1
00:00:07,780 --> 00:00:10,149
NARRATOR: YOU'RE
HEADED FOR THE SKY.

2
00:00:10,215 --> 00:00:13,685
MAYBE YOU'RE GOING
TO GO SEE FAMILY...

3
00:00:13,752 --> 00:00:16,588
OR SETTING OFF
ON A BUSINESS TRIP.

4
00:00:18,357 --> 00:00:21,393
BUT FROM THE MOMENT
YOU PULL UP TO THE AIRPORT,

5
00:00:21,460 --> 00:00:25,914
YOU STEP INTO A COMPLEX WORLD
THAT YOU RARELY GET TO SEE...

6
00:00:25,981 --> 00:00:28,033
MAN ON RADIO:
NORMAL AIR SPEED, AMERICAN 879.

7
00:00:28,100 --> 00:00:29,435
[INDISTINCT]
5-2.

8
00:00:29,518 --> 00:00:32,871
NARRATOR: BECAUSE GETTG YOU
OFF THE GROUND TAKES FAR MORE

9
00:00:32,938 --> 00:00:35,174
THAN JUST A TICKET.

10
00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:39,645
IT TAKES HUNDRED-MILLION-DOLLAR
HIDDEN RAILWAYS

11
00:00:39,711 --> 00:00:42,748
TO GET YOUR LUGGE
TO THE PLANE,

12
00:00:42,815 --> 00:00:45,667
ENGINEERS WORKING
ROUND THE CLOCK

13
00:00:45,734 --> 00:00:48,103
TO MAKE SURE
YOUR FLIGHT'S AIRWORTHY...

14
00:00:49,772 --> 00:00:54,193
AN ARMY OF CHEFS
TO PREPARE YOUR FOOD,

15
00:00:54,276 --> 00:00:57,996
VAST INDUSTRIES
CONSTRUCTING THE JETS

16
00:00:58,063 --> 00:01:00,532
THAT CARRY US AROUND THE WORLD,

17
00:01:00,599 --> 00:01:02,534
AND ALL OF THIS HAPPENS

18
00:01:02,601 --> 00:01:06,688
EVEN BEFORE THE WHEELS
LEAVE THE GROUND.

19
00:01:06,755 --> 00:01:08,857
BUT ONCE YOU'RE AIRBORNE,

20
00:01:08,924 --> 00:01:11,360
YOU'VE JOINED THE MILLION PEOPLE

21
00:01:11,426 --> 00:01:14,413
WHO ARE FLYING AT ANY ONE TIME

22
00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:17,883
AND WHO ARE UP THERE
RIGHT NOW.

23
00:01:17,950 --> 00:01:22,387
YOU'VE BECOME PART
OF THE "CITY IN THE SKY."

24
00:01:22,454 --> 00:01:26,792
THIS CITY STRADDLES NOT JUST
COUNTRIES, BUT CONTINENTS.

25
00:01:28,310 --> 00:01:31,280
IT'S BUILT OUT OF
THE 100,000 FLIGHTS

26
00:01:31,313 --> 00:01:35,784
THAT CRISSCROSS THE PLANET
EVERY SINGLE DAY.

27
00:01:35,851 --> 00:01:39,121
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE FEAT
OF ENGINEERING...

28
00:01:40,672 --> 00:01:45,077
DEPENDENT UPON ADVANCED
TECHNOLOGY AND GLOBAL NETWORKS,

29
00:01:45,143 --> 00:01:50,015
A HIDDEN WORLD RARELY
GLIMPSED BY OUTSIDERS,

30
00:01:50,082 --> 00:01:52,451
UNTIL NOW.

31
00:02:00,660 --> 00:02:03,630
NARRATOR: IF YOU WANT TO VISIT
THE CITY IN THE SKY,

32
00:02:03,697 --> 00:02:06,700
THE FIRST STEP INVOLVES
GETTING OFF THE GROUND.

33
00:02:06,766 --> 00:02:08,735


34
00:02:08,802 --> 00:02:11,538
NARRATOR: YOU KNOW THE DRILL...

35
00:02:11,604 --> 00:02:13,740
ARRIVE AT CHECK-IN....


36
00:02:13,807 --> 00:02:16,242
NARRATOR: TAG YOUR BAG...

37
00:02:16,309 --> 00:02:18,478
PRINT YOUR BOARDING PASS...

38
00:02:18,545 --> 00:02:20,847
AND HEAD TO SECURITY.

39
00:02:22,982 --> 00:02:26,119
MADE IT THROUGH.

40
00:02:26,186 --> 00:02:28,655
MAYBE DO A LITTLE SHOPPING.

41
00:02:30,557 --> 00:02:32,926
TIME TO FIND THE GATE...


42
00:02:32,992 --> 00:02:35,428
BOARD YOUR PLANE.

43
00:02:35,495 --> 00:02:37,530
READY FOR TAKEOFF...

44
00:02:39,032 --> 00:02:42,001
AND THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT.

45
00:02:42,068 --> 00:02:44,671
BUT IF YOU GO BACK
TO THE BEGINNING

46
00:02:44,738 --> 00:02:47,340
AND LOOK AT EACH STEP
THAT GOT YOU HERE,

47
00:02:47,407 --> 00:02:51,077
YOU'LL FIND THERE'S MUCH MORE
TO IT THAN MEETS THE EYE.

48
00:02:58,084 --> 00:03:00,553
IT ALL STARTS WITH GETTING YOU

49
00:03:00,620 --> 00:03:02,655
AND YOUR LUGGAGE
THROUGH THE AIRPORT.

50
00:03:06,860 --> 00:03:10,263
BUT MODERN MEGA AIRPORTS
HAVE NOW GOTTEN SO BIG,

51
00:03:10,330 --> 00:03:13,666
THAT'S NOT ALWAYS
AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS.

52
00:03:16,870 --> 00:03:20,206
HARTSFIELD-JACKSON AIRPORT
IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA

53
00:03:20,273 --> 00:03:22,742
IS THE BUSIEST OF THEM ALL.

54
00:03:24,861 --> 00:03:27,213
IT'S WITHIN 3 HOURS' FLIGHT TIME

55
00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:29,866
OF 80% OF THE U.S. POPULATION.

56
00:03:31,518 --> 00:03:35,388
OVER A HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE
A YEAR MOVE THROUGH HERE.

57
00:03:38,091 --> 00:03:40,827
ON THANKSGIVING,
PASSENGER NUMBERS SURGE

58
00:03:40,894 --> 00:03:43,596
AS AROUND 300,000 PEOPLE
HURRY HOME

59
00:03:43,663 --> 00:03:46,299
TO REUNITE WITH
THEIR LOVED ONES.

60
00:03:48,802 --> 00:03:51,271
TO STOP THE TERMINALS
FROM CLOGGING UP,

61
00:03:51,337 --> 00:03:56,242
THE AIRPORT NEEDS TO MAINTAIN
CONSTANT PASSENGER FLOW

62
00:03:56,309 --> 00:03:59,479
FROM CHECK-IN
TO DEPARTURE GATE.

63
00:04:01,614 --> 00:04:05,518
THE KEY TO KEEPING YOU
AND EVERYBODY ELSE MOVING

64
00:04:05,585 --> 00:04:07,020
IS DESIGN.

65
00:04:08,721 --> 00:04:11,591
AIRPORTS ARE PROBABLY 
THE MOST ENGINEERED PLACES

66
00:04:11,658 --> 00:04:14,627
WE ARE EVER LIKELY
TO SET FOOT IN.

67
00:04:14,694 --> 00:04:16,763
ALTHOUGH WE DON'T NOTICE
MOST OF IT,

68
00:04:16,830 --> 00:04:19,933
EVERYTHING FROM SIGNS,
WALKWAYS, SEATS,

69
00:04:19,999 --> 00:04:22,435
AND CHECK-IN DESKS
HAVE BEEN DESIGNED

70
00:04:22,502 --> 00:04:24,137
TO CONTROL PASSENGER MOVEMENTS.

71
00:04:25,872 --> 00:04:29,309
AIRPORT DESIGN GURU
JIM HARDING HELP PLAN

72
00:04:29,375 --> 00:04:32,011
THE LAYOUT OF ATLANTA'S
INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL.

73
00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:35,175
JIM: WE HAVE
A SET OF VISUAL CUES

74
00:04:35,242 --> 00:04:37,177
THAT NATURALLY LEAD
AND GUIDE YOU

75
00:04:37,244 --> 00:04:40,013
THROUGH THE BIG OPEN SPACE,
AND IT'S A BIG PART OF

76
00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:42,516
YOUR JOURNEY SEGMENT, CHECKING
IN, GETTING ON YOUR PLANE.

77
00:04:42,583 --> 00:04:44,751
SO WHAT YOU HAVE HERE,
YOU HAVE LIGHTING

78
00:04:44,818 --> 00:04:46,954
THAT GOES UP AND OVER AND DOWN.

79
00:04:47,020 --> 00:04:49,439
YOU HAVE FLOORING
THAT PULLS YOU IN AND THROUGH,

80
00:04:49,506 --> 00:04:52,276
THE TWO COME TOGETHER,
THEN POINT YOU TO THE PLANE

81
00:04:52,342 --> 00:04:53,994
THAT YOU SEE THROUGH THE GLASS.

82
00:04:54,061 --> 00:04:56,797
SO THIS DESIGN,
IT'S VERY CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT,

83
00:04:56,863 --> 00:04:59,266
MAKING THAT CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE EASY,

84
00:04:59,333 --> 00:05:01,568
NATURAL, FLUID, INTUITIVE.

85
00:05:03,270 --> 00:05:05,405
NARRATOR: BY INCORPORATING
DIRECTIONAL FLOORING

86
00:05:05,472 --> 00:05:08,609
AND LIGHTING
INTO THE AIRPORT DESIGN,

87
00:05:08,675 --> 00:05:12,779
THE SPACE ITSELF TELLS
THE PASSENGER WHERE TO GO,

88
00:05:12,846 --> 00:05:15,716
WHILE THE SIGNS MERELY ASSIST.

89
00:05:17,551 --> 00:05:19,953
IT MIGHT SEEM
COUNTERINTUITIVE,

90
00:05:20,020 --> 00:05:22,956
BUT SIGNS CAN ACTUALLY
SLOW US DOWN.

91
00:05:23,023 --> 00:05:26,326
YOU CAN'T RESIST STOPPING
TO READ THEM,

92
00:05:26,393 --> 00:05:30,130
SO ATLANTA HAS AS FEW
AS POSSIBLE.

93
00:05:33,967 --> 00:05:36,336
BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT
THE ACTUAL SPEED

94
00:05:36,403 --> 00:05:37,838
AT WHICH WE MOVE.

95
00:05:37,904 --> 00:05:40,741
IT'S ALSO ABOUT OUR PERCEPTION.

96
00:05:43,910 --> 00:05:46,747
THERE'NOTHING WORSE THAN
PICKING THE SLOW LINE

97
00:05:46,813 --> 00:05:49,683
WHEN YOU'RE WAITING
TO GO THROUGH SECURITY.

98
00:05:49,750 --> 00:05:52,419
IT CREATES TENSION
AND LINE ENVY,

99
00:05:52,502 --> 00:05:54,788
AGITATING PASSENGERS.

100
00:05:56,390 --> 00:06:00,127
THAT'S WHY MANY AIRPORTS
NOW USE "S"-SHAPED LINES,

101
00:06:00,193 --> 00:06:02,062
ATLANTA INCLUDED.

102
00:06:03,747 --> 00:06:07,034
SERPENTINE LINES HAVE NOW BEEN
PROVEN TO BE MUCH FASTER

103
00:06:07,100 --> 00:06:11,138
FOR PEOPLE-PROCESSING
THAN MULTIPLE SINGLE-FILE LINES.

104
00:06:11,204 --> 00:06:15,042
FOR THE PASSENGERS
THEY KEEP THINGS FAIR...

105
00:06:20,180 --> 00:06:22,482
CREATING ONE ORDERED LINE,

106
00:06:22,549 --> 00:06:26,820
SO NOBODY MOVES FASTER
THAN ANYBODY ELSE...

107
00:06:26,887 --> 00:06:28,822
AND THAT MEANS WE'RE ALL
LESS STRESSED-OUT

108
00:06:28,889 --> 00:06:32,192
BY THE TIME WE REACH
CHECK-IN DESK.

109
00:06:34,361 --> 00:06:36,697
ONCE YOU'RE PAST CHECK-IN,

110
00:06:36,763 --> 00:06:40,167
THROUGH SECURITY,
AND ON THE MOVE TO THE GATE,

111
00:06:40,233 --> 00:06:43,203
ATLANTA HAS YET MORE
SUBTLE FEATURES

112
00:06:43,270 --> 00:06:48,075
HELPING REGULATE
THE TSUNAMI OF PASSENGERS.

113
00:06:48,075 --> 00:06:51,044
TAKE THE TRAVELATOR.

114
00:06:51,111 --> 00:06:53,230
JIM: WELL, YOU MIGHT THINK
WE'RE GOING FASTER

115
00:06:53,263 --> 00:06:55,449
BY BEING ON A TRAVELATOR,
BUT WE'RE REALLY NOT,

116
00:06:55,515 --> 00:06:57,584
AT LEAST NOT WHEN WE'RE
STANDING STILL.

117
00:06:57,651 --> 00:06:59,619
THERE ARE TWO REASONS WHY
YOU HAVE TRAVELATORS.

118
00:06:59,686 --> 00:07:01,655
THE FIRST IS A MATTER
OF CONVENIENCE.

119
00:07:01,722 --> 00:07:03,890
YOU HAVE LONG DISTANCES TO WALK
IN THE BIGGEST AIRPORT

120
00:07:03,957 --> 00:07:05,425
IN THE WORLD, RIGHT?

121
00:07:05,492 --> 00:07:08,428
SO, YOU KNOW , THE PERCEPTION IS,
BY GETTING ON AND OFF TRAVELATOR,

122
00:07:08,528 --> 00:07:09,851
IT'S EASIER TO GET
FROM ONE POINT TO THE OTHER

123
00:07:09,918 --> 00:07:12,220
WHILE YOUE SCHLEPPING ALL YOUR LUGGAGE

124
00:07:16,391 --> 00:07:20,328
NARRATOR: TRAVELATORS CREATE
AN ORDERED HUMAN HIGHWAY,

125
00:07:20,395 --> 00:07:23,298
WITH LANES ALL GOING
AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS.

126
00:07:23,364 --> 00:07:26,701
THEY KEEP US MOVING
AND HELP PREVENT GRIDLOCK.

127
00:07:29,354 --> 00:07:31,473
IN AN AIRPORT THIS SIZE,

128
00:07:31,556 --> 00:07:33,475
ESSENTIAL.

129
00:07:33,541 --> 00:07:36,277
AT 4,700 ACRES,

130
00:07:36,344 --> 00:07:40,165
ATLANTA HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST
AIRPORT SITES IN THE WORLD...

131
00:07:42,851 --> 00:07:45,503
AND IT'S SO SPREAD OUT
THAT THE DISTANCE

132
00:07:45,553 --> 00:07:47,772
TO YOUR GATE CAN BE
OVER A MILE.

133
00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:51,876
IF PASSENGERS HAD TO MAKE
THE JOURNEY ON FOOT,

134
00:07:51,976 --> 00:07:53,962
EVEN WITH THE HELP
OF TRAVELATORS,

135
00:07:54,028 --> 00:07:57,599
SOME WOULD BE GUARANTEED
TO BE LATE REACHING THEIR PLANE,

136
00:07:57,665 --> 00:08:01,019
AND THAT WOULD CAUSE DELAYS.

137
00:08:04,556 --> 00:08:08,009
THAT'S WHERE
THE PLANE TRAIN COMES IN.

138
00:08:08,076 --> 00:08:10,945
RUNNING UNDERGROUND
ON A LINE THAT CONNECTS

139
00:08:11,029 --> 00:08:13,448
ALL OF ATLANTA'S MAIN
TERMINAL BUILDINGS,

140
00:08:13,515 --> 00:08:17,185
IT'S THE SPINE THAT HOLDS
THIS AIRPORT TOGETHER.

141
00:08:21,356 --> 00:08:23,324
IT'S CONTROLLED FROM
A HIDDEN BUNKER

142
00:08:23,391 --> 00:08:25,560
30 FEET BELOW GROUND.

143
00:08:27,562 --> 00:08:32,033
CHRISTOPHER SMITH ATLANTA'S
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS DIRECTOR,

144
00:08:32,100 --> 00:08:35,270
AND IT'S HIS JOB TO KEEP
THE PLANE TRAIN UP AND RUNNING.

145
00:08:35,270 --> 00:08:38,439
CHRISTOPHER: WE MOVE,
ON AVERAGE OF ABOUT 94

146
00:08:38,439 --> 00:08:42,544
TO OVER 100 MILLION PASSENGERS,
SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID,

147
00:08:42,610 --> 00:08:45,313
YOU KNOW, THIS IS
THE BUSIEST, UM, TRAIN SYSTEM

148
00:08:45,380 --> 00:08:47,749
IN THE UNITED STATES.

149
00:08:47,815 --> 00:08:50,919
IF THIS TRAIN SYSTEM
BREAKS DOWN, THEN WHAT YOU HAVE

150
00:08:50,985 --> 00:08:52,921
IS A RIPPLE EFFECT
THROUGHOUT THIS AIRPORT

151
00:08:52,987 --> 00:08:55,924
AND THROUGHOUT THE NATION,
AND HERE IN ATLANTA,

152
00:08:55,990 --> 00:08:59,928
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH,
ONE--THE TRAIN SYSTEM IS UP

153
00:08:59,994 --> 00:09:04,132
AND RUNNING AT ALL TIMES, AND
THE EFFICIENCY FACTOR IS HERE.

154
00:09:04,199 --> 00:09:07,769
WE DON'T HAVE MUCH WIGGLE ROOM
AT ALL AS RELATES TO,

155
00:09:07,835 --> 00:09:10,605
YOU KNOW, THE EFFICIENCY
OF THE TRAIN SYSTEM.

156
00:09:13,508 --> 00:09:16,744
NARRATOR: BUT EVEN ONCE YOU'VE
BEEN DEPOSITED AT THE GATE,

157
00:09:16,811 --> 00:09:19,080
THERE ARE STILL MORE
HIDDEN FORCES DIRECTING

158
00:09:19,147 --> 00:09:22,850
THE FINAL STAGES OF YOUR JOURNEY
TO THE PLANE.

159
00:09:26,020 --> 00:09:28,489
JIM: WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR GATE,
YOU WANT TO HAVE A SIGNAL,

160
00:09:28,556 --> 00:09:31,726
A CUE FOR PEOPLE TO SIT, RELAX,
AND WAIT FOR THEIR PLANE,

161
00:09:31,793 --> 00:09:34,729
AND SO YOU CHANGE THE SURFACE
FROM HARD SURFACE TO A SOFT,

162
00:09:34,796 --> 00:09:38,399
MORE COMFORTABLE SURFACE, AND
THAT'S THE--THAT'S THE MECHANISM

163
00:09:38,466 --> 00:09:42,237
THAT YOU GO FROM HARD
TO SOFT, WALK TO SIT.

164
00:09:45,273 --> 00:09:48,626
NARRATOR: SUBTLE DESIGN FEATURES
LIKE THESE ARE INDISPENSABLE

165
00:09:48,693 --> 00:09:51,045
IN A MODERN, BUSY AIRPORT.

166
00:09:53,248 --> 00:09:56,451
INFLUENCING OUR BEHAVIOR
UNCONSCIOUSLY,

167
00:09:56,517 --> 00:10:00,688
THEY'RE ESSENTIAL
FOR PREVENTING TRAVEL CHAOS.

168
00:10:00,755 --> 00:10:04,759
ATLANTA’S THANKSGIVING CRUSH
MIGHT SEEM LIKE AN EXCEPTION,

169
00:10:04,826 --> 00:10:09,430
BUT IN FACT, THIS IS
A VISION OF THE FUTURE.

170
00:10:09,497 --> 00:10:12,834
THE U.S. FEDERAL AVIATION
ADMINISTRATION PREDICTS

171
00:10:12,900 --> 00:10:15,770
THAT WITHIN TEN YEARS,
PEAKS LIKE THIS WILL BE

172
00:10:15,837 --> 00:10:20,275
AN EVERYDAY OCCURRENCE
ACROSS AMERICA'S BIG AIRPORTS.

173
00:10:20,341 --> 00:10:22,744
THIS IS THE NEW NORMAL.

174
00:10:25,913 --> 00:10:29,350
BUT THE HUMAN CRUSH IS JUST
ONE CHALLENGE TO OVERCOME

175
00:10:29,417 --> 00:10:31,886
IN GETTING YOUR FLIGHT
READY FOR TAKE OFF.

176
00:10:33,554 --> 00:10:36,658
THERE'S ALSO THE SMALL MATTER
OF UP  8 TONS OF BAGGAGE

177
00:10:36,724 --> 00:10:39,894
THAT FLIES WITH US
ON THE BIGGEST JETS.

178
00:10:42,630 --> 00:10:45,950
WE DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT;
WE DROP OUR BAG AT THE CHECK-IN

179
00:10:45,984 --> 00:10:49,170
AND JUST EXPECT IT
TO MATERIALIZE AT THE OTHER END.

180
00:10:50,838 --> 00:10:54,375
MOST OF US HAVE NEVER EVEN
CONSIDERED THE VAST MACHINES,

181
00:10:54,442 --> 00:10:57,845
UNSEEN WORKERS,
AND COMPLEX NETWORKS NEEDED

182
00:10:57,912 --> 00:11:00,381
TO MOVE OUR LUGGAGE
FROM "A" TO "B."

183
00:11:00,448 --> 00:11:04,519
AT DUBAI AIRPORT,
BAGGAGE PROCESSING LOOKS,

184
00:11:04,519 --> 00:11:08,823
ON THE SURFACE, EXACTLY
THE SAME AS ANYWHERE

185
00:11:08,823 --> 00:11:10,992
BUT THIS AIRPORT HANDLES

186
00:11:11,059 --> 00:11:14,362
MORE INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS
THAN ANY OTHER.

187
00:11:16,531 --> 00:11:19,500
IN JUST 3 HOURS
OF THE MORNING PEAK,

188
00:11:19,567 --> 00:11:23,004
THEY PROCESS AROUND
50,000 BAGS.

189
00:11:23,071 --> 00:11:27,475
STACKED LIKE THIS, THEY'D REACH
AS HIGH AS DUBAI'S BURJ KHALIFA,

190
00:11:27,542 --> 00:11:32,013
THE TALLEST BUILDING
IN THE WORLD.

191
00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:37,018
ANNUALLY, THE AIRPORT HANDLES
A STAGGERING 57 MILLION ITEMS,

192
00:11:37,085 --> 00:11:40,905
EQUIVALENT TO
1,100 BURJ KHALIFAS...

193
00:11:42,590 --> 00:11:46,394
AND IT'S ALL GOT TO BE WHISKED
THROUGH THE AIRPORT.

194
00:11:48,429 --> 00:11:51,799
EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM HAS
TO GET TO THE RIGHT PLANE

195
00:11:51,866 --> 00:11:54,135
AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME.

196
00:11:57,205 --> 00:12:00,141
BUT NO MATTER WHERE
YOU ARE IN THE WORLD,

197
00:12:00,208 --> 00:12:03,644
EVERY SUITCASE HAS
TO HAVE ONE OF THESE--

198
00:12:03,711 --> 00:12:06,047
THE HUMBLE BAGGAGE TAG.

199
00:12:07,515 --> 00:12:09,484
IT MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE MUCH,

200
00:12:09,550 --> 00:12:12,553
BUT THIS TAG IS
YOUR BAG'S PASSPORT.

201
00:12:14,389 --> 00:12:16,491
SOME OF IT IS EASY
TO DECIPHER--

202
00:12:16,557 --> 00:12:20,461
PASSENGER NAME AND 3-DIGIT
DESTINATION AIRPORT CODE--

203
00:12:20,528 --> 00:12:22,864
BUT THE REALLY IMPORTANT THING

204
00:12:22,930 --> 00:12:26,734
IS THE 10-DIGIT NUMBER PRINTED
ON EVERY BAG TAG.

205
00:12:28,436 --> 00:12:31,873
THE FIRST DIGIT IDENTIFIES
THE BAG TYPE AND PRIORITY LEVEL;

206
00:12:31,939 --> 00:12:35,376
THE NEXT 3, THE AIRLINE
IT'S FLYING WITH;

207
00:12:35,443 --> 00:12:39,180
AND THE FINAL 6 ARE YOUR BAG'S
UNIQUE I.D. CODE.

208
00:12:44,385 --> 00:12:47,255
THIS SIMPLE BARCODE DETERMINES
EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS

209
00:12:47,321 --> 00:12:50,191
TO YOUR SUITCASE AFTER CHECK-IN.

210
00:12:51,893 --> 00:12:55,263
IT'S ABOUT TO EMBARK
ON A JOURNEY OF UP TO 85 MILES

211
00:12:55,329 --> 00:12:56,831
TO REACH YOUR PLANE.

212
00:12:58,499 --> 00:13:03,604
80 FEET BENEATH THE AIRPORT LIES
A BIZARRE SUBTERRANEAN WORLD,

213
00:13:03,671 --> 00:13:08,342
A HIDDEN, HIGH-SPEED
RAILWAY NETWORK.

214
00:13:11,062 --> 00:13:14,916
WITH A CONSTRUCTION COST
OF AROUND $700 MILLION,

215
00:13:14,982 --> 00:13:18,719
THIS IS THE WORLD'S BIGGEST
LUGGAGE SYSTEM,

216
00:13:18,786 --> 00:13:21,189
AND NOT A BAGGAGE HANDLER
IN SIGHT.

217
00:13:26,811 --> 00:13:31,082
AFTER CHECK-IN, YOUR BAG SLIDES
INTO A YELLOW TRAY.

218
00:13:33,417 --> 00:13:37,555
EACH ONE HAS A UNIQUE
RADIO FREQUENCY CHIP I.D.,

219
00:13:37,622 --> 00:13:39,957
AND THE COMPUTER TRACKS
WHICH BAG HAS LANDED

220
00:13:40,024 --> 00:13:41,893
IN WHICH TRAY.

221
00:13:45,746 --> 00:13:49,183
DUBAI BAGGAGE MANAGER
GRAEME POLLOCK IS TASKED

222
00:13:49,250 --> 00:13:52,687
WITH KEEPING AN EYE
OVER THIS VAST SYSTEM.

223
00:13:54,388 --> 00:13:56,691
GRAEME: THE DUBAI BAGGAGE SYSTEM
HERE AT TERMINAL 3 IS

224
00:13:56,757 --> 00:13:59,026
VERY EFFICIENT
IN TERMS OF TRACKING.

225
00:13:59,093 --> 00:14:03,030
SO WHEN THE TRAY IS ON THE TRACK
SYSTEM, WE HAVE RFID READERS.

226
00:14:03,097 --> 00:14:05,700
THOSE READERS WILL TAKE
THE INFORMATION FROM THE TRAY,

227
00:14:05,783 --> 00:14:08,369
AND IT WILL SEND A MESSA
TO OUR BAGGAGE CONTROL ROOM,

228
00:14:08,436 --> 00:14:11,222
SAYING, "HERE I AM, THIS IS
THE LOCATION OF THE TRAY."

229
00:14:11,272 --> 00:14:13,424
IT'LL ALSO TELL
THE BAGGAGE SYSTEM

230
00:14:13,508 --> 00:14:15,626
IN WHICH DIRECTION
THAT TRAY SHOULD GO TO.

231
00:14:15,710 --> 00:14:18,112
WE CAN TRACK 100% OF YOUR BAGS,

232
00:14:18,179 --> 00:14:20,748
WE TRACK THE TRAYS AS THEY GO
AROUND THE SYSTEM, SO WE'LL BE

233
00:14:20,815 --> 00:14:23,117
ABLE TO IDENTIFY EXACTLY WHERE
THAT TRAY IS AND MAKE SURE

234
00:14:23,184 --> 00:14:25,987
IT ENDS UP AT THE CORRECT
LOCATION AT THE CORRECT TIME.

235
00:14:29,173 --> 00:14:32,243
NARRATOR: THE COMPUTERIZED BRAIN
OF THE LUGGAGE SYSTEM KNOWS

236
00:14:32,310 --> 00:14:34,912
EXACTLY WHERE EVERY BAG IS GOING

237
00:14:34,946 --> 00:14:37,815
WITHIN THIS HUGE NETWORK,

238
00:14:37,882 --> 00:14:41,953
AND IT'LL PLOT EVERY INCH
OF ITS JOURNEY TO YOUR PLANE.

239
00:14:44,105 --> 00:14:46,073
IF YOUR FLIGHT’S LEAVING
WITHIN AN HOUR,

240
00:14:46,073 --> 00:14:49,427
THE COMPUTER SENDS YOUR BAG
STRAIGHT TO THE LOADING AREA.

241
00:14:51,546 --> 00:14:54,382
BUT FOR THOSE OF US
WHO LIKE TO ARRIVE EARLY,

242
00:14:54,448 --> 00:14:55,777
OUR BAGS END UP HERE--

243
00:14:55,844 --> 00:14:58,546
THE EARLY BAGGAGE
STORAGE SYSTEM.

244
00:14:58,613 --> 00:15:01,383
GRAEME: IF YOU WERE
TO CHECK IN 3 TO 6 HRS

245
00:15:01,466 --> 00:15:04,219
BEFORE YOUR FLIGHT DEPARTURE,
THAT BAG WOULD ACTUALLY BE TAKEN

246
00:15:04,302 --> 00:15:07,155
TO AN EARLY BAG STORE,
WHICH AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME

247
00:15:07,222 --> 00:15:10,141
CAN TAKE ABOUT 16,000 BAGS.

248
00:15:10,225 --> 00:15:13,061
THE BAG'LL BE STORED ON THE TRAY
WITHIN THE RACKING SYSTEM.

249
00:15:13,128 --> 00:15:15,096
WHEN THE SYSTEM IDENTIFLIES

250
00:15:15,163 --> 00:15:18,083
THAT THAT FLIGHT IS READY
TO LEAVE, IT WILL TAKE THAT BAG

251
00:15:18,116 --> 00:15:20,068
FROM THE SYSTEM USING
A MECHANICAL ARM

252
00:15:20,135 --> 00:15:21,903
AND INJECT IT
INTO THE MAIN SYSTEM.

253
00:15:24,205 --> 00:15:26,775
NARRATOR: THE SHEER VOLUME
OF BAGGAGE MOVING

254
00:15:26,841 --> 00:15:30,078
THROUGH DUBAI AIRPORT MEANS
THIS UNDERGROUND RAILWAY

255
00:15:30,145 --> 00:15:32,681
CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO FAIL,

256
00:15:32,747 --> 00:15:35,116
AND MONITORING IT ALL
FROM THE CONTROL ROOM--

257
00:15:35,183 --> 00:15:38,920
FAR MORE PEOPLE THAN
ON THE ENTIRE 85 MILES

258
00:15:38,987 --> 00:15:40,956
OF DESERTED BAGGAGE CONVEYORS.

259
00:15:41,022 --> 00:15:42,891
MAN: OPEN THE DOUBLE
X6, AND 374,

260
00:15:42,958 --> 00:15:44,576
YOU NEED TO CLEAR IT
FAST PLEASE.

261
00:15:44,659 --> 00:15:46,761
NARRATOR:
SYSTEM OPERATOR SURESH BABU

262
00:15:46,828 --> 00:15:49,731
IS IN CHARGE OF KEEPING
THE BAGS MOVING.

263
00:16:23,565 --> 00:16:25,433
NARRATOR: THE INDICATOR BOARD
FOLLOWS A BASIC

264
00:16:25,500 --> 00:16:27,635
TRAFFIC LIGHT WARNING SYSTEM.

265
00:16:27,702 --> 00:16:31,039
SURESH IS ON CONSTANT ALERT
FOR A RED LIGHT...

266
00:16:31,106 --> 00:16:32,707


267
00:16:32,791 --> 00:16:35,510
NARRATOR: AND JUST
AN HOUR INTO HIS SHIFT,


268
00:16:35,577 --> 00:16:37,812
AT THE HEIGHT OF
THE MORNING RUSH HOUR,

269
00:16:37,879 --> 00:16:39,848
HE SPOTS A PROBLEM--

270
00:16:39,914 --> 00:16:42,751
A WARNING INDICATOR
ON CONCOURSE "D."

271
00:16:42,817 --> 00:16:44,419


272
00:16:44,486 --> 00:16:46,588
NARRATOR: SOMETHING SEEMS
TO BE JAMMING THE SYSTEM,

273
00:16:46,654 --> 00:16:50,058
AND THE LUGGAGE RESPONSE TEAM
HAVE JUST TEN MINUTES TO FIX IT.

274
00:16:52,127 --> 00:16:54,262
IF THEY CAN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM,

275
00:16:54,329 --> 00:16:57,432
THEY'LL SOON HAVE THOUSANDS
OF BAGS BACKING UP,

276
00:16:57,499 --> 00:17:00,402
AND THAT COULD MEAN DOZENS
OF DELAYED PLANES.

277
00:17:00,468 --> 00:17:01,736
MAN: OK? IT'S IN?

278
00:17:01,803 --> 00:17:03,071
SO EVERYTHING IS OK?

279
00:17:03,138 --> 00:17:04,472
YES.

280
00:17:04,539 --> 00:17:06,875
NARRATOR: ONE OF THE TRAYS
HAS DERAILED.

281
00:17:06,941 --> 00:17:08,910
[INDISTINCT]

282
00:17:08,977 --> 00:17:12,063
NARRATOR: IT MAY APPEAR TO BE
ONLY A MINOR INCIDENT,

283
00:17:12,113 --> 00:17:16,584
BUT IT'S GOT THE POTENTIAL
TO SHUT DOWN THE ENTIRE AIRPORT.

284
00:17:25,060 --> 00:17:28,530
NARRATOR: THEY FIXED IT,
AND ABOVE GROUND,

285
00:17:28,596 --> 00:17:31,299
NONE OF THE PASSENGERS
ARE ANY THE WISER.

286
00:17:32,934 --> 00:17:35,303
SINCE 2008, WHEN IT OPENED,

287
00:17:35,370 --> 00:17:37,405
DUBAI'S BAGGAGE SYSTEM
HAS DELIVERED

288
00:17:37,472 --> 00:17:40,341
NEARLY 400 MILLION BAGS.

289
00:17:42,043 --> 00:17:43,678
AND IN ALL THAT TIME,

290
00:17:43,745 --> 00:17:46,581
IT'S NEVER BROKEN DOWN.

291
00:17:48,349 --> 00:17:50,618
BUT DESPITE
ALL THIS TECHNOLOGY,

292
00:17:50,685 --> 00:17:53,505
FOR THE FINAL FEW FEET
UP TO THE PLANE,

293
00:17:53,588 --> 00:17:56,558
IT'S BACK TO GOOD,
OLD-FASHIONED MUSCLE POWER.

294
00:18:21,649 --> 00:18:24,252
NARRATOR: WITHOUT THESE
AUTOMATED BAGGAGE SYSTEMS,

295
00:18:24,319 --> 00:18:27,455
LARGE AIRPORTS COULDN'T HOPE
TO DEAL WITH THEIR SHARE

296
00:18:27,522 --> 00:18:30,775
OF THE 1/2 BILLION
PIECES OF LUGGAGE

297
00:18:30,809 --> 00:18:33,228
WE FLY WITH ANNUALLY.

298
00:18:35,897 --> 00:18:38,333
YOU MAY NOW BE ABOUT
TO BOARD YOUR PLANE,

299
00:18:38,399 --> 00:18:41,870
WHILE YOUR SUITCASE IS BEING
LOADED INTO THE HOLD,

300
00:18:41,936 --> 00:18:45,340
BUT WHAT ABOUT
THE AIRCRAFT ITSELF?

301
00:18:45,406 --> 00:18:47,842
HAVE YOU EVER REALLY
CONSIDERED WHAT IT TAKES

302
00:18:47,909 --> 00:18:50,512
TO MAKE THAT GIANT
METAL MACHINE

303
00:18:50,578 --> 00:18:53,615
THAT'S SITTING WAITING
FOR YOU AT THE GATE?

304
00:18:54,916 --> 00:18:57,018
WITH NEARLY 4 MILLION PARTS,

305
00:18:57,085 --> 00:18:59,454
PUTTING ONE TOGETHER ISN'T EASY.

306
00:19:01,122 --> 00:19:04,025
THE BIGGEST AND ARGUABLY,
THE MOST CHALLENGING

307
00:19:04,092 --> 00:19:05,593
PASSENGER JET TO BUILD

308
00:19:05,660 --> 00:19:07,095
IS THIS--

309
00:19:07,162 --> 00:19:10,131
THE AIRBUS A380.

310
00:19:10,198 --> 00:19:12,700
FROM A SEAT IN THE CABIN,
THIS PLANE FEELS

311
00:19:12,767 --> 00:19:14,669
MUCH LIKE ANY OTHER.

312
00:19:14,736 --> 00:19:16,204
IT'S ONLY UP CLOSE

313
00:19:16,271 --> 00:19:20,108
THAT ITS SHEER SCALE
BECOMES APPARENT.

314
00:19:20,175 --> 00:19:22,610
BUT GETTING THIS
MODERN MIRACLE OF ENGINEERING

315
00:19:22,677 --> 00:19:26,114
READY TO FLY IS
A MAMMOTH TASK;

316
00:19:26,197 --> 00:19:28,650
ONE THAT, IRONICALLY,

317
00:19:28,716 --> 00:19:31,553
HAPPENS OUTSIDE
A SMALL RURAL VILLAGE.

318
00:19:38,226 --> 00:19:41,329
THIS IS GIMONT
IN SOUTHWESTERN FRANCE.

319
00:19:44,365 --> 00:19:47,035
NOTHING MUCH HAPPENS HERE
MOST OF THE TIME,

320
00:19:47,101 --> 00:19:49,504
BUT ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS,

321
00:19:49,571 --> 00:19:51,823
UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS,

322
00:19:51,873 --> 00:19:53,825
THE PEACE AND QUIET
IS SHATTERED.

323
00:19:55,293 --> 00:19:56,744
AROUND MIDNIGHT,

324
00:19:56,811 --> 00:19:59,380
THE ROADS ARE CLOSED
TO NORMAL TRAFFIC,

325
00:19:59,447 --> 00:20:02,667
AND ESCORTED BY LOCAL POLICE,

326
00:20:02,700 --> 00:20:06,154
A GIANT PROCESSION
GETS UNDERWAY.

327
00:20:06,221 --> 00:20:10,692
IT'S LIKE SOME KIND OF HUSHED
INDUSTRIAL CARNIVAL.

328
00:20:10,758 --> 00:20:13,945
THESE ARE THE GARGANTUAN
BUILDING BLOCKS

329
00:20:14,028 --> 00:20:17,398
OF JUST ONE A380.

330
00:20:18,933 --> 00:20:20,451
THE PROCESSION
OF AIRCRAFT PARTS

331
00:20:20,451 --> 00:20:22,904
THROUGH THE NARROW STREETS
OF THIS TINY VILLAGE IS THE
FINAL LEG OF AN EPIC 
EUROPEAN JOURNEY

332
00:20:23,425 --> 00:20:27,745
IN CHARGE OF KEEPING
THIS HUGE NIGHT-TIME CONVOY

333
00:20:30,812 --> 00:20:33,514
ON THE MOVE IS AIRBUS 
TRANSPORTATION MANAGER


334
00:20:33,581 --> 00:20:35,450
FABIEN DARTHOUT.

335
00:21:03,177 --> 00:21:05,813
NARRATOR: IT'S A SIGHT
THAT'S SO STRANGE,

336
00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:08,433
IT MAKES YOU WONDER WHY
ANY AIRLINE MANUFACTURER

337
00:21:08,499 --> 00:21:11,185
WOULD GO TO SUCH LENGTHS.

338
00:21:11,252 --> 00:21:13,187
THE ANSWER LIES

339
00:21:13,254 --> 00:21:16,958
WITH THE PLANE'S
$21 BILLION PRICE TAG.

340
00:21:18,626 --> 00:21:21,262
IT COSTS SO MUCH
TO DESIGN AND BUILD

341
00:21:21,329 --> 00:21:24,465
THAT NO ONE COUNTRY
COULD HAVE CARRIED THE RISK.

342
00:21:25,933 --> 00:21:28,936
INSTEAD, 4 NATIONS INVESTED:

343
00:21:28,970 --> 00:21:32,907
FRANCE, GERMANY,
BRITAIN, AND SPAIN.

344
00:21:32,974 --> 00:21:36,077
IN RETURN FOR THEIR MONEY,
EACH GOT THE RIGHT

345
00:21:36,144 --> 00:21:39,714
TO MANUFACTURE PART
OF THIS MONSTER PLANE.

346
00:21:41,282 --> 00:21:44,152
SO THE WINGS HAVE TRAVELED
OVER 900 MILES

347
00:21:44,218 --> 00:21:47,155
FROM THEIR FACTORY
IN NORTH WALES,

348
00:21:47,221 --> 00:21:50,124
WHILE THE FUSELAGE HAS BEEN
SHIPPED THE SAME DISTANCE

349
00:21:50,191 --> 00:21:53,194
FROM HAMBURG, GERMANY...

350
00:21:53,261 --> 00:21:57,165
AND ITS GIANT TAIL SECTION
HAS COME 1,200 MILES

351
00:21:57,231 --> 00:22:00,568
FROM ITS CONSTRUCTION PLANT
IN SOUTHERN SPAIN.

352
00:22:03,805 --> 00:22:05,973
ALL OF THESE A380 PARTS
ARE HEADING

353
00:22:06,057 --> 00:22:10,061
TO A DESTINATION JUST
A FEW MILES FROM HERE,

354
00:22:10,111 --> 00:22:14,015
THE AIRBUS FINAL ASSEMBLY PLANT
OUTSIDE TOULOUSE.

355
00:22:14,082 --> 00:22:18,419
THIS CUSTOM-BUILT FACTORY IS ONE
OF THE BIGGEST IN EUROPE...

356
00:22:20,104 --> 00:22:23,191
AND IT'S HERE THAT
THE A380's COMPONENTS

357
00:22:23,257 --> 00:22:26,294
ARE TURNED INTO
A COMPLETE PLANE.

358
00:22:29,230 --> 00:22:31,833
THE PROCESS BEGINS
WITH MOVING EACH PIECE

359
00:22:31,899 --> 00:22:35,770
OF THIS GIANT KIT OF PARTS
INTO THE MASSIVE ASSEMBLY RIG.

360
00:22:37,672 --> 00:22:39,340
ONCE THE PIECES ARE
ALL IN PLACE,

361
00:22:39,407 --> 00:22:42,343
ENGINEERS HAVE TO START
BOLTING THEM ALL TOGETHER,

362
00:22:42,410 --> 00:22:46,814
RELYING ON A SURPRISINGLY
LOW-TECH METHOD-

363
00:22:46,881 --> 00:22:49,400
RIVETING.

364
00:22:49,467 --> 00:22:52,887
HEAD OF ASSEMBLY
JEAN-FRANCOIS PAUL IS IN CHARGE

365
00:22:52,954 --> 00:22:56,190
OF THIS STAGE
OF AIRCRAFT CONSTRUCTION.

366
00:23:13,641 --> 00:23:17,278
NARRATOR: IT TAKES TWO PEOPLE
TO PUT IN EACH RIVET.

367
00:23:36,130 --> 00:23:38,232
NARRATOR: RIVETING
MAY APPEAR SIMPLE,

368
00:23:38,299 --> 00:23:41,169
BUT IT’S ACTUALLY
A HIGHLY SKILLED JOB.

369
00:23:42,804 --> 00:23:45,373
MAKE THE SLIGHTEST
MISTAKE WITH ANY ROW

370
00:23:45,373 --> 00:23:48,643
AND AN AIRCRT AFULD
TEAR APART IN MID-AIR.

371
00:23:50,111 --> 00:23:52,013
SO THE NEXT TIME YOU FIND
YOURSELF SITTING ON-BOARD

372
00:23:52,063 --> 00:23:54,132
ONE OF THESE HUGE PLANES,

373
00:23:54,198 --> 00:23:56,851
BEAR IN MIND THAT IT'S
ALL BEING HELD TOGETHER

374
00:23:56,934 --> 00:23:59,554
BY OVER 20,000 RIVETS,

375
00:23:59,620 --> 00:24:04,459
EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM DRIVEN
IN AND TIGHTENED BY HAND.

376
00:24:07,128 --> 00:24:09,864
BUT EVEN WITH ALL
THE RIVETS IN PLACE,

377
00:24:09,931 --> 00:24:13,201
THE AIRCRAFT'S STILL
ONLY A SHELL.

378
00:24:13,267 --> 00:24:15,570
THE NEXT STEP INVOLVES

379
00:24:15,636 --> 00:24:19,974
MOVING THE EMPTY BODY
TO A SECOND VAST HANGAR.

380
00:24:20,041 --> 00:24:24,445
HERE, THE PLANE IS GIVEN
ITS VITAL SYSTEMS,

381
00:24:24,512 --> 00:24:28,966
INCLUDING OVER 300 MILES
OF WIRES AND CABLING.

382
00:24:29,033 --> 00:24:31,953
THE FINAL TOUCHES,
INCLUDING LIGHTING,

383
00:24:32,019 --> 00:24:34,489
PANELING, AND SEATS
ARE ALL INSTALLED

384
00:24:34,555 --> 00:24:36,991
AFTER THE PLANES LEAVE
THIS FACTORY.

385
00:24:37,058 --> 00:24:40,745
INDIVIDUAL AIRLINES EACH CHOOSE
THEIR OWN CONFIGURATIONS.

386
00:24:40,778 --> 00:24:43,698
THE LAST PIECE
OF HEAVY ENGINEERING

387
00:24:43,748 --> 00:24:46,167
AT THE TOULOUSE PLANT
IS THE INSTALLATION

388
00:24:46,234 --> 00:24:48,469
OF THE 4 HUGE ENGINES

389
00:24:48,536 --> 00:24:50,705
THAT POWER THE A380.

390
00:24:57,178 --> 00:25:00,047
WITH THESE IN PLACE,
THIS IS NOW

391
00:25:00,114 --> 00:25:02,416
A FINISHED, FLYABLE AIRCRAFT.

392
00:25:03,985 --> 00:25:05,520
IN TOTAL,

393
00:25:05,586 --> 00:25:08,289
IT TAKES AROUND TWO MILLION
CONSTRUCTION HOURS

394
00:25:08,356 --> 00:25:11,192
TO BUILD EACH AIRBUS A380.

395
00:25:12,827 --> 00:25:15,363
AT 238 FEET,

396
00:25:15,429 --> 00:25:18,633
THIS AIRCRAFT IS LONGER
THAN 6 CITY BUSES...

397
00:25:20,268 --> 00:25:22,370
AND IT HAS A MASSIVE WINGSPAN,

398
00:25:22,436 --> 00:25:24,839
MEASURING OVER 260 FEET.

399
00:25:26,340 --> 00:25:29,677
ITS GIANT TAIL STANDS
NEARLY 80 FEET HIGH.

400
00:25:31,612 --> 00:25:33,581
THE A380 DWARFS

401
00:25:33,648 --> 00:25:36,918
ANY OTHER PASSENGER PLANE
FLYING TODAY.

402
00:25:38,586 --> 00:25:41,489
THERE ARE NOW OVER 190
OF THESE MONSTERS

403
00:25:41,556 --> 00:25:44,025
IN SERVICE AROUND THE WORLD.

404
00:25:48,162 --> 00:25:51,632
BUT WITH ANOTHER 129 ON ORDER,

405
00:25:51,699 --> 00:25:55,186
FOR THE TEAM IN TOULOUSE,
IT'S RIGHT ON TO THE NEXT ONE.

406
00:26:00,374 --> 00:26:04,845
THE SUPER SIZED A380 IS
A PLANE ON SUCH A SCALE,

407
00:26:04,912 --> 00:26:09,216
IT'S FORCED THE WORLD
OF AVIATION TO CHANGE AROUND IT.

408
00:26:11,102 --> 00:26:15,489
RUNWAYS HAVE BEEN REINFORCED
TO COPE WITH ITS WEIGHT,

409
00:26:15,556 --> 00:26:18,025
AND ANY AIRPORT
WANTING TO HOST IT

410
00:26:18,092 --> 00:26:22,463
HAS HAD TO MODIFY
ITS TERMINALS AND JETWAYS.

411
00:26:22,530 --> 00:26:25,132
THIS IS THE CITY IN THE SKY'S

412
00:26:25,216 --> 00:26:28,135
BIGGEST, MOST COMPLEX PLANE,

413
00:26:28,202 --> 00:26:30,972
A VAST MACHINE THAT HUMS AWAY

414
00:26:31,038 --> 00:26:33,741
WHILE YOU RELAX IN YOUR SEAT.

415
00:26:36,944 --> 00:26:39,847
AS YOU FLY ALONG,
BENEATH YOUR FEET,

416
00:26:39,914 --> 00:26:42,383
UNDER THE FLOORS,
AND WITHIN THE WALLS,

417
00:26:42,450 --> 00:26:45,019
ITS THOUSANDS OF SYSTEMS
ARE QUIETLY

418
00:26:45,086 --> 00:26:47,488
AND EFFICIENTLY KEEPING IT
IN THE AIR

419
00:26:47,555 --> 00:26:50,491
AND KEEPING YOU SAFE.

420
00:26:50,558 --> 00:26:53,060
AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO

421
00:26:53,127 --> 00:26:55,496
FOR THE 60 MILLION MILES
IT IS EXPECTED

422
00:26:55,563 --> 00:26:58,566
TO FLY OVER ITS LIFETIME.

423
00:26:58,633 --> 00:27:01,168
BUT THIS PLANE,
LIKE ANY OTHER,

424
00:27:01,235 --> 00:27:06,073
WOULDN'T BE GOING ANYWHERE
WITHOUT ONE MAGIC INGREDIENT.

425
00:27:11,112 --> 00:27:14,782
WITHOUT IT, THE ENTIRE
AIRBORNE METROPOLIS

426
00:27:14,865 --> 00:27:18,119
WOULD STALL
AND COME CRASHING DOWN.

427
00:27:20,021 --> 00:27:23,457
IT'S CALLED JET A1...

428
00:27:23,524 --> 00:27:25,559
FUEL,

429
00:27:25,626 --> 00:27:28,729
THE LIFEBLOOD
OF THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY.

430
00:27:30,297 --> 00:27:33,167
AND KEEPING MILLIONS OF GALLONS
OF THIS STUFF FLOWING

431
00:27:33,234 --> 00:27:37,071
CALLS FOR A SUPPLY SYSTEM
ON A VAST SCALE.

432
00:27:41,242 --> 00:27:45,062
GHENT, A SMALL TOWN
IN THE BELGIAN COUNTRYSIDE.

433
00:27:47,465 --> 00:27:49,417
IT'S HOME TO ONE
OF THE LARGEST

434
00:27:49,500 --> 00:27:52,436
JET FUEL STORAGE
FACILITIES IN EUROPE.

435
00:27:52,503 --> 00:27:56,457
THIS IS WHERE MUCH
OF THE CONTINENT'S JET FUEL

436
00:27:56,524 --> 00:27:59,860
STARTS ITS LONG JOURNEY
TO THE AIRPORT.

437
00:27:59,927 --> 00:28:02,396
THESE HUGE STORAGE TANKS

438
00:28:02,463 --> 00:28:05,666
ARE ABOUT TO BE FILLED
WITH AVIATION FUEL.

439
00:28:07,334 --> 00:28:10,788
EACH ONE HOLDS
JUST UNDER 12 MILLION GALLONS,

440
00:28:10,871 --> 00:28:15,676
ENOUGH TO FILL ABOUT 370
OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST PLANES.

441
00:28:17,378 --> 00:28:20,281
IT MIGHT SOUND
LIKE A LOT, BUT IN FACT,

442
00:28:20,347 --> 00:28:23,267
IT'S JUST A TINY DROP
IN THE OCEAN.

443
00:28:23,350 --> 00:28:25,753
THERE ARE OVER 25
VAST FUEL TANKS

444
00:28:25,820 --> 00:28:28,789
PACKED INTO THIS SITE ALONE.

445
00:28:28,856 --> 00:28:31,959
SPECIAL OPERATIONS MANAGER
FRANK ROELS

446
00:28:32,026 --> 00:28:35,496
OVERSEES THIS MASSIVE FACILITY.

447
00:28:35,563 --> 00:28:38,299
IN A COUPLE OF DAYS' TIME,
HE NEEDS TO START

448
00:28:38,365 --> 00:28:42,219
FILLING THESE TANKS WITH FUEL
FRESH FROM THE REFINERY.

449
00:28:43,704 --> 00:28:45,856
BEFORE IT'S FIT
FOR USE ON PLANES,

450
00:28:45,906 --> 00:28:50,311
JET FUEL NEEDS TO BE
100% PURE.

451
00:28:50,377 --> 00:28:54,715
ANY IMPURITIES COULD
EVENTUALLY BLOCK FUEL PIPES.

452
00:28:56,884 --> 00:28:58,986
BUT WHEN THE FUEL ARRIVES HERE,

453
00:28:59,053 --> 00:29:01,589
IT'S NOT YET AS CLEAN
AS IT SHOULD BE;

454
00:29:01,655 --> 00:29:04,158
THERE'S ONE UNLIKELY IMPURITY

455
00:29:04,225 --> 00:29:08,028
LEFT BEHIND FROM
THE REFINING PROCESS...

456
00:29:09,663 --> 00:29:11,649
WATER,

457
00:29:11,715 --> 00:29:16,554
SO FRANK AND HIS TEAM NEED
TO DO SOME SPRING CLEANING.

458
00:29:33,788 --> 00:29:36,357
NARRATOR: YEASTS AND MOLDS
IN THE WATER

459
00:29:36,423 --> 00:29:39,126
CAN FEED ON THE HYDROCARBONS
AND OTHER NUTRIENTS

460
00:29:39,193 --> 00:29:41,195
IN THE JET FUEL.

461
00:29:41,262 --> 00:29:44,165
AS THEY GROW,
THEY COULD FORM PARTICLES

462
00:29:44,231 --> 00:29:46,167
THAT COULD CLOG UP
FUEL FILTERS,

463
00:29:46,267 --> 00:29:48,836
WITH POTENTIAL
CATASTROPHIC RESULTS

464
00:30:00,247 --> 00:30:03,751
NARRATOR: SO, TO ENSURE
MOLD-FREE JET FUEL,

465
00:30:03,818 --> 00:30:06,086
THE WATER'S GOT TO GO.

466
00:30:06,153 --> 00:30:08,255
LUCKILY, THAT'S EASIER
THAN IT SOUNDS.

467
00:30:09,907 --> 00:30:12,343
WATER'S HEAVIER THAN FUEL,

468
00:30:12,426 --> 00:30:14,862
SO IT SIMPLY SEPARATES OUT,
SINKS TO THE BOTTOM

469
00:30:14,945 --> 00:30:19,266
OF THE HOLDING TANK, AND FLOWS
AWAY THROUGH THESE GIANT DRAINS.

470
00:30:23,204 --> 00:30:25,105
TO ALLOW IT TO DRAIN AWAY
COMPLETE,

471
00:30:25,172 --> 00:30:29,056
THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK
HAS TO BE SPOTLESS.

472
00:30:29,123 --> 00:30:31,959
ANY OIL LEFT BEHIND
FROM A PREVIOUS STORAGE

473
00:30:32,026 --> 00:30:34,262
HAS GOT TO GO.

474
00:30:34,328 --> 00:30:36,330
ONCE THE TANK'S BEEN
SCRUBBED DOWN

475
00:30:36,397 --> 00:30:38,266
AND THOROUGHLY CLEANED,
IT'S READY

476
00:30:38,332 --> 00:30:40,768
TO BE FILLED WITH FUEL,

477
00:30:40,801 --> 00:30:43,504
BUT THERE'S ONE SMALL PEOBLEM

478
00:30:45,172 --> 00:30:47,475
THIS FACILITY SITS
HUNDREDS OF MILES

479
00:30:47,542 --> 00:30:50,177
FROM THE AIRPORTS WHERE
THE FUEL IS NEEDED,

480
00:30:50,244 --> 00:30:53,831
AND TRYING TO TRANSPORT SUCH
A MASSIVE VOLUME OF FUEL

481
00:30:53,898 --> 00:30:57,051
BY ROAD COULD CREATE CHAOS.

482
00:30:59,503 --> 00:31:02,573
IT WOULD REQUIRE
A DAILY CONVOY OF TRUCKS

483
00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:04,508
FROM GHENT ALONE.

484
00:31:06,677 --> 00:31:09,313
FACTOR IN THE CONTINENT'S
OTHER STORAGE PORTS,

485
00:31:09,380 --> 00:31:13,301
AND THERE'D BE AROUND 300,000
MORE TRUCK LOADS A YEAR,

486
00:31:13,384 --> 00:31:16,904
ADDING TO THE CHAOS ON EUROPE'S
ALREADY CROWDED HIGHWAYS.

487
00:31:19,106 --> 00:31:23,060
THE SOLUTION IS BURIED
UNDERGROUND.

488
00:31:23,110 --> 00:31:26,514
IT'S A HIDDEN NETWORK
KNOWN AS CEPS--

489
00:31:26,581 --> 00:31:29,150
THE CENTRAL EUROPEAN
PIPELINE SYSTEM--

490
00:31:29,216 --> 00:31:32,503
ONE OF THE BIGGEST AVIATION
FUEL PIPELINES IN THE WORLD.

491
00:31:34,188 --> 00:31:38,526
WITHOUT IT, EUROPE'S SKIES
WOULD BE A WHOLE LOT EMPTIER.

492
00:31:40,227 --> 00:31:42,096
BUILT BY NATO BACK IN
THE FIFTIES

493
00:31:42,163 --> 00:31:44,298
TO FUEL ITS COLD WAR BASES,

494
00:31:44,382 --> 00:31:48,703
THIS 3,000-MILE PIPELINE
SPANS THE CONTINENT.

495
00:31:50,171 --> 00:31:51,973
IN THE EVENT OF WAR,

496
00:31:52,039 --> 00:31:54,275
THIS HIDDEN FUEL NETWORK
WOULD HAVE HELPED KEEP

497
00:31:54,342 --> 00:31:56,444
MILITARY JETS IN THE AIR.

498
00:31:58,145 --> 00:32:01,048
MANY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS
AND SOME IN THE U.S. ARE FED

499
00:32:01,115 --> 00:32:04,051
BY PIPELINES LIKE CEPS,

500
00:32:04,118 --> 00:32:06,904
INCLUDING THE COLONIAL
PIPELINE THAT SUPPLIES

501
00:32:06,988 --> 00:32:09,440
SOME OF THE COUNTRY'S
BUSIEST AIRPORTS,

502
00:32:09,507 --> 00:32:11,909
INCLUDING ATLANTA,
RALEIGH-DURHAM,

503
00:32:11,942 --> 00:32:14,345
AND WASHINGTON DULLES.

504
00:32:16,530 --> 00:32:19,467
BUT IT'S CEPS
THAT CARRIES MORE JET FUEL

505
00:32:19,533 --> 00:32:23,004
ACROSS EUROPE
THAN ANY OTHER SYSTEM,

506
00:32:23,070 --> 00:32:26,007
AND TODAY, IT'S DELIVERING
MORE THAN EVER,

507
00:32:26,073 --> 00:32:29,443
AROUND 2.4 BILLION GALLONS
A YEAR,

508
00:32:29,510 --> 00:32:33,848
ALL FLOWING INTO SOME
OF EUROPE'S BIGGEST AIRPORTS.

509
00:32:35,383 --> 00:32:37,351
GERMANY'S FRANKFURT AIRPORT

510
00:32:37,418 --> 00:32:40,221
IS ONE OF ITS MOST
IMPORTANT CUSTOMERS.

511
00:32:41,856 --> 00:32:44,792
AROUND 60 MILLION
PASSENGERS TRAVEL

512
00:32:44,859 --> 00:32:48,162
FROM THIS MASSIVE
INTERNATIONAL HUB EVERY YEAR.

513
00:32:50,331 --> 00:32:53,267
AND MOST PASSENGERS WALKING
THROUGH THE ARRIVALS HALL

514
00:32:53,334 --> 00:32:56,137
HAVE NO IDEA
OF THE RIVERS OF FUEL

515
00:32:56,203 --> 00:32:58,506
FLOWING RIGHT BENEATH
THEIR FEET.

516
00:33:03,077 --> 00:33:05,479
THE MAN RESPONSIBLE
FOR GETTING THE FUEL

517
00:33:05,546 --> 00:33:08,049
FROM THE PIPELINE
INTO WAITING AIRCRAFT

518
00:33:08,115 --> 00:33:11,385
IS FUEL STATION MANAGER
GUNTHER HANSEL.

519
00:33:13,187 --> 00:33:17,158
GUNTHER AND HIS TEAM REFUEL
AROUND 230 AIRCRAFT

520
00:33:17,158 --> 00:33:20,127
EVERY SINGLE DAY.

521
00:33:20,194 --> 00:33:24,365
FIRST UP ON THE MEGA FORECOURT
THIS MORNING--AN A380.

522
00:33:24,432 --> 00:33:26,500
THIS ONE'S DUE
TO FLY OUT TO DUBAI

523
00:33:26,584 --> 00:33:28,936
JUST 45 MINUTES FROM NOW.

524
00:33:30,571 --> 00:33:32,506
TIME TO GET PUMPING.

525
00:34:05,746 --> 00:34:07,114
NARRATOR:
THE "DEAD MAN'S" HANDLE

526
00:34:07,181 --> 00:34:09,300
IS A VITAL SAFETY MECHANISM.

527
00:34:09,350 --> 00:34:11,552
IN THE EVENT OF ANY ACCIDENT,

528
00:34:11,619 --> 00:34:14,021
LETTING GO OF IT INSTANTLY
SHUTS OFF THE FLOW

529
00:34:14,088 --> 00:34:16,457
OF PRESSURIZED FUEL.

530
00:34:18,359 --> 00:34:22,296
IN THIS BUSY TERMINAL AREA
PACKED WITH LOADED PLANES,

531
00:34:22,363 --> 00:34:26,217
ANY FUEL LEAK WOULD BE
A SERIOUS HAZARD.

532
00:34:36,143 --> 00:34:40,247
NARRATOR: IT TAKES ABOUT
A HALF-HOUR, AND 25,000 GALLONS,

533
00:34:40,314 --> 00:34:43,184
TO FILL THE AIRCRAFT'S
GIANT TANKS...

534
00:34:45,286 --> 00:34:47,221
AND THE BILL--

535
00:34:47,288 --> 00:34:50,007
A TASTY $28,000.

536
00:34:51,942 --> 00:34:54,712
IT MIGHT SOUND
LIKE A SMALL FORTUNE,

537
00:34:54,779 --> 00:34:58,816
BUT IT'S A TINY FRACTION
OF THE $226 BILLION WORTH

538
00:34:58,866 --> 00:35:02,069
OF JET FUEL THAT THE CITY
IN THE SKY CONSUMES

539
00:35:02,136 --> 00:35:04,021
EVERY YEAR.

540
00:35:08,993 --> 00:35:13,247
GUNTHER'S TEAM ARE NOW FINISHED
REFUELING THIS AIRCRAFT,

541
00:35:13,314 --> 00:35:16,684
BUT WITH ANOTHER 229 PLANES
TO GO ON TODAY'S SHIFT,

542
00:35:16,751 --> 00:35:19,420
THEY'RE KEPT VERY BUSY.

543
00:35:21,589 --> 00:35:24,725
EXACTLY THE SAME SCENE IS
PLAYED OUT CONTINUOUSLY

544
00:35:24,792 --> 00:35:27,795
AT AIRPORTS
ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

545
00:35:29,130 --> 00:35:32,099
ACROSS THE U.S.,
AIRCRAFT CONSUME

546
00:35:32,183 --> 00:35:35,252
63 MILLION GALLONS A DAY.

547
00:35:38,906 --> 00:35:41,826
THE GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS
DELIVERING ALL THIS FUEL

548
00:35:41,876 --> 00:35:43,828
MUST BE TOTALLY RELIABLE.

549
00:35:43,911 --> 00:35:47,231
THE TAPS CAN NEVER BE
ALLOWED TO RUN DRY.

550
00:35:48,983 --> 00:35:51,752
WITH GAS IN THE TANK,
PASSENGERS AND LUGGAGE ON-BOARD,

551
00:35:51,836 --> 00:35:54,305
AND THE PLANE ITSELF
READY AND WAITING,

552
00:35:54,388 --> 00:35:57,858
YOU MIGHT THINK
IT'S TIME FOR TAKEOFF.

553
00:35:57,942 --> 00:36:02,296
BUT OUR FLIGHT'S STILL
MISSING ONE OTHER VITAL ELEMENT,

554
00:36:02,363 --> 00:36:05,983
ONE THAT MANY DREAD...

555
00:36:10,738 --> 00:36:12,373
AIRLINE FOOD.

556
00:36:14,075 --> 00:36:17,478
FEEDING THE CITY
IN THE SKY ISN'T EASY.

557
00:36:17,545 --> 00:36:21,515
YOU'VE SEEN FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
PREPPING AND SERVING MEALS.

558
00:36:21,582 --> 00:36:24,018
THEY MAKE IT ALL LOOK SO SIMPLE,

559
00:36:24,085 --> 00:36:26,454
LIKE A WELL-OILED MACHINE.

560
00:36:29,290 --> 00:36:32,593
BUT WHERE DO ALL
THESE MEALS COME FROM?

561
00:36:36,397 --> 00:36:40,334
WITH A MILLION HUNGRY RESIDENTS
AIRBORNE AT ANY ONE TIME,

562
00:36:40,401 --> 00:36:44,705
THIS IS A METROPOLIS
WITH A VERY LARGE APPETITE.

563
00:36:46,340 --> 00:36:48,509
IN GLOBAL TERMS,

564
00:36:48,576 --> 00:36:51,145
THE POPULATION OF THE CITY IN
THE SKY PACKS AWAY

565
00:36:51,212 --> 00:36:53,614
AROUND A BILLION
HOT MEALS AND SALADS

566
00:36:53,681 --> 00:36:56,117
EVERY YEAR,

567
00:36:56,183 --> 00:36:59,120
GORGES ON OVER TWO BILLION CAKES

568
00:36:59,186 --> 00:37:01,872
AND PASTRIES,

569
00:37:01,906 --> 00:37:04,725
AND WASHES IT ALL DOWN
WITH BILLIONS OF GALLONS

570
00:37:04,792 --> 00:37:08,028
OF WINE, WATER,
AND SOFT DRINKS.

571
00:37:08,095 --> 00:37:10,998
IT'S ENOUGH FOOD
AND DRINK TO FEED A CITY

572
00:37:11,065 --> 00:37:13,934
THE SIZE OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.

573
00:37:15,853 --> 00:37:19,590
THE PROCESS OF GETTING MILLIONS
OF MEALS INTO THE AIR STARTS

574
00:37:19,657 --> 00:37:21,592
AT THE CRACK OF DAWN

575
00:37:21,659 --> 00:37:23,744
AT AIRPORTS AROUND THE WORLD.

576
00:37:25,379 --> 00:37:27,181
DUBAI, 6 A.M.,

577
00:37:27,248 --> 00:37:30,151
AND A PROCESSION OF TRUCKS IS
DELIVERING EVERYTHING NEEDED

578
00:37:30,217 --> 00:37:32,586
FOR A JOURNEY INTO THE SKY.

579
00:37:34,138 --> 00:37:37,424
IT TAKES AN AVERAGE
OF 4 TRUCKLOADS TO FILL

580
00:37:37,491 --> 00:37:39,927
A JUMBO JET.

581
00:37:39,994 --> 00:37:41,996
AND IN TOTAL,

582
00:37:42,062 --> 00:37:45,332
AROUND A THOUSAND PLANES
WILL BE LEAVING HERE TODAY.

583
00:37:47,034 --> 00:37:49,770
PREPARING THE MEALS FOR MOST
OF THOSE FLIGHTS,

584
00:37:49,837 --> 00:37:52,606
THE WORLD'S BIGGEST FLIGHT
CATERING FACILITY.

585
00:37:54,742 --> 00:37:56,744
AND IN CHARGE OF IT ALL,

586
00:37:56,811 --> 00:37:59,880
CATERING SERVICES
VICE PRESIDENT DUNCAN DAVIS.

587
00:38:01,549 --> 00:38:05,553
DUNCAN: AT THE MOMENT, WE'RE
SUPPLYING 150,000 MEALS A DAY.

588
00:38:05,619 --> 00:38:08,389
WE HAVE JAPANESE CHEFS,
WE HAVE CHINESE CHEFS,

589
00:38:08,389 --> 00:38:10,324
WE HAVE INDIAN CHEFS,
WE HAVE ARABIC CHEFS,

590
00:38:10,391 --> 00:38:14,395
WE HAVE EUROPEAN CHEFS,
WESTERN CHEFS, MALAYSIAN,

591
00:38:14,461 --> 00:38:17,164
SO, REALLY, ANY TYPE
OF CUISINE WE CAN PRODUCE,

592
00:38:17,231 --> 00:38:19,633
AND IT'S A BIG VARIETY.

593
00:38:19,700 --> 00:38:21,735
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER]

594
00:38:23,404 --> 00:38:27,708
DUNCAN: THIS AREA HERE NOW IS
THE BUSINESS CLASS WORK CELL.

595
00:38:27,775 --> 00:38:30,244
UH, THE--THE LADY HERE
IS PREPARING A FLIGHT

596
00:38:30,311 --> 00:38:33,013
FOR AHMEDABAD, WHICH IS
LEAVING THIS EVENING,

597
00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:35,482
SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT
SPECIFICATIONS

598
00:38:35,549 --> 00:38:38,068
'CAUSE THERE'S DIFFERENT MENUS
FOR DIFFERENT FLIGHTS.

599
00:38:38,135 --> 00:38:41,689
WE ACTUALLY ARE RUNNING
1,543 MENUS

600
00:38:41,755 --> 00:38:44,925
AT THE MOMENT FOR EMIRATES,
AND THEY CHANGE EVERY MONTH,

601
00:38:44,992 --> 00:38:47,761
BUT THIS IS THE MENU
TODAY TO AHMEDABAD.

602
00:38:47,828 --> 00:38:50,397
THIS IS AN ARABIC MEAL CHOICE,
AND THIS IS THE WESTERN.

603
00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:55,536
NARRATOR: THE SHEER SCALE
ON WHICH THIS KITCHEN OPERATES

604
00:38:55,603 --> 00:38:58,572
REVEALS THE IMMENSE RESOURCES
AND EFFORTS

605
00:38:58,639 --> 00:39:00,975
THAT GO INTO MAKING
AIRLINE MEALS.

606
00:39:06,714 --> 00:39:09,083
NARRATOR: EXECUTIVE CHEF
BRUNO TROESCH

607
00:39:09,149 --> 00:39:12,219
IS IN CHARGE OF FOOD ORDERING.

608
00:39:51,926 --> 00:39:55,230
NARRATOR: 3 HOURS FROM NOW,
THIS BATCH WILL BE SERVED UP

609
00:39:55,296 --> 00:39:58,800
TO HUNGRY PAGERSEN
AT 30,000 FEET.

610
00:40:00,935 --> 00:40:03,071
IT'S A MONSTER OPERATION

611
00:40:03,138 --> 00:40:06,674
RUNNING 365 DAYS OF THE YEAR...

612
00:40:06,741 --> 00:40:10,111
A KITCHEN THAT NEVER SLEEPS.

613
00:40:11,779 --> 00:40:15,216
AND EVEN THOUGH DUBAI HANDLES
MORE INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS

614
00:40:15,283 --> 00:40:17,185
THAN ANY OTHER AIRPORT,

615
00:40:17,252 --> 00:40:19,687
ALL THE FOOD THEY RUSTLE UP HERE

616
00:40:19,754 --> 00:40:21,890
AMOUNTS TO ONLY ABOUT 1%

617
00:40:21,956 --> 00:40:25,226
OF THE TOTAL
WE WOLF DOWN IN FLIGHT.

618
00:40:27,295 --> 00:40:30,532
AND YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK
ABOUT WASHING THE DISHES.

619
00:40:32,867 --> 00:40:36,137
LUCKILY FOR THEM, THEY'VE GOT
THE BIGGEST AND BUSIEST

620
00:40:36,204 --> 00:40:40,008
DISHWASHER FACILITY IN THE WORLD
TO HANDLE THE LOAD.

621
00:40:46,648 --> 00:40:49,184
SO, WITH THE FOOD ON-BOARD,
YOU'RE NOW READY.

622
00:40:49,267 --> 00:40:51,102
YOU'VE CHECKED IN.

623
00:40:51,169 --> 00:40:52,720
BAG DROPPED.

624
00:40:52,787 --> 00:40:55,223
PLANE FUELED AND GOOD TO GO.

625
00:40:55,290 --> 00:40:57,508
DEPARTURE IS IMMINENT.

626
00:40:59,244 --> 00:41:01,980
THIS DAILY BALLET
OF PREPARING PLANES FOR FLIGHT

627
00:41:02,030 --> 00:41:05,700
IS REPEATED MANY THOUSANDS
OF TIMES AROUND THE WORLD.

628
00:41:05,767 --> 00:41:08,102
WHATEVER THE CONDITIONS
IN WHICH WE TAKE OFF--

629
00:41:08,169 --> 00:41:10,104
RAIN, SUN, OR SNOW--

630
00:41:10,171 --> 00:41:13,141
IT ALL HAS TO WORK PERFECTLY.

631
00:41:13,208 --> 00:41:16,044
BUT IT'S HARDER IN SOME PLACES
THAN IN OTHERS.

632
00:41:17,679 --> 00:41:20,582
AND THIS PLACE--
YAKUTSK, SIBERIA--

633
00:41:20,648 --> 00:41:23,418
IS PERHAPS THE TOUGHEST
OF THEM ALL.

634
00:41:27,922 --> 00:41:31,092
THIS IS THE COLDEST CITY
ON EARTH,

635
00:41:31,159 --> 00:41:33,561
A REMOTE PLACE THAT'S SNOWBOUND

636
00:41:33,628 --> 00:41:36,064
FOR HALF THE YEAR.

637
00:41:36,130 --> 00:41:38,700
AVIATION IS ITS LIFELINE.

638
00:41:38,766 --> 00:41:41,903
KEEPING THE AIRPORT OPEN
IN THESE EXTREME CONDITIONS

639
00:41:41,986 --> 00:41:43,821
IS CRITICAL.

640
00:41:47,909 --> 00:41:51,179
TODAY, IT'S -53 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT.

641
00:41:54,382 --> 00:41:56,317
NARRATOR: IT'S DOWN
TO ALEXEI FILYUSHIN

642
00:41:56,384 --> 00:41:59,454
AND HIS AIRPORT MAINTENANCE TEAM
TO KEEP THE PLANES FLYING

643
00:41:59,520 --> 00:42:02,490
IN THESE FREEZING CONDITIONS.

644
00:42:02,557 --> 00:42:04,025
9 A.M.,

645
00:42:04,092 --> 00:42:06,761
AND THE MORNING FLIGHT
FROM MOSCOW'S JUST LANDED.

646
00:42:32,120 --> 00:42:34,322
[WIND HOWLING]

647
00:42:34,389 --> 00:42:36,824
NARRATOR: IN THESE
FREEZING TEMPERATURES,

648
00:42:36,891 --> 00:42:40,561
ANY PLANE LANDING AT YAKUTSK
IS IN SERIOUS DANGER.

649
00:42:42,330 --> 00:42:44,299
WITHOUT PROTECTIVE CLOTHING,

650
00:42:44,365 --> 00:42:47,802
ANYBODY OUT HERE WOULD
QUICKLY GET HYPOTHERMIA,

651
00:42:47,869 --> 00:42:52,307
AND THIS PLANE IS
EVERY BIT AS VULNERABLE.

652
00:42:52,373 --> 00:42:55,777
UNLESS IT GETS IMMEDIATE
ENGINEERING FIRST AID,

653
00:42:55,843 --> 00:42:58,229
IT WON'T BE GOING ANYWHERE.

654
00:43:00,031 --> 00:43:03,851
THE FIRST THING THEY NEED
TO DEAL WITH ARE ITS WHEELS.

655
00:43:05,520 --> 00:43:08,156
PLANE'RUBBER TIRES
WOULD SOON BECOME

656
00:43:08,222 --> 00:43:11,526
SO COLD AND BRITTLE,
THEY'D BE UNUSABLE.

657
00:43:15,229 --> 00:43:17,832
SO ALEXEI AND HIS ENGINEERS
MUST OPERATE

658
00:43:17,899 --> 00:43:21,202
LIKE AN E.R. CRASH TEAM...
FOR JETS.

659
00:43:38,219 --> 00:43:40,722
NARRATOR: THE PLANE'S BRAKES
ARE STILL HOT AFTER LANDING,

660
00:43:40,788 --> 00:43:43,307
AND WRAPPING THEM IN HEAVY-DUTY
INSULATING BLANKETS

661
00:43:43,341 --> 00:43:45,576
TRAPS THE RESIDUAL WARMTH.

662
00:43:47,195 --> 00:43:50,064
IT'S LIKE WRAPPING A HUMAN
IN A SURVIVAL BLANKET,

663
00:43:50,131 --> 00:43:53,534
USING THE BODY'S OWN HEAT
TO PREVENT HYPOTHERMIA.

664
00:44:00,591 --> 00:44:04,579
BUT PROTECTING THE TIRES
IS JUST THE FIRST STEP.

665
00:44:04,645 --> 00:44:07,815
THIS JET ALSO NEEDS
THE AVIATION EQUIVALENT

666
00:44:07,882 --> 00:44:09,751
OF HOT COCOA.

667
00:44:11,419 --> 00:44:13,821
ITS HUGE ENGINES ARE IN DANGER.

668
00:44:15,490 --> 00:44:18,760
THE OIL LUBRICATING THEM
AND OTHER KEY PARTS OF THE PLANE

669
00:44:18,826 --> 00:44:22,330
HAS A FREEZING TEMPERATURE
OF -40 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

670
00:44:24,549 --> 00:44:27,869
BELOW THAT,
IT STARTS TO SOLIDIFY,

671
00:44:27,935 --> 00:44:29,771
AND EVERYTHING BEGINS
TO SEIZE UP.

672
00:44:31,355 --> 00:44:34,776
AND TODAY, IT'S -53,

673
00:44:34,842 --> 00:44:36,778
SO FOR ALEXEI,

674
00:44:36,844 --> 00:44:39,213
TIMING IS CRITICAL.

675
00:45:37,171 --> 00:45:39,140
NARRATOR: AT 150 DEGREES,

676
00:45:39,207 --> 00:45:41,676
THE HOT AIR KEEPS
THE OIL FLOWING

677
00:45:41,742 --> 00:45:44,061
AND STOPS THE ENGINES
SEIZING UP.

678
00:45:46,464 --> 00:45:50,418
IT'S NOW BEEN 45 MINUTES
SINCE THE PLANE LANDED,

679
00:45:50,485 --> 00:45:52,987
AND WHILE ALEXEI'S TEAM
HAVE BEEN HARD AT WORK,

680
00:45:53,054 --> 00:45:55,723
A NEW LOAD OF PASSENGERS
HAVE BOARDED.

681
00:45:55,790 --> 00:45:58,226
[MAN SHOUTS IN RUSSIAN]

682
00:45:58,292 --> 00:46:02,263
NARRATOR: FLIGHT 137 FOR MOSCOW
IS NEARLY READY FOR DEPARTURE.

683
00:46:02,330 --> 00:46:04,398
[SPEAKING RUSSIAN]

684
00:46:05,900 --> 00:46:07,869
NARRATOR:
AT THE VERY LAST MOMENT,

685
00:46:07,935 --> 00:46:10,571
ALEXEI STRIPS AWAY
THE HEATERS AND BLANKETS.

686
00:46:12,240 --> 00:46:14,509
NOW THE PLANE'S GOT
JUST TEN MINUTES

687
00:46:14,575 --> 00:46:17,612
TO GET OFF THE GROUND BEFORE IT
STARTS TO FREEZE UP AGAIN.

688
00:46:21,265 --> 00:46:23,417
IT'S 10 A.M.

689
00:46:23,484 --> 00:46:25,453
IT PULLS BACK FROM THE GATE,

690
00:46:25,520 --> 00:46:27,722
AND SURE ENOUGH,
RIGHT ON TIME,

691
00:46:27,788 --> 00:46:30,224
IT BARRELS DOWN THE RUNWAY.

692
00:46:30,291 --> 00:46:33,661
ONE PLANE, SAFELY AIRBORNE.

693
00:46:37,331 --> 00:46:39,834
ONLY ANOTHER 34 FLIGHTS

694
00:46:39,901 --> 00:46:42,820
FOR ALEXEI AND HIS TEAM
TO TACKLE TODAY...

695
00:46:44,355 --> 00:46:48,643
SAME AS EVERY DAY,
OF THE COLDEST WINTER MONTHS.

696
00:46:51,312 --> 00:46:53,748
AS THE GLOBAL AVIATION
NETWORK REACHES OUT

697
00:46:53,814 --> 00:46:56,384
TO EVERY REMOTE CORNER
OF THE PLANET,

698
00:46:56,450 --> 00:46:59,854
TAKEOFFS IN EXTREME CONDITIONS
ARE BECOMING EVER MORE COMMON,

699
00:46:59,921 --> 00:47:01,889
WHETHER IN SIBERIA

700
00:47:01,956 --> 00:47:04,825
OR THE ISOLATED
ALASKAN WILDERNESS.

701
00:47:08,029 --> 00:47:12,833
THE CITY IN THE SKY HAS NOW
TRANSFORMED OUR WAY OF LIFE.

702
00:47:16,020 --> 00:47:20,358
ONCE-INACCESSIBLE OUTPOSTS
ARE NOW JUST A FLIGHT AWAY.

703
00:47:22,560 --> 00:47:26,364
WE CAN TRAVEL ANYWHERE WE WANT
A MATTER OF HOURS.

704
00:47:29,016 --> 00:47:31,419
BUT WHEREVER WE'RE
DEPARTING FROM,

705
00:47:31,502 --> 00:47:34,188
AND WHEREVER WE'RE HEADING TO,

706
00:47:34,255 --> 00:47:37,091
WE'VE STILL GOT TO GET AIRBORNE.

707
00:47:37,191 --> 00:47:39,527

708
00:47:39,594 --> 00:47:43,164
NARRATOR: IT ALL COMES DOWN
TO THIS VITAL MOMENT,

709
00:47:43,230 --> 00:47:46,183
THE POINT AT WHICH YOUR PLANE
PULLS BACK FROM THE GATE

710
00:47:46,267 --> 00:47:49,136
AND PREPARES TO HURTLE
DOWN THE RUNWAY.

711
00:47:49,203 --> 00:47:51,672
SO, [INDISTINCT].

712
00:47:51,739 --> 00:47:53,741
NARRATOR: CAPTAIN
JOACHIM SCHWARZENBERG

713
00:47:53,808 --> 00:47:57,411
IS ONE OF THE MOST EXPERIENCED
A380 PILOTS IN THE WORLD...

714
00:47:59,280 --> 00:48:02,066
AND HE'S JUST MINUTES AWAY
FROM TAKEOFF.

715
00:48:04,518 --> 00:48:07,154
CAPTAIN: WE HAVE TO
START CHECKLISTS.

716
00:48:09,757 --> 00:48:11,742
LUFTHANSA 760 IS
CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

717
00:48:11,776 --> 00:48:13,527
[INDISTINCT]
READY.

718
00:48:13,594 --> 00:48:17,031
NARRATOR: IT'S EASY TO TAKE
THIS MOMENT FOR GRANTED,

719
00:48:17,098 --> 00:48:21,469
BUT EVERY TAKEOFF IS AN ACT
OF GRAVITY-DEFYING BRILLIANCE.

720
00:48:22,753 --> 00:48:25,039
READY?
YES, SIR.

721
00:48:25,106 --> 00:48:27,108
TAKEOFF.

722
00:48:27,174 --> 00:48:30,544
NARRATOR: IT STARTS WITH
THE AIRCRAFT BUILDING UP SPEED.

723
00:48:30,611 --> 00:48:32,580
STABILIZED.

724
00:48:36,951 --> 00:48:39,153
100 KNOTS.
CHECK.

725
00:48:39,220 --> 00:48:42,123
NARRATOR: CAPTAIN JO NEEDS
TO GET HIS 500-TON PLANE

726
00:48:42,189 --> 00:48:45,142
TO AROUND 165 MILES PER HOUR

727
00:48:45,176 --> 00:48:47,561
IN THE NEXT 6 SECONDS.

728
00:48:49,230 --> 00:48:51,365
HE PUSHES THE THROTTLE
LEVER FORWARD,

729
00:48:51,432 --> 00:48:54,802
AND HIS 4 MASSIVE ENGINES
SPRING TO LIFE.

730
00:48:56,971 --> 00:48:59,440
THEY'RE SUCKING
HUGE VOLUMES OF AIR

731
00:48:59,507 --> 00:49:01,942
THROUGH THEIR TURBINE BLADES,
COMPRESSING IT

732
00:49:02,009 --> 00:49:05,012
BEFORE IT MIXES
WITH JET FUEL AND IGNITES.

733
00:49:06,681 --> 00:49:09,917
RESULT--
THRUST BLASTING OUT THE BACK,

734
00:49:09,984 --> 00:49:13,471
THE FORCE THAT PUSHES
THE PLANE FORWARD.

735
00:49:15,139 --> 00:49:18,626
WITHIN A FEW SECONDS,
THIS FORCE POWERS THE AIRCRAFT

736
00:49:18,709 --> 00:49:20,828
TO ITS OPTIMAL TAKEOFF SPEED--

737
00:49:20,895 --> 00:49:23,347
165 MILES PER HOUR--

738
00:49:23,397 --> 00:49:26,283
VELOCITY ONE, OR V1.

739
00:49:28,002 --> 00:49:29,870
AUTOMATED VOICE: V1.

740
00:49:31,839 --> 00:49:33,407
NARRATOR: AS THE PLANE
ACCELERATES,

741
00:49:33,474 --> 00:49:35,910
THIS HUGE INCREASE
IN SPEED HAS ALL THE WHILE

742
00:49:35,976 --> 00:49:38,245
BEEN GENERATING A STREAM OF AIR

743
00:49:38,312 --> 00:49:40,114
MOVING AROUND THE WING.

744
00:49:41,782 --> 00:49:45,219
THIS AIRFLOW CREATES
AN EFFECT CALLED LIFT,

745
00:49:45,286 --> 00:49:47,688
AND THE FASTER
THE AIRCRAFT GOES,

746
00:49:47,755 --> 00:49:49,990
THE MORE LIFT IT GENERATES.

747
00:49:52,660 --> 00:49:56,263
THEN, AT JUST OVER
165 MILES PER HOUR,

748
00:49:56,330 --> 00:49:59,934
CAPTAIN JO REACHES TAKEOFF'S
MOST CRITICAL POINT.

749
00:50:01,569 --> 00:50:03,904
HE PULLS BACK ON THE SIDE STICK,

750
00:50:03,971 --> 00:50:05,873
ADJUSTING THE POSITION
OF THE ELEVATORS

751
00:50:05,940 --> 00:50:09,777
70 METERS BEHIND THE COCKPIT
ON THE AIRCRAFT'S TAIL.

752
00:50:11,412 --> 00:50:13,781
IT'S CALLED ROTATION.

753
00:50:17,218 --> 00:50:21,522
ROTATION USES THE ELEVATORS
TO FORCE THE PLANE'S NOSE UP.

754
00:50:23,224 --> 00:50:25,493
BY ALTERING
THE AIRCRAFT'S ANGLE,

755
00:50:25,559 --> 00:50:27,828
MUCH MORE OF THE AIR
FLOWING AROUND THE WING

756
00:50:27,895 --> 00:50:29,697
IS FORCED DOWNWARDS,

757
00:50:29,764 --> 00:50:32,466
SO THE PLANE'S LIFT
IS GREATLY ENHANCED.

758
00:50:34,135 --> 00:50:36,103
WITHIN A SECOND OR TWO,

759
00:50:36,170 --> 00:50:39,440
THIS ALLOWS IT TO EFFORTLESSLY
LEAVE THE GROUND.

760
00:50:44,879 --> 00:50:46,380
AND WITH THAT,

761
00:50:46,447 --> 00:50:48,482
ANOTHER 500 PASSENGERS
HAVE JOINED

762
00:50:48,549 --> 00:50:50,618
THE CITY IN THE SKY.

763
00:50:53,287 --> 00:50:55,990
TAKEOFFS LIKE THIS ARE
CARRIED OUT ALL OVER THE WORLD

764
00:50:56,056 --> 00:50:57,925
THOUSANDS OF TIMES A DAY.

765
00:51:01,095 --> 00:51:04,999
WHETHER YOU'RE DEPARTING
FROM L.A. OR NEWYORK

766
00:51:05,065 --> 00:51:07,268
OR HURTLING DOWN THE RUNWAY

767
00:51:07,351 --> 00:51:10,538
IN THE FROZEN EXTREMES
OF YAKUTSK...

768
00:51:12,173 --> 00:51:15,142
YOU'RE FINALLY UP IN THE AIR.

769
00:51:15,242 --> 00:51:17,465
OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS,
YOU MIGHT HAVE A FEW DRINKS

770
00:51:17,532 --> 00:51:20,034
OR WATCH AN IN-FLIGHT MOVIE,

771
00:51:20,101 --> 00:51:23,037
BUT WHILE YOU'RE
SITTING THERE REXING,

772
00:51:23,104 --> 00:51:25,473
THERE'S A LOT MORE GOING ON
BEHIND THE SCENES

773
00:51:25,540 --> 00:51:28,676
THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT,

774
00:51:28,743 --> 00:51:31,779
FOR YOU ARE ENTERING
THE MOST ALIEN ENVIRONMENT

775
00:51:31,846 --> 00:51:33,781
ON THE PLANET,

776
00:51:33,848 --> 00:51:36,351
A PLACE WITH THIN AIR,

777
00:51:36,417 --> 00:51:40,021
SAVAGE WINDS,
AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES.

778
00:51:40,088 --> 00:51:44,492
FLIGHT IS A REMARKABLE
ACHIEVEMENT,

779
00:51:44,575 --> 00:51:47,979
AND YOUR PLANE IS ONE
OF AROUND 100,000

780
00:51:48,062 --> 00:51:50,465
TAKING TO THE SKIES
ACROSS THE WORLD

781
00:51:50,531 --> 00:51:52,383
EVERY SINGLE DAY.

782
00:51:53,985 --> 00:51:57,038
THE JOURNEY'S ONLY JUST BEGUN.

783
00:51:59,424 --> 00:52:01,692
A PLACE WITH THIN AIR AND
SAVAGE WINDS

784
00:52:01,759 --> 00:52:03,111
Pilot: We're headed back
towards Dublin

785
00:52:03,177 --> 00:52:05,246
Narrator: BUT BEHIND THE SCENE
THERE’S A HIDEN WORLD

786
00:52:05,313 --> 00:52:06,814
KEEPING YOU UP IN THE AIR.

787
00:52:06,881 --> 00:52:09,150
EXPERTS TO PROTECT YOUR PLANE.

788
00:52:09,217 --> 00:52:10,535
Expert: Wow.

789
00:52:10,585 --> 00:52:12,403
Narrator: AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROLLERS TO CLEAR YOUR ROUTE,

790
00:52:12,470 --> 00:52:14,822
DOCTORS TO KEEP YOU SAFE
IN FLIGHT.

791
00:52:14,889 --> 00:52:16,691
Doctor: HE IS NOW HAVING TROBLE
BREATHING.

792
00:52:16,758 --> 00:52:18,259
Narrator: AND ALL THIS IS 
HAPPENING

793
00:52:18,326 --> 00:52:20,728
WHILE YOUR AT 30,000 ft.

794
00:52:20,795 --> 00:52:26,117
♪

795
00:52:33,708 --> 00:52:36,627
ANNOUNCER: "CITY IN THE SKY"
IS AVAILABLE ON DVD.

796
00:52:36,694 --> 00:52:36,627
TO ORDER, VISIT SHOPPBS.ORG