(4K) Classic Plane Spotting at Detroit Willow Run Airport

[@JJ_Skippy]

The sounds of the 727’s is music to my ears!

[@mikeveis3025]

Mine too

[@peaceandlove.2932]

Am really amazed at the age of these aircrafts, and they are still flying gracefully..

[@TheSunsetPearl]

Holy 727s Batman!! Finally, I found where they all went!! Long live the Tri-Jet!!

[@matheo9246]

8:35 **STILL LOWER EMISSIONS THAN A VOLKSWAGEN** Great job mate these planes are perfectly shot !!

[@an-go7sm]

So good to see the 727 in action.

[@alek488]

52 years! NEVERMIND, a plane with 77 years!

[@robbalboni4179]

fantastic video of these classic aircraft in action! love the old dc-9s and 727s , some of the best planes ever built in my opinion. seeing that 77 year old Catalina still in service was awesome for sure! thanks for sharing this incredible video,

[@jamest2401]

Lepp, I could just kiss you for this video.👀 You may remember me telling you about my favorite kind of shot, and how you capture it often. What I never said though, is that my absolute FAVORITE plane of ALL TIME is the 'Boeing 727'. The two takeoffs captured at around 10:45 are FANTASTIC!! I was a little kid in the 80's and a teenager in the 90's, and in those days you couldn’t spit without hitting a '727'; they were everywhere. And what a beautiful bird they still are. That aggressively swept back T-tail; the uncluttered looking wings with no engine pods; overall, a sleek and elegant airframe. 'Boeing' never made another plane like it, before or since. It’s engines may now be obsolete, but it’s exterior appearance looks ever bit as modern as the day the prototype rolled off the line, and would fit right in any of today’s fleets. Not to mention that she is the plane that made domestic air travel what it is today. But I could sing her praises all day long... Funny thing, of all the times I flew on a 'Boeing 727' (PSA/TWA/Republic/Eastern...), I never once got to use the rear 'Airstairs'.🤨 We were always pulled up to a 'Jetway'. Also nice capture of those 1st series 'Douglas DC-9-15's! Here in Atlanta, Delta has many of their offspring models, but I’m sure it’s been awhile since 'Hartsfield' has seen one of those little guys.

[@michaelsanchez2417]

Great comments @James T2. And love the old United logo too. I was a child in the 70s and got to fly on an Eastern 727 for the first time in '79. Back then we got the plastic wings and playing cards on every flight, did you get them too? Times have changed, unfortunately, but those memories last forever. Watching DC9s, 10s and L10s move around an airport was the best part of being there. Nothing like them classic days. sigh

[@Duderocks5539]

This is the time to say, DC-9s and 727s are a hell of a lot louder than the MD-80s!!! The only 727 that wasn’t that loud is that IFL Super 27 with the retrofitted JT8D-217s for more fuel efficiency and less noise. You can’t tell me that the -9s and 727s are louder than MD-80s though!!! Huge like and huge favorite!!!

[@Probowler37]

Love seeing these classics. Brings back memories!

[@hoopsheavenpa]

The 727 is a thing of beauty! Tremendous video!

[@civagiarn]

Amazing to see so many classics at one airport. Incredible sights and sounds!

[@steventurner820]

Alright, for those who want to know the story of the the DC-9s and who they used to fly for, here you go! All info is from planespotters, who sadly doesn’t have info for 727s. The first DC-9 started out with Continental in 1967. It would be sold to Hughes Airwest in 74. Various mergers would see it go to Southern, Republic, and finally Northwest. It would be bought by Mexicargo in 1996, before ending up with USA in 1997. The first MD-83 started with Alaska in 1993. It would go to Ryan International in 2008, before ending up at Everts Air in 2013 The second DC-9 also started out for Continental in 1967. It would go to Air Canada in 1972, Air Florida in 1978, Emerald Air in 1981, before ending up with a leasing company sometime in the 80s. It would be leased to a number of airlines, but the next true owner would be Air One in 1997, then Reliant Airlines in 1999, before finally ending up with Ameristar in 2002. The third DC-9 is also a ex continental bird, and has mainly the same history as the one before it. The fourth DC-9 has always been a cargo aircraft, it started with Swissair in 1968, it went to Airborne Express in 1984, and a couple other smaller companies until its current owner got it in 2017. It is currently in storage. The fifth and sixth DC-9s is the same one as the third. And thats all of the DC-9/MD-80s, but how about a bonus. The 777 was built for Emirates in 2009, ending up with DHL/Kalitta in 2019. It has since gotten the DHL/Kalitta paint job.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I can see from the comments here, the 727's are real tear-jerkers - well count me in as well. It seems like so long ago I'd watch them barrel out of FLL, using every last inch of runway. Watching them take off overhead - it was the most amazing shape out of the airport, beyond doubt. So happy to see them in action in this day and age.

[@LeppAviation]

Thanks for the comment, my friend! I'm always mesmerized whenever I see one fly.. Such a beautiful machine. Being a flight student at Western Michigan is pretty sweet, as we have a former FedEx 727 that we're able to walk around and play around inside and sit in the cockpit. Definitely one of my all time favorite aircraft..

[@richardhodge4556]

@@LeppAviation Do they still have the old Queenairs with the IO-720s flying actively in that area? That plane is a beast and also a favorite of mine. I recall there was some small cargo operation (Benji??) operating them. If you get a chance, don't miss out on watching those - the sound is sweeeet!

[@LeppAviation]

@@richardhodge4556 I personally haven't seen them flying around when I've been up, but I'll keep a sharp eye out for them!

[@chrisnizer5702]

Great footage, love to see those classic jets STILL flying. Thanks for the video my friend good stuff indeed. 👍 👍

[@mikeveis3025]

Rally cool seeing that Consolidated PBY take off

[@ReverseThrustAviation]

Damn, I gonna miss these planes... Thanks for reminding me of that!

[@leezinke4351]

Wow B727 sounds like a fighter jet taking off! 😲

[@erivanlopes5783]

Sensational this video with these classic aircraft of Douglas and Boeing among others.

[@davidharris2519]

likethe 9s and 80s plus the other older freighters and nice to see a video like this good job

[@ChrisZoomER]

Can't beat the classics, I love low-bypass jet aircraft. I feel like they were my childhood even though low-bypass jet aircraft dominated commercial aviation up until the the late 70s or early 80s which is about two decades before I was even born! From then on, the much more powerful and efficient high-bypass jet engine has dominated commercial aviation while combat aircraft still use low-bypass engines.

[@JetsetMikey]

Amazing video! Loved seeing all those older birds. ❤️

[@DK-lc8gf]

Still good to see a 727 climbing out.

[@daemonicnimrod4772]

Love the B727!!! 💙

[@zachturner3821]

Gotta love the classics

[@cody-underwood]

Willow Run is such a great airport I remember 2014 to 2015 they had a ballita 747

[@nixaviation]

That was awesome. The PBY Catalina surprised me!!

[@LeppAviation]

Me too!!

[@egyptiansailor1271]

I loved it man. A very good video. sounds of old jet engines will be missed. Thanks from Egypt

[@JamesH-mg5qp]

Fantastic shots at Detroit Willow Run Airport late

[@JelmersAviation]

Fantastic video man! So many beautiful classic aircraft!

[@mattd1142]

Love these old planes. I gotta tell ya I was not expecting that PBY haha Now that’s really classic!!!

[@qaisbhaisaheb412]

Nice vintage planes in action 😁👍👍

[@neilpountney9414]

Lovely Video Lepp Aviation. That Catalina needs a bigger elastic band if you ask me!!!

[@jonathanharootunian297]

727 with winglets ? Never seen that!

[@AndreiTupolev]

Never knew there was so many DC-9-15s still flying. Are they all cargo? Are the Ameristar ones convertible cargo/pax? Presumably ex TWA

[@LeppAviation]

There are still a ton of them! Yes, all that fly out of YIP are cargo. And actually, they are not ex-TWA! I thought they were myself, but those DC-9s never flew for them.

[@brad727]

Awesome video! I just spent a week at Willow Run, loved it!

[@ac2-rm141]

Nice job, thank you.

[@JoshuasPHXAviation]

Very cool video Lepp Aviation!

[@mostlyHandicapable]

Nice to see some publicity for my training airport!

[@KushalDave]

nice catch

[@nascaracing9]

Hamilton represent!

[@BeckerAviation]

Breathtaking action mate!

[@shauntrailskinner9645]

This is one of those smaller airports that is not too far from a major airport. It only has a tower, with no radar facility. In this case, it might be 20 miles from Detroit's Metro International. Therefore, Detroit Metro controls this regional airport since it may not have radar controllers, to direct the planes in for the tower controllers. And this small airport is within Detroit Metro's airspace.

[@mylosairplanefan]

Wow! Stunning video with all those classic planes!! Lovely stuff! Loved the 727 with Kalitta livery:) well done! In how many days did you film this?

[@LeppAviation]

Thanks!! These were filmed over a few days!

[@jakestravel5716]

Hey can you do a video at Chicago Midway International Airport? Plz

[@LeppAviation]

That's definitely an airport I want to get to eventually!

[@american101]

13:40 That’s My Home Airport!

[@Tigers9596]

Oh hell yeah! Since when was Willow Run THIS busy? And a 777 flight???

[@LeppAviation]

This was over a few days, lol. But yeah! Gotta love when it gets busy there!

[@Tigers9596]

@@LeppAviation I ean yeah it was over a few days, but the most I've seen in one day was a 727 and maybe an MD-88. Granted that was a few years ago at the Model collection show. I flew an approach into Willow Run on a 172 and the only traffic there was another 172 on approach to the parallel runway which almost went into my approach path.

[@mostlyHandicapable]

@@Tigers9596 yeah, that might have been one of us at Eagle Flight school...sorry about that...

[@GM-sl2fv]

Kalitta Air is based in Ypsilanti Michigan which is where willow run is so that’s why that’s why the 777 was there

[@LaredoAirlines]

13:37 my fav EMB-120 15:18

[@lindasmall9778]

Did you shoot this this year? I'm just wondering who was running the 727 lol.

[@LeppAviation]

Almost, haha. The first two clips were shot last year, but everything else was shot within the past 2 weeks.

[@MTAviationPhotoFilm]

Willow has a ton of 727s in and out. Kalitta, USA Jet, IFL group, Interjet west

[@november2076]

Even though some of these airframes are dangerous But it’s still worth site seeing I’m a right?

[@LeppAviation]

If they were dangerous, they wouldn't be flying, lol. These aircraft are well maintained and fly just as well as other aircraft

[@loren4777]

Does USA airlines actually take passengers in those old planes

[@kylegibson4922]

Dc9 classic

[@Duderocks5539]

+Kyle Gibson Yeah, those MD-80s ain’t classic, 26 years old is nothing. Still fairly new.

[@andrewganley9016]

All those 50+Mad Dogs and 727s how are those birds kept up paper and string?!

[@SUFCVlogs]

Great video mate, do you only upload vids or do you stream aswell?

[@LeppAviation]

Thanks! I only upload videos to KZbin

[@ILC-eo6vk]

Come across any L-1011's?

[@LeppAviation]

Unfortunately no :(

[@jacesobey6498]

I actually flew thr Yankee Air Force B-17 last week at Willow Run Airport, SO FUN :)

[@LeppAviation]

NICE!! I filmed the departure a few days ago as it flew to MKG. That will be in a video in a few weeks :)

[@paulvonauth7254]

lol, where's Roush?

[@LeppAviation]

I've never seen it at Willow Run, but I know they fly there occasionally

[@mostlyHandicapable]

@@LeppAviation Jack Roush's hanger is over on the west ramp. He flies quite often

[@Duderocks5539]

His 727s have been parked on the ramp here at CNO for the past 3 years or so.

[@allthestroke88]

My eardrums!!!!!!