A video posted on 25/6 shows a Boeing 777F, painted in Qatar Airways Cargo livery, performing a low pass at the Private Jet Center in Horseshoe Bay, Texas, US. According to US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the aircraft, registration N-705DN, is owned by Texas-based aircraft leasing company Jetran.

As it approached the end of the runway, the Boeing 777F banked right and began a turning maneuver, with its wingtip at one point just meters from the ground.

A Boeing 777F performs an extremely low-altitude maneuver in a video released on 25/6. Video: X/Eric Breno

During low passes, pilots fly aircraft at very low altitudes, along the length of a runway or taxiway at heights of about 15-300 m, then increase speed and altitude without landing.

Steve Jones, a former US Navy helicopter pilot with 850 accumulated flight hours on the Boeing 777, described the scene as "shocking." Jones estimated the Boeing 777F was flying 15 m above the ground at a speed of about 380-400 km/h. "Those in the cockpit cannot fully see the main wing. The pilot was likely very skilled or very lucky, as the aircraft was at an extremely low altitude and the wingtip was sweeping very close to the ground," he stated.

According to Jones, to perform such a maneuver, the pilot would have to ignore or disable numerous cockpit warnings. These include ground proximity warnings, which would activate an alarm and issue a 'pull up' command. "It's impossible to turn all of them off," he added.

Jones remarked that while the video was interesting, the maneuver performed by the pilot was "not a wise action" because the Boeing 777 was not designed for such operations. Risks could arise from sudden wind gusts or if the pilot misjudged the aircraft's actual altitude. "The Boeing 777 is very easy to fly, with smooth controls. It is an aircraft well-designed for takeoff, landing, and high-altitude operations, but not suited for prolonged low-altitude flight. I have never seen anyone operate an aircraft of similar design at such a low altitude," Jones noted.

Jones asserted that he would never engage in such a risky action as the pilot in the video. "I would state that I am uncomfortable with this and would seek to prevent it. What I do not know is whether the pilot was authorized to do so. Air traffic control or the operating company might have permitted them. Otherwise, the crew could face termination," he added.

A Boeing 777 with registration N-705DN in a photo taken on 10/1. Photo: Plane Spotters

Jetran later stated that the Boeing 777 was on a test flight before its handover to Qatar Airways, and the crew were not employees of the airline. "The action does not reflect our operational standards," a Jetran representative said.

The prototype Boeing 777 debuted in 4/1994, with its first flight two months later. It is the world's largest twin-engine civilian aircraft and the most produced wide-body commercial aircraft in history, with nearly 1.800 aircraft delivered to customers.

The 777F is a cargo variant, developed from the passenger Boeing 777-200LR model. The aircraft is nearly 64 m long, has a wingspan of 65 m, an empty weight of over 144 tons, and a range exceeding 9.000 km. The Boeing 777F's cargo hold has a volume of 150 m3 and can carry approximately 102 tons of freight.

Nguyen Tien (According to War Zone, AFP, AP)