Gimli Glider Reborn: Before the Miracle on the Hudson there was the Gimli Glider

On July 23, 1983, Air Canada Flight 143, a fully loaded Boeing 767 passenger jet, took off from Montreal with a stop over in Ottawa on to its final destination in Edmonton. At 41,000 feet (12,500 metres) while flying over Red Lake, Ontario, during its final leg to Edmonton,  the plane ran out of fuel. At the controls of the plane were Captain Robert Pearson and first officer Maurice Quintal; two highly experienced pilots who “dead-stick” landed the 767 without power to a remote airport in Gimli – saving hundreds of lives. The story of the “Gimli Glider” and its flight crew is part of Canadian lore.

Subsequent investigations revealed a combination of errors, including a miscalculation of fuel loading at both Montreal and Ottawa airports due to a misunderstanding of the recently adopted metric system.

On January 24, 2008 the Gimli Glider took its final trip where it was retired to the Mojave Desert in California.

Recently, MotoArt Studios, well known for turning vintage aircraft into functional art, acquired pieces of the Gimli Glider to bring new life to this legendary “lucky” aircraft which will be presented in a special live broadcast with MotoArt owner Dave Hall along with special guests, including Gimli Glider author and expert Wade Nelson.

Coverage will begin on Wednesday, December 16, 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 19 UT – live from MotoArt Studios in El Segundo, CA. Viewers can watch free on http://da14media.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4e23906979a37b43342159276&id=968e95b0a8&e=2fd8450215 and ask questions to the broadcast team by using the hashtag #motoartgimli

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