Real Pilots

This is a short movie (9 minutes) starring John Malkovich administering a dose of humility to today's commercial pilots, and it celebrates the attitude of early fighter pilots as compared to the pilots of today. The cavalier attitude the fighter pilot developed was a result of the dangers he had to face each time he left "terra firma" with a fighter aircraft "strapped to his butt", and it provided him the ability to face death each time he did.

My career as a fighter pilot preceded the computerization of the profession. In my day, fighter aircraft were marginally aerodynamically stable and could easily "depart controlled flight" with one wrong control input, resulting in a spin or other flight condition that would cause a crash or structural failure of the aircraft itself.

Don't get me wrong. I have the greatest respect for the fighter pilots of today. They have great skills that I never had. But many of the skills required in my day, the "stick and rudder" skills, are no longer as important as they were. And much of the old cavalier attitude we had, has disappeared due to a changing political climate.

So, kick back and enjoy this short video that romanticizes the men and the attitude of a bygone era.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Fighter
• Pilots
• Air
• Force
• Flying
• Romance
• USAF
• Drama
• Airplane