Aviation movies

[Toro]

As for Armageddon...[sigh]. What the heck was up with the "roger roll" thing? Does Hollywood think that means the Shuttle snaprolls all the way to orbit?

Or how they're pulling 11.5 G's for over a minute while this is going on. Not only is nobody passed out or even straining, they're all talking and joking.

 

[RightBettor]

The Pilot

Back in 1979 (about the time those stupid "Airport" movies were coming out) a good aviation movie was released. "The Pilot" starring Cliff Robertson was the story about an airline captain struggling with the demon of alcoholism. The scenes in the cockpit were done pretty well, and I heard a rumor that Cliff Robertson insisted on getting typed in the DC-8 for the role. Robertson is a certificated pilot and avid glider enthusiast. There were some very good scenes that we all could likely relate to: a CRM scene where the crew is discussing whether or not to contine to SFO (WX is forecast to deteriorate and the winds aloft are stronger than forecast so fuel is becoming an issue... they contend with "get-there-itis"), a CAT encounter, working with dispatch on reroutes, etc.

If memory serves correctly, most of the scenes in the cockpit have dialouge appropriate to the situation. i.e. Robertson calls for particular flap settings as opposed to the standard Hollywood, "Set landing flaps!" or "50 feet!! Decide!!! Land!!" or some other off the wall callout. Oh, and the FO dons O2 when Robertson gets up to go to the lav.

Check it out. It's a pretty good movie.

BTW, here is a comment from an IMDB user:

"There are many movies about airliners. I think "The Pilot" is the best of them all ; realistic in a way that the flying scenes appear real. In addition flying has the "lead role" and human relations are "co-starring", unlike in nearly all the other movies of this brand.

Granted that for a person to fully experience "The Pilot" - that person must have some sort of understanding and interest towards flying."

 

[Typhoon1244]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Die Hard II.

Remember when the where the evil villains "reset the ground level" on the ILS, causing the British DC-8-73 to crash on the overrun. Oh, and how did you like the way the same DC-8, carrying almost no gas, burned like a blowtorch?

How about the 747 engine that eats commandos like a Cuisineart?

How about the fact that all the pilots had to do was talk to center and go somewhere else...and the whole movie would never have happened?

 

[reepicheep]

For sheer beauty and exilaration of flight, 633 Squadron

 

[Whirlwind]

Re: The Pilot

Back in 1979 (about the time those stupid "Airport" movies were coming out) a good aviation movie was released.

Hey now, I loved those Airport movies when I was a kid.

Airport 77 was always my favorite. Of course when I was 9 I thought that could actually happen!

*shrug*

 

[Whirlwind]

Originally posted by Typhoon1244 I'm surprised nobody mentioned Die Hard II.

Remember when the where the evil villains "reset the ground level" on the ILS, causing the British DC-8-73 to crash on the overrun.

Hey, when I first saw that movie, I really thought you could do that! Wasn't a pilot at the time however.

Oh, and how did you like the way the same DC-8, carrying almost no gas, burned like a blowtorch?

Now THAT I did question. I wrote it off to the "Hollywood Factor".

How about the fact that all the pilots had to do was talk to center and go somewhere else...and the whole movie would never have happened?

Hmm, never thought of that either. Again, not a pilot back then. I suppose I did wonder why they couldn't just fly somewhere else, but then again, the "Hollywood Factor" takes care of that stuff.

 

[want to be xcop]

What about, "the Great Waldo Pepper"?

 

[LearLove]

Fandango - the best paint job on a 172 I've ever seen. I think thats where South West got their idea for their paint jobs. I love the scene where they lasho (sp) the car to the passing train.

 

[starvingcfi]

two words baby. AIR AMERICA

 

[skidbuggy]

God Bless Paul Mantz.


For those who don't remember him, he flew the Beech 18 through the billboard in 'Its a Mad Mad Mad World'.

Sadly he was killed during the filming of 'The Flight of the Phoenix'

 

[Brother Francis]

Capricorn 1- the Lear really hit the car. The left main was really knocked off.

Dr. Strangelove- loved the BUFF's shadow.

 

[bobbysamd]

Movies

I agree with Typhoon1244's choices, above. A Gathering of Eagles was good. I got a little sick of Top Gun after a while. Don't forget about Thirty Seconds over Tokyo.

Catch-.22 may not have that many specific aviation-related scenes but it was an interesting story. Tora! Tora! Tora! was exciting to watch. Air America had those great clandestine C-123s.

Finally, Twelve O'Clock High. I sure wish the 1960s TV show that was based on the movie could be brought back in reruns.

 

[Flight_Line]

You folks missed "Ground Control" with Keefer (sp?) Sutherland. Now there is a bad movie. It sounds like it is close to "On a Wing and a Prayer" as far as the plot goes. The high point of the movie occurs when fictional ARTCC looses radar one last airliner is still out there in the big storm gets struck by lightning (didn't see that one coming at all) and now can only turn left a-la UA232 and now must maneuver with differential thrust only the crew doesn't know what a compass is and therefore center must TIME the differential thrust for the pilots sort of just like in "Apollo 13". Oh and I almost forgot, the ILS goes out when a goose hits a little rotating thingy on the ILS tower which appears to be nowhere near a runway.

My vote for the best pilot movie would have to be "Airplane!"
Rodger, Rodger

 

[RightPedal]

My favorite was Cannonball Run with Bert Renyolds and Dom Deluise. They land a Maule in a small Georgia Town between Traffic Lights, swing into a parking place and grad a six pak. BD Maule did many stunts like this to show what his airplanes could do. You can see it at http://www.mauleairinc.com/____Maule_in_the_Movies/____Cannonball_Run/Cannonball_1/cannonball_1.html

 

[ILS JNKY]

walker texas ranger

They had a scean where these to bad guys do a bank robbery in the middle of the day with an airplane , that was cool.


12 o clock high was on turner tv a few weeks ago, man that show is still good.


Then there was SKYKING flying around in his twin with the girl named penny,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,