Shuttle Carrier Aircraft

It has been called the world's greatest piggyback ride: a space shuttle, atop a Boeing 747 jet aircraft. But this is no ordinary 747, this is the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft...the SCA. This specially modified jumbo jet was not only a taxi service for the shuttle, but also helped in the development of the shuttle itself. In 30 years of flying, the majestic image of a spacecraft joined to the SCA, became a symbol of American invention and ingenuity.

[sandigalloway]

My late husband taught those pilots! I was lucky enough to watch them land at DFW airport. Great memories.

[HashtagBirdyy]

I'll never forget it... I remember swimming in the pool and looking at a plane flying over and i saw the plane with the shuttle on its back fly right above me... was the coolest thing ever

[ericgirardet]

I was born in 69 in Switzerland, during the peak of the Apollo program but grew up with the passion for the Space Shuttle ( I love all the space programs but the shuttle was there during my youth years 😊)
All around the world, millions of kids were simply dreaming about Space adventures. I hope that all nations of our little pale blue dot, get all the resources together to peacefully conquer the vastness of the cosmos.

Thank you NASA!

PS: I am turning 50 this year and celebrating my 20 years of flying the B747-400F and B747-8F. Still flying that beautiful bird with passion!

[stephenwallace]

My father was one of the chief aerodynamacists on the 747. The Kruger flaps were his baby as were the wings and the bubble nose for pilots. My father went through over 100 stall tests on the first 747, including tail stalls and stall s-p-i-n-s. When Boeing worked on the 747-800, I challenged an engineer I met who was working on it to go back and look at the drawings for my father's name. He told me a month later, "Your dad's name is all over those drawings." He was amazed that they did it all with slide rules. My father retired from Boeing as Chief engineer CAD design, in charge of the program that designed the 777.

[carloscastVeVo]

Is not just a plane carrying a space shuttle. Is a plane carrying a shuttle with the Hollywood sign in the background.. can’t get more emblematic and iconic than that!

[HihighHeisenberg]

I had the privilege of seeing this when I was in primary school in Scotland. Must have been 1985/6. Magnificent sight.

[patrickshaub]

I was training a Navy helicopter pilot in a Huey helicopter near Pensacola on a beautiful afternoon when approach control called to advise me of traffic at my 8 o’clock high. I looke over my shoulder and there it was, the SCA with a shuttle on top! It was far higher than me and I was no hazard to him but I thank that controller for giving me one of the biggest thrills of my flying career.

[brennonmitchell]

We watched this plane fly over our school in Mississippi. It was the coolest thing ever.

[gabrielbennett]

Good ol' 905! That was my late grandfather, Victor Horton's, old ride! He was the SCA's original primary flight engineer from the start of the Shuttle program, through the Approach and Landing Tests and the trip to the Paris Airshow with the Enterprise, and every ferry flight from Edwards to Kennedy, until a few months after the Challenger disaster in 1986, when he retired. I remember once when they were bringing the Enterprise into Vandenberg AFB for a fit-check on the never-used SLC-6 pad, Grandpa had Fitz (Fulton) make a low pass over our house in nearby Santa Maria with the 747-Shuttle combo, just to let us know he was in town. Created quite a stir with the neighbors, as I recall. We went out to meet him at the base for dinner that night. Somewhere, I actually have a picture of myself as a toddler sitting at his console in the 747 cockpit, wearing his headset. Sadly, Grandpa died in 1991, from injuries sustained in a car accident. Would love to see 905 again someday.

[kiardothefirst]

Parental warning, this video may not be suitable for small planes. please be advised.

[dashiellbrooks]

In my elementary school they brought us outside to see the shuttle being carried by the plane. It was awesome, there were army jets on each side of it!

[RockOnDoooooooooood]

Incredible how that SCA (Shuttle Carrier Aircraft) can fly and carry 80 - 110 tons plus it's own weight. I would have wish to see it in person.

[TexasMom]

My father, Garret Johnson was one of the mechanics who worked on and maintained both of the NASA jets at Miranna, AZ

[Pwj]

I had never heard of the SCA initial concept being proofed out with RC scale aircraft. That is totally awesome that they had the practical skills to show Boeing....hey this will work!

[sandigalloway]

My late husband taught ground school to this team. They were in his class for training the day the Challenger blew up.

[apieceofdirt]

No more Concorde and no more Space Shuttle. We seem to be going backwards not forwards.

[UTubeGlennAR]

:)
I was working at the Orlando airport in the late 1970s when I heard an announcement
come over the terminal's PA system about this 747 carrying the shuttle was going to
do a fly by on rout to Kennedy Space Center for the Orlando area. What a Sight it was.
Thanks for sharing this vid on uTube, it brought back lotsO Great Memories of that
moment in my life....
:)

[AndrewSmoot]

Anyone who complains about overweight luggage charges needs to realize that the shuttle carrier aircraft has been stripped of all non-essential systems(no galleys, seating for essential personnel only) it's not carrying thousands of pounds of luggage for four hundred and sixteen passengers, and, the mileage STILL sucks because it's carrying a 151, 419lb behemoth on its back.

[gunner-pmjh]

so thats how planes make babies....nice....

[roger]

8: 25 what a beautiful sight; A Spacecraft, an Aircraft and a bird all together.