Sam Chui

Flying the Mighty Boeing 747-400BCF - One Night as a Cargo Pilot

Flying the mighty Boeing 747-400BCF — the Queen of the Skies in her cargo role. In this video, I follow the 747 crew for one full night operation, experiencing the fascinating life of 747 cargo pilots. We met up at Dubai World Central (DWC) – Al Maktoum International Airport around two hours before departure, passing through a special crew channel before heading airside. The captain began the flight with a detailed pre-flight walkaround, an essential part of operating an aircraft of this size and complexity. When we reached the aircraft, the inbound cargo was still being offloaded, causing a short delay as ground crews worked nonstop around the jet. Meanwhile, the pilots briefed me on tonight’s mission — a 6-hour 33-minute flight from Dubai to Hong Kong, helped by favorable tailwinds. Inside the cockpit, the crew reviewed weight and balance calculations, signed off on the technical logbook, completed security checklists, and reviewed all required documents before departure. Dubai was exceptionally busy that night, with heavy inbound traffic. After takeoff, ATC instructed us to sequence behind arrivals before resuming our own route. Near Muscat, Oman, we briefly encountered GPS interference, and the captain explained how the 747 can safely navigate using its Internal Reference System (IRS) in the event of GPS spoofing or jamming. We continued eastward under a bright moon over the Arabian Sea. After hours of flying through the darkness, the sun rose again near Yangon, Myanmar, just before entering Chinese airspace. As we approached Hong Kong, the crew began their arrival preparation — landing briefing, ATIS checks, approach profile, and airport chart reviews. We touched down safely at Hong Kong International Airport on Runway 07R, taxiing to the cargo apron to complete another successful 747 mission. This flight was deeply inspiring, offering a rare look into the professionalism, discipline, and passion behind long-haul cargo operations. One day, I hope to follow this very same path. Enjoy this behind-the-scenes journey aboard one of aviation’s true legend.