Captain Gene Hackman

[Typhoon1244]

I was thinking recently about what motion pictures can teach us about C.R.M.

Everybody familiar with Crimson Tide, starring Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington? (I just saw it for the nth time...)

Picture an airline crew trying to gain access to their aircraft, but the stubborn security-conscious gate agent won't let them pass. The captain is holding a .45 to his F/O's head, saying tersely, "however...First Officer Williams here...doesn't know the combination to the jetway!"

 

[avbug]

Huh?

 

[Typhoon1244]

Huh?

Oh come on! None of you've seen Crimson Tide?

 

[DoinTime]

How about that one where Kelsey Grammer plays a submarine captain. Now that is what CRM is all about.

 

[shamrock]

I was thinking recently about what motion pictures can teach us about C.R.M.

When I was there CommutAir used Crimson Tide in initial for this exact reason. It served as a nice break from that horrendously long three week groundschool and we even got pizza along with the movie.

 

[Hovernut]

Ain't no dog gonna pee on the missile tube outside my bunkroom! Besides, there are soooo many ways to disrupt a launch, no rogue can get one off on his own....takes a committed crew.

My Captain's role model was Atilla the Hun, so we weren't too far off the "Crimson Tide" mark.

 

[RightBettor]

Even better...

Nah, I like Captain Clarence Oveur the best. Remember that short scene in "Airplane" when First Officer Murdoch asks, "You want me to check the weather Clarence?" Capt. Oveur responds, "Nah, why don't you get it."

The subtlety in the scene is what made it so funny. That is: A) The Captain doesn't listen to what his crew is saying, and B) He doesn't give a rats a$$ anyway!!! Ever flown with one of those guys?

 

[altimaklr]

I'm convinced a large amount of people use this board while intoxicated...

 

[bigr]

F.Y.I. Actor Gene Hackman is a pilot in real life.

other actor pilots that i know of: Cliff robertson, Kurt Russel, tom cruise, john travolta (duh), Chris Reeve (before accident), the late jimmy stewart, patrick swayzee, the late Steve Mcqueen, movie director Sydney Pollack (out of africa, tootsie) owns and flys his own Citation X, michael dorn owns a sabreliner.

 

[rumpletumbler]

I can see Gene Hackman flying an airplane. I can see Jimmy Stewart not only flying an airplane but being fun to fly with. If you will read the accident report for when Patrick (shouldn't be a pilot) Swayzee (spelling) you can see why he isn't really a pilot but a tester for second hand smoke effects on inantimate objects.

RT

 

[Yeti]

Isn't Harrison Ford an avid pilot as well?

 

[katanabob]

Jimmy Stewart flew B-24's in WW2, if I recall correctly.

 

[EagleRJ]

Isn't Harrison Ford an avid pilot as well?

Yes, Harrison Ford is a pilot, and has his rotorcraft certificate, too. I think he owns a Long Ranger or something. Several years ago, he rescued some hikers who were lost or injured somewhere out west with his helicopter. Must have been quite a sight for the hikers, having Han Solo come to your rescue!

 

[Kaman]

Hi Guys,
A couple of old movies that I've always enjoyed that depicted airline crews, and had some good CRM principles demonstrated or not demonstrated are: "Fate is the Hunter" (Earnest K. Gann novel) and another that starred Efram Zimbalest Jr.(sp.?) He plays a Navy pilot flying a T-33 that ultimately collides with an airliner being flown by a tyrannical Captain. Pretty good flick, and Zimbalest made a return to airline flying in the movies as the Captain of the 747 that collides with a light civil twin and is blinded. This necessitates Charlton Heston making a helo-to-Jet transfer via a "Rube Goldberg" contraption that winches him to the aircraft.

Regards,

ex-Navy Rotorhead...

P.S. Personal fave is the "Bridges at Tko Ri" "Where do we get such men?" line at the end of the movie by the CVBG Cmdr. as he reflects on the loss of William Holden's character and spoken as he watches another strike being launched off the carrier. Sends a chill down my spine just thinking about it.

 

[flywithastick]

Yes, Harrison Ford is a pilot, and has his rotorcraft certificate, too. I think he owns a Long Ranger or something. Several years ago, he rescued some hikers who were lost or injured somewhere out west with his helicopter. Must have been quite a sight for the hikers, having Han Solo come to your rescue!

Owned/ownes an Alouette (sp?) I believe. has a hanger at Driggs, ID where he flies in the summer.

 

[laker inbound]

Here's some other famous people with pilot certificates:

Mario Andretti
F. Lee Bailey (scum!)
Jimmy Buffett
Dan Dierdorf
Senator Tom Daschle (jerk!)
Sarah Ferguson ("Fergie")
Bruce Jenner
Joe Montana
Dennis Quaid
William Shatner
Marty Schottenheimer

 

[BradG]

Joe Montana learned to fly at the place i work in KC. Then his wife bought him a Mirage for his birthday. Go figure

 

[Typhoon1244]

Famous people with pilot certificates

When J.F.K. Jr. went in, Larry King had a panel of aviation "experts" on his show discussing the accident. The first was a former N.T.S.B. investigator whose name escapes me. The rest were Bruce Jenner, F. Lee Bailey, John Denver, and Scott O'Grady.

"Experts?"

My favorite part was when F. Lee and O'Grady started talking about how "naturally superior" military pilots are. Yeah, Scott O'Grady's really superior...a guy who got shot down over a thrid-world country by 1960's technology and--allegedly--couldn't make it through 727 F/E training.

Easy guys, I'm not bashing military pilots, I think they do a great job...I almost was one! But they don't walk on water any more than the rest of us do.

But that's a topic for another thread...

Evidently some of you aren't familiar with my Crimson Tide reference. Gene Hackman, Captain of the SSBN Alabama, believes he has orders to launch nuclear missiles into Russia. When his weapons officer refuses to open the safe containing the missile firing trigger, Hackman holds a .45 to the officer's head and claims he'll shoot if the man doesn't comply. Hackman finally curses:

"S_it! It does me no good to shoot you, you're the only one who knows the combination. However..." [grabs another crewman, puts pistol to his head] "Petty Officer...Pilar here...doesn't know the combination! I'll fire on the count of three!"

I know a couple of captains who I believe might subscribe to this technique...

 

[flywithastick]

Re: Famous people with pilot certificates

guy who got shot down over a thrid-world country by 1960's technology

I'm not debating anything about O'Grady, but these folks aren't third world. There very sharp folks. If memory serves correctly, didn't they hit a stealth fighter a few years back? Using their older systems, a little "out of the box" thinking and our repetitive schedules (duh!) to find and hit the plane.

 

[Typhoon1244]

Re: Re: Famous people with pilot certificates

...these folks aren't third world.

You're right, of course, I'm over-simplifying. I just don't like O'Grady.

Or Ben Affleck.