Mighty Planes

This is your first-class ticket to board the world's most magnificent flying machines. Explore amazing aircraft from a state-of-the-art hospital in the sky; to a giant transporter outfitted with skis, to a revamped World War II flying boat that now douses fires. Meet the men and women around the world who build, maintain, shepherd, and fly these mighty planes on momentous missions. Each episode is its own engrossing drama about people and machines coming together to do the impossible.

The Hercules Skibird is the go-to aircraft for tough jobs in frozen places, and it's just 48 hours away from one of its most challenging missions yet. Follow this mighty plane and its dedicated crew to the top of the world as they prepare to evacuate climate scientists from Greenland's icy terrain. This mission will push the team and their powerful cargo plane to the limit as they attempt to fly, land, and take off in a country that holds the record for the worst flying conditions on the planet.

The Antonov 124, one of the biggest cargo planes in the world, is on its way to earthquake-ravaged Chile to deliver a massive wind turbine. But before this mighty plane can come to the country's aid, it must first prove it can handle the assignment. Witness the obstacles the Antonov and its crew must overcome to complete this two-day, 7,500-mile mission, including extreme weather and an exhaustive inspection that could reveal flaws too costly to repair. For this massive plane, a pit stop could mean the end of the road and an incomplete mission.

This McDonnell Douglas DC-10 has been reborn as a first-rate hospital in the sky. The ORBIS brings its state-of-the-art operating room, laser treatment facility, and high-tech classrooms to developing countries all over the world..that is, when it can reach them. Follow this hospital with wings as it attempts to reach Mongolia, a mission plagued by a series of setbacks that threaten to derail the trip entirely.

When firefighters are powerless to extinguish wildfires on the ground, Martin Mars is the go-to aircraft to battle blazes from above. This water bomber has 8,000 missions under its belt, but this next assignment may be the toughest one yet. Take to the skies and witness an aerial assault against one of the worst fire seasons in Mexico's history. Over 16 days, this mighty plane will scoop and dump more than half a million tons of water on the flames, but mechanical breakdowns, severe weather, and exhaustion threaten to end the mission first.

A revolution in aircraft design, the Airbus A380 is the word's largest passenger airliner. With room for more than 500 passengers, a tail as high as an eight-story building, and a wingspan nearly the length of a football field, this massive commercial airliner is a game changer. But it's also a big gamble for Lufthansa. Take flight on this mighty plane's maiden journey from Frankfurt, Germany to San Francisco, California as they try to win over customers and maximize profits. If the flight is successful, this Airbus may force other airlines to go big or go home.