reappears once in a while. (whether it's a big gesture like this or small cultural day…
What's cool is that aviation can be so stifling at times with training, rules, regulations, etc, that it seems that certain very cool traditions are either set in stone, or born and survive relatively intact.
ADSB reporting, which powers these flight tracking sites that are available to the public, is (relatively speaking) a very new thing to aviation and the general public. And the fact that these maneuvers are absolutely fantastic training and aviation problem solving and you've got the perfect storm for a newly born tradition that will continue to survive and evolve.
Re: Easter egg in flight path of last 747 delivery flight
#80I see two planes now flying very close to each other... https://imgur.com/a/QcZohkC
That seems neither close nor something special. There are different flight levels, so planes can cross each other safely.