Mr. Miyoshi commented that he proceeded with coordination with the maintenance department and Narita Airport with the desire to “just have fun for the customers. Since the first day of the tour consisted of a classroom lecture and the second day was a flight, he said he hoped that “what they learned on the first day and actually saw in detail” would be experienced and enjoyed on the actual flight.
Regarding the content, he stated that he narrowed down the target audience based on the assumption that “light fans are not among the 767 (people who like the 767). Since there were many applications for participation despite the schedule spanning weekdays, he was enthusiastic that the content, including classroom lectures, would be “tailored to the level of those who like the 767, since so many people who like the 767 have already gathered,” and that the flights would “embody the knowledge of performance and other aspects that we had gained the day before.
Mr. Suzuki said, “JAL’s 767 entered service on November 1, 1985. Today is the 40th anniversary of this milestone. Looking back over the past 40 years, I think that our flight operation and maintenance staff and employees have accumulated layers of safety, layer by layer, to reach the 40-year period.” He also commented that he planned this tour because “the 767 has been able to fly for 40 years only because of our customers.
This tour was planned to “convey in depth the charms of the Boeing 767, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in service on November 1, to everyone who loves airplanes. On the second day, visitors can actually experience the performance and characteristics of a 767 on a charter flight.
JAL received its first 767-200 aircraft in 1985, and on November 1 of the same year, the first flight was operated on the Haneda-Fukuoka route. The aircraft has since been retired, and JAL now owns 27 767-300ERs (including 3 cargo planes as of March 31, 2025), which have been upgraded with an extended fuselage, higher-powered engines, and increased fuel capacity. The airline operates domestic flights and relatively short-distance international flights.
The Boeing 767 is a twin-engine aircraft whose development began in the 1970s. It was also the pioneer of the so-called “glass cockpit” model, which employed monitors in the cockpit instruments. It is a wide-body aircraft with two aisles in the cabin, and its economy class seating arrangement is based on 2-3-2, making it a popular model because many passengers can sit on the window or aisle side.
Charter Flights for Airplane Fans
The tour lasted two days, with 145 participants in 109 groups on the first day. On the second day, participants gathered at the domestic flight counter at Narita International Airport, where they were greeted by passenger staff wearing the 3rd generation uniforms (from January 1974 to December 1987) and a special image prepared for this occasion. The total number of participants for the day was 148.
At the boarding gate, a mock briefing was held with Mr. Suzuki, who also conceived the idea, co-pilot Yuki Sugimoto, and Ms. Ayano Kyogoku of the Domestic Flight Operation Management Office, Operation Control Department, participating remotely. The content of the briefing was based on this charter flight, and included a detailed discussion of the flight route and onboard fuel, as well as the difference in fuel consumption at different flight altitudes based on weather and wind conditions, and the selection of a route to reduce turbulence, just as in the actual flight. This was a glimpse behind the scenes of the pre-flight process that is not usually seen.
The aircraft assigned for the day’s flight was JA617J, an aircraft with international specifications. The flight number was JL4907, departing Narita at 11:00 a.m. and arriving at 2:00 p.m. Boarding began a little after 10:30 a.m., and the aircraft entered the cabin. Before departure, the announcement introduced the flight crew: “The captain is Ryutaro Sawada, who has 14 years of experience on the 767, and the co-pilot is Motoki Amma, who has two years of experience on the 767.
And this is where the essence of the charter flight begins. Mr. Suzuki introduced the cockpit before departure as needed. We have received approval from ATC to depart from Runway 34 Left with AKAGI 4 Departure,” he said. Please enjoy the aileron popping up when the hydro is turned on,” he said, introducing the pre-departure checks. When the anti-collision light is on, the pilot is looking out, so we would appreciate it if you could wave to us” at that time, he added a tidbit of knowledge.
After pushback, ATC approves engine start at 11:01. In response, he said, “We will start with the right engine. We will turn the APU bleed air that you saw yesterday to the starter of the right engine. You can see that the starter is turning with a low sound as compressed air is sent to the starter. The N1 turbine in the low-pressure section has also begun to rotate. We will fuel in after this.” “Right engine start normal.” ……
On a normal flight, the cabin would be buzzing with activity, but there is not a single sound around the cabin, and the only sound is the engine starting. The pilot explained his every move before takeoff, so it must have been an irresistible moment for airplane enthusiasts. After that, the pilot continued to check the flaps and ailerons while explaining the process, and then we moved on to runway 34 left. Here, too, the crew demonstrates how to control lateral movement using the “tiller” (a kind of steering wheel that moves the nose tire) and how to operate the brakes more aggressively, which is something you cannot normally experience.
And takeoff. Today’s takeoff weight is 275,000 pounds. The thrust rating is 3, so we’re going to do what’s called a “boom-boom” takeoff, which is the highest of the three levels, and we’re going to do it at 270,000 pounds instead of 400,000 pounds, so we have 130,000 pounds to spare, so the climb rate is very high. We will stop at the runway and raise the RPM to 70% N1 before taking off. We will stop at the runway and raise the RPM to 70% N1 for takeoff. Please pay attention to the sound of the engines outside. ……
As the engine noise increased, the brakes were released and the plane accelerated. I have flown 767s to a certain extent, but this was the first time I had ever felt such acceleration. The status of the plane was announced one after another: “80 knots,” “V1,” “rotate,” “V2,” and as we left the runway, the plane climbed at a ridiculous angle. Takeoff was at 11:23. We left Narita Airport with wings swinging left and right. Although it had only been 20 minutes since we left our spot, we had spent an intense time here. Frankly speaking, this alone would make many people think, “I got my money’s worth! I think many people would be able to say, “I got my money’s worth! It’s hard to describe just how amazing it was, so if you can check out the flight path tracking app, please check it out.
After moving to level flight, a talk show by the flight crew, a box lunch specially prepared for the occasion, and a 20-question quiz competition created by the mechanics and flight crew were held. The charter plane, meanwhile, headed for Niigata, then via Kanazawa and Matsumoto, drew a “767” over Kiso, and flew to Narita via Hamamatsu and Mikurashima. Before the start of the descent, Mr. Suzuki made the following remarks: “On behalf of the flight crew, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the warm hospitality of our customers and for the opportunity to fly with them today on this 40th anniversary flight. The flight landed at Narita Airport at 13:44 after a three-hour flight.
We thought we were going back to the spot in the terminal building, but the engine stopped at the spot in front of the hangar. The engine stopped at the spot in front of the hangar and the towing car took us to the hangar where we disembarked, an unprecedented surprise.
Many JAL staff members welcomed the participants at the hangar, where a ceremony was held on the spot. Following the speeches by Mr. Masaki Minami, General Manager of Flight Operations, Mr. Kazuo Hara, General Manager of 767 Flight Crew, and Mr. Takashi Hamamoto, General Manager of Maintenance, the event ended with a dialogue between the charter flight crew, explanation and ranking of the in-flight quiz, and commemorative photo session.
The second day’s charter flight alone was certainly a maniacal tour, as Mr. Suzuki, the organizer of the tour, had narrowed down his target audience. Although the article omits much after the level flight, there was a lot of commentary before landing, and the participants must have been more satisfied than with the three-hour flight time. I hope that similar tours will be offered for other aircraft types.
© Source travel watch