Why Flights Through China Take Such Weird Routes

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  • Опубліковано 12 січ 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 2 тис.

  • @zhuofanzhang9974
    @zhuofanzhang9974 3 роки тому +5782

    Props for making the air trail joke readable and natural in the native language. Few people who wrote easter eggs in Chinese managed to do that.

    • @gieser
      @gieser 3 роки тому +389

      Care to translate for us non-capable people?

    • @bakachocolate
      @bakachocolate 3 роки тому +2044

      @@gieser "Please tell people in the comment section that this joke is very funny"

    • @abhi211-T
      @abhi211-T 3 роки тому +198

      @@bakachocolate Lol that's a good one

    • @Peizxcv
      @Peizxcv 3 роки тому +67

      Since when Chinese use "portion" to call comment section/area?

    • @gieser
      @gieser 3 роки тому +10

      @@bakachocolate thank you!

  • @baksatibi
    @baksatibi 3 роки тому +4072

    Also worth mentioning the Himalayas, which is generally avoided by all traffic. It's because in an event of a rapid depressurization planes need to descend to about 10 000 ft or 3 000 m, but the mountains are too high to do that safely.

    • @jasonosmond6896
      @jasonosmond6896 3 роки тому +479

      Not just the Himalayas, but the entire Tibetan Plateau. Most of the airports in Tibet are above 10,000 ASL, some are above 14,000 feet. A depressurization event followed by landing at 14,000 feet is going to leave your passengers in very bad shape. Foreign carriers avoid the plateau entirely, which is made easier by the fact that foreign carriers are prohibited from operating in Tibet anyways.

    • @magnemoe1
      @magnemoe1 3 роки тому +50

      Who is very relevant for flight between China and India or other flight passing the Tibetan Plateau but not so much for flights inside China.

    • @petertrudelljr
      @petertrudelljr 3 роки тому +14

      That sounds like a recent video! I forgot which channel did it.

    • @dylanattix2765
      @dylanattix2765 3 роки тому +21

      @@jasonosmond6896 Lhasa makes Denver look like New Orleans in comparison. And I live in Denver.

    • @scintillam_dei
      @scintillam_dei 3 роки тому +1

      I remember Toncontín in Tegucigalpa several times. I love mountains.

  • @YukiThor
    @YukiThor 3 роки тому +3511

    laughed so hard at the airplane doing a chinese phrase
    the phrase actually means
    "this joke is funny"

    • @randomanimefan1000
      @randomanimefan1000 3 роки тому +352

      "Please tell people in the comment section that this joke is really funny."

    • @alunesh12345
      @alunesh12345 3 роки тому +16

      @@randomanimefan1000 Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. GOD loves you soo much unconditionally.😍😚😘

    • @Ubya_
      @Ubya_ 3 роки тому +143

      @@alunesh12345 hahaaahahahaha that's a good joke mate

    • @moviestime878
      @moviestime878 3 роки тому +53

      @@alunesh12345 I don’t think god would like you to spread his religion, he wants people to learn but not by force.

    • @krio1267
      @krio1267 3 роки тому +30

      @@alunesh12345 wanna hear a joke
      islam

  • @shanghaidiscovery2664
    @shanghaidiscovery2664 3 роки тому +1080

    When flying domestic in China, you get delayed by the fact air traffic control is indeed controlled by the military but also the fact that they there is a hierarchy to which flights go first: international first, then flights to Beijing, then flights to other larger cities, then the rest... And then it depends on the airline. Some airlines like Spring airlines which is super budget seems to be making money by selling some of its takeoff slots to other more premium airlines. Airlines least likely to be delayed are Hainan and Juneyao. Also never take last flight of the day if you can avoid it

    • @yiliangliang5694
      @yiliangliang5694 2 роки тому +100

      Also, Beijing gives priority to Air China flights, typically because many important individuals in China fly with Air China, and the airport needed to ensure their schedule first.

    • @HM-he1ob
      @HM-he1ob 2 роки тому +50

      Yes, that's why more people prefer taking high speed trains nowadays, even if it takes about 4-5 hours from Beijing to Shanghai, compared to 1.5-2 hours flight.

    • @jlu
      @jlu 2 роки тому +64

      @@HM-he1ob Often HSR is much faster when u include the hassle of going through airport and security check ins

    • @SamSitar
      @SamSitar 2 роки тому +3

      they should replace the wavy airpaths with closing the passenger windows when flying over restricted places. airplane staff are trusted to keep quiet about such places.

    • @ggfdd5925
      @ggfdd5925 2 роки тому +9

      @@SamSitar honestly if you have something you want to hide you shouldn't entrust random people with it. that's the key to keeping something a secret

  • @benhaller97
    @benhaller97 3 роки тому +843

    Lived in Shanghai for several years. Taking the high speed train was sometimes shorter than the flight, even though the plane should be more than twice as fast. The train stations are much more centrally located, have less security theatre/wait times, and are not often delayed. Flights on the other hand, almost never took off on time. 30 min delay was a good delay. I'd sometimes sit on the plane for 2hrs before it would take off, then it would be another 2hrs+ to get to Beijing. Definitely made flying way worse than it had to be.

    • @zippo718
      @zippo718 2 роки тому +39

      I've taken dozens of flights out of Shanghai and I somehow always end up arriving at the airport at the departure time and yet I've never missed a flight. The ticket counter always gave me shit for being so late, but you work here, dont you know your dang flights rarely depart on time?

    • @yiliangliang5694
      @yiliangliang5694 2 роки тому +29

      Airports are usually located far from city centers, further than many train stations, so that's a factor too.

    • @htaukkyanmyo4437
      @htaukkyanmyo4437 2 роки тому +15

      I flew often for work. After 9/11 almost all US flights added 15 to 45 minutes to their schedules to make them look good as being on time.

    • @grod805
      @grod805 2 роки тому

      Did you say security theater?

    • @spinecho609
      @spinecho609 2 роки тому +1

      What i find interesting here, is that even if diesel powered, transporting those people by high speed train instead of plane is more ecological

  • @Vexxed
    @Vexxed 3 роки тому +4260

    Convoluted air space in China makes high speed train lines more popular.

    • @AxxLAfriku
      @AxxLAfriku 3 роки тому +16

      I am being humble when I am telling you that I am the most powerful strongest coolest smartest most famous greatest funniest Y*uTub3r of all time! That's the reason I have multiple girlfriends and I show them off all the time! Bye bye vec

    • @alexandre3017
      @alexandre3017 3 роки тому +222

      why is there always a youtube rubbish bots epidemic

    • @godfather7339
      @godfather7339 3 роки тому +115

      Also, trains are more effecient, thus cheaper.

    • @Leonhard707
      @Leonhard707 3 роки тому +16

      Holy shit I thought you were taken prisoner in NK, as you haven't uploaded since your trip there and documentary.

    • @qjtvaddict
      @qjtvaddict 3 роки тому +5

      @@godfather7339 the bad routes of planes in China help trains alot

  • @DimaLancaster
    @DimaLancaster 2 роки тому +30

    4:11 fast forward to Q2 2022 and our fight routes look exactly like that... again D:

  • @Thebreakdownshow1
    @Thebreakdownshow1 3 роки тому +4214

    Now it all adds up I never understood why china is so keen on making all the fast-moving trains and how they are so profitable compared to cross-country flights.

    • @jiya6531
      @jiya6531 3 роки тому +120

      Same here bro. Typically there is a lot more infrastructure costs for trains to maintain ad clear snow of the tracks mean while airplanes just have fuel as the cost. BTw YOU CHANNEL IS SO UNDER RATED SUBBED.

    • @iaexo
      @iaexo 3 роки тому +128

      Clever - love the multiple accounts to jumpstart the channel.

    • @dubious_potat4587
      @dubious_potat4587 3 роки тому +12

      They're also really cheap to encourage people to use it

    • @pingu255
      @pingu255 3 роки тому +190

      Well actually many of the Chinese high speed lines are losing lots of money, especially the longer ones, which are more of a political tool, to force integration of minorities with the Han Chinese by making these far flung places better connected. The line from Beijing to Urumqi doesn't even make enough money to cover the cost of the electricity.

    • @alhollywood6486
      @alhollywood6486 3 роки тому +59

      Neither are profitable

  • @ThaBeatConductor
    @ThaBeatConductor 3 роки тому +60

    3:34 "Mouse themed swamp"
    Glad someone recognizes Florida for what it is.

  • @安安-d3p
    @安安-d3p 2 роки тому +109

    I’m a pilot working in China, in fact some of those military airspace are sometimes open to civilian aircrafts, if there’s no military activity in side that airspace, or sometimes even there is on going military activity, it’s still negotiable, the civil aviation ATC will negotiate with military controllers. Sometimes they approve sometimes they don’t. The biggest inconvenience for me is the open time of those airspace is not transparent, the ATC or some departments of the operators may sometimes know the plan of their military activity, but we as pilots most of the time aren’t able to get those information, thus adjust our expectations or even flight plans. I’ve been flying in France for 1-2 years and they have a lot of restricted airspace too, some of those are military airspace, but their pilots are able to know the exact time of opening or closure of those airspace through the NOTAMs, which we don’t have here in China. I kind of get it that is to protect their military secrets, but for me this is really causing inconvenience & threats, sometimes even danger, to civil aviation here.

    • @tren-y2m
      @tren-y2m 6 місяців тому

      Thats why China bad

    • @reethi82
      @reethi82 4 місяці тому +1

      Bro used nord vpn

    • @leoleoleoliao4413
      @leoleoleoliao4413 4 місяці тому +1

      isn’t your flight plan made based the planned route? I don’t see how not knowing the military schedule will jeopardize your flight safety?

    • @junw8336
      @junw8336 4 місяці тому +1

      ​@@leoleoleoliao4413those planned routes would be planned around to avoid those air space as the open times of the airspace isn't transparent, so if the airspace is open they would go through those air space as it will be faster than to flying around those airspace

    • @leoleoleoliao4413
      @leoleoleoliao4413 4 місяці тому

      @@junw8336 actually when those airspace are open, the ATC will instruct them to go through. That is what I do in my work. So transparency won’t be a major problem.

  • @egpx
    @egpx 3 роки тому +273

    ITSUX is my favourite five letter designated waypoint. It’s somewhere over the North Sea on the boundary of Scottish and Danish airspace.

    • @bcubed72
      @bcubed72 3 роки тому +25

      If I ran the FAA, I'd make an ILS waypoint "FUKKD." Better yet, the back course; then ATC could say "Delta 431, report 'FUKKD' for the back course."

    • @EdinProfa
      @EdinProfa 3 роки тому +6

      URADK for me

    • @lzh4950
      @lzh4950 2 роки тому +4

      @@bcubed72 I imagine there might be FOAKD "First of a kind"

    • @renakunisaki
      @renakunisaki 2 роки тому +11

      Just don't get too close to waypoint CRASH.

    • @koishikomeiji7878
      @koishikomeiji7878 Рік тому

      @@asliceofcheese9989 BALZZ

  • @taukid421
    @taukid421 3 роки тому +709

    I actually loved the ad at the end. I've long suspected this channel was just a bet to see how much stock footage you could use but I was a bit off. Real power move by the sponsor though, lol.

    • @der_dachs
      @der_dachs 3 роки тому +36

      Agree, it's among the best fitting product placement/ads in the history of UA-cam

    • @ParagonPKC
      @ParagonPKC 3 роки тому +11

      Yeah that's so badass and I was wondering where it is all coming from I know alot of channels do this it's cool with me

    • @DemPilafian
      @DemPilafian 3 роки тому +8

      I'd rather stare at a chart, diagram, or even a public domain photo from Wikipedia than see boring, meaningless stock footage. The race to pump out content has caused video production quality to increase at the expense of real content.

    • @NOVAKza
      @NOVAKza 3 роки тому +6

      @@DemPilafian go checkout wendover then. Sam is pretty cool, way better than this guy.

    • @OldDeadMan
      @OldDeadMan 3 роки тому

      Okay, for the first time, I truly enjoyed the sponsored piece. Laughed out loud really! Good job!

  • @MatuteG
    @MatuteG 3 роки тому +669

    The flight restriction over Disney ends at 3000 feet. It’s actually easy to fly over and see the fireworks

    • @scintillam_dei
      @scintillam_dei 3 роки тому +5

      I did videos proving Pissney is of the devil.

    • @englandismycity181
      @englandismycity181 3 роки тому +16

      @@scintillam_dei Literally a conspiracy theorist in the comments lol

    • @alunesh12345
      @alunesh12345 3 роки тому +6

      @@scintillam_dei Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. GOD loves you soo much unconditionally.😍😚😘

    • @remaks8405
      @remaks8405 3 роки тому +10

      I think that it’s crazy how a single company has a no flight zone, also no respect for you for using the imperial system

    • @luqmann.2946
      @luqmann.2946 3 роки тому +66

      @@remaks8405 Feet is universal when it comes to aviation. Every country uses feet for altitude with regards to aviation. Only a few countries like China, Russia and a few others use meters to measure altitude.

  • @kevinzhan8393
    @kevinzhan8393 3 роки тому +85

    You’ll certainly hear the announcement “the flight xxx is cancelled/delayed due to air traffic control” at all airports, that’s really common and happens all the time at all airports I’ve been to in China

  • @Erik24296
    @Erik24296 2 роки тому +30

    Who would have thought that the routes mentioned from the Cold War would have to go into effect again only a month after that video was released.

  • @TheCreditShifu
    @TheCreditShifu 3 роки тому +126

    Yes the joke at 4:43 was indeed very amusing

    • @alunesh12345
      @alunesh12345 3 роки тому +4

      Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. GOD loves you soo much unconditionally.😍😚😘

    • @GhastlyHunger
      @GhastlyHunger 3 роки тому +4

      Dang that was an interesting joke

    • @TheCreditShifu
      @TheCreditShifu 3 роки тому +7

      @@GhastlyHunger in the context of a joke, 有趣 means “amusing” rather than “interesting”

    • @krio1267
      @krio1267 3 роки тому

      @@alunesh12345 ru bot

    • @Joltzis
      @Joltzis 3 роки тому +9

      请在评论部分告诉人们这个笑话很有趣
      Translated: Please tell people this joke is funny in the comments section

  • @WilburLin
    @WilburLin 3 роки тому +437

    I'm convinced that this was originally a serious Wendover project but then they realized they can have more fun by doing it on the HAI channel...

    • @oadka
      @oadka 3 роки тому +2

      I agree

    • @alunesh12345
      @alunesh12345 3 роки тому +2

      @@oadka Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. GOD loves you soo much unconditionally.😍😚😘

    • @conclusivestate
      @conclusivestate 3 роки тому +11

      This reply section is just funny lmao

    • @albiceleste101
      @albiceleste101 3 роки тому

      I get bored to death by Wendover

    • @ortherner
      @ortherner 2 роки тому

      @Hilda Kimina bot

  • @JasmineJu
    @JasmineJu 3 роки тому +1173

    I traveled to China in 2019 and it's certainly gotten better. Many disused military airports have been converted to civilian airports which has made connections to smaller cities a lot more easier.

    • @bian7744
      @bian7744 3 роки тому +54

      Still quite sketchy in my opinion, but last time I did domestic travel in China was 2016.

    • @justaguy9224
      @justaguy9224 3 роки тому +45

      @AUDREY Try finding a real job before the police finds you

    • @ysaviationtrains2313
      @ysaviationtrains2313 3 роки тому +7

      Someone talking about weird flight patterns....
      London Stansted: Allow me to introduce myself.

    • @justaguy9224
      @justaguy9224 3 роки тому

      @@OkarinHououinKyouma Ikr but it felt nice

    • @sleepyjoe4529
      @sleepyjoe4529 3 роки тому +40

      @@Stevie-J what a weird take -- you need to be quiet and let the grown ups talk

  • @KristinAlder
    @KristinAlder 3 роки тому +38

    I went to China in 2012 and in 2017. Both times there were minor and major delays waiting for planes. The shortest delay was 1 hour. The longest delay was 4 hours. The 4 hour one was such a pain because they kept saying they had to move which gate it was going to be at, but wouldn't say which one.

    • @thewiseone7286
      @thewiseone7286 2 роки тому +1

      It's the same in the US airport. Delay and cancelled flight all the time. The worst is United Airlines.

    • @wannacry7909
      @wannacry7909 Рік тому

      Have a try for Chinese high speed train for under 600 miles travel

  • @MrOutofcontrolvideos
    @MrOutofcontrolvideos 2 роки тому +224

    Fun fact: Until recently this meant the civil flight training was completely impossible, meaning that almost every commercial pilot in China is trained in either Australia, Europe or America. Including about 100 by me (all working for Sichuan or Eastern). Covid has, atleast for now put a stop to that.

    • @avery-u1w
      @avery-u1w 2 роки тому +3

      Among us

    • @DigitalAlligator
      @DigitalAlligator 2 роки тому +9

      That's not completely true. Civil flight training is too expensive in China and normally sponsored by airline companies, As for individuals, they choose to train abroad which is cheaper.

    • @MrOutofcontrolvideos
      @MrOutofcontrolvideos 2 роки тому +32

      @@DigitalAlligator The training abroad is all under contract with airlines. Indivdual training in China is also non existant.

    • @luciatheron1621
      @luciatheron1621 2 роки тому

      Many Chinese pilots are trained in South Africa!

    • @qiyuxuan9437
      @qiyuxuan9437 2 роки тому

      There are civil flight schools in China, my grand parents worked in one of them. But they can't handle the large demand.

  • @davasg96
    @davasg96 3 роки тому +85

    4:43 the Chinese skywriting has asked me to tell the comments section that the joke is really funny

  • @IKEMENOsakaman
    @IKEMENOsakaman 3 роки тому +205

    Disneyland "We don't want any airplanes because there's no dream in flying"
    Peter Pan "Really man?"

    • @syxepop
      @syxepop 3 роки тому +6

      Actually it's Disney WORLD in Florida that has a NO-FLY ZONE (check "Midway to Mainstream" YT video on the subject), not the smaller Disneyland in Anaheim, CA.
      Sam shot Mary Poppins out of the sky... (probably Peter Pan would've escaped as he's way faster)

    • @laurabowles
      @laurabowles 3 роки тому

      @@syxepop *Main Street

    • @ErrorWolf
      @ErrorWolf 3 роки тому

      Ummm... WDW Delta Dreamflight. . .
      It’s literally in the name ;p

    • @9HighFlyer9
      @9HighFlyer9 2 роки тому

      @@syxepop Disneyland also has a permanent tfr

  • @Natasha-tu5qs
    @Natasha-tu5qs 3 роки тому +74

    I lived in Shanghai for a couple of years and can vouch for the terrible air passenger experience. A relative came out to visit me once and their flight was delayed by over 8 hours! Got diverted to Xiamen. Zero communication from the ground team.

    • @andrewzheng4038
      @andrewzheng4038 2 роки тому

      Yeah there’s virtually no reason to ever take a plane over the train in China, flying in China is just the most miserable experience vs. trains in China being some of the best

  • @cbohn99
    @cbohn99 3 роки тому +156

    The weirdest route I ever saw in China doing this was KLM Flight 807 from Amsterdam to Taipei Taoyuan, it enters China, fly all the way south to Hong Kong, then makes an almost complete u-turn to the north-east direction to Taipei, this was pre-covid era before KLM shuffled their Asia flights.
    Also, note-worthy, if you fly from the Philippines to some parts of China, like Beijing and Shanghai, you always fly avoiding Taiwanese airspace.

    • @KirbyZhang
      @KirbyZhang 2 роки тому

      Taiwan would shoot down planes directly coming across the strait.

    • @jimtan8472
      @jimtan8472 2 роки тому +23

      It must have something to do with taiwan-china tension, they simply avoid conflicted area to not doing the same on a certain Malaysian airline shootdown in Ukraine.

    • @JeanClaudeCOCO
      @JeanClaudeCOCO Рік тому +2

      Also China bans all Taiwan flights going to Europe, or the Middle East from flying directly over China because of the one nation policy. China claims since the flights are not starting from the mainland it is not possible for Taiwanese carriers like China Airlines and EVA Air to operate flight to Europe over China. Those airlines have to detour, fly further south or before the Russia invasion of Ukraine go above, into Russian territory and then down to Europe.

    • @yiliangliang5694
      @yiliangliang5694 Рік тому +3

      By regulation, if you are flying from / through Mainland China to Taiwan, you can only exit airspace controlled by PRC via either Shanghai FIR (Flight Information Region) or Hong Kong FIR.
      That's why, even for flights between Fuzhou and Taipei, which are just across the strait, you have to fly north towards Shanghai, enter Shanghai FIR, before turning east into Taipei FIR.

    • @yuxuanhuang3523
      @yuxuanhuang3523 5 місяців тому

      News about one month ago. China is opening up one more north-south path over the sea. It is like a main highway in the air and they are giving it one more lane. It is east of all the lanes we had, and closer to taiwan island. So I guess it may have been about tensions, and now we are taking a step at a time. Also I think there is defined paths where planes enter and exit these main lanes, like ramps, thats why sometimes you see a plane fly east a bit to get on the lane and west to exit. that is not the straightest path, but the airspace would be too crowded without doing this.

  • @Goat-on-a-Stick
    @Goat-on-a-Stick 2 роки тому +9

    The most direct flight was this video's segue into their advertising segment.

  • @adrielsebastian5216
    @adrielsebastian5216 3 роки тому +100

    Fun fact: the DUMMY waypoint at 1:47 is a real waypoint over Central Georgia.

    • @bcdm999
      @bcdm999 3 роки тому +19

      So's INBRD

    • @devinthierault
      @devinthierault 3 роки тому +13

      We have FAPIN in california

    • @waynejohnson1786
      @waynejohnson1786 3 роки тому +10

      BGDDY pronounced “Big Daddy” somewhere near Tennessee
      Say it on the r/flying subreddit

    • @WanJae42
      @WanJae42 3 роки тому +8

      Atlanta has tons of inside joke names: SITTH, JJEDI, HOBTT, GNDLF, it goes on, especially if you like sports.

    • @EdOeuna
      @EdOeuna 2 роки тому +3

      Outside Brisbane, Australia are waypoints LEAKY, BOATS and SIINK.

  • @Charlie-X-Ray12
    @Charlie-X-Ray12 3 роки тому +23

    0:17. I'm convinced. I am pausing the video and I am going to devote the next 3-9 months to get a pilot's licence. Wish me luck.

  • @studiocyan7630
    @studiocyan7630 3 роки тому +34

    Damn, the joke that airplane wrote at 4:44 was hilarious!

    • @NJX1
      @NJX1 3 роки тому

      What does it say?

    • @mrnobodyplays147
      @mrnobodyplays147 3 роки тому +12

      @@NJX1 it translates to: "Please tell people that this joke is funny in the comment section"

    • @Saifei757
      @Saifei757 3 роки тому

      Cnm

  • @doubleoyimmy1572
    @doubleoyimmy1572 2 роки тому +138

    I'd love to see a video about Russia's new flight routes.

  • @leonb2637
    @leonb2637 2 роки тому +23

    During the 'Cold War' era and even beyond, some airlines flying in or close to US Airspace also had to take very specific, less direct routes. For example Cubana Airways operated a flight from Havana to Montreal. They had to be careful for over a certain area of NY State due to a US military base and missile site. If strayed into it, future flights would be suspended.

  • @themongol1693
    @themongol1693 3 роки тому +31

    4:43 Translates to "Please tell people in the comment section this joke is very funny"

    • @jthecoder
      @jthecoder 3 роки тому +6

      Original text for those who want to translate it themselves: 请在评论部分告诉人们这个笑话很有趣

  • @gokeefe
    @gokeefe 3 роки тому +17

    "Divorce escape pod"
    I love this channel.

  • @WeyounSix
    @WeyounSix 3 роки тому +47

    You’ve been getting better at finding the balance between jokes recently. I felt like for a bit it was a bit too much sometimes, but more recently the balance has been a lot better.

    • @laputa2195
      @laputa2195 Рік тому

      Sad to say it's still way to immature jokey for me. The whole Alabama inbred thing was just 80's teenage cringe and incredibly painful as it dragged on and on.

  • @a2e5
    @a2e5 3 роки тому +238

    There’s some more stuff that makes China’s airway restrictions even more absurd in places. To begin with, there are actually two classes of aeronautical charts for civilian use: one allowed for foreigners and one with more waypoints and airspace allowed for actual Chinese pilots who have sworn to not leak them (that would be most of them, sure). This is probably the #1 reason for abject lack of publicity-available info about where planes can fly.
    Now you are gonna ask, “aren’t they gonna figure out anyways with FR24”? Yes, but they seriously hunt down people who run ADS-B and maritime AIS receivers at home with Cold War charges. Many HAM groups have distanced themselves from this perfectly altruistic activity out of fear.
    Tying onto the previous GCJ-02 episode, there is actually a map regulation controlling what airports you can show on a map. Again incredibly masturbatory: it’s right there! Airports are designed to be seen from the sky, so satellites are gonna see em!

    • @rogink
      @rogink 3 роки тому +33

      This is a bit like old Ordnance Survey maps in the UK. Military bases and other sensitive sites would show a blank white space with an outline but no text. I think we did this up until the early 20th century, when aerial photography became possible.
      Of course the fact that the blank space, often with urban areas around stood out like a sore thumb didn't help. I live near a naval base and the old maps I've seen show the outline of the land by the harbour, with straight lines that are obviously manmade wharves and docks. I've no doubt the French navy knew as much about what was going on as anyone living near the base!

    • @musaran2
      @musaran2 3 роки тому +9

      I thought they were control freaks.
      Turns out is is full blown paranoïa.

    • @LinusTan94
      @LinusTan94 3 роки тому +3

      Fancy seeing you here dude!

    • @SalinaMoonfall
      @SalinaMoonfall 3 роки тому +5

      @@musaran2 Pretty much, and it's in every strata of their government right now, explaining to folks that the surge in the CCP re-regulating all their industries is hard since most folks can't fathom the idea of a government being THAT controlling and paranoid.

    • @stg-tf4ns
      @stg-tf4ns 3 роки тому +12

      @@musaran2 the thing is many Chinese people like parental behaviour from the government. Whenever things go wrong, people blame the government for not doing things about it. So the government just ended up taking over more and more random stuff with the people pleased of ‘finally, a competent government that would do something’

  • @MyCarllee
    @MyCarllee 2 роки тому +8

    Chinese here. The reason why our airway system is like this is because our government is really sensitive about geographical information, and dont want foreign entities to get a hold of China's landscape layout. The map you see on Google Maps is actually provided by government backed companies. Those coordinates are skewed several hundered meters. You can still use gps navigation in China l, because there're servers that run secret algoritms to convert real world coordinates to skewed coordinates. Only government has the accurate geographic data.
    There's a bit of history involved in why our government goes about such length to protect geo data. Years before WWII, Japan's government began mapping China's vast landscape in preparation for war to occupy China. Some say that began 50 years before WWII when Japan finally eexecuted their plan. Nowadays, protecting geo data is mainly to protect us from precision air strikes.

    • @prateekmahapatra1789
      @prateekmahapatra1789 Рік тому

      one of the first thing i noticed on google earth , but countries that need to know the exact cord will get it regardless .. kinda pointless imo .

    • @HalNordmann
      @HalNordmann 4 місяці тому

      That is kinda silly, I think. Rest of the world gets by without this stuff

    • @MyCarllee
      @MyCarllee 4 місяці тому

      @@HalNordmann Rest of the world hasn't had 20 million of their countrymen massacred by the japanese military. Look it up.

  • @ryanfisch7047
    @ryanfisch7047 3 роки тому +18

    A 3 hour 10 minute nap is one of the most perfect description for how I feel on planes.

  • @TheGamermouse
    @TheGamermouse 3 роки тому +35

    The joke at 4:44 was fire 🔥

  • @kaan8964
    @kaan8964 3 роки тому +14

    2:25 you messed up the order

  • @senorspahrtan
    @senorspahrtan 3 роки тому +32

    As an air traffic controller, you did a great job with this episode. Great explanations about routes and waypoints.

  • @andymitchell2146
    @andymitchell2146 2 роки тому +10

    POV - you're watching this on the same day a chinese flight crashed, because of the algorithm I suppose?

  • @egonmilanowski
    @egonmilanowski 3 роки тому +95

    What happens if a plane in China calls mayday? Does China scramble fighter jets to escort the civilian plane as it flies in restricted airspace? Are they expected to handle emergency in a narrow corridor?

    • @bootmii98
      @bootmii98 3 роки тому +7

      Woudn't be surprised either way

    • @real_dddf
      @real_dddf 3 роки тому +69

      from the semi-documentary movie 中国机长, the mayday is reported to the air force, and they give civil aviation authority temporary jursidiction over any airspace needed, and pull out any units doing training there. After the emergency is resolved the air force resumes control. If the military needed that airspace for actual warfare, well then I have no clue.

    • @shahx1019
      @shahx1019 3 роки тому +19

      A mayday will be ok. But say if you have thunder storm ahead, and you want to divert? No way!

    • @TheeGrumpy
      @TheeGrumpy 2 роки тому +14

      In a Communist country, May Day is a time for celebration. Workers unite!

    • @aircloud1795
      @aircloud1795 2 роки тому +2

      @@TheeGrumpy Wait what, I thought mayday was some kind of airline disaster?

  • @jeffbenton6183
    @jeffbenton6183 3 роки тому +4

    The sponsor message for this one has me convinced that the sole purpose of HAI from the beginning was for Sam to produce an extremely long, somewhat subtle infomercial for Storyblocks' stock footage/picture services.

  • @JustAnotherMetalhead
    @JustAnotherMetalhead 2 роки тому +27

    Ah yes, the strange flight routs during the cold war, glad we are past that nonsence

    • @AhimtarHoN
      @AhimtarHoN 2 роки тому +1

      Yeah lol, I went straight to checking the time this video was posted after that bit :D

  • @金柳含
    @金柳含 4 місяці тому +1

    For me, the trouble caused by a delayed flight is far less annoying than losing my luggage. I would rather my flight be delayed than have all my necessities left behind at the last airport when I take such a long flight to my destination. What surprised me even more is that this incident is very common for flights other than Chinese flights, and it is impossible for this incident to happen in China. I took Turkish Airlines from Beijing last year and transferred in Istanbul for two hours to Edinburgh. However, my two 23kg luggage were forgotten in Turkey. There were six of my classmates who were traveling with me. We had a total of 12 suitcases, but we only got three when we arrived. I waited a week and made countless customer service calls for my suitcase to be delivered to my apartment. And I was forced to buy a lot of things that I didn't need to buy because of I don't have my suitcases. Even though I applied for these expenses to Turkish Airlines, they did not reimburse me. When I returned to China from the UK, I chose another two-hour connecting flight, but this time I chose China Southern Airlines, and this time my luggage arrived on time. I never want to fly from other countries after this.

    • @andij605
      @andij605 2 місяці тому

      avoid transferring at eg. CDG Paris or BUD Budapest as well. Both known in Europe for stealing from luggage or just simply using luggage. They get away with it due to a mix of people having good travel insurance and police being in on it.

  • @kyleinthought
    @kyleinthought 3 роки тому +10

    I was told about Chinese airspace by pilot friends in Hong Kong years ago, but this was a cool detailed explanation about that, thank you.

  • @ye4188
    @ye4188 3 роки тому +76

    cant wait for them to make visible plane roads

    • @AaronShenghao
      @AaronShenghao 3 роки тому +7

      They did, it's called high speed railway system.

    • @Carewolf
      @Carewolf 3 роки тому +1

      We already have plain roads. On the plains.

    • @ye4188
      @ye4188 3 роки тому

      @@Carewolf plane highways would be so much cooler though

    • @TheGamingAlong
      @TheGamingAlong 3 роки тому +2

      They made artificial sun, pretty sure this one is possible for them

    • @haechiwr
      @haechiwr 3 роки тому

      @@TheGamingAlong didn’t the project get canceled after all the backlash they got around the world? Same for the artificial moon they tried a few years ago.

  • @MOYAHORROR
    @MOYAHORROR 2 роки тому +7

    Aaaand now the flight path to Tokyo is the same as during Cold War

  • @nowgoawayanddosomethinggoo8978
    @nowgoawayanddosomethinggoo8978 3 роки тому +5

    "my SAM site operators' fingers get a little twitchy when there's too many planes around."
    - a base commander between waypoints A and B

  • @hangoutdesk1894
    @hangoutdesk1894 2 роки тому +1

    I am not kidding when for a split second, I thought the clip of the roller coaster at 0:38 was a shot of a plane going through a roller coaster 😂

  • @evandonovan9239
    @evandonovan9239 3 роки тому +5

    This is legitimately the first time I said, "Wow, I need to check out the sponsor ASAP", when I watched a UA-cam video to kill time. I definitely want to find out more about where you get the great stock video clips you use. That sounds sarcastic, but I actually have been impressed over the years because I know it is not easy to get a wide variety of stock video.

  • @olefella7561
    @olefella7561 3 роки тому +20

    The fact that we get free documentaries on UA-cam by Half as Interesting is truly a gift. 👍👍👍

  • @TakeWalker
    @TakeWalker 3 роки тому +8

    "Suggestively-shaped divorce-escape pod" is something I will take with me to the grave.

  • @poplar6658
    @poplar6658 Рік тому +4

    China's "civilian weather balloon" gets through all that without anyone noticing 😂 4:34

  • @maddox3873
    @maddox3873 2 роки тому +1

    Congrats on reaching 2 Million subs HAI guy! I'm sure you and the Wendover guy are celebrating this moment!

  • @goofycat676
    @goofycat676 8 місяців тому +1

    I DID pause the video and DID take 9 months to get a pilots license, thanks a lot RLL

  • @andrewneber1767
    @andrewneber1767 3 роки тому +5

    fun fact: the footage of the roller coaster seen at 0:37 is a ride called "Freedom Flyer". Making the stock footage a Easter egg in a video with a stock footage sponsor is definitely a next level joke.

  • @holdencovington151
    @holdencovington151 3 роки тому +7

    1:56 just googled it and that waypoint is in Florida
    Just saying, as an Alabamian, those jokes got reeeeeeeeeal old a long time ago, so it’s worth noting that one isn’t even ours 😂

  • @mikefung9145
    @mikefung9145 2 роки тому +4

    This popped after the CES flight crash is eerie

  • @Nebarus
    @Nebarus Рік тому +2

    I think it is due to the new law, meaning that all planes have to skywrite "We love Xi" every 30 minutes...

  • @josephradley3160
    @josephradley3160 Рік тому +1

    I love the use of the "ghost" from Scooby-do and the Boo Brothers.

  • @michaelbauer8778
    @michaelbauer8778 2 роки тому +4

    “During the Cold War” … oh here we go again 😂

  • @8stormy5
    @8stormy5 2 роки тому +4

    I live in the Disney no-fly zone! Some guy flew a drone around when that whole craze started and had to turn it over for it and its recordings to be checked.

  • @cssstylescommand4
    @cssstylescommand4 2 роки тому +8

    Great video although I shouldn’t have left the space tourism Bezos joke aside 2:54 as many of us subscribers who have interests in aviation and aerospace usually often have interests in space too!

  • @IainPurdie
    @IainPurdie Рік тому +1

    "Suggestively shaped divorce escape pod" is probably the funniest string of words I will hear this year.

  • @johnny682
    @johnny682 Рік тому +1

    The airplane trail joke is sooo good

  • @ReportsOnChina
    @ReportsOnChina 3 роки тому +9

    That’s why, where possible, we prefer to use China’s amazing high speed rail network. If I need to go from Shanghai to Beijing (1,067km or 663 miles in a straight line) for example, I can get there is just over 4 hours on the high speed rail, as opposed to an hour taxi to the airport at each end, two hour prior arrival at the airport including security and waiting, and a 1.5 hour flight that will probably be delayed if I fly.

  • @NitishKumar-jm7ec
    @NitishKumar-jm7ec 2 роки тому +8

    Im a victim of UA-cam's sick sense of algorithm

  • @oneofabillion
    @oneofabillion 2 роки тому +7

    Wow this aged well

  • @disembodiednarrator
    @disembodiednarrator 3 роки тому +1

    Hai is going to hit 2 million

  • @rickfeng4466
    @rickfeng4466 2 роки тому

    4:42 “please tell people in the comments section that this joke is funny”
    😅😂🤣

  • @nielsdaemen
    @nielsdaemen 2 роки тому +5

    4:08 Little did you know that *cold war II* was about to make flights look like that again...

  • @NickCBax
    @NickCBax 3 роки тому +39

    Delta had a 747 that got stuck in a hailstorm in China while flying and couldn’t divert away from it. That plane ended up getting retired earlier than planned.

  • @TotallyNotaYTER
    @TotallyNotaYTER Рік тому +3

    2:49 you are now my favorite you youtuber 😂

  • @lukemadams
    @lukemadams 3 роки тому

    The ending is the first ever UA-cam ad in human history that has been actually useful and interesting in some way

  • @anwitmondal6417
    @anwitmondal6417 2 роки тому +1

    This is like Wendover Productions but with the humour setting cranked up to 100.

  • @ckl9390
    @ckl9390 2 роки тому +4

    Actually, the edge of space the end of national atmospheric jurisdiction is the Karman Line. It is the elevation at which aerodynamic flight becomes practically impossible due to the almost non-existent air density. Essentially every country in the world except the US recognises this boundary.

    • @9HighFlyer9
      @9HighFlyer9 2 роки тому +2

      Kármán line

    • @ckl9390
      @ckl9390 2 роки тому

      @@9HighFlyer9 That explains why the web search didn't pan out. I thought I remembered the name, but I only ever heard it spoken.

    • @9HighFlyer9
      @9HighFlyer9 2 роки тому

      @@ckl9390 I figured you were using voice to text

  • @Rkcuddles
    @Rkcuddles 3 роки тому +7

    You missed it. China is trying to encourage train travel by slowing down air travel

    • @Rkcuddles
      @Rkcuddles 3 роки тому

      @@Stevie-J is it though? Erdoğan keeps lowering interest rates with 16+% inflation and firing anyone who tried to increase the rate to control inflation.

    • @walterbeeson542
      @walterbeeson542 3 роки тому

      @@Rkcuddles how does Erdogan relate to China’s policy on Air Travel?

    • @Rkcuddles
      @Rkcuddles 3 роки тому

      @@walterbeeson542 was just saying there are dumber things to the previous commenter

    • @walterbeeson542
      @walterbeeson542 3 роки тому +1

      @@Rkcuddles just cos erdogan is dumb. doesn’t mean chinas air policy’s isn’t either. also a pretty bad comparison to make seeing as erdogan is also an authoritarian

  • @tomdchi12
    @tomdchi12 3 роки тому +5

    Worth pointing out that Disney's private no-fly-zone is not from the surface to the underside of Bezos' orbiting lair. It's only up to 3,000 feet which is fairly silly unless you use a magic umbrella to fly.

  • @iva_berg5607
    @iva_berg5607 Рік тому

    "Divorce escape pod” omg 💀😂 2:54

  • @shankthebat8654
    @shankthebat8654 2 роки тому +1

    Every time I see a video with stock footage, well, I am only half as interested.

  • @EnergiaII
    @EnergiaII 3 роки тому +5

    2:44 The Karman Line, 100km (66Mi) ASL

  • @icebearisicebear
    @icebearisicebear 3 роки тому +8

    4:43 as a mandarin native speaker I was told to let you guys know that this joke is very funny

  • @nihaokellar180
    @nihaokellar180 3 роки тому +18

    Anyone who has taken a flight in China knows how frustrating it is to take a flight there. I would say 9/10 flights I've taken have been delayed. My friends who always seemed to pass through Shanghai would get marooned there for a night because flights would just get delayed for so long that they end up cancelled until the next day. I would often arrive places hours after I was supposed to arrive. Flying in China is a 3/10 experience. I just like that all the airlines give free meals, even on domestic short haul flights, and the airlines have a good track record of almost no accidents.
    Also the joke written in the sky was really funny!

    • @a2e5
      @a2e5 3 роки тому +1

      It’s all fine if the delay’s less than 2h! At least back when I still took planes.

    • @duyataksis5210
      @duyataksis5210 3 роки тому +1

      You and your friend played yourselves when you didn't take the HSR. N00b move.

    • @nihaokellar180
      @nihaokellar180 3 роки тому +2

      @@duyataksis5210 I love HSR. I would take it from Chongqing to Chengdu all the time. But there is no HSR to the US, which is why we had to fly through Shanghai, Beijing, or Guangzhou ;)

  • @elliottprage8605
    @elliottprage8605 3 роки тому

    2 Million!!!!! Yes! You deserve it! It's been 1.99 for so long!

  • @nitehawk86
    @nitehawk86 3 роки тому +1

    Careful, Mr. Wendover might beat you up for muscling in on his territory, HAI-guy.

    • @alunesh12345
      @alunesh12345 3 роки тому +1

      Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. GOD loves you soo much unconditionally.😍😚😘

  • @oromedenep
    @oromedenep 2 роки тому +4

    COLD WAR FLIGHTS ARE BACK BABY

  • @kcanyon9108
    @kcanyon9108 2 роки тому +4

    It is a pain to travel by air in China because of this, and they reason they use is "流量控制“ or traffic control. People seem to get used to it. I always travel by train. Travel-wise, China is not that big, since most big cities are a limited space in the east, and you can get to most cities in less than 5 hours by train.

  • @kierandegrada2573
    @kierandegrada2573 3 роки тому +10

    That was thoroughly informing and soooooo entertaining, thanks for brightening up my afternoon and making me laugh very loudly. Thanks, I'm a long time sub

  • @ladasodaexplains3355
    @ladasodaexplains3355 2 роки тому +2

    I love the air trail joke😂. “Please tell people in the comments that this is an interesting joke”

  • @Utonian21
    @Utonian21 2 роки тому

    "Mouse themed swamp" is a perfect description of Disney World

  • @zhouyiwei112
    @zhouyiwei112 3 роки тому +7

    Text at 4:43 says “请在评论都分告诉人们这个笑话很有趣” Please tell all the people in the comments section that this joke is funny.
    You're welcome.

  • @reginaldwelkin
    @reginaldwelkin 3 роки тому +5

    I wonder if higher fuel costs will change these routes. You'd think they would be saving fuel reserves.

  • @brianzhong3553
    @brianzhong3553 3 роки тому +14

    Flew from Shanghai to nyc once with a layover in Chongqing - would love a video explaining why they did this route

    • @sleepyjoe4529
      @sleepyjoe4529 3 роки тому +9

      Because you paid for a budget ticket so they wanted to pick up passengers in Chongqing

  • @lowlyaa0974
    @lowlyaa0974 2 роки тому

    "Mouse themes swamp." Is the best description of Disney world I've ever heard.

  • @julianz.hernandez7883
    @julianz.hernandez7883 2 роки тому +1

    “Mouse themed swamp” 🤣🤣🤣

  • @johnyves1246
    @johnyves1246 2 роки тому +3

    I have been flying across chinese airspace on a regular basis on international flights. Controllers are rude and disregard Air Safety totally particularly when deviations are needed for severe weather. I have not shied away from picking verbal fights with them and they know my voice. The point is : ATC cannot vector you into harms way and you have to be stubborn and remind them that an aircraft captain has the right to do anything he needs to maintain a safe flight!

  • @vilimirkozinarov4887
    @vilimirkozinarov4887 3 роки тому +33

    After watching the video one big question pop's up in my mind. Is there a situation in China that from city to city it will be faster with the bullet trains then with the planes?
    I think yes and that's why they are not fixing the airspace problems, and because they want people to use the more reliable solution which is trains for inland travel in China. And with trains the tickets are cheaper.
    A follow up video for this will be cool❤️

    • @markzhao1119
      @markzhao1119 3 роки тому +3

      There are many cases where taking a bullet train is faster. I don’t know how much that contributes to not fixing the airspace though.

    • @tactful_proposal
      @tactful_proposal 3 роки тому +3

      Trains may actually be faster for short to medium-distance, once you take into account commute between home and train station (and at the destination too), and lead time for airport check-in.

    • @Jack-hk4nn
      @Jack-hk4nn 3 роки тому +2

      Worth mentioning that these trains are extremely subsidised and lose the government millions of dollars equivalent per day

    • @yooein
      @yooein 3 роки тому +4

      i took many planes and trains within china. there is literally no reason to take a plane where high speed train connections exist. they're very, very good train connections. the way those lines were built are questionable (i've seen it with my own eyes), but they are good

    • @revenant6371
      @revenant6371 3 роки тому +1

      chinese propaganda moment

  • @PolskiHusar117
    @PolskiHusar117 2 роки тому +3

    Moscow-Kalingrad flights have an interesting route now, the detour is quite significant.

    • @santibanks
      @santibanks Рік тому

      I assume via Petersburg over the Baltic sea?

  • @NoodleFlames
    @NoodleFlames 2 роки тому

    Congrats on two million subs! This has been a long time in the waiting, glad to be around to see it.

  • @kclark4920
    @kclark4920 3 роки тому

    Congrats on 2 million subscribers!