Just Planes/World Air Routes – Ethiopian Cargo B777F/MD-11F

Ethiopian Airlines

Highlights

Review by Marlon Carter. Ethiopian Airlines is a well-known world class airline that is quickly becoming Africa’s airline of choice. Apart from their passenger service, Ethiopian Airlines also has a cargo division that utilizes the B777-200F, B757F and MD-11F.

In this program we will be taking a closer look at the operations of Ethiopian Cargo as we fly onboard the 777 and MD-11 to destinations such as Johannesburg, Liege, Accra, Lagos, Khartoum, Hong Kong and Chennai!

The beginning of our journey takes us on a round trip from Addis to Johannesburg. After the aircraft was loaded, we depart for our 4 hour flight which was filled with highlights such as departure, enroute and approach briefings by members of the flight crew.

After the smooth landing in Johannesburg and a quick crew change, our new Captain takes the viewers on a very extensive walk around presentation of the B777 which I am sure viewers will find enlightening. During the walk around, the immense size of the B777 becomes very evident and it gave the perfect opportunity for viewers to examine every square inch of this brand new aircraft.

After departing for Addis, the captain gives a brief presentation on the EFB and shares his comments on how the B777 compares to older aircraft. This flight also featured an exciting moment where the crew had to deviate from their flight path to avoid some very bad weather enroute. In addition to the deviation from weather, there were many opportunities to admire the stunning view from the cockpit both in flight and during the night time landing at Addis.

The following day, we depart from Liege on a rainy morning to Accra, Lagos and then onward to Addis. These series of flights featured many highlights worth mentioning. I was particularly impressed with the fact that Ethiopian Cargo’s flight crews consist not only of the Captain and First Officer, but it also includes a Flight Attendant!

During our first leg from Liege to Accra the Flight Attendant does a presentation on the meals that are served to the crew which maintains the same high standards seen on passenger service flights. Also featured in this presentation is a tour of the crew rest area that is slightly different to rest area found on the passenger B777.

Another highlight from these flights were the cockpit presentations given by the Captain while enroute from Lagos to Addis. The presentations were not extremely in-depth but they provided a good overview of the cockpit in a manner than anyone can easily follow.

After landing in Addis, we take a short break from the African skies to take a tour of the Flower Farms. This presentation was very informative and it will give you a firsthand look at the hard work that goes into preparing flowers for export. Ethiopian Cargo is an essential service in the trading of flowers from Ethiopia to various parts of the world and I think this presentation was a fitting addition to this program.

As we continue with the program, we join the MD-11 flight crew as they fly valuable cargo to intriguing destinations such as Cairo, Liege, Sudan, Hong Kong and Chennai. During these flights there were many segments that focused on aircraft loading, departure briefings, arrival briefings and a host of camera angles from the flight deck.

If I had to choose 2 or 3 of my favorite highlights, it would have to be the cockpit presentations, aircraft walk around in Hong Kong and the stunning views from the cockpit as we land into the sunset in Cairo.

The MD-11 is a very modern aircraft and it has truly proven itself as a go-to option for cargo operations. If you are a fan of the MD-11, you will definitely enjoy this program as much as Boeing fans who are eager to see the operations of the B777F.

If neither of these aircraft are at the top of your list of favorites, I am sure that you will be impressed with the overall quality of this program with its scenic views, numerous camera angles and the informative presentations from the flight crew of Africa’s most progressive airline. – Recommended!

Additional Information

Summary / Closing Remarks

I am always impressed with the new formats of Just Planes DVDs and this one is no exception. This DVD also comes in Blu-Ray format and at a price of $30.00 it is well worth it. Ethiopian Airlines seems to be a rising star among airlines and I am certain we will see and hear many good things about this airline in the future. The presentation was superb and very entertaining.

What I Like About Ethiopian Cargo

·         Great scenery

·         Creative editing and camera views

·         Features very unique destinations and aircraft

·         HD and widescreen format

·         Fantastic Airline and Flight Crew.