En route from Miami to Medellin, Colombia, the cockpit satellite phone rang on board Kalitta Air’s 747-200. Dispatch was calling with a request. A competitor’s 747 freighter was experiencing mechanical problems in Bogotá. The competitor would be unable to transport a large load of flowers back to the United States. Would the crew divert into Bogotá to rescue the cargo?
Considering the fact that the original schedule was a 36-hour layover in Medellin, the change of plans was not unwelcome. Not that Medellin was necessarily undesirable, but the new itinerary would have the crew home two days earlier. And Capt. Bryant Beebe was fast approaching the FAA rule of 120 flight hours in 30 days.
