strangest freight
Does this count?
I am SLF but when in the RAF I used to Hitchhike in uniform to and from Airshows.
One occasion in the 60s I managed a lift out of Coltishall after an Airshow.
Making may way home to the West country where I was then Stationed
It is still very sensitive so I will generalise on some aspects.
The A/C was an Argosy, static at the show but on return to the UK from a
Training stint around the Med.
Come the time to depart after the show as was the "practice"!!!! along with other departing aircraft the Pilot decides to show off with a max rate steep climb out .
Not a good idea as strapped down in the back, nexr to where I was seated was the Pilots private Car!!!!!!!!!. Road ready!!!!!
Very very much against Regs., the crew used it to run around at the ports of call.
So max tatical take off .steep angle, , pressure differences, result......
Petrol from the fuel tank overflows via the filler overflow outlet.
I then informed the loadmaster of Petrol swilling around the Cargo floor. ,and the smell of Petrol fumes filling the hold.
I had never seen someone go pure white with fright until then.
Talk about Panic. Full emergency routines inside the Aircraft, absolute minimum electrics etc..Unable to declare to ATC the "Situation"
So there was your truely .an undeclared passenger not on the Manifest.
sitting in a flying "Bomb" ,to say I was cra**ing myself was an understatement.
The hairiest moment I felt was on deployng the Landing gear, as I imagined sparks/static or what ,could blow us to hell and back.
Suffice to say we landed ok and the Loadmaster took me to one side and
forcibly told me that there never was a "Situation" and on pain of death to
keep quiet about it for years to come.
45 years have now passed so I feel I am safe to relate this tale.
One occasion in the 60s I managed a lift out of Coltishall after an Airshow.
Making may way home to the West country where I was then Stationed
It is still very sensitive so I will generalise on some aspects.
The A/C was an Argosy, static at the show but on return to the UK from a
Training stint around the Med.
Come the time to depart after the show as was the "practice"!!!! along with other departing aircraft the Pilot decides to show off with a max rate steep climb out .
Not a good idea as strapped down in the back, nexr to where I was seated was the Pilots private Car!!!!!!!!!. Road ready!!!!!
Very very much against Regs., the crew used it to run around at the ports of call.
So max tatical take off .steep angle, , pressure differences, result......
Petrol from the fuel tank overflows via the filler overflow outlet.
I then informed the loadmaster of Petrol swilling around the Cargo floor. ,and the smell of Petrol fumes filling the hold.
I had never seen someone go pure white with fright until then.
Talk about Panic. Full emergency routines inside the Aircraft, absolute minimum electrics etc..Unable to declare to ATC the "Situation"
So there was your truely .an undeclared passenger not on the Manifest.
sitting in a flying "Bomb" ,to say I was cra**ing myself was an understatement.
The hairiest moment I felt was on deployng the Landing gear, as I imagined sparks/static or what ,could blow us to hell and back.
Suffice to say we landed ok and the Loadmaster took me to one side and
forcibly told me that there never was a "Situation" and on pain of death to
keep quiet about it for years to come.
45 years have now passed so I feel I am safe to relate this tale.
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35 tons of Euro notes from, well that I can't say, to, well can't say that either really. Never had quite so many, very heavily armed, police officers looking and scrutinizing me. Quite scary,
tip for the next time!! read the crew who had problem transported the "lose dog" haha
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Strangest Freight
Apart from dead-heading front end crew, 40 tonne of palm trees from FCO to
............DXB for a golf course! Flown into FCO from either LAX/SFO by Alitalia 74 and tramshipped to our diesel8. Coals to Newcastle, anyone?
............DXB for a golf course! Flown into FCO from either LAX/SFO by Alitalia 74 and tramshipped to our diesel8. Coals to Newcastle, anyone?
Glad the cage was strong
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I was speaking not long ago to a dispatcher who used to work for a cargo company at LHR.
B744F came on stand and the loaders opened one of the hold doors, and low and behold there stands a tiger, which had managed to escape its cage.
Needless to say, they closed the door asap! After a few times of opening and closing the doors for a look, the tiger wandered over to its cage and lay down. I don't envy the poor guy who had to leg it in and close the cage!
B744F came on stand and the loaders opened one of the hold doors, and low and behold there stands a tiger, which had managed to escape its cage.
Needless to say, they closed the door asap! After a few times of opening and closing the doors for a look, the tiger wandered over to its cage and lay down. I don't envy the poor guy who had to leg it in and close the cage!
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Can't help but calling B/S on that one.
Transporting radioactive materials and ammos from an EU country to Africa. pm me if you want the exact name of the country. Poor ops guys have difficulty obtaining the required overfly permits from enroute countries. All permits ended up with Diplomatic clearance.
Last edited by C-N; 26th Aug 2009 at 06:54.
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Doesn't compete with miscellaneous gorillas, giraffes, and killer wales but here is my $0.02.
President Mugabe from North Holt to Jersey and back (just had to make a deposit I guess.) in a BAC1-11
Lots of farting cadavers out of Dallas in a C402
Guns to Kazakhstan BAC 1-11
Boxes of Crabs and Crawfish from New Orleans regulars for us.
A diabetic prisoner Dallas to some prison hospital in Missouri, he had both legs amputated and was strapped into the back seat of a BE55 baron. On arrival and while waiting for the ground transportation to arrive we ordered pizza from the FBO and offered to share it with the guard. I asked if he wanted to stay by the aircraft and eat it there he replied "Naw lets go inside and eat, he a'int gonna run off"
An ironing board, and a few kids toys RAK to Heathrow, it's good to be the king.
A case of coke (cola) and a sack of potatoes from Dallas to Gunnison Co. I guess they don't sell it there.
Not exactly freight but.....
Katherine Zeta Jones LAS to VNY
Kiss
Jon Bon Jovi
Bruce Springstein & E Street Band
George Harrison
Jim Capoldi
Many pro ice skaters and NBA teams
Emerson Fittipaldi
Al Pacino
the list goes on
President Mugabe from North Holt to Jersey and back (just had to make a deposit I guess.) in a BAC1-11
Lots of farting cadavers out of Dallas in a C402
Guns to Kazakhstan BAC 1-11
Boxes of Crabs and Crawfish from New Orleans regulars for us.
A diabetic prisoner Dallas to some prison hospital in Missouri, he had both legs amputated and was strapped into the back seat of a BE55 baron. On arrival and while waiting for the ground transportation to arrive we ordered pizza from the FBO and offered to share it with the guard. I asked if he wanted to stay by the aircraft and eat it there he replied "Naw lets go inside and eat, he a'int gonna run off"
An ironing board, and a few kids toys RAK to Heathrow, it's good to be the king.
A case of coke (cola) and a sack of potatoes from Dallas to Gunnison Co. I guess they don't sell it there.
Not exactly freight but.....
Katherine Zeta Jones LAS to VNY
Kiss
Jon Bon Jovi
Bruce Springstein & E Street Band
George Harrison
Jim Capoldi
Many pro ice skaters and NBA teams
Emerson Fittipaldi
Al Pacino
the list goes on
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Best bit of freight I ever had caried was a Merc. SLK, MAN to MBJ, allong with 328 pax. The loaders drove it into the forward hold off the scisors lift and then disconected the battery as if it was a wheel chair. (The fuel tank had about half a pint in it.) Of course the Jamaican loaders could not just drive it out at the other end because the car security system kicked in as soon as the battery was reconected. Not our problem as we were already in the beach bar, but the return crew were none too happy!
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Not really freight, but............
DC-8 pax charter, middle of winter in Philly going down to the islands. Just prior to push back, my then girlfriend FA comes to the cockpit and says there is some strange thumping noise all the way in the back. Capt. wouldn't have it, but after several minutes talked him into checking. A loader had fallen asleep on some bags and the other guys had closed the door, not knowing he remained inside. Poor chap was in a panic obviously as his hands were bloodied from all the 'thumping'.
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Not strange just absolutely beautiful
A brand new Ferrari California, a mere £147000 worth from MXP to AUH, on it's way to a place called HOMEBUSH
NSW
I did take several pics of the car but in my opinion this is the best bit by far
A brand new Ferrari California, a mere £147000 worth from MXP to AUH, on it's way to a place called HOMEBUSH
NSWI did take several pics of the car but in my opinion this is the best bit by far