Pilotseye: Los-Angeles (2011)

The last flight of the Top Dog
Frankfurt is usually foggy and damp cold in January. The de-icing vehicles, which are driven up to the aircraft to save time, are therefore nothing special in this weather for Senior First Officer Matt Baur and Rainer Lange, the head of the 747 long-haul fleet. Both are long-time employees of Lufthansa’s fleet boss Norbert Wölfle, whom they are accompanying today to the west coast of the US.

Toward the West without Papers
Due to especially strong winds, today’s flight goes to the USA on a very southerly airway, which is otherwise only used for the flight home. 1 hour delays can be offset by a strong tail wind and the arrival time will be earlier. This allows the crew to make up a one hour delay and land even before the scheduled arrival. Operationally, this is not a problem, because the Boeing 747 with the registration D-ABTK is already equipped with the “paperless cockpit”, and therefore an additional screen on the cockpit window, on which all flight documents are digitally available. The original software (Lido / eRouteManual) is therefore used for the first time in the film for visualization.

Always an Alternative
The regular weather update of all alternate airports is a part of the cockpit work. A request via satellite shortly thereafter delivers
the current data on the on-board printer. Captain Woelfle explains the audience every single letter and number code. Anyone who has a desire for explanations will opt for audio track 2, and listens to the personal audio commentary of the captain at a normal sound.

Flying is team work
PilotsEYE is focusing specifically on the teamwork between the pilots in careful images in this episode and shows how precise work can function on just such a small area. Approachable, calm and appreciative, Airline Captain Wölfle leads his crew and verifies that all pilots act relaxed in any stressful situation. The quiet narrative proves the viewer with space for his own interpretation, which are rounded out by memories of special moments and reflective thoughts on the pilot’s life.
The automatic accelerator and the autopilot are switched off after extending the landing flaps. From now on, the pilot is flying the 240 tons with his left hand and carefully accelerates with his right hand. For the first time, PilotsEYE.tv is showing the input on the yoke and the response of the aircraft synchronous in the same image for the first time. The audience directly experiences how the movements of the yoke affect the position of the aircraft. You cannot get any closer to the fascination of flying.

Los Angeles is my City
Before returning to Frankfurt, Norbert Woelfle invites to
three beautiful places, which he has grown fond of over the years: to the Getty Museum in the morning, lunch at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica and sunset on Mount Hollywood, in the Griffith Observatory.