Yep....bugs me too. If I see an aircraft advertised in a movie I will most likely either not watch it or just watch it and sit their in amazement at how incorrect everything is. The best (worst) thing is when they show a 747 external and then switch to the internal and its a single aisle cabin....

 

Its something movie producers should pay great attention to, as imperfections such as this really ruins a movie for me. I guess thats the reason I am a BIG fan of the Hobbit movies! Nothing to scream at the screen about while watching those...

Eh. Movie and tv studios only care about profits and making the movie interesting to most people. That and most people don't know the difference between an APU and their butt so why take the time to make sure it's correct?

I completely agree with everybody else. The little things are the annoying ones. The thing that really bugs me is when I see a plane that would never be used for whatever the reason is that they are using it for. For example, I saw a Progressive commercial a little while ago that was in an airport. The plane behind them with a Progressive logo on it was not something widely in use like a 737, but a B722! The only B722s still in use are 727-200Fs, and they're only in use in Canada. This was definitely a passenger plane. The 727 in the background completely goes against the futuristic theme of Progressive commercials! And all the time I see the takeoff in a movie in a 737, and then the landing scene in a 757! These things ruin entire movie scenes for me! Hopefully sometime the crews of movies, TV shows, and even commercials will eventually decide to care about the little things.

 

Richmond F.

All my friends know I love flying and airplanes. So when a movie with or about airplanes comes on, BAM! I'm the Subject Matter Expert. It totally breaks my suspension of disbelief when the plane is incorrect, the cockpit is shoddy or the cabin is wrong. I get that they don't care about aviation, but dam... Can you try?!

 

Random examples of movies I've seen

I remember I had a friend of mine argue that the fuel could ignite and go fast enough to catch a departing plane. (I think that was DieHard 2?)

I've been asked what plane they were flying in "Flight".  IMO it looks like a MD80 cockpit, but some other type (possibly fictional) on the outside.

Type of plane in "Passenger 57"? I told them (L1011) and then had to explain who made it as no one had ever seen it...

There is a disaster film with John Cusack in it where they fly an AN225. I've never been in the cockpit of it in RL (I have seen the exterior live however), but I thought the plane was the best part of that movie!

Type of airplane used in "Scent of a Woman"? A Continental 727. How do I know? I was there for that! It was filmed in the Continental (United) hangar that is closet to 22R @ EWR. Did not see any of the stars though...

We are familiar with aviation so it is easy to spot liberties taken with aviation for drama or production costs. But think of the many other scenes in a movie which are about subjects, objects, equipment etc. we are not familiar with and really can't make a an informed judgment  about wither the scene is accurate or not. Most movies are for entertainment and nothing else.

I watched a program once and they was sat in the cockpit of a 737. Then the co-pilot reached up, switched a light switch then made a cabin announcement.

The best ever aviation movie based on total absurdity: 'Airplane!' (1980)  Classic.  One night on TCM they ran Airplane! and immediately after they ran the movie that it was a paraody of 'Zero Hour' (1957). It was a great evening.

 

Do you have the clearance Clarance? What's our vector Victor? "Surely you can't be serious", :  "I am serious. And don't call me Shirley."

I've been asked what plane they were flying in "Flight".  IMO it looks like a MD80 cockpit, but some other type (possibly fictional) on the outside.

 

I was watching that movie last night and I was wondering that my self. To me it look also like a MD80 cockpit, but in one of the shots it look like it has vertical displays like the one found in Embraer cockpits.

 

Also, it is possible to fly inverted with a small commercial airplane?

Recorded one today on TCM titled "The Big Lift". 1948 black and white about the Berlin Airlift. Some of those old movies are fun if you look past the corn ball acting of the day. A lot of live C54 and C47 action. Enjoyable.

 

 

Also, it is possible to fly inverted with a small commercial airplane?

Any airplane can fly inverted if you try hard enough.

Any airplane can fly inverted if you try hard enough.

I don't think you can fly inverted with a 747 or A380.

What they need is for a hero to burst into the cockpit to save the day and say "Don't worry folks, I will save the day - I have no real flying experience, but I am a simmer and I use FSX and fly PMDG!", then in a cool calm voice "It will be OK" - fade out on the googly-eyed Flight Attendant.

From what I have read, the crash in flight was loosely based around Alaska flight 261, unfortunately unlike Denzil Washington, the captain was unable to save the flight. So flying upside down, maybe. Flying upside down with a stricken plane, not likely. 

 

 

unlike Denzil Washington, the captain was unable to save the flight.

 

Since, I'm in a nitpicking mood, Alaska 261's FO just didn't sit around playing gear and radio jockey. He was on the controls with the captain so I think he deserves some mention.

The first 707 prototype did an unauthorized aileron roll in full view of the Boeing management.

 

Steve