I so wish that movie / TV producers would by FSX and PMDG products before they make films and TV shows.

 

SPOILER ALERT

 

I have just watched the latest episode of Criminal Minds and in the first scene it shows the external shot of a Boeing 747, then the internal shot of a smaller plane. Then later on it shows a plan of a three engine aircraft.

 

Later on another aircraft, again a 747 this time with a small cockpit, then the pilot changes com frequency with the CDU which I am right, is only available on the Airbus, not the 747.

 

The plot goes that a plane crashes, they investigate and find that the slats are lowered mid air then is brought down by a remote control. The second aircraft does not crash, although had the flaps and gear lowered by remote control. The pilots cannot take over the aircraft because they can't cancel the autopilot, they can't change the transponder for some reason and the ACARS does not work.

 

Please can somebody explain to these movie makers and TV makers how the 747 is mechanical and not fly-by-wire.

You see that kind of thing a lot in TV and movies. Cutting from the external view of an aircraft to the flight deck of a completely different aircraft. The producers don't care about that kind of stuff. Only buffs notice these and are annoyed by these thing. My cardiologist told me a couple of years ago that he was watching and enjoying some period piece. I think it was The Madness of King George and then he noticed a tell tail sign on the lead actors neck that indicated he had had coronary by-pass surgery. Dammit there was no by-pass in the 1700's Movie Ruined!

 

 

I so wish that movie / TV producers would by FSX and PMDG products before they make films and TV shows.

 

It would be nice.  Even if not for you and me, for all of my friends who are so used to my side commentary:

"That's not even the same plane!"

"Really?!?  Is it that difficult?"

 

The worst is when it's a higher budget movie, and there's no plot reference to the type of plane (so they generally have a decent amount of flex room to choose whatever plane they want), but they still mix the takeoff, cruise, landing, and flight deck shots.

 

All I can think is:

"How about this?  Find your limiting factor - whether that's a cabin or flight deck sim -and shoot some scenes in it.  Write down what that type is, and then either pay for matching stock footage of the takeoff/landing, or go spend an hour at a local international airport and get shots of both."

 

I do get it, though...why waste extra effort if only a few will notice?  For me, if anything, just make sure the flight deck looks the part.  I hate the gamey flight decks that you see in shows like Air Disaster and so on.  You could use different takeoff, landing, and cabin shots...as long as you get the flight deck to look right.

From an episode of ACI.

 

 

 

Dem windows...

Hollywood's vision of aviation drives me bonkers... like Kyle, I can't shut up when watching this stuff. By the way Kyle, I am now single.

 

Very few good aviation movies out there but there are a few. My favorites are 'Twelve O'Clock High,'  'The High and the Mighty,' and one of the best that earned a standing ovation at EAA Oshkosh Fly-In: 'Flyboys' (2006). The first used actual AAF film, the second starred John Wayne (duh) and the latest was filmed to capture realistic flying, even if they had to use CGI the computer followed the motion of an instrumented airplane. Magnificent.

 

 

Hollywood's vision of aviation drives me bonkers... like Kyle, I can't shut up when watching this stuff. By the way Kyle, I am now single.

 

That's why I'm still single...haha.

Got to admit, my wife told me to shut up halfway through when I told her that it could never happen, that they pilots where useless and all they had to do was flick a switch to get back control.

 

Doesn't help that we are going on holiday soon and she doesn't like flying.

Last week I watched a program on PBS called NOVA about MH370 which was narrated by Miles O'Brien. It was good. All of the cockpit shots were done in a real 777 simulator with an active captain and a retired captain. It was nice to see a real cockpit after too many Air Disasters. Even some of their episodes have the sequence of events changed for dramatic purposes.

Check out Island in the sky also with John Wayne, made about the same time as High and Mighty. Also written by E Gann I think. The War Lover with Steve Mac queen was a decent war movie. (B-17s)

Hmm.. you probably won't want to watch Sharknado 2, then. (Although if you learn to "let go", it's actually pretty hilarious )

 

Daryl Shuttleworth (of the LevelD767 fame) was also in Turbulence 2: Fear of Flying as the captain. He has some tales from being in that masterpiece(!) B)

Aviation mistakes in entertainment (movies, TV etc) are a huge pet peeve of mine haha. I would gladly serve as an advisor to any movie or show looking to get things right.

 

Even my favorite show of all time, Breaking Bad (which gets a ton of stuff right involving chemistry and all of that), did some really ridiculous aviation stuff in one of the early seasons.

 

 

did some really ridiculous aviation stuff in one of the early seasons.

I know exactly what you're talking about, and I too was yelling at the screen, haha

I too am like this. I simply cannot stand it. It drives my Wife nuts. She just pauses the movie/TV show, and looks at me waiting for me to finish also.

 

I also count rounds coming out of weapons. I will almost walk away from a movie when I see someone shoot about 27 times from a pistol without even thinking of reloading.

 

Watching movies that vehicles jump 20 feet in the air, and the clips ends with them slamming bumper first into the ground, then the next clip is of them continuing to drive.

I love when Movies use flight sim accessories as props.

Here are two fantastic examples: