The Boeing 777-200ER, introduced by JAL in 2002, is a high-performance large aircraft that has been used for a wide range of international flights, from long-distance to short-distance. It has supported many air journeys as a stable aircraft. After 20 years in operation, it has been replaced by its successor, the Boeing 787, and many of the aircraft will be retired.
An unprecedented flight tour born from a pilot's idea
"The GE engines are extremely powerful," says Aida Yugo. "The cockpit's solid feel and ease of use are excellent," says Yamashita Junpei. The two men who spoke so highly of the merits of their "beloved aircraft" are 777 co-pilots and members of the tour's planning team. Fellow members Nagase Tomoki and Nagano Seiya are in charge of scheduler duties for the 777 flight crew.
Nagano: "I'm in charge of selling aircraft in my current department. Actually, many customers come to the airport to see off the retired ferry flights, and I was thinking about how to make them happy. When I was talking with my boss together with Nagase, we came up with the idea of taking customers on a ferry flight. That was in May of last year. However, we didn't have any knowledge of tour planning. So we started by consulting with various departments in the company. We reached out to procurement, sales, and maintenance, and they said, 'It's interesting, but there are hurdles.' From there, we started trial and error."
Usually, there are no passengers on the ferry flights. Most retired aircraft head to Victorville Airport near Los Angeles. This is a desert stockyard that is often called the "graveyard of airplanes." A large area is filled with rows of airplanes. Most of these are not disposed of, but are sold and refurbished for new use, or are stocked for parts, which is the "remaining life" of retired aircraft.
Aida: "The issues were whether customers would be able to fly the aircraft we were selling, and whether the buyer would be willing to accept it. Also, normally, a prerequisite for delivery is that all maintenance must be completed. We were also worried about how to carry out that maintenance, and the fact that there are almost no international charter flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic."
Negotiations continue to take place to organise an unprecedented tour
The team began to make adjustments. We ran around the company to create an overseas tour. In addition to negotiating with the buyer, the most time-consuming part was setting up the reception system in the local area.
Aida: "Victorville Airport would have been the best destination for the flight, but it's a regional airport in the US, and not an international airport that can accommodate tourists. So we decided to fly to Los Angeles Airport and organize a bus tour to Victorville and Mojave Airport, which also has an aircraft stockyard. Even though they weren't direct flights, these airports don't even have passenger terminals. Suddenly, a lot of people from Asia would be visiting a regional airport in the US, so the hurdles were high. We had to convince them somehow."
Nagano: "First, I went to Victorville, and then we exchanged emails. However, communication was difficult, and because of the time difference, I had to come to the office at 4am every morning and make dozens of phone calls. In the end, I persuaded the CEO and vice president of the local MRO company through a Zoom conference."
In the aviation industry, MRO is a company that handles everything from maintenance and overhauls of retired aircraft to storage and dismantling. Not only the buyer, but also the company that temporarily keeps the aircraft requires permission. However, our team's enthusiasm was conveyed, and the CEO of the MRO company with whom we were negotiating rode with us on the charter bus on the day of the tour to welcome our guests.
Nagano: "I went to the airport twice to negotiate this time. I had to get approval not only from the airport authorities but also from the private company. The decision to enter the airport was made two weeks before the tour, and it was only decided 24 hours before that we could take photos of the aircraft. The planes at Victorville Airport are not owned by JAL, so we need the owner's permission for even the smallest details."
Yamashita: "Also, at the suggestion of the mechanic, we decided to have messages written on the engine cowling (the exterior of the engine). This also required checking every part. We only decided to do it in the early afternoon on the day of departure."
A rare flight technique demonstrated for this day
Additionally, this time we have set up a special route for the tour rather than the typical direct flight route.
AIDA: "We made two low approaches over Victorville, then steered towards our destination, Los Angeles, in what was essentially a triangular flight. Because it was a special route, we negotiated with the US air traffic control authorities to see if it could be made happen. We received permission, but the local air traffic control authorities were puzzled by the special route that took us away from Los Angeles, and they asked us questions about the route, which led to us having to explain the situation again."
The pilots also demonstrated various techniques during this flight, including a low approach, flying just 60 meters above the ground over the "airplane graveyard" near Victorville Airport.
Yamashita: "This is within the range of normal operations, but it is usually only performed during training. We don't usually carry passengers on board, so although it is theoretically safe, we also needed to verify whether there were really any concerns. If there was even the slightest bit of danger, we would not be able to give permission. It was also important to consider how far we could go while still considering safety."
Yamashita: "We also used a technique called standing takeoff. Before takeoff, we increased the engine power significantly while keeping the brakes on. The whole plane shook violently, and when we released the brakes it accelerated all at once. It was like a rocket start. We called out '3, 2, 1, take off!' over the in-flight announcement (laughs)."
A tour with a special touch. We welcome your ideas.
In addition, a ceremony called "rocking wing" was also held, in which the plane rocks from side to side during the ascent. This is a sign for the plane to say goodbye to the customers and staff on the ground during the ferry flight. The cabin tilts sharply about 15 degrees to the left and right.
On the day of the tour, guests who had completed immigration procedures gathered in front of the departure gate early.
After a talk show by a mechanic, we headed to the spot in front of the maintenance center, where the ferry flight 213 was to be launched, in a limousine bus marked "777." Around the aircraft, we had plenty of time to interact with it, and there was even a message written on the engine cowling.
Nagase: "I was happy to be able to realize the idea that I had. This project started from the idea of making the fans who came to see us off happy, so when everyone was filming, they said, 'I was so touched because I have so much feeling for this,' and that made a big impression on me."
So recalls Tomonori Nagase, one of the creators of this tour and a member of the 777 Operations Group. The aircraft carrying the passengers takes off with a rocket start, performs a rocking wing maneuver, makes a detour over Victorville, circles around and flies on a low approach before landing in Los Angeles.
Yamashita: "In the evening we had a dinner event and participated. Everyone had a great time and it became a very fond memory for us. Pilots don't usually have many opportunities to interact directly with customers. In that situation, we felt a sense of accomplishment, as if we had become one team, transcending the boundaries between staff and customers. We were even greeted and given presents, so it was a truly valuable and thankful experience."
Aida: "Next time, I'd like to surprise even more than this time. That being said, I was able to achieve almost everything I wanted this time. I'd like to gather more ideas and create more opportunities to delight our customers."
"I'd love to try a flight like this!" If you have any ideas, please let us know. We're sure we can provide you with a unique way to enjoy flying, in a different way than this time.
We'll take you behind the scenes of JAL's work, including inside stories on the introduction of the A350 and the development of in-flight meal menus.
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
