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The 3 most interesting aircraft you’ve never heard of | Royal International Air Tattoo

July 31, 2024

We head down to the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford to explore some big jets, marvel at some fast jets, and take a look at three of the most interesting aircraft at the show that you (might) never have heard of.

We explore the FAAM Airborne Laboratory, a converted regional airliner that measures weather phenomena both up in the clouds and down at 50 feet above the ocean. We also speak to the British Antarctic Survey about the unique work they do with their Twin Otter aircraft at the North and South poles, and we discover the Saab 340 that’s training the next generation of aeronautical engineers at Cranfield University.

How to pilot a 787-10 (FRA-AUH flight deck!)

In this video Gabe joins up with Etihad on their 787-10 “Greenliner” to fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) on the flight deck. From the jumpseat we get to learn all kinds of fun facts and aviation info about some of the considerations that go into operating this flight on Boeing’s stretched Dreamliner.

Airport Snowplows that DRIVE THEMSELVES!

In this video we meet the autonomous airport snowplows of the future, taking a tour

How to build an Airbus A400M

Chris takes a trip to Airbus Defence and Space in Seville, Spain to see what goes into building the latest generation of European military transporter, the Airbus A400M.

Performing aircraft turnarounds at FRA with Swissport!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAL3GfdWLWM Join us for a very special day out on the busy ramp at Frankfurt

Our crazy planespotting mission in Tokyo

While we were in Tokyo recently we wanted to find the most exciting way to go planespotting around Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) — and we found it! Instead of sticking to the usual spots, we took a water taxi out onto Tokyo Bay to get up close to the runways.

3 hours (transatlantic!) in the Dash 8 cockpit

We’re going transatlantic on the workhorse Dash 8-200 with Air Greenland – flying from the brand new Nuuk International Airport in Greenland to Reykjavik’s Keflavik Airport in Iceland (KEF). And we’re sitting in the jumpseat which means we have 3 hours on this very-long-haul-for-a-turboprop over the ice cap and remote east Greenland plus the Atlantic Ocean.

Putting Starlink to the test on a special airBaltic flight (Riga–Riga)

Join us onboard airBaltic’s launch flight for its brand new Starlink inflight internet service. The Latvian airline has become the first airline in Europe to offer free and fast Starlink internet and we’re flying Riga to Riga for about an hour and a half this evening to put it to the test.

Flying the A340 from Antarctica to Africa!

It’s time to leave Antarctica and head home after 8 incredible days on the 7th continent with White Desert. That means we’re greeting the inbound A340-300 (operated by Hi-Fly) as it lands at Wolf’s Fang Runway on a beautiful bluebird day with almost no wind. Then it’s time to climb onboard and make the 5.5 hour trek back to South Africa.

13 hours on the first ever Stockholm–Tokyo (wild routing avoiding Russia!)

Join us for a very special inaugural flight as All Nippon Airways launches flights between Stockholm Arlanda and Tokyo Haneda on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.

Air Greenland A330neo cockpit to new Nuuk runway!

In this video join Gabe on a flight deck ride from Copenhagen to Nuuk, direct for the first time ever on the A330NEO.

Behind the scenes at an ice airport (Antarctica)

Join us as we get the grand tour of Wolf’s Fang Runway (WFR/AT98) in Antarctica – looking at what it takes to keep this blue ice runway and surrounding airfield and ice camp operational.

How Airbus builds planes in Mobile, Alabama

Join Gabe in Mobile, Alabama for a rare look inside the Airbus final assembly line for A220 and A320 aircraft in Alabama. This special facility is growing, and we’re there to see the latest progress on a massive new building due to house an additional final assembly line, as well the existing assembly lines and delivery center.