335 Cows to Fukuoka, Japan - 08/09 April 2008
Normally we don't carry passengers but today we have some immigrating VIP's on board....or would that be VIB's (Very Important Bovine)?
A 747 with 335 passengers is a full plane. If those 335 passengers are cows we are not only full but we are very heavy!! We were 869,000 lbs (just shy of max) with a payload of 238,418 lbs (of which is just the cows) and 274,696 lbs of fuel when we took off in the pouring rain from Sydney, Australia last night just before 11pm and flew 9.5 hours to Fukuoka, Japan.
A special Thank You to fellow crewmember David Saulque for contributing the photos from today's flight.
With her passport stapled to her ear, this cow is migrating to
Japan.
This isn't Steerage or Cattle Car....this is First Class. Steerage is in the belly!!
Happy Cows!!
These cows are in the nose of the main deck, with the nose of the airplane open for ventilation.
Funny: At top-of-descent, one of the accompanying cowboys (from Japan) went downstairs to make sure they were all standing up for landing. If laying down for landing the adjacent cow (standing) could trample the one laying down when they get startled with my landing (which undoubtedly did, haha).
From the center (over the wing) looking forward (nose open and ladder to upperdeck visible)
Each Pallet when off loaded is emptied directly into the trucks that will take our passengers to their new homes. And NO, these aren't Kobe's headed for restaurants, these are Happy Cows from Australia headed for the Dairy Farm.
After a quick-turn in Japan we were quickly off to Hong Kong with an empty plane for whatever the company has in store for us next.
Today's Team. From left to right, Peter Rein (Equine Flight Logistics), Benny Abramovici, Philip Piraino, David Saulque. (not pictured: the two Japanese Cowboys)
Benny, Philip, & Dave