strangest freight
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: on the move again...
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SAT?
Taffman:
Mr? Zones
But of course, you are most correct my dear Watson - about the SAT part of course! (Of course I could always be Miss Zones, couldn't I?
)
Not directly involved with Free Willy, that was sold and organised Stateside
. U r correct though, SAT did lots of fun stuff with the Hercs. Airdrops, oil spraying, refugee's, lots of odd cargo similar to that recounted by others herein.
I got mainly involved with good old fashioned ACMI stuff with the jets.... but the fun stuff such as the Giraffe's provided much needed distraction to day to day chores!!
Those were the days...
Enjoy France, Taffy.
Mr? Zones
But of course, you are most correct my dear Watson - about the SAT part of course! (Of course I could always be Miss Zones, couldn't I?
)Not directly involved with Free Willy, that was sold and organised Stateside
. U r correct though, SAT did lots of fun stuff with the Hercs. Airdrops, oil spraying, refugee's, lots of odd cargo similar to that recounted by others herein.I got mainly involved with good old fashioned ACMI stuff with the jets.... but the fun stuff such as the Giraffe's provided much needed distraction to day to day chores!!
Those were the days...
Enjoy France, Taffy.
Mate of mine recieved a load of armoured cars (civvy type) in Basra last year from ZA. They were stuffed with Castle and the finest steaks...
Needless to say we ate & drank like kings
Needless to say we ate & drank like kings
Top Dog
Join Date: May 2000
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We didn't fly 100T of gold bullion from MNL to Europe 10ish years ago.... They couldn't pay for the flight.
Flew Rwanda's new currency in about 6 weeks before they started killing each other off.
Flew Rwanda's new currency in about 6 weeks before they started killing each other off.
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Baby (and adolescent) crocodiles, loose, in an Islander in West Irian. (I figured if the croc hunter was prepare to sit down the back with them it was OK, although some of them wound up under my feet a couple of times) I was younger then. 
Opium (legal) out of Tasmania, in a 727, but then, everyone's done that.
Opium (legal) out of Tasmania, in a 727, but then, everyone's done that.
Join Date: May 2003
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"Baby (and adolescent) crocodiles, loose, in an Islander in West Irian. (I figured if the croc hunter was prepare to sit down the back with them it was OK, although some of them wound up under my feet a couple of times) "
Had a baby pig that made a run for it and got behind the rudder pedals. A lot of squealing and incontinence (the pig) while we got that one out!
Stangest was being accused of stealing (in flight) of over a ton of Yams, by a shipper who could not grasp the concept of evaporation loss, (although on a previous flight we had dumped a couple of tons of loose macheroni from split sacks, by using a hose pipe through the sextant hole.)
Had a baby pig that made a run for it and got behind the rudder pedals. A lot of squealing and incontinence (the pig) while we got that one out!
Stangest was being accused of stealing (in flight) of over a ton of Yams, by a shipper who could not grasp the concept of evaporation loss, (although on a previous flight we had dumped a couple of tons of loose macheroni from split sacks, by using a hose pipe through the sextant hole.)
Still Trampin' the Ramp
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Right in the middle of UK
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Back in the days of the ol' CL44 we did things like -
20T of special grass (green stuff, not THAT grass!). Flown from California with a Tigers 74 into LHR, trucked to STN & then flown to MCT. Had to be in the ground within 24 hours of pick-up so the Sultan of MCT had a bunch of locals with dibbers in hand awaiting our arrival;
Also into MCT, a complete circus but I've told that one before so won't get boring;
4T rhino HKG to MST;
Won't even go near the 9mm carpet slippers & the 7.6mm agricultural machinery although did do 4 rocket launching Landrovers into THR 2 days before the Shah left!
(Goes misty eyed - nostalgia 'ain't what it used to be)
RT
20T of special grass (green stuff, not THAT grass!). Flown from California with a Tigers 74 into LHR, trucked to STN & then flown to MCT. Had to be in the ground within 24 hours of pick-up so the Sultan of MCT had a bunch of locals with dibbers in hand awaiting our arrival;
Also into MCT, a complete circus but I've told that one before so won't get boring;
4T rhino HKG to MST;
Won't even go near the 9mm carpet slippers & the 7.6mm agricultural machinery although did do 4 rocket launching Landrovers into THR 2 days before the Shah left!
(Goes misty eyed - nostalgia 'ain't what it used to be)
RT
Not my story, second hand from a mate - but I'll tell it anyway.
An RAF Hercules many years ago with my mate as the FE was due to fly from Colombo to Singapore empty, but at the last minute some frieght showed up in the form of an RAF police dog with it's handler. The dog had an abcess on a tooth which was going to be treated in SIngapore and was loaded in a wooded kennel crate.
In the climb, the dog's abcess got a bit painful as the pressure reduced. The dog went apesh!t and smashed it's way out of the crate. The crew barricaded themselves on the flightdeck and suggested to the handler that he should go back and calm it down.
"**** Off, h'ell eat me" was the reply.
So the solution was to go onto oxygen, depressurise, wait until the dog passed through hypoxia out than lash it to the floor!
An RAF Hercules many years ago with my mate as the FE was due to fly from Colombo to Singapore empty, but at the last minute some frieght showed up in the form of an RAF police dog with it's handler. The dog had an abcess on a tooth which was going to be treated in SIngapore and was loaded in a wooded kennel crate.
In the climb, the dog's abcess got a bit painful as the pressure reduced. The dog went apesh!t and smashed it's way out of the crate. The crew barricaded themselves on the flightdeck and suggested to the handler that he should go back and calm it down.
"**** Off, h'ell eat me" was the reply.
So the solution was to go onto oxygen, depressurise, wait until the dog passed through hypoxia out than lash it to the floor!
Join Date: Apr 2002
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13 adult male Rhino's JNB-REC-MCO....
165 dairy cattle CGN-SHJ
Satellites SVO-AOX (Baikanour)
and the best of all...
An MD11 CMB-DXB-FRA full of Victoria's Secret underwear, some modelled by a fine looking female F.O. on route!
165 dairy cattle CGN-SHJ
Satellites SVO-AOX (Baikanour)
and the best of all...
An MD11 CMB-DXB-FRA full of Victoria's Secret underwear, some modelled by a fine looking female F.O. on route!
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Without doubt, I carried the most unsavoury cargo just prior to the last UK General Election.
From Rome to London:
Two large crates of red party baloons all emblazened with the logo:
"I voted New Labour"
To this day I wish I had found an excuse to offload them.
From Rome to London:
Two large crates of red party baloons all emblazened with the logo:
"I voted New Labour"
To this day I wish I had found an excuse to offload them.
Join Date: Oct 1999
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did not fly it myself, but arranged for it in the late 80's:
the oceanic games (or south pacific games) were to be held in tonga and a 20' container worth of rubber granulate (for the running track) was not depatched in time from europe by seafreight.
2 weeks before opening of the games, this was noticed and off went 18 tons of 50kgs bags to SIN by airfreight, palletized - still mae it down to AKL palletized, but from there it was belly in 727 and 737.
the running track was useable (eg DRY) 6 hours before the opening ceremony.
invoice value of the rubber granulate came in at a mere USD 5.000, but the freight went six digits.
about 15% of the bags were broken in transit in AKL, but the quantity ended up bebing sufficient.
the supplier of the rubber granulate went bust in the early 90's following a major scandal.
the oceanic games (or south pacific games) were to be held in tonga and a 20' container worth of rubber granulate (for the running track) was not depatched in time from europe by seafreight.
2 weeks before opening of the games, this was noticed and off went 18 tons of 50kgs bags to SIN by airfreight, palletized - still mae it down to AKL palletized, but from there it was belly in 727 and 737.
the running track was useable (eg DRY) 6 hours before the opening ceremony.
invoice value of the rubber granulate came in at a mere USD 5.000, but the freight went six digits.
about 15% of the bags were broken in transit in AKL, but the quantity ended up bebing sufficient.
the supplier of the rubber granulate went bust in the early 90's following a major scandal.
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Around the World
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A collegue of mine had a flight with thousands of one day old ducks in the back. During the flight he and the FO suddenly heard funny sounds inside the cockpit. They searched and found one little duck behind the Captains rudder paddel....
Join Date: Jun 2000
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Know of a bloke who wrecked a TriPacer with 20 odd baby ostriches crawling around in the back and on the right seat (Engine failure, actually, before anyone barks up the wrong tree). Rumour has it he then shovelled the wreck down a well to hide the evidence of ostrich smuggling..........?
Join Date: Jun 2001
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DC-6 load of Penthouse magazines with a serious bible thumper, southern babtist captain! What a hoot!
80,000 lbs of sand in a DC-8, it was very special sand!
50,000 lbs of HAZMAT, curious to find out what it was, went down stairs to find I had all the wart remover for the next 9 months for north America!( well maybe 6 months) we grow em big over here!
Oil well fire fighting equipment. that was really neat stuff!
80,000 lbs of sand in a DC-8, it was very special sand!
50,000 lbs of HAZMAT, curious to find out what it was, went down stairs to find I had all the wart remover for the next 9 months for north America!( well maybe 6 months) we grow em big over here!
Oil well fire fighting equipment. that was really neat stuff!