Die letzte Reise der Landshut (Doku D 2017)

The Lufthansa Technik team has a special mission: dismantling the Landshut. The Boeing 737 has been rotting in Brazil for almost ten years. Most of them see the hijacked plane for the first time 40 years ago. Dirk and Lisa are already thinking about how they will get into the plane's tanks so they can better release the wings from the inside. There is a great crisis in the apparatus here. We planned with the airport staff the dismantling of the 737, explains project manager Martin Brandes. Now we will have to tow the plane to another location because we need more space for the cranes and for all our equipment, and we will do that first.

Change Google and. Refill the main landing gear wheels with fresh water so we really think we're towing and then your tool gets stuck in Brazilian customs, which means waiting. The long journey of the Landshut began in the autumn of '77. At that time, youth. Vito was the co-pilot, remember to determine exactly he flew to Mogadishu yes, there is Mogadishu the Dallas flight map for 40 years he has been collecting everything that has to do with the kidnapping folders and books yes and these are all interviews this is my book flight from September 77 to January 80 and that was 10 10 I flew regularly for the last time and then on the 13th with Charly Eco Jürgen Thumann as captain the hijacking shook the republic good evening ladies and gentlemen a German Lufthansa plane has In the hands of the hijackers since the afternoon of October 13, 1977, the Landshut is hijacked by Palestinian terrorists aboard 86 passengers and five crew members.

The terrorists demand the release of prominent RAF figures who were then in German prisons. The federal government of Chancellor Schmidt remains firm in landing in Mogadishu, the Somali capital machine. After a 5-day flight, the terrorists shot pilot Jürgen Schumann the day before. Finally GSG 9 raided the machine at night. All the hostages survived co-pilot Jürgen Vitor. After the liberation at Mogadishu airport, arriving in Frankfurt the next day, he supports young people like Gabriele von Lowtzow, who was injured 40 years later, the two traveled together again to Brazil. Spring

2017

. They want to work to get the Landshut back to Germany, but under what conditions will their destiny as pilots be tomorrow?

Seeing the plane again, memories of the days of the hijacking awaken Jürgen while Tor was flying in extreme conditions. Gabriele von Lowtzow took care of the passengers. The tabloids called her the Angel of Mogadishu. They are both convinced that no other type of plane would have managed to make an emergency landing on a dusty Scree plane and take off again. The Landshut was our protector. Without her we wouldn't have been able to get out. She managed to fly where we would not have been able to fly. She managed to land and take off again without breaking the engines and then flew for more than 30 years. a brave machine somewhere as a servant to both.

The Landshut is a symbol of freedom here at Pinto Martins Airport in northern Brazil. But the Landshut is simply a decommissioned plane, an accident parked on the edge of the They didn't see the. aircraft for decades until 2008, when the Landshut was used by several airlines. Since then, it has been here. It's a sad sight, my goodness, how many times I've walked around here to do checks. The last time the device was used was as a cargo plane for a Brazilian airline. Along the way, the seats were removed. All the terrorists were surprised by GSG 9, including the leader Mahmud of Mahmut Tas at the front and he was shot.

Here 40 years ago, this door for Gabi von Luther, the path to freedom, was truly the moment of reparation that I treasure most. The liberation that is the most important thing for me, everything that happened before is nothing you are happy to call. oneself, but to get out of this, to be free after this horror, that is what I can fondly remember, if the story of the Landshut ends here, for Jürgen Vitor that would be it. It's hard to bear when the plane has to leave. Back to Germany as a symbol of the fight against terrorism, he thinks.

If you say Mogadishu, country GSG9 today after years, then most people know what was there because it immediately shows the image of the 40 years of the RAF flyer and so on. , at least those who are a little older, know immediately what was going on, well, and that is why it is probably appropriate that this machine is returned to Germany since, well, as a contemporary witness, I do not deserve to say that it returns home shortly after . In fact, the federal government purchased the discarded machine for 20,000 euros. The anniversary year of the Landshut kidnapping is also an election year.

Dornier Museum Friedrichshafen. The dynasty of aviation and space travel is here more than ever in the family's own museum on Lake Constance. The Landshut could be a new attraction, at least so believes the general director and one of the heirs, David Bonny, who read an article about the Landshut and then applied. to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and quickly obtained the contract. The museum's director, David Haye, invited Jürgen Vitor. The former co-pilot cannot wait to see what environment his 737 will be in. The Landshut will not be next to other aircraft, but in a special one.

At this place the entire hill will be leveled and will make way for a large aircraft hangar and then you will practically reach this area directly: it is the symbol of the German autumn paragraph and then articles appear in the newspapers, but at least part of these 40 years old it still stands, but the planned monument will cost millions. It is not yet clear who will pay for it. David Dornier hopes for Berlin's support and donations. Negotiations continue in August

2017

. Fortaleza, the time will finally come to launch the Lufthansa Technik team. I will leave on time at 37 for the airport The trip takes half an hour The security check is fast and runs smoothly, but halfway to close the bus it stops a small plane is in the way The owner cannot be found The bus You can go Do not pass in front of the plane, explains the airport's deputy director.

This endangers international air traffic. To do? In Brazil, the trailer is stuck on the small official route. at least a bottle of nitrogen is delivered early in the afternoon the tires are inflated then tested with another adapter today's result the rear tires are inflated at least and then shortly before sunset when no one expects it the customs project tools come out Director Martin Brandes does not calm down. The next morning the big scandal begins. Changing tires on a Boeing 737. After all, such a device weighs almost 40 tons. The Landshut can be towed. For added security, an airport security officer checks the status.

I think it bothers him. The men are discussing how to maneuver, one after another. Which direction should we pull first? In the direction possible before the wing hangs from the tree. anything else. Continue so as not to waste any more time. It looks good, but suddenly the Landshut's wing gets stuck in the bushes. Now we know why our colleague has finally picked up the 737. He is released and finds himself a few meters ahead. Now the special team can work on the Landshut from all sides so that it can soon be transported back to Germany. At the beginning of September 2017, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel lands in Friedrichshafen with a government plane. .

He has put Landshut on top priority. David Dornier has invited him. There are still many unanswered questions. It's about the situation and the money behind closed doors. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a media topic in the electoral campaign. an object with national and historical importance does not end up in the capital but in the quiet Friedrichshafen next to Lake Constance, you can say why not in the House of History in Bonn, because a Boeing 737 needs space and perhaps they could have exhibited some small parts there. But the concept we have in mind could not have been realized with an exhibition with visiting possibilities for the entire machine and there are not many places for that and Friedrichshafen is one of those places.

It's a great offer. from the Dornier Foundation, which we are happy to talk about. Many Friedrichshafen residents also want to continue negotiating. They are also surprised that this affects Friedrichshafen personally. The connection between Landshut and the cemetery was simply not possible for me. it seems that they are now trying to save the machine, have it here and then look further at the end of Gabriel's visit at least it is clear that the dismantling and transport of the plane will be carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Lufthansa Technik. The federal government also wants to contribute an appropriate amount to the monument and the Minister of Culture and Media will cover the restoration costs.

Meanwhile, the engines will be dismantled today. Lufthansa Technik specialists resort to unusual measures. You have to improvise. A delivery of mattresses has just arrived. From the end comes a forklift with spikes. Rudy, from Hamburg, is the only one on the team who has an international driving license. Here it is recognized that Rudi is upset. After all, there is a very tight schedule. Before the engines can be dismantled, the fairing must be removed so that the engine, which weighs several tons, does not break during transport. of bed made of mattresses and pallets. Lisa labels each piece so that at some point the Landshut can be put back together correctly.

Meanwhile, in Berlin, 8,000 kilometers away, in the Federal Chancellery, government representatives negotiate with David without discussing its future. Landshut The total costs are estimated at ten million euros, who pays for what is complicated anyway until the plane arrives, belongs to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the Minister of State for Culture and Media is also responsible for the concept reader holder exhibition at the beginning of. Today in September television crews and photographers from all over the world have been coming for days for the Lufthansa Technik team Working for this moment, removing the wings is the biggest technical challenge because many connections have to be released from the tank and that was quite exhausting.

Friedl was also one of those who worked for hours in the tank wearing a breathing mask. Currently, while I loosened the last screws on the exterior, the wing can't handle the heat. It will be soon and we want us to be more neighbors together again, you will be able to remove the wing without damaging the fuselage, the last milestone has already been achieved, the other unfortunate works have already been dismantled, now we have to prepare the

landshut

for transport, that is easy, that's what it is, yes it's easy, it worked so well the team was totally amazing, looked at everything outside and got the red ones without any damage and landed perfectly a week later at night Antonov one of the transport planes biggest in the world.

The Russian cargo plane is often used for military transportation. Only one Boeing 737 can fit on the Antonov. Friedl does not want to miss this moment. his last voyage with the Antonov The hull of the Landshut has a diameter of four meters 4. The men measured it again, but the height of the hold of the Antonow is only four meters 40. Furthermore, the transport is planned, so it is narrow. If on a sled, the Landshut slides very slowly, inch by inch. In the cargo hold of the Antonov the tension will only drop when we are sitting on the plane and now we can all drop a stone from the last one, so it really fits.

The tube was very good at freeing Anton. We now have 37.5 tons of cargo on board and at most. Can we take off with 40,000, which is crazy and I'm very happy. At three in the afternoon the time has come? The Landshut takes off for the last time 40 years after its fateful flight Jürgen Vitor, the former co-pilot of the Landshut who returned to Friedrichshafen, wants to be there when his 737 arrives. France 15 should land, it is a sensation and it is also a good year. I am happy that she is coming here we have the last flight at the Dornier Museum today is David's open day more than ever, local politicians and a member of the regional parliament are at his side now it is nine fourteen the Antonow is It is a sensation to see that so many wheels alone, most of the technicians were brought home directly from the advantages readers, but today, with the arrival of the Landshut, almost everyone is here again, it is the highlight of the operation Landshut, all four of us.

The weeks in Brazil came together, it was exhausting, it was still fun and now it's over for us and I feel relieved and my team has done a great job this year. I'm not proud of it and now I've written a great piece of work. a bit of contemporary history and continues jürgen witte is also happy gabriele von lowtzow the former stewardess flew here from frankfurt this morning to be present at the arrival of the

landshut

we have done it the balance will be there that is also a great feeling of happiness I managed to get out of there, so of course it would have been better in the Rhine Main area or in Bonn, because there is a direct connection, but here the operation of the museum is regulated and that's it.

Landshut should attractmany visitors to the Dornier Museum. Now an exhibition concept is being sought for the site that recalls the dramatic events of the autumn of October 77, 2017, shortly before the fortieth anniversary of the hijacking of the last voyage from Landshut. It ends up temporarily in storage at a warehouse at the airport next to the Dornier Museum. Martin Brandes is said to appreciate the restoration effort, so we, as Lufthansa Technik, will take some time to put together the developed concept because the machine has serious problems. Corrosion damage, which can already be seen here and which ultimately must be calculated and planned in time.

This takes a lot of time and you will also need something starting next spring. Landshut will definitely not be exhibited until 2019, until now. Will he stay here?