747 sitting in boneyard with no engines tries to take off one last time
- A Boeing 747 was caught in extreme winds as it sat in a boneyard
- And – despite having no engines – it appears to try to take off one last time
- The amazing footage video was captured in 2012 when the area experienced usually high winds
Published on Mar 27, 2024 at 5:44 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Mar 27, 2024 at 9:58 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
This amazing video of a Boeing 747 caught in extreme winds as it sits in a boneyard appears to show it trying to take off one last time.
From its spot in the aircraft cemetery in Mojave, California, US, the plane was seemingly waiting to be dismantled and recycled after it was grounded once and for all.
The video was captured in 2012 when the area experienced usually high winds of over 70 miles per hour and gusts of up to 100mph in a low-pressure zone.
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Of course, without engines, the Boeing 747 wasn’t actually going anywhere.
But the amazing video by Massee Media amassed almost 5 million views on YouTube over 12 years.
With its landing flaps deployed and lack of engines, cockpit avionics, and other interior elements making the tail heavy, it appears to try to take to the skies one last time.
Surrounding planes were intact and didn’t have their landing flaps deployed, meaning they stood steady amidst the chaos.
When the winds had died down the following day, it was discovered that the plane had rotated a full 45 degrees from its original position.
It isn’t the first time we’ve seen an aircraft affected by extreme weather, with a plane on a German runway seemingly frozen to the spot as it tried to take off.
Back to Mojave and its unique geography means wind storms can whip up.
Aside from the affected aircraft, the same storm caused damage to rooftops, cut power, and sent clouds of sand and dust billowing into the sky.
However, sometimes extreme geography can bring out the best in pilots.
People were shocked after watching this video of a plane landing on the world’s shortest runway overlooking a cliff.
Similarly harsh weather conditions – like deep snow – often mean pilots have to up their game.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
