All language subtitles for Modern.Marvels.S22E01.Wild.Rides.1080p.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H264-BTN_track3_[eng]

[upbeat rock music]

- [Narrator] It's time
to grab the wheel,

floor the accelerator

and take total control.

[loud engines revving]

We're giving you the keys to
the world's wildest rides.

On land,

sea

and in the sky,

We'll discover the horsepower,

technology

and all out guts required
to operate these beasts.

[loud bomb blast]

Suit up, strap in

and throw it into high gear.

No learner's permit required.

Now, Wild Rides
on Modern Marvels.

[upbeat electronic beats]

If you were among America's
230 million licensed drivers,

[car engine revving]

this is one ride where
you'll spend an average

of more than four years
during your lifetime.

You may take the
components for granted.

Gear-shift, steering wheel,

accelerator, brake, mirrors.

But there's an amazing array

of other wild rides out there.

And, some of the world's
most extreme vehicles

First up, let's test drive

the army's
quintessential off-roader

the Bradley Infantry
Fighting Vehicle.

Think of it as a
crossover between

an armored personnel carrier
and a full scale battle tank.

There's enough room
for nine inside,

like a roomy minivan

but don't expect the
interior of this beast

to be as user-friendly.

- It takes a little
bit getting used to.

It's a lot different than
getting into any other vehicle,

just 'cause you gotta
watch the heavy hatch,

make sure it doesn't
close on you or anything

and then, just
snake your way in.

So, it's a little bit different.

It's not too bad
once you sit in it.

[quirky electronic music]

- [Narrator] The first
thing the driver notices

is that he's practically
sitting on the engine block.

- You've got a pretty
thin wall separating

you from the engine pack.

Keeps you really warm,

if you're in a desert,
not so good probably.

On the older versions,

they didn't really have any
cooling system for the crew.

So, you were just, if
you caught a breeze,

that's what you got.

- [Narrator] The
cozy confines aren't

the only difference
between the driver's seat

of the Bradley and
the one in a car.

Instead of a steering wheel,

there's a steering yoke.

And, though the accelerator
and brake pedals are familiar,

one key component is missing,

a windshield.

- It's called what
we call periscope.

It's a really small and
narrow pieces of glass

that are really thick.

- The Periscope limits
forward visibility

to the 11 to one
o'clock positions.

A fraction of the nine
to three o'clock view

afforded by the
windows of a car.

But it's a small price to pay

for the added security it
provides on the battlefield.

Besides the driver can
see plenty on the monitors

with feeds from
high-def, night vision

and thermal imaging cameras.

Another car component missing
from the Bradley, tires.

Instead it's equipped
with tank like tracks.

They provide better traction

and make the driving experience
nothing like that of a car.

- [SPC. James] In an automobile,

when you were to
take out left turn,

you would slow down,

but in this, in order
to take a left turn,

you have to press on the gas

because that's how
the track works.

- [Narrator] But along with
the challenges, comes some fun.

No car can do this.

The tracks enabled the tightest
turning radius imaginable.

That's 27 tons of vehicle
turning on a dime.

With that precision
handling comes

some pretty heavy
duty firepower.

Sitting just behind the driver,

the gunner fires away

with a Bradley's
high-powered machine gun,

an anti-tank missile launcher.

And if anyone fires back,

it's nice to know that the
aluminum armor surrounding

the crew can really
take a beating.

- Able to withstand
several rounds

of 50-cal point blank.

We can take anything up to
a direct hit from a missile.

[tank tires screeching]

- [Narrator] For a slightly
roomier driver's seat,

[upbeat band music]

let's try out this
heavily armored ride.

It's official designation is

the Mine Resistant
Ambush Protected

Military All-terrain Vehicle

but soldiers learning
how to operate it,

call it the MRAP.

- All terrain is basically
what you see out here.

It climbs mountains,
deserts, sand, snow, mud,

anything you name, it's
capable of encountering.

[loud screeching tires]

- [Narrator] Floor the
accelerator of the MRAP,

and it's 370 horsepower
engine will speed

up to 72 miles per hour.

Not exactly blistering,

but keep in mind that
the MRAP weighs more

than 12 tons as much
as four full-size SUVs.

- This vehicle is extremely fast

compared to other
military vehicles.

- [Narrator] Encasing
the driver's seat

is the MRAP's heavy
duty composite armor.

It's just the protection
the driver needs

since one of the MRAP's
main purposes is to carry up

to three soldiers on
missions to clear minefields,

All that armor also
shields everyone on board

from one of the deadliest
hazards found in war zones,

[loud exploding bombs]

the improvised
explosive device or IED.

There's another
feature that keeps

the drivers safe
from IED blasts.

Unlike the seat
in a car or truck,

this seat is
suspended in midair.

- This driver's
seat if you notice

it's not mounted to
the floor at all,

it's suspended by
D-rings and harnesses,

in case if this vehicle
gets an IED blast,

by the seats not being
mounted to the floor,

the body doesn't absorb the
full shock or the full blast.

- [Narrator] One incredible
statistics speaks

to how well the MRAP
protects the soldier

in the driver's seat.

In a study of 18 months of use

during the war in Afghanistan,

MRAPs reduced deaths and
injuries by more than 30%.

To face an entirely
different type of combat

in a much larger machine,

let's take the wheel of
the Oshkosh Striker 4500.

No problem with visibility here.

The Striker 4500 is
a colossal firetruck

used to combat blazes
at some of the largest

airports in the world.

Like here at Dallas Fort
Worth International.

- The Striker 4500 is
not just a key tool,

this is the tool.

Without this tool, we
wouldn't be able to rescue

[unintelligible] passengers
out of a burning aircraft.

And that's what we're here
for, is to save lives.

- [Narrator] Fires that
result from plane crashes

can be the deadliest of all.

[dramatic music]

Jet fuel can burn
at temperatures

of up to a thousand
degrees Fahrenheit.

The Striker is designed to allow

its one and only
operator to fight a fire

without ever leaving
the driver's seat.

But first things first,

[noisy engine reeling]

step one is driving to
the site of the fire

and that's no easy task.

- [Brian B.] The airport
is mainly concrete

but airplanes don't always
crash on the concrete

so, this course
here trains drivers

on how the truck
actually handles

going up and down slopes,

going through thick mud.

- [Narrator] Imagine going
off road in a vehicle

as long as a four
story building.

It weighs as much
as 20 pickup trucks.

But thanks to the
Striker's eight wheels,

each operating on
an independent axle,

the driver can maneuver
some pretty tough terrain.

- It's pretty stable
for how big it is.

There's not a lot of
places that it can't go.

- [Narrator] Although
driving this massive truck

does take some getting used to.

- [Tom] The way these
axles are set up,

they both turn at the same time.

So, you feel like
you're drifting

when you turn the vehicle.

So, an ordinary person
would feel like the truck

was out of control
when they drive this.

- [Narrator] When the driver
masters steering the Striker,

it won't take long to get
to the scene of the fire.

It's got a top speed
of 70 miles per hour.

Once at the scene,

the driver takes hold
of this joy stick,

which gives him control
of this turret hose

mounted on the front bumper.

Then, he unleashes up to 1200
gallons of water a minute.

- [Brian B.] As first unit on,
on my main priority

is to create a point of
egress for the passengers.

You want to make sure they
have an escape corridor

for them to get out
and not get burned.

- [Narrator] Storage tanks
holding 4,500 gallons of water

help accomplish that mission.

That's why they call
it the Striker 4500.

After extinguishing the
burning plane's exterior,

the Striker driver has
to put out the blaze

inside the fuselage.

To do that, he uses this control

which extends a 50-foot boom.

Then, he remotely
controls the device

on the end of the boom
called a schnozzle

which pierces the plane's skin.

Then, spews out more water
or foam inside the cabin.

Total elapsed time
for the Striker 4500

to put out most airplane fires,

just two minutes

and hopefully all from his seat.

Nearly 90% of American adults
have a driver's license,

but some of the
coolest rides on earth

require a pilot's license.

And from this seat,

a pilot can launch an
assault on a raging inferno.

An average of 60,000 wildfires
erupt in the US every year,

many in the dry expanses
of the American West.

Areas so vast and remote

that the best
countermeasure comes by air.

The crew that mans this
converted commercial jetliner

preps for that
challenge every day.

- Before take off checklist.

- Before take off checklist,
ignition is continous.

- [Capt. Dennis]
This is the DC-10,

its length is 181 feet,
wingspan is 165 feet.

And it's just like
the aircraft that

used to carry passengers
except for one big difference.

[ominous music]

- [Narrator] The difference
is these massive tanks.

They hold 12,000 gallons
of water or foam retardant,

which can be dumped
on a raging wildfire

in a matter of seconds.

That means this
aircraft doesn't accept

any additional passengers.

- This is the
inside of our DC-10

in past configuration,
it carried 350 passengers.

All the seats, carpeting and
paneling has been removed.

And, my job as a pilot takes
place up here in the cockpit.

Now where it may
take just one person

to drive an automobile or a car,

in this plane we have,
it takes three people.

Pilot, co-pilot,
flight engineer.

We all have specific duties

that we perform to lead
a successful operation.

- [Narrator] Today,
the three-man crew

of this firefighting
wide body is conducting

a training exercise.

- Front brake?

- Set.

- [Narrator] Before
getting airborne,

they must make sure
every inch of the plane

is functioning properly.

- Ignition.

- Off.

V.I.E?

- 218.

- [Flight Engineer]
Engine and the ice.

- [Fred] Off.

The full check is now complete.

- [Narrator] Prior to
takeoff, the pilot punches

the coordinates of the
fire into the onboard GPS.

Much like the GPS units
available for most cars.

- Two, niner, 84, set.

- [Air Traffic Control] 82910
ready, roger, runway 17,

winds 1808, cleared
for take-off.

Cleared for take-off, runway 17.

[airplane engine whirring]

As we're lifting off the runway,

that's a bit more complicated

than pulling out of a driveway.

The control panel of a
jetliner makes the dashboard

of a car look like
a kindergarten toy.

- [Capt. Dennis] Zero, three,
and we'll roll out to the end.

[quick electronic beeps]

[loud airplane take-off]

- [Narrator] Take-off
requires thrust

and that's what this
throttle control

beside the seat is for.

Push forward and
each of the DC-10's

three engines thunders with
40,000 pounds of thrust,

more than enough to get
this plane airborne.

[loud airplane take-off]

- At level of 4400, ...

- [Narrator] Once in altitude,

the pilot controls the
plane largely with a yoke,

which resembles a steering
wheel with more movement.

Turn the yoke left or
right to move the ailerons

and the wings up and down,

making the jet bank to
one side of the other.

Pull the yoke back
or push it forward

and the elevator on
the jet's tail moves

up or down making the
jet climb or descend.

That covers the flight basics

but the water drop
requires more support.

That comes from the
pilot of a scout aircraft

near the fire zone,

who offers advice on the
best angle of attack.

Then it's all up to the DC pilot

to make a run as low as
200 feet above the flames

and drop the load of water
with pinpoint accuracy.

- We have three separate tanks.

So, what we're gonna
call out to the captain

is we have three
tanks set at 50%,

coverage level five

and these will all be five,

three green lights, three-drop
checklist is complete.

- [Fred] Just standby.

- [Narrator] Every move this
crew makes has to be perfect.

When they're over the target,

the press of one button relays

the drop sequence to
the storage tanks.

- Coming up to our
drop start point.

- [Fred] Hit that button,

that button is live now.

- Drop.
- Drop.

- [Narrator] The crew
can program the tanks

to drop their 12,000
gallons of water

and a drizzle
covering a wide area

or a downpour confined
to a specific zone.

But shedding 50 tons of
water in just eight seconds

can send the plane
swooping upward,

like cresting up the
hill of a rollercoaster.

And, it's up to the pilot
to instantly adjust.

- [Narrator] Months can
pass between wildfires,

but during peak fire season,

the crew might fly as many
as eight or nine missions

in a single day.

Weekly training
ones like this one,

keep them sharp until
that crucial time arrives.

- [Capt. Dennis] DC-10
and the firefighting role

has been the most satisfying
flying I've ever done.

Not only do we get
to enjoy the flying

of flying a larger aircraft
close to the ground

and flying it closer
to its limits,

but we also get to do
something that is helping.

While some may find battling
a blaze from the cockpit

of a DC-10 to be the
ultimate adrenaline rush,

for an airborne wild ride
with a little less heat

take to the skies in
the serene cockpit

of by helium filled airshow.

Behold the Eureka,

it flew is one of
a new generation

of German-made zeppelins
before the company

that operated it moved
on to other ventures.

With a semi-rigid frame,

it's 14-feet longer than a 747

and each of its 14 seats
including the pilot's

is first class.

- [Brian Hall] It's not a
blimp, it is an airship.

And the main difference is
that a blimp is a envelope

with no rigid structure inside

with the gondola suspended
from the envelope.

In our case, we have
a rigid air frame

made of aluminum
and carbon fiber.

- [Narrator] Unlike a blimp,

the engines are attached
to its semi-rigid frame

far above the cabin, not
to the cabinet itself.

- [Capt. Oliver] Look
at this incredible view.

You don't find that in
an airplane, for example.

Or a helicopter and
it's not so loud.

I mean we can even have
a nice conversation.

This airship combines

characteristics
from an airplane,

a helicopter and a
balloon, all in one.

- [Narrator] What
made flying the Eureka

unlike most aircraft is that

its three 200-horsepower
engines can rotate

up to 120 degrees
using joysticks.

The pilot can control precisely
how much each one pivots.

- [Capt. Oliver] We
can go into hover.

That means we can stand
still over a certain point

and be able to make like
a left, right movements,

or 360 for example.

That is similar to a helicopter

but the controls
are way different.

- [Narrator] And so
is the top speed.

The Eureka maxes out at
about 80 miles an hour,

and though the pilot
can take the ship

to an altitude of 10,000 feet,

he's likely to stay much
closer to the ground.

That's because like a child's
balloon on a windy day,

an airship is at the mercy
of air currents and thermals.

Pilots have to
adjust accordingly.

- [Katherine] You really
have to feel what the air

is doing to the ship

and it's not so much
physically demanding to fly

like the other blimps.

They have pedals and wheels

and it's really
physically demanding.

This is far more
mentally demanding.

You really have to fly by
the seat of your pants.

- [Narrator] But for the
few veterans Zeppelin pilots

around the world,

that's not the catch,

that's the fun.

If this wild ride
just seems too tame,

imagine a high-tech vehicle
so difficult to operate

that learning the
ropes takes even

the most experienced
drivers, two years.

That's the challenge for every
licensed helicopter pilot

who wants to grab the reins

of a US Army's AH
64 Apache Longbow.

[indistinct radio chatter]

This driver's seat
is in the backseat.

- The design was with a
tandem seat, the back-seater

his primary focus
is actually piloting

and flying the aircraft

while the front-seater
is conducting the majority

of the reconnaissance
and attack operations.

- [Narrator] With a pilot seated
behind the gunner,

the Apache is ready for action.

- [Traffic Control] Whenever
you're ready, you're clear.

- [Narrator] Designed
to protect ground troops

by launching
devastating assaults,

[loud bomb blasts]

this machine is a flying tank.

- [CW4 Chris] The primary
function of the Apache

is to a deal death and
destruction on the battlefield.

The Apache has
the distinct honor

of being the most
lethal attack helicopter

in the United States inventory.

- [Narrator] The Apache can soar

as fast as 167 miles per hour

and as high as 15,000 feet.

It can also execute
evasive maneuvers

impossible for most helicopters

including barrel
rolls and loops.

[loud helicopter throttling]

Any pilot who begins
training on the Apache

has already earned his
wings as a chopper pilot.

But for those whose
experience might be

limited to the freeways,

here's an idea of the basics.

The key instrument
in the cockpit

is the cyclic control stick.

It gives the pilot control
over the helicopters

four rotor blades which are
essentially rotating wings.

Moving the stick causes
the rotor blades to tilt,

which changes how much
lift they provide,

adjusting the tilt
equally for all the blades

lifts the helicopter
straight up and down.

Changing the tilt for
some of the blades

creates uneven lift
causing the helicopter

to climb, dive, or turn.

The Apache helicopter
has been a vital part

of army combat
missions ever since

they first entered
service in the 1980s.

The Apache is the army's
premier attack helicopter

capable of destroying
a multitude of targets

in both day and night.

And, it's not only the backbone

of the US Army helicopter fleet

but also 14 other
international defense forces,

including the United Kingdom,
Egypt, Greece and India.

But sitting in the driver's
seat of this helicopter

requires tough training
and nerves of steel.

Flying this chopper
is so sophisticated

and the enemy territory
traversed is so hostile,

the pilots referred to
it as riding the dragon.

[ominous music]

- [Capt. Hummel] In
the eyes of the enemy,

the Apache is a very
dangerous helicopter,

in the eyes of
friendly forces,

it's also a very, very
dangerous aircraft

to learn how to fly.

Typically, an aviator will
go through approximately

anywhere from a year
and a half to two years

of flight training from
start to finish

to become an Apache pilot.

- [Narrator] One of the
most difficult things

about flying the Apache is
having to constantly shift

focus from one eye to the other

because the helmet is
fitted with a monocle

that's fixed in front of
the pilot's right eye.

12 different instrument
readings from the cockpit

are projected onto
the monocles screen.

Other images can be
superimposed there

from those shot by the
helicopters cameras

to radar information.

While the pilots right eye is
interpreting all that data,

his left has to be
free to scan outside

the aircraft for threats.

All the while sensors
are detecting exactly

where his monocled
right eye is looking.

Just move the monocle across
hairs on a target below,

and the weapons he
selects will swivel

and aim precisely
where he's looking.

- I think the biggest thing

that everybody asks us about is,

if the gun really does
follow the line of sight

or where the pilot's looking at

and it absolute does.

- [Narrator] The
Apaches arsenal includes

the M230 automatic canon,
moded under the fuselage.

It can take out a target
more than two miles away.

- [Capt. Hummel] You
can shoot an excess

of 600 rounds a minute.

We don't generally do that

but I like to compare
it to each round

has almost the capability
of a single grenade.

- [Narrator] With the
touch of a button,

the pilot can also
deploy a variety

of smaller missiles and
free flight rockets,

usually mounted and fired
from underneath the wings.

But the most powerful weapon

at his disposal is the AGM-114,

aptly known as the
hellfire missile.

- [CW4 Chris] That's a
missile that'll penetrate

any known armor
on the battlefield

and this thing will
reach out and touch you

five miles plus,
pinpoint accuracy.

- [Narrator] For all
the onboard firepower,

one of the most reassuring
aspects of flying an Apache

is the blanket of security
that protects the crew.

The windshield is made
of reinforced glass

that can withstand every
type of small arms fire.

And the pilot seat is covered

in a heavy duty layer of Kevlar.

- [Capt. Hummel] This aircraft
withstood significant damage

in both Iraq and Afghanistan,

a lot of small arms
fire, RPG fire.

I think some of them features

that make this aircraft
as amazing as it is,

its capability to
stay in the fight

for long periods of time.

It's ability to take an
excessive amount of enemy fire

and still stay in
the fight and provide

that capability to guys
that desperately need it.

- [Narrator] It's
what makes the Apache

one of the militaries
most advanced

and most celebrated aircraft.

For a thrill ride
without the heights

and the two-year
training course,

[loud engine whirring]

let's try on the
wintry speed machine

owned by nearly 2 million
people in North America.

- [Patrick] The main lure
to riding snowmobiles,

jumping snowmobiles,
hill climbing snowmobiles

is the adrenaline rush.

I think that's what
drives most people,

Everyone sets up goals

and they want to jump higher,

climb higher, go faster

than they've ever
even dreamed possible.

- [Narrator] Racing
souped up models

up to 150 miles per hour

and riding big air
like these experts

isn't for the average
weekend snowmobiler

but it's a ton of fun.

Even without
pushing the envelope

and driving isn't
that complicated.

- Unlike your car,

snowmobiling is a
little bit different

where the controlling
of the vehicle

are done with your fingers
as opposed to your feet.

As you can see on my snowmobile,

I've got a thumb
lever for the gas,

and then I also have a
finger lever for your brake.

- [Narrator] Pressing
down the gas lever

engages the
snowmobiles belt track

which operates on
a friction system,

similar to the Bradley
fighting vehicle.

Once the belt track is engaged,

how extreme the ride
gets is up to the driver.

There are virtually no
limits in terms of climbing,

no limits in terms of handling

and as far as jumping
in these things,

I mean they've
got so much power.

The only thing limiting a
rider is their own nerve.

You can carve these snowmobiles
through deep powder,

just like it was water.

- [Narrator] And who needs snow?

With a little creativity
and the right parts,

the snowmobile can be modified
to drive virtually anywhere.

- [Patrick] There's truly
nowhere a snowmobile can't go.

You put a few wheels on
the skis, a flat track,

you can take it to the asphalt.

You can extend the track,

put a bigger lug on it,
take it to the mountains,

or you can take your seat off

and use your standard track
and walk across water.

So, with a few simple mods
that anybody can do at home,

a snowmobile can go anywhere.

[upbeat drum beats]

Say hello to one of the largest
mega machines on the planet,

the 8050 Dragline Crane.

The 8050 Dragline and
two others just like it,

do the heavy lifting
at this phosphate mine

in Aurora, North Carolina.

The machine weighs a whopping
eight million pounds,

thunders with 8,000 horsepower

and sports a boom as tall
as the Statue of Liberty.

- The amazing thing
about it is it's operated

by one man in that
little perch over there.

- [Narrator] Like the
driver's seat of a car,

the Dragline 8050 is
equipped with a windshield

that allows the
operator to watch out

for any potential dangers
with one big difference.

In a car, his attention
is usually directed ahead,

here, he needs to
broaden his focus.

- In a car, you're
looking forward to see

what the next driver
is going to do

and here, you don't have
to worry about that.

You're always looking down

and looking off to
your right or left

out of these two windows to see

if anyone has pulled and
ended up in your swing path.

Right here, this is like your
car steering wheel right here,

and your brake pedal down here.

- [Narrator] The foot pedal
swing the enormous boom

from side to side,

levers on the left control
the boom's vertical movement

and a panel on the right
manipulates the giant bucket.

Every scoop was 52 cubic
yards of dirt and rocks

enough to fill a two car garage.

- [Steve] In order to be
competitive in this business,

you have to move
a lot of materials

and so, the key to it
is the amount of ore

that these big guys can
pull out of the ground.

- [Narrator] Every scoop
contains phosphate,

a substance vital to the
production of everything

from toothpaste to soft
drinks to flat-screen TVs.

Mining it all is
a costly endeavor

and a huge chunk of that expense

is the electricity that powers

each of the mines
three Draglines.

- [Steve] It's all electric.

So, our electric
bill here at Aurora

is around $3 million a month

and this machine consumes
a large part of that.

- [Narrator] Who knew
consuming electricity

could be so much fun.

- Oh yeah, it's
fun to get on them.

I mean it's like
being on a battleship

when you're in the back

and you can't see out,
it's rotating around.

So yeah, they are
definitely amazing

pieces of equipment.

- [Narrator] This wild ride
may be a bucket full of fun.

[loud engine whirring]

But out on the farm, this
machine is the pick of the crop.

It's the 32 ton custom
built 440 horsepower,

Carrot Harvester.
Designed and used

by Bolthouse Farms in
Bakersfield, California.

[loud engine revving]

This mega machine is
the only one of its kind

and driving it might
seem highly complicated

but the truth is the
Bolthouse harvester

virtually drives itself.

- We just turned on
the machine pretty good

and we turn on your
GPS and your screen.

Make sure everything's
okay and we're ready to go.

- Like most high-tech
harvesters today,

these giant carrot
plucker has a specialized

GPS navigation
system that keeps it

almost flawlessly
aligned with every row.

So, the driver can
just sit back and enjoy

the three mile per hour ride.

- Your steering here
is steering free.

You don't got your
steering no more.

- [Narrator] If he does
have to make an adjustment,

it's always tiny

and only takes it his one
finger on this touch screen.

Unlike driving a car,

the trick is to not
keep eyes on the road,

but on the instruments.

- Well, in a car, you gotta see

'cause you're looking straight,

on these machines
you gotta look down

because you got to keep
it pretty much straight

to see where you're at.

So, see like right
now, right here,

I'm moving just about
half an inch to my left,

so I gotta go a half an
inch to the right

so I could get lined up,

so I could pick
up all the carrots

from the front end pretty good.

- [Narrator] Another
big difference between

a car and the
Bolthouse harvester

is when it reaches
the end of the field

and the driver needs to stop.

Don't look for the brake pedal,

there isn't one.

That's because the
harvester is equipped

with a hydrostatic transmission.

That means pressure
from hydraulic fluid

is used to turn the
drive motors.

To brake, the driver just
eases off the throttle

and the flow of fluid
to the drive motors

is reduced or stopped.

- So, similar to a forklift,

what we're able to do
is by throttling it up

and back and slowly
putting it into reverse,

we actually use it
as negative pressure,

which creates us
to be able to stop it.

[engine whirring]

[upbeat drum beats]

- [Narrator] When it's rolling,

the driver gets a little
help from an operator riding

on the rear of the harvester.

It's his job to make sure
the conveyor system plucking

the carrots is
operating as designed.

At the time the
work day is done,

they've picked 500,000
pounds of carrots.

Enough to build 2.7
million three-ounce bags

for kids' lunch boxes.

[upbeat rock music]

Some of the fastest and
most dangerous rides around

are experienced from
the driver's seats

of two utterly
different vehicles,

speed boats and airplanes.

Combining the best
elements of each

results in one of the
wildest rides of all.

Welcome to the driver's
seat of a hydroplane.

- These boats are
called hydroplanes

so hydro for the water
and plane for the air.

- [Narrator] Here at Mission
Bay in San Diego, California,

professional hydroplane
drivers are dueling

for top honors at the world
series of power boat racing.

But first the driver
has to squeeze

into a cockpit so small,

the steering wheel has to
come out before he can go in.

- So as you can
see in the cockpit,

it seats one, barely.

- [Narrator] The cramped
conditions are similar

to the ones found behind
the wheel of a Formula One

or Indy style race car.

And, just like race car drivers,

behind the wheel
of a hydroplane,

standard attire is a
flame resistant suit.

- We have to have
a fireproof suit

just in case it catches on fire.

We also have to have the shoes

and the socks and
the whole deal.

Next is a helmet,
certified helmet.

You gotta have it crash lit.

And in my case, I came
across these visors

from the military that
I've mounted onto my helmet

in case there's glare.

I got a good visor.

- [Narrator]
Underneath the helmet,

he's wearing form
fitted ear pieces

that protect his ears
from engine noise

and keep him in constant
contact with his team.

- It's also works real
good to keep the water

out of your ears if
you're upside down.

Unfortunately, sometimes
that'll happen.

- [Narrator] Anyone in the
driver's seat of a hydroplane

also wears a specialized neck
brace called a Hans device

which keeps the
head and neck secure

during even the
most brutal crashes.

- Sometimes we're in so tight,

it's hard to breathe at first

but you get used to it.

And then, last but not least
very critical is our air mask.

And it's like an
F16 fighter mask.

Got my communication in here.

It seals really
tight to my face.

In case, we are upside down,

the cockpits will
fill up with water.

[melodic electronic music]

- [Narrator] The only
thing hydroplane drivers

need more than
safety is stamina.

- [J.W.] Just physically
exhausting to be able

to turn the steering wheel,

run the canard wings

and just physically hold on

and keep your head up
and keep your focus

is unbelievably exhausting.

[loud hydroplane skimming]

It's not a paved
track like you'd find

typical in auto racing.

It's very bumpy and
you're going through

a turn at anywhere between
three to 4 1/2 g's.

It becomes extremely violent.

- [Narrator] Traveling
at a max speed

of 200 plus miles per hour,

a hydroplane is the
fastest thing on water.

Though as the driver of
one of these crafts knows

very little of the vehicle
actually touches the water.

In fact, a hydroplane
is designed to keep

as little of the boat in contact

with the surface as possible.

Essentially it flies
over the water.

Here's how it works.

The bottom of the craft is flat,

but the deck is a smooth curve,

shaped like the edge
of an airplane wing.

The design forces oncoming
air to travel slower

over the top of the craft
than the bottom creating lift.

Ideally only the propeller
remains in the water

to provide propulsion.

- [J.W.] A hydroplane relies
on air pressure to run.

So it's got a
tunnel in the middle

and the sponsons on the outside

and the air rushing
through there,

it actually suspends the
boat above the water.

- [Mark] And due
to the fact that

we got a lot of aerodynamics,

we have a front wing now that
we run with our left foot

and I could actually
bring this thing down

and create lift and get the
nose of the boat to come up,

which is pretty dangerous
especially when it's windy.

And then, if we
get going too fast,

I can just bring it back down.

So, we literally
just fly the boat.

- [Narrator] But the
craft's aerodynamic shape

and its front wing aren't
the only design features

that make the experience
behind the wheel

less about boating,

and more about flying.

The most commonly used
engine in hydroplanes

is a 3000-horsepower turbine.

The same one used on the army's
hulking Chinook helicopters.

As this driver
races atop of water

at more than 200 miles per hour,

he's riding a fine
edge between control.

- [Announcer] Jeff
Bernard crashes out

at the end of block one.

- [Narrator] And catastrophe.

Generate too much lift and
the results could be fatal.

In one terrifying incident at
a race on the Detroit River,

a malfunction sent
J.W. careening

toward a seawall
crowded with spectators

at 70 miles per hour.

The wreck could have
been life-threatening,

but thanks to the arsenal
of safety equipment inside

the driver's seat,

J.W. only suffered
a broken foot.

- I'm extremely lucky.

The cockpits that we have
now are unbelievably safe.

And, nobody, when they
engineered these cockpits,

never, ever would have
thought of a scenario

going straight into a wall.

Yeah, I got a broken
foot but that, big deal.

- On the glassy water,

over rough terrain and
through smokey skies,

some of the most action
packed moments in life

happen in a wild ride.

All it takes is an
expertly designed vehicle,

a mastery of the controls

and the will to push the limits.

Add it all together

and you've got the
recipe for a wild ride.