Man shadows Boeing 747-400BCF cargo pilot for an entire night to show what the entire operation is like
Published on May 24, 2026 at 9:53 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on May 24, 2026 at 9:53 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
This YouTuber had the chance to take a look behind the scenes of a Boeing 747-400BCF cargo flight from Dubai to Hong Kong, and there are so many things we weren’t expecting.
The choice of aircraft is probably the first one.
The 747 is gradually being retired as a passenger plane, but so many companies still use it for cargo.
But it’s the plane layout that will probably leave you surprised.
This plane is an icon
Aviation YouTuber Sam Chui was given the opportunity to accompany a flight crew for a night cargo flight from Dubai DWC to Hong Kong aboard a Boeing 747-400BCF, which actually stands for Boeing Converted Freighter.
The plane is still powered by Rolls-Royce engines, which is unusual as most 747s still in service use Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines or the General Electric CF6.
Another interesting feature of the plane is three-deck setup.
Or two and a half, perhaps.
On a 747 freighter, cargo is loaded onto the giant main deck and the lower belly, while a skeleton crew sits exclusively on the upper deck, which is in the 747’s iconic hump.
In general, these planes accommodate pilot and co-pilot, sometimes a couple of flight engineers, and that’s about it.
And, well, on this occasion, Sam himself.
The Boeing 747 setup is wild
This plane was originally delivered to South African Airways in 1991, before being sold to Cathay Pacific in 2006.
This aircraft was used as an airliner until 2019, at which point it was stripped of its livery, most of its seats, and repurposed as a cargo plane.
This leads us to the unique interior layout.
You have four seats in total – just four – and empty aisles, and two beds.
The two flight engineers and loadmaster practically live on board, apparently.
There are camping-style flatbeds, coffee machines and snacks.
It looks like a camping site, not an aircraft.
Then again, cargo planes aren’t designed to be glamorous: they’re just designed to efficiently transport goods from A to B.
After beginning his automotive writing career at DriveTribe, Alessandro has been with Supercar Blondie since the launch of the website in 2022. In fact, he penned the very first article published on supercarblondie.com. He’s covered subjects from cars to aircraft, watches, and luxury yachts - and even crypto. He can largely be found heading up the site’s new-supercar and SBX coverage and being the first to bring our readers the news that they’re hungry for.
