Flying

Transcript (Download)

Well, flying's more than just pushing forward the throttles.

There's a certain magic to it.

Not because of the power of flight, you know, the feeling you get when you start down the runway, but there's a certain magic just to the role of being a pilot.

Well, the role of a pilot, it's not like a show -off.

It's a blend of showmanship.

Well, like when I take a friend flying, a non -pilot friend, and we go up and I get a double enjoyment out of this because I get to fly the airplane and I also get to show my friend the skills that I've learned to be a pilot.

Usually he flies some and we have a good time, but he's always kind of in awe of me, not because of my person, but because I possess the skills to fly the airplane and I think that's kind of a magical quality.

Yeah, it's kind of an ego trip.

But flying's responsibility too, and I think this is the most important point.

The regulations state that the safety of any flight is the sole responsibility of the pilot.

And I think this is what pilots, when they're student pilots, learn first.

In fact, they learn on their first lesson when they pre -flight the airplane, and it auls them.

Now pre -flight, or really pre -flighting, is the general inspection of an airplane.

The pilot usually walks around the airplane and he looks at all the outside mechanical features of his airplane and he makes sure that they're all okay.

He checks the surfaces to make sure they're smooth.

He visually checks to make sure there's gas in the gas tanks.

He checks the wheels.

He drains the fuel supply, the propeller, the spinner, like the spinner, just to make sure that it's not going to fall off when he's flying.

And only then, when he's satisfied that the airplane is airworthy, does he get inside and begin the rest of it.

And once inside, there's the pre -flight checklist, and then you start the plane up and taxi it out and do the engine run -up.

And here you make sure that everything that's supposed to be running is running properly and check them against the gauges and everything that's running is running right and it's okay.

And only then do you take the airplane out, put it on the runway, and take off.

I think that this comes as a shock to most students.

It's not until after they've had a couple of lessons do they get used to the routine of just preparing an airplane to fly.

To me, flying presents a challenge.

It's not like, well, I don't picture it like man against nature, like camping would be.

To me, it's more like building a harmony between man and machine, and then you would try to achieve balance with your machine.

I think that flying represents the epitome of man working in a technological environment to achieve some end.

And I think the end in this case is the art, the perfection of flying, the perfection of one's skills.

I love flying, and I hope I always will.

Date Of Production

1973

Abstract

This film shows a man's love for flying and being a pilot. He also touches on student pilots and the process of how to fly a plane.

Description

The film begins with a small plane landing and cuts to a title card and a director credit. The next shot shows a sign for Aretz Airport, followed by many short shots of different small plane models at the airport. In a voiceover, a male narrator says that flying is more than pulling on throttles. He describes his enjoyment of flying with someone and how it is magical to see their reaction and being the pilot. The voiceover continues, accompanied by shots from the point of view of a man taking off in and flying a plane. The voiceover continues, discussing the responsibilities of the pilot as the film image shows a man doing pre-flight checks on a plane before flying. The narrator says it takes a few times for student pilots to get into the routine of preparing an airplane to fly. The film ends with the narrator speaking about his love for flying and hopes that he will love flying for the rest of his life. The plane lands again and the pilot walking back toward the airport.

Run Time

0:04:45

Format

16mm

Extent

172 feet

Color

B&W

Sound

Silent

Reel/Tape Number

1/1

Has Been Digitized?

Yes

Notes

The version of the film streamable on this page combines a scan of this silent reversal print with digitized audio from a separate magnetic audio element in the collection.

Language Of Materials

English

Element

Reversal Positives

Form

Short

Subject

Aviation
Airports
Aircraft

Related Collections

Bob Heiber Collection

Related Places

North America ➜ United States ➜ Indiana ➜ Lafayette

Main Credits

Heiber, Bob (is director)

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