All language subtitles for City in the Sky - S1 E3 Arrival

NARRATOR: YOU'RE 30,000 FEET
UP IN THE SKY.

MAYBE YOU'RE GOING
TO GO SEE FAMILY

OR HEADING OFF
ON A BUSINESS TRIP,

BUT WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN,

AND BEFORE YOU GET
WHERE YOU'RE GOING,

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO
ONE CRUCIAL THING--

LAND.

ABOUT TWO.

NARRATOR: TO MOST OF US,
LANDING IS JUST PART

OF THE ROUTINE OF FLYING,

BUT, THOUGH YOU MIGHT
TAKE IT FOR GRANTED,

GETTING YOU SAFELY
BACK ON THE GROUND

IS A COMPLEX
AND DANGEROUS BUSINESS.

IT TAKES PILOTS WHO ARE READY
FOR ANYTHING...

VOICE: TERRAIN AHEAD.
PULL UP. AVOID TERRAIN.

NARRATOR: AN ARMY OF SPECIALISTS
MAKING SURE

YOUR ROUTE
IS CLEAR AND SAFE...

HUNDREDS OF LIVES
THAT ARE AT STAKE.

NARRATOR: ENGINEERS
WATCHING OVER YOUR PLANE

FROM THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE GLOBE,

AND FIREFIGHTERS TRAINED
FOR THE WORST EMERGENCIES...

MAN: OK, SO WE GOT
ONE VICTIM ON THE GROUND.

NARRATOR: ALL OF THIS HAPPENING

BEFORE YOUR PLANE'S WHEELS
EVEN TOUCH THE RUNWAY.

THIS IS THE CITY IN THE SKY,

A CITY WHOSE POPULATION CONSISTS
OF THE ONE MILLION PEOPLE

AIRBORNE AT ANY TIME AND
WHO ARE UP THERE RIGHT NOW...

A FLYING CITY THAT STRADDLES NOT
JUST COUNTRIES, BUT CONTINENTS.

IT'S BUILT OUT OF
THE 100,000 FLIGHTS

THAT CRISSCROSS THE PLANET EVERY
SINGLE DAY.

THIS CITY IS AN INCREDIBLE FEAT
OF ENGINEERING,

DEPENDENT UPON ADVANCE
TECHNOLOGY IN GLOBAL NETWORKS,

A HIDDEN WORLD RARELY GLIMPSED
BY OUTSIDERS

UNTIL NOW.

NARRATOR:
WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN.

THIS IS GEORGIA'S
ATLANTA HARTSFIELD JACKSON

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,

THE BUSIEST AIRPORT
IN NORTH AMERICA,

BY MOST MEASURES, THE BUSIEST
AIRPORT IN THE WORLD.

ANY REGULAR FLYER IN THE U.S.

WILL PROBABLY CONNECT
THROUGH THIS PLACE.

THIS AIRPORT CAN HANDLE
130 LANDINGS AN HOUR.

THAT'S, ON AVERAGE,
MORE THAN TWO EVERY MINUTE.

EACH ONE LOOKS EFFORTLESS,

BUT AS YOU BRING YOUR SEAT
TO ITS UPRIGHT POSITION

AND PREPARE FOR LANDING,

THERE'S A HIDDEN
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

THAT HAS TO GO EXACTLY TO PLAN.

FROM THE VAST EMPTINESS
OF THE SKY,

YOUR PLANE HAS TO LINE UP
PERFECTLY

WITH A STRIP OF RUNWAY
JUST 150 FEET WIDE...

AND YOUR PILOT MUST BRING
100 TONS OF AIRCRAFT

MOVING AT 150 MILES AN HOUR
DROPPING AT 10 FEET A SECOND

GENTLY TO THE GROUND.

WHEN THE WHEELS HIT,
THE BRAKING FORCE

WILL CREATE TEMPERATURES
OF 700 DEGREES,

AND THE ENGINES WILL THROW
A QUARTER OF THEIR THRUST

IN REVERSE TO SLOW YOUR PLANE
DOWN TO A SAFE SPEED.

THE ENORMOUS ENERGY
OF A PLANE IN FLIGHT

IS DISSIPATED
WITH EXQUISITE PRECISION,

AND IT'S ALL GOT TO HAPPEN IN
A WINDOW OF JUST A FEW SECONDS

BECAUSE IN AIRPORTS
LIKE ATLANTA,

THERE ARE LIKELY TO BE
ANOTHER 10 PLANES STACKED UP

READY TO COME IN
RIGHT BEHIND YOU.

IMAGINE THAT HAPPENING 100,000
TIMES PER DAY AROUND THE GLOBE

IN SUN, RAIN, SNOW, AND FOG.

THIS IS THE STORY
OF HOW YOU AND YOUR PLANE

GETS SAFELY FROM 30,000 FEET
IN THE AIR BACK TO THE GROUND...

AND IT BEGINS WELL BEFORE
YOUR FINAL APPROACH

WITH YOUR PILOT.

MAN: STANDARD SET.
PASSING FLIGHT LEVEL...

NARRATOR: IT CAN TAKE
UP TO 10 YEARS OF TRAINING

TO BECOME QUALIFIED
TO LAND THE LARGEST JETS.

MAN: STANDARD--5-2,
FLIGHT LEVEL--NINER-ZERO.

NARRATOR:
HERE AT THESE CONTROLS,

THE NEXT GENERATION
ARE EARNING THEIR STRIPES.

SPEED IS GOOD
AT THE MOMENT,

BUT IT'S GOING
TO VARY A LITTLE BIT

WITH THESE
GUSTY WINDS.

CORRECTING NICELY.

KEEP THE AIRCRAFT
COMING DOWN.

NARRATOR: TODAY IT'S
JUST A FLIGHT SIMULATOR

NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND,
BUT TOMORROW

THESE PILOTS WILL BE
BACK IN A REAL PLANE,

RESPONSIBLE FOR HUNDREDS
OF PASSENGERS' LIVES.

NICK COATES IS AN INSTRUCTOR
AND EXAMINER

WHO'S TRAINED OVER 700 PILOTS.

COATES, VOICE-OVER: THIS COCKPIT
IS, UM, ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME

AS AN AIRPLANE COCKPIT,
SO WE CAN DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS

WITH THIS SIMULATOR
FROM BASIC, UH, FLIGHT TRAINING

UP TO, UH, FULL EMERGENCIES
OR SCENARIOS

PICKED BY THE INSTRUCTOR.

SO YOU NEED TO EASE IT
ACROSS TO THE LEFT,

LEFT A BIT,
LEFT A BIT.

JUST LOOK INSIDE
OCCASIONALLY.

CHECK YOUR SPEED,
WHICH IS NOT TOO BAD,

AND YOUR RATE
OF DESCENT, AS WELL.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR ABOUT
750 FEET A MINUTE ON FINAL,

SO YOU JUST NEED TO EASE
THAT NOSE DOWN A BIT MORE.

THIS IS WHERE IT'S POSSIBLE
THAT YOU'LL START

TO SHY AWAY
FROM THE LANDING

AND MAYBE YOU'LL REDUCE
YOUR RATE OF DESCENT

AND JUST, UH, PULL
THE NOSE UP A BIT,

SO TRY AND KEEP
THE AIRCRAFT COMING DOWN.

THAT'S GOOD.

NARRATOR: LANDING'S ONE
OF THE MOST CHALLENGING PHASES

OF ANY FLIGHT.

NICK CAN MAKE IT EVEN TRICKIER

BY CHANGING ANY ASPECT
OF THE WEATHER.

FOR THE NEXT TOUCHDOWN ATTEMPT,

HE'S THROWING IN
SOME CROSSWINDS...

COATES: THAT'S IT.
YOU'RE CORRECTING NICELY.

KEEP THE AIRCRAFT
COMING DOWN, BIT HIGH NOW.

NARRATOR: BUT TO LAND SAFELY,
EVEN THE BEST-TRAINED PILOTS

NEED AN AIRCRAFT
THAT IS TOTALLY RELIABLE.

THROUGHOUT YOUR FLIGHT,
THERE'S ONE PART OF YOUR PLANE

THAT'S BEEN WORKING CONSTANTLY,
AND MUST KEEP WORKING

AND WORKING PERFECTLY
UNTIL YOUR WHEELS

ARE SAFELY ON THE GROUND--

THE ENGINE.

IT'S ONE PART OF THE PLANE
WE HOPE WILL NEVER FAIL.

PILOTS KNOW THEY CAN RELY
ON THEIR ENGINES

BECAUSE THERE'S SOMEONE
WATCHING OVER THEM.

NEW NETWORKS ARE NOW REACHING
OUT ACROSS THE CITY IN THE SKY,

TRACKING AND MONITORING
THE HEALTH OF YOUR ENGINE.

HERE ON THE EDGE
OF THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE

IS ONE OF SEVERAL GLOBAL CENTERS

THAT KEEP A WATCHFUL EYE
OVER AIRCRAFT ENGINES IN FLIGHT.

IT'S THE JOB OF THE PEOPLE
IN THIS ROOM

TO MAKE SURE THEY
FUNCTION PERFECTLY

UNTIL YOU'RE
SAFELY ON THE GROUND

WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE WORLD.

SO WE'RE HERE IN
THE OPERATIONAL SERVICE DESK.

THIS IS WHERE WE PROVIDE
24/7 SUPPORT

TO OUR CIVIL LARGE-ENGINE FLEET.

THAT FLEET,
AS IT'S FLYING RIGHT NOW,

YOU CAN SEE
IN FRONT OF YOU HERE,

SO LITERALLY HUNDREDS
AND HUNDREDS OF AIRCRAFT

QUIETLY MAKING THEIR WAY
TO THEIR DESTINATION

UM, ARE REPRESENTED
IN FRONT OF THIS MAP,

AND THIS IS REALLY
ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY

WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW
AT THIS MOMENT.

NARRATOR: MODERN AIRCRAFT
ENGINES ARE NOT ONLY

A MARVEL OF ENGINEERING.

THEY'RE A MARVEL
OF COMMUNICATION.

OF THE TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF ENGINES CARRYING US

TO OUR DESTINATIONS EVERY DAY,

MANY SEND DATA VIA WIRELESS LINK
TO FACILITIES ON THE GROUND

THAT KEEP TRACK
OF THEIR EVERY FUNCTION.

TINY SENSORS INSIDE EACH ONE
MONITOR ITS VITAL SIGNS,

FROM OPERATING TEMPERATURES
TO FUEL PRESSURE,

FLUID LEVELS,
AND SPEED FLUCTUATIONS.

THE SMALLEST TREMOR,

ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY,
GETS QUICKLY FLAGGED.

IT'S LIKE A HEART MONITOR
FOR THE GLOBAL ENGINE FLEET.

HERE IN DERBY,
NICK WARD INTERPRETS THE DATA

ROLLS-ROYCE ENGINES SEND
FROM 30,000 FEET UP.

WARD: THIS ENGINE
FLIES SOMETHING LIKE

10 MILLION MILES
BETWEEN SERVICES.

CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT
WITH YOUR FAMILY CAR?

ANY DUST OR SAND
OR ICE PARTICLES,

ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT GETS
INGESTED THROUGH THE ENGINE

CAN START, OVER TIME, TO EFFECT
PERFORMANCE OF THE ENGINE.

IT MIGHT START
BURNING A LITTLE BIT MORE FUEL,

SO THE DATA IS BEING RECORDED
ON THE ENGINE ALL THE TIME

ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE FLIGHT,
AND WE CAN GET THAT DATA

DOWNLOADED OFF THE AIRCRAFT.

IT GOES INTO OUR DATA CENTER.

WE'RE COLLECTING TERABYTES
OF DATA EVERY YEAR TO THEN FIND

THAT ONE LITTLE DATA POINT,
THAT ONE ENGINE

THAT MAYBE IS JUST STARTING
TO CATCH A COLD.

IF WE SEE THAT, WE CAN GET
ON TOP OF IT VERY, VERY QUICKLY.

WE CAN START TO REACT
AND POSITION PEOPLE,

PARTS, WHATEVER IT IS
THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

AS A TRAVELING MEMBER
OF THE PUBLIC,

YOU WOULDN'T EVEN BE AWARE
ANY OF THIS IS HAPPENING.

IT'S ALL BEHIND THE SCENES.

NARRATOR: WITH A LARGE
PASSENGER JET POWERED

BY ROLLS-ROYCE ENGINES

TAKING OFF OR LANDING
EVERY 16 SECONDS,

THE TEAM HAS TO BE READY
FOR AN ALERT AT ANY TIME,

AND, DESPITE ALL
THE HIGH-TECH MONITORING,

THIS TIME, THE CAUSE
IS SOMETHING RATHER LOW-TECH.

BURNS: THIS AIRCRAFT'S
BEEN, UM, ON THE GROUND.

UH, AIRPORTS ARE BUSY PLACES
WHEN AIRCRAFT ARE ON THE GROUND,

UH, UNFORTUNATELY GOT HIT
BY A BAGGAGE CART,

AND THE BAGGAGE CART'S HIT
THE SIDE OF ONE OF OUR ENGINES,

UM, AND CAUSED
QUITE A BIT OF DAMAGE,

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE
SOME OF THE COMPONENTS.

NARRATOR: THEY CAN DETECT
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS IN FLIGHT,

BUT THE ENGINEERS STILL NEED
TO GET THEIR HANDS ON THE ENGINE

IF ANYTHING NEEDS TO BE FIXED,
AND ENGINES LANDING

IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD
TEND TO DEVELOP

THEIR OWN
CHARACTERISTIC PROBLEMS.

MAN: ENGINES THAT DO
SHORT HOPPING BETWEEN ISLANDS,

PLACE LIKE NEW ZEALAND OR JAPAN,

WE EXPECT TO SEE
THOSE ENGINES MORE OFTEN

BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN
THROUGH MORE CYCLES,

BUT, OF COURSE, IF THEY'RE
AROUND SEAS, THEN THAT--

THEN THE CORROSION THAT YOU GET
OFF THOSE SEAS ALSO AFFECTS IT.

ENGINES THAT ARE FLYING
OUT OF DESERT ENVIRONMENTS,

WE ALSO GET A--A LOT OF--
A LOT OF INFLUENCE

BECAUSE OF THE DESERT
ENVIRONMENTS

BECAUSE OF THE TEMPERATURES.

A LOT OF THIS IS COVERED BY THE
ENGINE HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM,

WHICH REALIZES WHAT KIND
OF AN ENVIRONMENT IT'S IN

IN TERMS OF HUMIDITY
AND TEMPERATURE.

NARRATOR: WITH OVER 35,000 PARTS
TO AN ENGINE OF THIS COMPLEXITY,

TAKING IT APART TO FIX
EVERY TINY PROBLEM

WOULD KEEP THE ENGINE
OUT OF ACTION FOR TOO LONG,

ESPECIALLY WHEN THE PROBLEM
LIES IN THE CORE,

THE VERY DEEPEST
AND MOST INACCESSIBLE PART

OF THE ENGINE'S HEART,

SO THE ENGINEERS
HAVE A SOLUTION--

KEYHOLE SURGERY.

AJ SINGH IS A SPECIALIST
AT REPAIRING TINY DEFECTS

ON THE COMPRESSOR BLADES.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DAMAGE
THAT'S BEEN REPORTED

BY THE AIRLINE CUSTOMER.

WE'LL GO IN. WE'LL DELICATELY
REMOVE THE DEFECT.

NARRATOR: USING A MINUTE
PRECISION METAL GRINDER,

HE SMOOTHES OUT EACH DEFECT.

SINGH: THIS PROCESS CAN TAKE
ANYTHING UP TO 3 OR 4 HOURS

PER BLADE DEPENDING ON HOW--

HOW DEEP THE DEFECT IS
IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE BLADE

OR THE TRAILING EDGE
OF THE BLADE.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET
THE RIGHT PROFILE

TO ENSURE THE SAFETY
OF THE BLADE.

NARRATOR: CATCHING TINY
IMPERFECTIONS EARLY IS CRUCIAL.

ON AN ENGINE TURNING
AT 10,000 REVOLUTIONS A MINUTE,

EVEN A SMALL BLEMISH COULD
EVENTUALLY DEVELOP INTO A CRACK,

AND WITH PASSENGERS' LIVES
AT STAKE,

NOTHING CAN BE LEFT TO CHANCE.

THE ENGINES FIXED HERE
ARE METICULOUSLY TESTED

AFTER EVERY REPAIR,
AND ONLY IF THEY PASS

WILL THEY RETURN TO THE SKIES.

THANKS TO
EXTRAORDINARY TECHNOLOGY

AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL,
MODERN ENGINES SHUT DOWN,

ON AVERAGE, JUST ONCE
EVERY 500,000 FLIGHT HOURS.

BACK IN THE SKIES
ABOVE ATLANTA AIRPORT,

THE BUSIEST AIRPORT
IN THE WORLD,

YOUR FLIGHT IS NOW 20 MILES OUT,

AND THERE'S ONLY A FEW MINUTES
UNTIL TOUCHDOWN,

BUT THE 100 MILLION PASSENGERS
THAT LAND HERE EVERY YEAR

CAN ONLY DO SO SAFELY THANKS
TO THE GROUND OPERATIONS TEAM.

TWICE A DAY, NO MATTER
WHAT THE CONDITIONS,

THEY TAKE ON
AN ABSOLUTELY VITAL TASK.

OP 6 WOULD LIKE TO INSPECT
THE FULL LENGTH

OF RUNWAY ONE-ZERO,
UH, AND I'LL REMAIN

OFF ALL RUNWAYS,
GIVE WAY TO ALL AIRCRAFT

AND ALL CRITICAL AREAS.

[RADIO CHATTER]

MAN: SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE DOING
THE RUNWAY INSPECTION.

WE'RE LOOKING
AT ANY TYPE OF DEBRIS,

UH, METAL, ANY TYPES OF BOLTS,
SCREWS, EVEN PLASTIC.

NARRATOR: JOHN RYAN
IS RESPONSIBLE

FOR FOREIGN OBJECT
DEBRIS COLLECTION.

HE HAS TO SCOUR EVERY INCH
OF ATLANTA'S RUNWAYS.

THE RUNWAY SAFETY INSPECTION
INVOLVES LOOKING

FOR ANY FRAGMENTS
THAT MIGHT HAVE FALLEN

FROM AN AIRCRAFT
OR AIRPORT VEHICLE.

RYAN: WE'RE GOING DOWN
THE RUNWAY AT 30 MILES AN HOUR

LOOKING DOWN, LOOKING FOR
ANY TYPE OF DEBRIS OUT THERE.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE
REALLY GREAT VISION.

YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE
THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO PICK UP

ANY SMALL PARTS OR PIECES
THAT COULD BE AS SMALL AS A BOLT

OR BIG AS A FLASHLIGHT.

THIS IS JUST A SIMPLE BOLT
THAT MAY HAVE COME OFF

OF A BAGGAGE TUG,
AND THEN WE HAVE FOUND

UH, MECHANIC'S TOOLS,
WHETHER IT BE A WRENCH LIKE THIS

THAT HAD BEEN LEFT
ON THE AIRPLANE,

UM, AND ON TAKEOFF ROLL,
IT MAY FALL OFF.

NARRATOR: PICKING UP JUNK
MIGHT SOUND LIKE A DULL JOB

UNTIL YOU REALIZE
JOHN'S UNDER HOT PURSUIT

FROM A 72-TON PASSENGER PLANE.

HE'S GOT JUST A 45-SECOND WINDOW
BETWEEN LANDINGS

TO CHECK AN ENTIRE RUNWAY.

RYAN: WE COME OUT
AT LEAST ONCE A DAY, UH,

FOR THE DAILY AIRFIELD
INSPECTION, WHICH IS DAYTIME,

AND WE ALSO DO
A NIGHT INSPECTION, ALSO,

UH, BUT WE DO SPECIAL
INSPECTIONS DEPENDING ON

IF WE DID CONSTRUCTION THAT DAY
OR IF WE HAD A TAXIWAY CLOSURE

OR EVEN SIGNIFICANT WEATHER.

WE GOT A LITTLE BIT
OF DEBRIS RIGHT HERE.

WE GOT A ROCK OR A PEBBLE THAT
WE'LL BE--WE'LL BE PICKING UP.

IT'S JUST A LITTLE PIECE
OF RUBBER FROM A TIRE.

NARRATOR: THERE'S
A CRUCIAL REASON FOR THIS

HIGH-SPEED RUSH DOWN THE RUNWAY.

EVEN THE SMALLEST PIECE
OF DEBRIS LEFT ON THE GROUND

HAS THE POTENTIAL
TO WREAK HAVOC.

IT COULD PUNCTURE A TIRE
OR BE THROWN UP

LIKE A PROJECTILE,
DAMAGING AN AIRCRAFT

OR PUNCTURING ITS FUEL TANKS.

SUCKED INTO AN ENGINE,
A FRAGMENT COULD HIT BLADES

SPINNING AT 150 REVOLUTIONS
A SECOND,

CAUSING SERIOUS DAMAGE.

RYAN: IT COULD HAVE
A CATASTROPHIC EFFECT.

IT'S NOT JUST THAT AIRPLANE
OR PIECE OF METAL.

IT'S HUNDREDS OF LIVES
THAT ARE AT STAKE,

SO WE--YOU KNOW, WE ARE AT,
YOU KNOW THE HIGHEST LEVEL

OF PERCEPTION, UH, FOR ANY TYPE
OF DEBRIS OUT THERE.

NARRATOR: IT'S AN IMMENSE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR JOHN

AND HIS TEAM, KNOWING THAT
IF THEY MISS ONE TINY BOLT,

A PLANE AND ALL ITS PASSENGERS
COULD BE IN MORTAL DANGER.

ALL OF THIS GOES UNNOTICED BY
THE VAST MAJORITY OF TRAVELERS,

BUT IT'S CRUCIAL
TO THE ROUTINE OF LANDING

OVER 1,000 PLANES EVERY DAY,
BUT DESPITE EVERY PRECON

NOT ALL FLIGHTS
GO EXACTLY TO PLAN.

SOMETIMES EVEN THE BEST PILOTS
AND PLANES RUN INTO A PROBLEM,

AND WHEN THERE'S A SERIOUS
EMERGENCY IN THE AIR,

YOUR PILOT MAY NEED
TO FIND SOMEWHERE

TO PUT DOWN IN A HURRY...

AND IF THAT HAPPENS, THIS IS ONE
OF THE PLACES YOU MIGHT END UP--

BANGOR, MAINE,
ON THE NORTHEASTERN SEABOARD.

ITS POPULATION IS JUST 33,000,

YET THIS CITY
HAS AN UNUSUAL CLAIM TO FAME--

A SPRAWLING, FULL-SIZE,
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

WITH TWO-ME-LONG RUNWAY
THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE

THE BIGGEST
INTERCONTINTAL JETRS.

IT'S CAPABLE OF PROCESSING
THOUSANDS OF PASSENGERS,

BUT FOR MOST OF THE TIME,
THIS HUGE AIRPORT

HANDLES JUST 20
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS A DAY.

IT MIGHT LOOK
A GHOST AIRPORT,

BUT THAT'S NO BAD THING.

BANGOR SPECIALIZES IN DEALING
WITH EMERGENCY LANDINGS.

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
ONLY TOUCH DOWN HERE

WHEN THEY NEED TO GET
OUT OF THE SKY FAST.

OVER THE LAST DECADE,
AROUND 2,000 PLANES

HAVE MADE
UNSCHEDULED STOPS HERE,

AND THERE'S A SIMPLE REASON WHY.

BANGOR IS THE FIRST PIECE
OF AMERICAN SOIL

MANY TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHTS REACH

AFTER CROSSING 2,500 MILES
OF OPEN OCEAN.

IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG WITH
YOUR FLIGHT DURING THAT TIME,

BANGOR'S YOUR BEST BET,

SO THE TEAM HERE
NEED TO BE ON STANDBY 24/7...

READY FOR ANY KIND OF EMERGENCY.

NARRATOR: THIS IS
THE REGULAR TRAINING DRILL

OF THE EMERGENCY FIRE CREW.

PLANES MAKING EMERGENCY LANDINGS
AT BANGOR

CAN BE LADEN WITH UP TO
26,000 GALLONS OF JET FUEL,

HIGHLY FLAMMABLE JET FUEL.

TODAY THE EMERGENCY TEAM
ARE SIMULATING

A FUEL FIRE
WITH CASUALTIES ONBOARD.

IT'S AN EXERCISE DESIGNED
TO TEST THEIR RESPONSE TIMES.

MAN: THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN AIRCRAFT FIRES

AND HOME FIRES
IS PRIMARILY THE FUEL LOAD.

UH, AIRCRAFT FUEL USUALLY BURNS
HOTTER THAN HOUSES DO,

UH, UPWARDS OF 2,000 DEGREES,

AND THEY'VE GOT 3 MINUTES
TO GET FROM OUR FIREHOUSE

TO ANYWHERE ON THE AIRFIELD.

THE FIRST TRUCK HAS TO BE THERE
IN 3 MINUTES,

AND THE LAST ONE
HAS TO BE THERE IN 5.

ONCE ON SCENE, UH, WE KNOCK DOWN
THE FIRE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE

TO EITHER MAKE ENTRY
INTO THE AIRCRAFT

OR WE DEPLOY HAND LINES TO--
TO GO INTO THE AIRCRAFT

TO, UH, SECURE THE AIRPLANE
SO THAT FOLKS CAN GET OFF BOARD,

GET OFF THE AIRCRAFT.

WE TRY AND MAKE IT AS REALISTIC
AS POSSIBLE

SO THAT IF SOMETHING
HAPPENS REAL WORLD,

THEN OUR FOLKS ARE PREPARED
TO MAKE ENTRY.

THEY KNOW
HOW THE AIRPLANE WORKS.

THEY KNOW HOW FIRE ACTS, UH,
WHEN WE PUSH WATER THROUGH IT,

SO TRY AND MAKE IT
AS REALISTIC AS POSSIBLE.

NARRATOR: THERE ARE MANY REASONS
FOR EMERGENCY LANDINGS,

BUT THERE'S ONE WEATHER
CONDITION THAT TENDS

TO TRIGGER A HIGH
PROPORTION OF THEM--

STRONG HEADWINDS
ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

THESE CAN CAUSE
U.S.-BOUND PLANES

TO RUN DANGEROUSLY SHORT OF FUEL
AS THEY APPROACH THE EAST COAST.

MAN: IF THEY'RE FACING
HEADWINDS, UM, COULD BE AN ISSUE

WHERE THEY--THEY BURN MORE FUEL
THAN THEY--THEY THOUGHT,

THOUGH FOR SAFETY REASONS,
THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE

TO GET INTO ANOTHER AIRPORT
RIGHT AWAY.

NARRATOR: FOR A PILOT RUNNING
OUT OF FUEL OVER THE ATLANTIC,

THIS AIRPORT'S
A MOST WELCOME SIGHT.

BANGOR MAY BE THE GO-TO AIRPORT
FOR AN EMERGENCY,

BUT SOMETIMES MAKING IT
TO ANY AIRPORT ISN'T AN OPTION,

AND THE BEST PILOTS
NEED TO BE PREPARED

TO GET THE PLANE DOWN SAFELY,
NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE.

IN ONE OF THE MOST INFAMOUS
INCIDENTS OF RECENT YEARS,

AN ORDINARY, EVERYDAY FLIGHT

SUDDENLY WENT
DRAMATICALLY WRONG.

IT SERVED AS A STARK REMINDER
OF THE IMPORTANCE

OF THE PROFESSIONALS
IN THE COCKPIT.

ON JANUARY 15, 2009,

3 MINUTES AFTER U.S. AIRWAYS
FLIGHT 1549

TOOK OFF FROM NEW YORK CITY,
MULTIPLE BIRD STRIKES

CAUSED BOTH OF THE PLANE'S
ENGINES TO FAIL.

THERE WAS NO TIME TO MAKE IT
BACK TO THE AIRPORT,

SO THE PILOT HAD TO LAND
WHEREVER HE COULD.

HIS ONLY OPTION TURNED OUT
TO BE THE HUDSON RIVER.

THANKS TO THE SKILL
AND EXPERIENCE

OF CAPTAIN CHESLEY SULLENBERGER
AND CREW,

EVERY PASSENGER GOT OUT ALIVE.

IT WAS A GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION
OF HOW AN EVERYDAY FLIGHT

CAN STILL ENCOUNTER THE
UNEXPECTED AT A SECOND'S NOTICE,

AND IN THE YEARS SINCE,
THE HUDSON RIVER INCIDENT'S

HAD A HUGE IMPACT
ON PILOT TRAINING.

TODAY BACK AT THE FLIGHT
SIMULATOR FACILITY NEAR LONDON,

TWO PILOTS ARE PRACTICING
FOR A SIMILAR SCENARIO.

WELL, THE TAKEOFF
CHECK'S COMPLETE.

RELEASE CABIN CREW.

NARRATOR: CAPTAIN OLIVER WALKER
AND SENIOR FIRST OFFICER

COLM PURCELL HAVE BOTH
BEEN FLYING FOR 8 YEARS...

WALKER: SO CABIN CREW AWARE,
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AWARE...

NARRATOR: BUT THEY'RE
STILL REQUIRED TO SPEND TIME

IN THE SIMULATOR.

IN THIS EMERGENCY EXERCISE,
THE PLANE'S ENGINES

ARE ABOUT TO FAIL
DUE TO A BIRD STRIKE.

STANDARD SET,
PASSING FLIGHT LEVEL 4-5.

NARRATOR: NO MATTER
HOW EXPERIENCED THE PILOT,

THIS IS A TOUGH TEST.

ALL RIGHT. IT'S ON
THE LEFT-HAND SIDE.

[ALARM]

STRIKE HERE ON
ENGINE NUMBER TWO.

MEMORY ITEMS FOR LOSS OF
THRUST ON BOTH ENGINES,

AND I'M HEADING
BACK TOWARDS DUBLIN.

MAYDAY, MAYDAY,
MAYDAY.

RYANAIR TWO-ZERO-TWO,
DUAL ENGINE FAILURE.

ATTEMPTING TO RETURN
TO RUNWAY 2-8 IN DUBLIN.

NARRATOR: FOR THE EXERCISE,
THE PILOTS ARE TASKED

WITH BRINGING THEIR PLANE
BACK TO LAND SAFELY

AT IRELAND'S DUBLIN AIRPORT.

IT'S A BIT TIGHT,
4,000 FEET IN 10 MILES,

BUT I THINK WE CAN
JUST ABOUT MAKE IT.

NARRATOR:
NICK COATES IS ONCE AGAIN

OVERSEEING
THE TRAINING EXERCISE.

COATES: THIS IS ABSOLUTELY
THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO.

THAT IS A 737 GLIDER,

AND THEY'VE GOT ONE SHOT
TO GET THAT ON THE GROUND.

GOT TO GET THE--
[ALARM]

GEAR DOWN?
GEAR DOWN.

I'LL MAKE
THE BRACE CALL.

MAKE THE BRACE CALL.

THANK YOU.
BRACE, BRACE.

VOICE: PULL UP. PULL UP.

PULL UP. PULL UP.

STAY BRAKE IS UP.

STAY BRAKE IS UP.

MAXIMUM MANUAL BRAKING.

THRUST REVERSERS GONE.
AUTO BRAKE DISARM.

100 KNOTS.

COATES: THEY'VE DONE WELL.

THEY'VE GOT IT DOWN,
UH, ON THE GROUND.

60 KNOTS.

COATES: THIS TYPE OF TRAINING
IS--IS REALLY IMPORTANT

FOR PILOTS BECAUSE
YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GONNA

EXPERIENCE SOMETHING LIKE THIS,
AND WE'VE SEEN EXAMPLES

OF THESE SORTS OF INCIDENTS
HAPPENING

OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS,
JUST CROPPING UP

EVERY NOW AND AGAIN,
VERY RARE, BUT THEY DO HAPPEN,

SO THE TRAINING FOR THIS
GIVES OUR PILOTS

A BIT OF PRACTICE
BEFORE IT HAPPENS.

PURCELL: I SUPPOSE THE REALISM
STARTS WITH THE VISUALS.

IT'S LIKE IF YOU'RE FLYING
INTO THE ACTUAL AIRPORT.

INSIDE, IT'S BASED
ON THE EXACT AIRCRAFT.

THE SYSTEMS WORK
IN A VERY REALISTIC WAY,

SO IF WE WERE HOPEFULLY
APPLYING THOSE TECHNIQUES

TO A REAL WORLD EVENT, THEREFORE
ENSURING A SAFE OUTCOME.

GIVES OUR PILOTS
REALLY GOOD CONFIDENCE.

FINGERS CROSSED, WE'LL
GET IT RIGHT WHEN IT HAPPENS.

NARRATOR: THANKS PARTLY
TO TRAINING LIKE THIS,

YOUR CHANCES OF BEING
IN AN AIRPLANE ACCIDENT

ARE TODAY AT AN ALL-TIME LOW.

EVEN AS THE NUMBER OF FLIGHTS
WE TAKE HAS SOARED.

BY SOME MEASURES,
AVIATION IS NOW

UP TO 50 TIMES SAFER
THAN DRIVING,

BUT ACHIEVING THIS HAS TAKEN
MORE THAN PILOT TRAINING ALONE.

YOU'RE NOW 5 MILES OUT
FROM ATLANTA AIRPORT

ON FINAL APPROACH.

GUIDING YOUR PLANE DOWN
NOW BECOMES THE TASK

OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS
IN THE TOWER...

AND TODAY THEY'VE GOT
THEIR WORK CUT OUT.

IT'S THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING,

WITH OVER 1,000 AIRCRAFT A DAY
LANDING AT ATLANTA.

THAT'S, ON AVERAGE, MORE
THAN ONE PLANE EVERY MINUTE.

BRIAN KELLMAN'S
ONE OF THE CONTROLLERS

RESPONSIBLE FOR GUIDING THEM IN.

KELLMAN: WE HAVE
TO KEEP THIS VERY EFFICIENT

BECAUSE SOON AS WE SLOW DOWN,
IT COULD, UM, SLOW UP

THE WHOLE, UH, NATIONAL
AIRSPACE SYSTEM.

WE TRY OUR BEST
TO JUST KEEP IT ROLLING.

NARRATOR: ATLANTA'S EFFICIENCY
AT LANDING PLANES IS DUE

TO A NUMBER OF FEATURES
THAT MANY PASSENGER

MIGHT NOT EVEN NOTICE.

THE FIRST OF THESE
IS THE LAYOUT OF THE RUNWAYS.

THE AIRPORT HAS 5 RUNWAYS,
ALL RUNNING PARALLEL,

ALLOWING 3 PLANES TO LAND
AT THE SAME TIME.

KELLMAN: I CONSIDER
THIS AIRPORT TO BE

A RACETRACK OF--OF AIRCRAFT.

UH, WE MOVE PLANES IN AND OUT
VERY EFFICIENTLY,

AND, UH, I--I CALL IT
THE SPEEDWAY

OF, UH, AIR TRAFFIC RIGHT HERE.

NARRATOR: BUT THAT RACETRACK
COULD NOT OPERATE SAFELY

WITHOUT RADAR
AND TRANSMITTER TECHNOLOGY

THAT GUIDES PILOTS IN
FOR A SMOOTH TOUCHDOWN.

CHUCK MURPHY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
KEEPING THESE CRUCIAL SYSTEMS

WORKING WITHOUT FAIL.

MURPHY: WHEN THE PLANES
ARE ON FINAL APPROACH

AT ABOUT 18 MILES OUT,

THEY LOCK INTO
THE INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM.

PART OF THAT INSTRUMENT
LANDING SYSTEM IS THE LOCALIZER.

THIS LOCALIZER ARRAY RIGHT HERE
KEEPS THE PILOT

INENOF THE CUNWAY,
AND WHEN THEY'RE IN THE CENTER,

THEY KNOW WHEN THEY LAND,
THEY'RE GONNA HIT

PRECISELY WHERE THEY NEED TO
TO SAFELY LAND ON THE RUNWAY.

NARRATOR: THE LOCALIZER
GIVES PLANES A PATH TO FOLLOW

TO THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY.

IT EMITS TWO CONES
OF DIFFERENT RADIO FREQUENCY

AT PRECISE ANGLES
TO THE RUNWAY'S CENTER LINE.

THE INSTRUMENTS
ON AN APPROACHING PLANE

DETECT WHERE THESE FREQUENCIES
OVERLAP,

GIVING THEM THE EXACT LINE
THEY MUST FOLLOW

TO MAKE THE PERFECT APPROACH.

THE CONTROLLERS ALSO NEED
TO BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN

THE PLANES AREN'T FLYING IN
TOO CLOSELY TO EACH OTHER,

AND THAT'S POSSIBLE
THANKS TO A SYSTEM

THAT PINPOINTS
THE PLANE'S POSITIONS

TO WITHIN HALF AN INCH.

MURPHY: WE ALSO HAVE
A RADAR SYSTEM

CALLED A PRECISION
RUNWAY MONITOR

THAT PICKS UP THE PLANES,
AND WE SOMETIMES LAND

3 PLANES AT EXACTLY
THE SAME TIME ON THOSE RUNWAYS.

IT'S CALLED TRIPLE APPROACHES.

YOU CANNOT DO THAT WITHOUT
THE PRECISION RUNWAY MONITOR.

RADAR IS THE KEY AND THE ADVANCE
RADARS THAT WE HAVE

MEANS WE CAN LAND MORE PLANES
AT ONCE VERY SAFELY.

YOU CAN TELL EXACTLY
WHERE THOSE PLANES ARE,

AND YOU CAN REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF
DISTANCE BETWEEN THOSE PLANES.

WE CAN BRING THEM
MUCH CLOSER TOGETHER

WITH THESE PRECISE RADARS
THAN WITHOUT THEM.

NARRATOR: THANKS
TO THESE GUIDANCE SYSTEMS,

ATLANTA IS ABLE TO HANDLE
THE ENORMOUS NUMBER

OF AIRCRAFT WANTING TO LAND HERE
NOT JUST SAFELY,

BUT, CHANCES ARE, ON TIME.

MURPHY: WITHOUT
THE RADAR SYSTEMS,

WE HAVE THE CONTROLLERS
BASICALLY WORKING BLIND.

NARRATOR: ALL THESE SYSTEMS
ARE FOCUSED

ON THE VERY FINAL CRUCIAL PHASE
OF YOUR FLIGHT--

THE MOMENT OF LANDING ITSELF.

AT AN AIRPORT LIKE ATLANTA,
THE GUIDANCE SYSTEMS

MAKE IT SIGNIFICANTLY EASIER FOR
PILOTS TO LAND WITHOUT INCIDENT,

BUT THERE ARE SOME AIRPORTS
IN THE WORLD

THAT DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY
OF SUCH HIGH-END TECHNOLOGY.

PARO BHUTAN
DEEP IN THE HIMALAYAS.

IT'S ONE OF THE HIGHEST AIRPORTS
ON THE PLANET.

MAN: THAT'S THE HIGHEST POINT
ON EARTH--MOUNT EVEREST,

MEASURING AT 29,035 FEET,
OR 8,850 METERS.

BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF MOUNT EVEREST.
THANK YOU.

NARRATOR: MOUNT EVEREST
IS ONE OF THE GREATEST VIEWS

YOU CAN HAVE
FROM AN AIRPLANE WINDOW,

BUT THIS ENTIRE HIMALAYAN REGION

CONSISTS OF JAGGED MOUNTAINS
AND DEEP VALLEYS,

NOT THE EASIEST PLACE
TO LAND A JET PLANE.

IN FACT, BHUTAN'S PARO AIRPORT
IS ONE OF THE VERY FEW PLACES

IN THE HIGH HIMALAYAS A MID-SIZE
AIRCRAFT CAN PUT DOWN,

BUT THE AIRPORT'S NESTLED
IN A NARROW VALLEY

SURROUNDED BY TOWERING,
18,000-FOOT PEAKS.

CAPTAIN KINGA TSHERING
IS ONE OF ONLY 26 PILOTS

IN THE WORLD
QUALIFIED TO LAND AT PARO.

NARRATOR: 20 MILES OUT
AT 15,000 FEET,

CAPTAIN TSHERING
PREPARES FOR HIS APPROACH.

TIME TO SWITCH OFF
THE AUTO PILOT.

[BEEP BEEP BEEP]

NARRATOR: THERE'S NO OPTION

OTHER THAN TO LAND
MANUALLY AT PARO.

THIS AIRPORT HAS NO RADAR
TO GUIDE PLANES IN.

CAPTAIN TSHERING MUST MAKE
HIS FINAL APPROACH

THROUGH A LONG NARROW VALLEY,

AND JUST 1,600 FEET
BEFORE THE AIRPORT,

THERE'S A HIGH RIDGE.

UNTIL THE PLANE PASSES IT,
THE RUNWAY'S HIDDEN FROM VIEW.

IT'S THE TRICKIEST PART.

ONCE THE PLANE MAKES ITS TURN
AROUND THE RIDGE,

IT MUST BE PERFECTLY LINED UP
WITH THE RUNWAY

AT JUST THE RIGHT HEIGHT.

IT SHOULD THEN BE 100 FEET
OFF THE GROUND

AND SECONDS AWAY FROM TOUCHDOWN.

THAT'S THE THEORY.

NOW FOR THE REAL THING.

CAPTAIN TSHERING
IS NOW ENTERING THE VALLEY,

AND HE'S FLYING
JUST A FEW HUNDRED FEET

FROM THE MOUNTAINSIDE.

VOICE: TERRAIN AHEAD.
TERRAIN AHEAD.

PULL UP. AVOID TERRAIN.

VOICE: 500.

NARRATOR: HE'S DESCENDING FAST,

AND THE RUNWAY IS STILL
OUT OF VISUAL RANGE.

AT LAST THE RIDGE
COMES INTO VIEW,

AND CAPTAIN TSHERING
MAKES HIS CRUCIAL TURN.

IT'S LOOKING PROMISING,

BUT THE CAPTAIN'S STILL GOT TO
GET US SAFELY ONTO THE RUNWAY.

AT LITTLE OVER A MILE LONG
AND 98 FEET WIDE,

PARO'S RUNWAY IS MUCH SHORTER
AND NARROWER THAN MOST.

VOICE: 50, 40, 30, 20...

RETARD. RETARD.

NARRATOR: TOUCHDOWN, BUT
THERE'S NOT AN INCH TO SPARE.

CAPTAIN TSHERING'S TIMING
MUST BE PERFECT.

NARRATOR: FLIGHT KB205
HAS ARRIVED IN BHUTAN.

THIS IS ONE OF
THE MOST SPECTACULAR

AND HAIR-RAISING LANDINGS
IN THE WORLD.

FOR INTREPID VISITORS,

IT'S WELL WORTH
THE ROLLER COASTER RIDE IN,

BUT WITHOUT THE PILOTS
SPECIALLY TRAINED TO LAND HERE,

VERY FEW OUTSIDERS
WOULD EVER GET TO SEE

THIS HIMALAYAN LOST WORLD.

BACK AT ATLANTA, YOUR FLIGHT IS
NOW SECONDS AWAY FROM LANDING.

IT'S THE MOST CRITICAL MOMENT
OF YOUR FLIGHT

SINCE THE WHEELS
LEFT THE GROUND.

FOR A GENTLE TOUCHDOWN,

THE ANGLE OF THE WINGS
MUST BE PERFECT.

THE WHEELS HAVE TO WITHSTAND
AN ACCELERATION

OF ZERO TO 150 MILES PER HOUR
IN JUST A SPLIT-SECOND.

THE BRAKES HEAT UP
TO 700 DEGREES,

AND REVERSE THRUST HELPS
SLOW YOUR 100-TON PLANE...

TO A SEDATE 20 MILES AN HOUR.

YOU'RE DOWN,

BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENT KIND
OF PROBLEM HERE,

ONE YOU DEFINITELY
WON'T ENCOUNTER

AT A QUIET AIRPORT
IN THE HIMALAYAS.

IN ATLANTA, THERE MIGHT BE
AS MANY AS 10 PLANES

LINED UP BEHIND YOU,
ALL WAITING TO LAND,

SO YOUR PLANE NEEDS
TO GET OFF THE RUNWAY

AND REACH THE GATE FAST...

AND AT MANY AIRPORTS,
SERIOUS HOLDUPS OCCUR

WHEN PLANES WAIT TO CROSS
AN ACTIVE RUNWAY

ON THEIR WAY TO THE TERMINAL.

FORTUNATELY, THE BUSIEST AIRPORT
IN THE WORLD

HAS AN ACE UP ITS SLEEVE.

AN UNREMARKABLE-LOOKING
STRETCH OF PAVEMENT

NAMED TAXIWAY VICTOR.

WOMAN: WE HAVE AN END-AROUND
TAXIWAY WHICH WE CALL

OUR TAXIWAY VICTOR WHICH ALLOWS
THE AIRCRAFT TO GO ALL THE WAY

FROM THE RUNWAY, TAXI TO
THEIR GATE WITHOUT STOPPING.

NARRATOR: AN END AROUND TAXIWAY
LIKE VICTOR MEANS THAT AIRCRAFT

THAT HAVE LANDED DON'T
HAVE TO CROSS ACTIVE RUNWAYS

TO REACH THEIR GATE,

A SIMPLE IDEA
WITH A MASSIVE IMPACT.

WADE: MOST OF THE TIME,
AIRPLANES HAVE TO STOP

TO GET PERMISSION TO CROSS
THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY,

BUT BY GOING AROUND THE END
OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY,

THEY SAVE A LOT OF TIME,
AND WE'RE A LOT MORE EFFICIENT.

NARRATOR: ONLY A HANDFUL
OF AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD

HAVE THE SPACE
FOR THIS INGENIOUS LAYOUT.

WADE: SOME PEOPLE MIGHT THINK
IT'S JUST ANOTHER TAXIWAY,

ANOTHER PIECE OF PAVEMENT
THAT WE HAVE OUT HERE,

BUT IT'S REALLY
LIKE A SECRET WEAPON.

HAVING THAT ABILITY
TO CONTINUOUSLY TAXI

WITHOUT HAVING TO STOP
IS INCREDIBLY, UH, HELPFUL

TO OUR OPERATION.

FOR OTHER AIRPORTS THAT HAVE
TO STOP THEIR TRAFFIC

TO CROSS THEIR DEPARTURE RUNWAY,

IT'S A VERY LIMITING FACTOR
FOR THEM.

IT HAS A-A HUGE IMPACT
ON THE NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT

THAT THEY CAN BRING IN
OR HAVE SCHEDULED FOR DEPARTURE.

IT LIMITS THEIR OPERATION.

NARRATOR: IT'S A CLEVER DESIGN
TRICK THAT HELPS YOUR PLANE

REACH ITS GATE WITHOUT DELAY
AND HELPS ATLANTA

RETAIN ITS CROWN
OF BUSIEST AIRPORT IN THE WORLD.

YOU'VE MADE IT.

YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH THE CITY
IN THE SKY IS ALMOST OVER,

BUT BEFORE YOU
LEAVE THE AIRPORT,

MAKE SURE YOU DON'T FORGET...

YOUR LUGGAGE.

AROUND 3.5 BILLION SUITCASES

FLY AROUND THE WORLD
ALONGSIDE US EVERY YEAR.

THE TECHNOLOGY IN PLACE TO GET
THEM TO THE RIGHT DESTINATION

GETS EVER MORE SOPHISTICATED,

YET DESPITE MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR,
HIGH-TECH SYSTEMS,

AROUND 7 BAGS PER 1,000
PASSENGERS STILL GO ASTRAY.

MOST LOST BAGS
CATCH UP WITH THEIR OWNERS

WITHIN A DAY OR TWO,
BUT NOT ALL OF THEM.

AN ESTIMATED
1.4 MILLION BAGS PER YEAR

ARE NEVER REUNITED
WITH THEIR OWNERS.

SOME LOSE THEIR TAGS.

OTHERS ARE SIMPLY ABANDONED.

IF YOU NEVER PICK UP
YOUR LUGGAGE,

IT COULD END UP
IN A PLACE LIKE THIS--

A LOST LUGGAGE AUCTION
IN GERMANY.

CRUCIALLY,
THIS IS A BLIND AUCTION.

YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SEE
INSIDE THE BAG BEFORE BIDDING.

YOU'RE NOT EVEN ALLOWED
TO TOUCH IT.

ANY ONE OF THE BAGS
ON SALE TODAY

COULD POTENTIALLY CONTAIN
RICH PICKINGS OR NOTHING.

NARRATOR: IT'S A GAMBLE,
BUT SOME REGULARS HAVE LEARNED

THE TRICK OF SNIFFING OUT
THE RIGHT BAG

AND MAKE A PROFIT
BY RESELLING THEIR CONTENTS.

MARCO HAMLER HAS TAKEN YEARS
TO MASTER THIS ART.

HAMLER: IT'S LIKE A DRUG
BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW

WHAT YOU--WHAT YOU HAVE
INSIDE THIS CASE,

AND THEN YOU COME HOME
AND OPEN THIS CASE.

IT'S VERY EXCITING.

NARRATOR: AT 12 NOON,
THE AUCTION KICKS OFF.

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

NARRATOR: THEY'VE GOT 400 BAGS
TO SELL BY THE END OF THE DAY,

SO THEY DON'T WASTE TIME...

NARRATOR: BUT SOME BAGS ATTRACT
MORE ATTENTION THAN OTHERS.

[SPEAKS GERMAN]

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

NARRATOR: THE AUCTION'S
DOWN TO THE LAST 100 BAGS,

AND FINALLY,
MARCO BIDS SUCCESSFULLY

FOR THE ONE HE HAD HIS EYE ON.

CASH HANDED OVER,

IT'S THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.

AND WE WILL E
SEWHAT'S INSIDE.

OH, SO EVERYTHING
IS FOR KIDS.

LOVELY, NICE T-SHIRT.

NARRATOR: THIS TIME,
MARCO'S BEEN UNLUCKY,

BUT THE BLIND LUGGAGE AUCTION
CAN REWARD PATIENCE

WITH UNEXPECTED TREASURES.

HAMLER: IN ONE CASE,
I FOUND A CABLE,

A VERY, VERY, UH,
EXPENSIVE CABLE

FOR A HI-FI, UM, UM, RECEIVER.

UM, IT WAS LIKE, SO,
1,400 EUROS,

SO IT WAS VERY, VERY GREAT.

NARRATOR: SINCE 2011,

THEY'VE AUCTIONED OFF
OVER 20,000 BAGS HERE.

IF THESE HADN'T BEEN SOLD,

THEY MIGHT HAVE ENDED UP
AS LANDFILL.

GLOBALLY, THAT COULD MEAN
1,000 TONS OF GARBAGE A YEAR...

BUT ILE EVEN LOST BAGS
WILL EVENTUALLY FIND A HOME,

YOUR PLANE MIGHT NOT
BE SO LUCKY.

AT THE END OF THEIR JOURNEY
THROUGH THE CITY IN THE SKY,

SOMETIMES AIRCRAFT FIND
THEMSELVES NO LONGER NEEDED.

AFTER 9/11, THE DOWNTURN
IN AIR PASSENGERS

LED TO HUNDREDS OF PLANES
BEING LEFT UNUSED BY AIRLINES,

BUT WHERE DO YOU PARK
A FEW DOZEN SPARE JETS

WHEN THE COST OF STORING THEM IN
AN AIRPORT HANGAR IS SKY HIGH?

THAT'S WHERE ARIZONA COMES IN.

THE STATE'S AVERAGE RAINFALL
IS JUST 7 INCHES A YEAR,

SO METAL BARELY RUSTS,

MAKING IT THE IDEAL PLACE
TO STORE PLANES,

A PLACE WHERE UNWANTED AIRCRAFT
GO INTO SUSPENDED ANIMATION.

THIS SPRAWLING, 400-ACRE SITE'S
CURRENTLY HOME

TO SOME 150 AIRLINERS.

FOR NOW, THESE PLANES
MAY BE QUIETLY HIBERNATING,

BUT AT ANY MOMENT,
AN AIRLINE MIGHT CALL UP

AND ORDER ONE OF THEIR SLEEPING
GIANTS BACK INTO THE SKY.

ED MEYER AND HIS TEAM OF
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS

KEEP THEM PRIMED TO GO
STRAIGHT BACK INTO OPETIONRA

AFTER MONTHS, OR EVEN YEARS,
ON THE GROUND.

MEYER: THE AIRPLANE CAN SIT,
BASICALLY, INDEFINITELY

AS LONG AS YOU'RE KEEPING ALL
THE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS ACTIVATED,

AS LONG AS YOU'RE KEEPING
EVERYTHING SERVICED.

ESSENTIALLY, AS LONG AS YOU KEEP
ALL THOSE ACTIVITIES GOING,

THE LAAI CAN SIT
LIKE THIS FOR YEARS.

NARRATOR: BUT THIS ISN'T
JUST A PLACE WHERE PLANES

COME FOR A VACATION IN THE SUN.

THE TIME COMES FOR EVERY
WORKHORSE OF THE SKY

TO BE PUT OUT TO PASTURE.

SADLY, THERE'S NO LONG AND
LEISURELY RETIREMENT IN STORE.

THIS IS WHERE SOME PLANES
COME TO DIE.

THIS IS
A McDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-9.

IT'S 36 YEARS OLD.

IT'S COMPLETED
77,854 FLIGHT HOURS,

AND THIS IS
ITS VERY LAST DAY ON EARTH.

EVEN AT THE END
OF A PLANE'S WORKING LIFE,

MANY OF ITS COMPONENTS
STILL HAVE A RESALE VALUE.

ITS DISMEMBERED GUTS ARE PACKED
WITH VALUABLE MATERIALS,

SO IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE THE END,
BUT, IN ACTUAL FACT,

THIS PLANE
WILL SOON BE BORN AGAIN.

NARRATOR: FINALLY, THEY'RE LEFT
WITH JUST AN EMPTY CARCASS,

THE HOLLOWED-OUT FUSELAGE.

GLOBALLY, PLANES ARE BEING
SCRAPPED ON A VAST SCALE.

SINCE THE DAWN OF THE JET AGE
BACK IN THE 1950s,

OVER 8,500 PASSENGER PLANES

HAVE WINGED THEIR WAY
TO THE JUNK YARD.

STACKED 4 DEEP, THEY'D FILL
A SCRAP YARD

THE SIZE OF CENTRAL PARK.

AROUND 50% OF THE WEIGHT OF A
DISMANTLED AIRCRAFT IS REUSABLE,

AND MOST OF THE REST
CAN BE RECYCLED.

WITH A NEW PLANE COSTING
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS,

MACHINE PARTS
ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE,

WITH ENGINES BEING, BY FAR,
THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER...

BUT THE DOLLAR VALUE
OF THIS SCAVENGED FUSELAGE

NOW LIES SOLELY IN
THE SCRAP METAL IT WILL PROVIDE

WHEN PULLED APART,
AND IT'S NO GENTLE DEMISE.

MEET THE CRUSHER.

IN THE SPACE OF 45 MINUTES,

A MACHINE THAT ONCE SOARED
OVER OCEANS AND CONTINENTS...

LIKE A FATALLY WOUNDED ANIMAL
BEING TORN APART BITE BY BITE,

IS REDUCED TO NOTHING MORE

THAN A 10-FOOT-HIGH
PILE OF SCRAP...

A HEAP OF GARBAGE
THAT SEEMS FAR TOO SMALL

TO HAVE EVER BEEN
A PASSENGER JET.

THIS PLANE'S LIFE
IN THE CITY IN THE SKY

HAS COME TO AN END,

BUT THE RELENTLESS GROWTH
OF AVIATION

MEANS THAT NEW PLANES
ARE BEING BUILT

FAR FASTER THAN OLD ONES
ARE BEING SCRAPPED...

AND A FEW DECADES FROM NOW,
YOUR JOURNEY

INTO THE CITY IN THE SKY MIGHT
NOT EVEN BE ON BOARD A PLANE.

IN FACT, YOU MAY NOT EVEN DEPART
FROM AN AIRPORT.

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE BEING
PUMPED INTO RESEARCH

TO FIND ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

TO KEEP THE CITY IN THE SKY
FLYING.

IN A GIGANTIC HANGAR
JUST OUTSIDE BEDFORD, ENGLAND,

ONE RADICAL SOLUTION
IS TAKING SHAPE.

THIS IS THE WORLD'S
LARGEST AIRCRAFT.

IT'S NOT A PLANE,
NOR IS IT A SIMPLE AIRSHIP.

IT'S A HYBRID,
A CROSS BETWEEN THE TWO.

IT'S CALLED THE AIRLANDER 10.

ITS HOLLOW DOUBLE HULLS

CONTAIN A MIXTURE
OF AIR AND INERT HELIUM.

THIS MAKES IT LIGHTER THAN AIR

AND SO ABLE
TO TAKE OFF EFFORTLESSLY,

AND, THOUGH NOT OBVIOUS
AT FIRST GLANCE,

THE AIRLANDER'S SHAPE
IS A VAST, INFLATABLE WING,

MAKING THIS A PHENOMENALLY
EFFICIENT FLYING MACHINE.

IT'S A 21st-CENTURY
REINVENTION OF A CONCEPT

THAT'S BEEN AROUND
SINCE THE DAWN OF AVIATION.

MAN: YOU KNOW, WE'RE--WE'RE
BUILDING ON HUNDREDS OF YEARS

OF AVIATION, UH, EXPERTISE,
BRINGING THE--

THE OLD, UM, METHODS

USED IN THE PAST,
ADDING SOME NEW,

AND ULTIMATELY JUST CREATING
A--A BRAND-NEW VEHICLE, REALLY.

NARRATOR:
THE AIRLANDER IS UNIQUE

BECAUSE OF WHAT IT CAN DO.

MAN: THE AIRLANDER
CAN DO TWO THINGS

THAT OTHER AIRCRAFT CAN'T DO.

ONE IS, IT CAN STAY IN THE AIR
FOR A LONG, LONG TIME,

AND WE'RE TALKING 3 WEEKS
RATHER THAN HOURS AND DAYS,

AND THAT ALLOWS IT TO DO
SOME AMAZING THINGS,

LIKE SEARCH AND RESCUE,
LIKE GOING IN

WHEN TSUNAMIS HAVE HAPPENED
OR WHERE THERE'S FLOODS,

REALLY SEARCHING THE AREA
FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES

TO FIND PEOPLE
AND TO HELP OUT...

AND THE SECOND THING IT CAN DO
IS LAND AND TAKE OFF

FROM ANY SURFACE, WHETHER IT'S
WATER OR ICE OR DESERT OR MARSH,

AND THAT ALLOWS IT
TO CONNECT THE WORLD,

DELIVER THINGS TO REMOTE AREAS,

AND NO OTHER AIRCRAFT TYPE
CAN DO THAT.

NARRATOR: THE FLEXIBILITY
OF AIRCRAFT LIKE THIS COULD MEAN

A FUTURE WITHOUT ANYTHING THAT
WE'D RECOGNIZE AS AN AIRPORT,

BUT OF ALL THE FEATURES
MAKING THE AIRLANDER

A VIABLE POSSIBILITY, THE MOST
COMPELLING IS EFFICIENCY.

THE AIRLANDER'S DESIGNERS CLAIM
IT COULD USE LESS THAN A THIRD

OF THE FUEL A JET PLANE WOULD
CONSUME ON A COMPARABLE JOURNEY.

DANIELS: NATURALLY, WE GO SLOWER
THAN A JET AIRCRAFT,

SO WE FLY AT ABOUT
90 MILES AN HOUR,

MAYBE A LITTLE BIT QUICKER
THAN THAT ON OCCASIONS, UM,

BUT THAT SPEED IS QUICKER
THAN LORRIES.

IT'S QUICKER THAN SHIPS,
AND IT GIVES US

ALL THE FLEXIBILITY
TO TAKE THINGS

WHEREVER WE WANT IN THE WORLD,

AND ALSO, MOST CARGO
AND MOST ENDURANCE TASKS

DON'T NEED SPEED, SO IT'S
A SUPER FLEXIBLE AIRCRAFT.

I WOULD LOVE THE TIME--AND IT
WILL HAPPEN IN MY LIFETIME--

WHERE THERE'LL BE HUNDREDS
OF THESE FLYING OVER BRITAIN

AND OVER THE WORLD.

NARRATOR: OTHER DESIGNERS
HAVE EVEN MORE RADICAL VISIONS

OF THE SHAPE OF PLANES TO COME.

AIRBUS IS DEVELOPING
ELECTRIC PASSENGER PLANES.

ALREADY THEIR PROTOTYPE,
THE E-FAN,

HAS BECOME THE FIRST
ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT

TO CROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL...

AND TWO PIONEERING SWISS
SCIENTISTS RECENTLY MADE

A RECORD-BREAKING FLIGHT
IN THEIR SOLAR-POWERED PLANE.

THE SOLAR IMPULSE
FLEW 5,000 MILES NONSTOP

FROM JAPAN TO HAWAII.

THESE AND OTHER
NEWLY EVOLVING TECHNOLOGIES

COULD TOTALLY RESHAPE AVIATION
IN THE DECADES AHEAD

AND MAKE YOUR FUTURE JOURNEYS
INTO THE SKY UNRECOGNIZABLE.

100 YEARS AGO,
NOBODY COULD HAVE PREDICTED

THAT THE AIRBORNE METROPOLIS
WOULD BECOME

A GLOBE-SPANNING NETWORK

REACHING THE MOST
FAR-FLUNG PLACES

OR THAT IT WOULD CARRY
9 MILLION PASSENGERS A DAY

AND DEVELOP ITS OWN
UNIVERSAL SYSTEMS AND LANGUAGE.

EVEN WITH CURRENT TRENDS,

THE CITY IN THE SKY'S
SET TO DOUBLE IN SIZE

OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.

IF IT'S TO KEEP GROWING,
WE WILL NEED TO FIND

NEW WAYS TO BUILD AND POWER IT,

BUT IF THE EXTRAORDINARY
INNOVATIONS

OF THE CITY CONTINUE,

THE SKY IS QUITE LITERALLY
THE LIMIT.

ANNOUNCER: "CITY IN THE SKY"
IS AVAILABLE ON DVD.

TO ORDER, VISIT SHOPPBS.ORG

OR CALL 1-800-PLAY-PBS.