Your flying tales sought for BBC One Show
 

Reposting a plea from a friend who is looking for your flying tales for a 3 part feature on the BBC One Show.


My name is Jane Gillow and I’m a Researcher for BBC1’s The One Show.

We’re currently developing new ideas for One Show films for 2014/15 and we’re very interested in looking at flying clubs as we think they must attract people from all walks of life and are full of potential for great human interest stories.
...
I was wondering, would you mind putting some feelers out amongst your members to see what stories are out there with a view to turning this into a series of short documentary-style films for The One Show?

Some areas we are interested in are:

· The interesting and surprising places the aircraft are flown to

· Stories of bravery, camaraderie, friendship and teamwork

· Big characters in your club

· Enthusiasts of aerial photography who go out to capture landmarks or incredible views

· Someone with an interest in birds who goes out to capture a kestrel or other bird

· Someone who has been caught up in a dramatic situation while flying their aircraft – maybe they were involved in a rescue of some sort

· Firsts – if you were the first flying club to achieve something we would love to hear about it

· Unusual things that are transported via the aircraft

· Famous people who have a passion for microlights and other small aircraft

· Any big events or happenings planned for 2014 and 2015 that we could cover

Any info you could send me would be gratefully received. We would like to get some stories in by early next week if possible so it would be much appreciated if someone could look into this for me as soon as possible.

Many thanks,

Jane

Jane Gillow

Researcher

BBC

| T. 02890 338029| |E. [email protected]

No offence, but I think most GA pilots steer away from over-dramatising our flying.

We fly for pleasure and the idea of the media looking for items of bravery, drama etc is not a good approach.

Rather than asking for stories, why don't you visit your local club and see what goes on.

Been flying for over 20 years, so personally I know what goes on at the average GA airfield.

They are not looking to over dramatize, but looking more at the variety of people that get into GA. (i.e. it is not just the millionares playground, but ALL walks of life)

So many (or rather - Too Many) times, whenever GA appears in the media, it is when things have gone wrong. All to often we hear about the lastest crash - which often is no more than a perfectly safe forced landing.

Here is our opportunity to show GA in a positive light. A chance to showcase the good.

Hmmm well if the Propellerhead tv prog about the microlight Round Britain Rally is anything to go by, then this will surely turn out sensationalist and not a good advert for recreational flying...

I thought the Propellerhead tv program was quite good and surely made a few people consider taking up microlighting?

Most people these days know that TV tends to sensationalise a bit, but can see past most of it. Showing that aviation is fun and not out of reach for most "normal" people can't be a bad thing!

SS

GA will be dead by 2014/2015 anyway, what with the closure of all the RFs and extortionate fees to become ATOs bankrupting all the grass roots level flying training.

What a miserable bunch!

My experiences of the press on many subjects and over 40 years have not been good.

Personally I wouldn't say a word to them that I wasn't prepared to see twisted, and sensationalised.

Respond to them at your peril.

I would have thought a look at the LAA and the aircraft and people there would be a good one for the show, lots of variety in both people, aircraft, building and the places they fly from.

Thanks for the positive feedback 3mile - Very Helpfull

I have certainly pointed her in the direction of a few people, along with such events as the Dawn to Dusk, Royal Aero Club - for air racing. Homebuilding community & LAA.

These are great, but there is always that one person in GA that has a remarkable story to tell.

Pilots have taken microlights over Mount Everest. or flown solo around the world in a homebuild. Clubs may have run flying events to raise money for charity. Sensationalist - not, but facinating for an audience to be able to watch and share in their triumph, no matter how small

Another one that might be worth looking at is the "Fly to Help" Charity, Aviation with tons of human interest stories.

Thanks Foxmoth.
Had not heard of this one.
I will take a look, and pass it on to the team

Project Propeller is about to happen, that certainly must make good telly and you couldn't make GA look bad with that if you tried.

Another brilliant charity.
worth a look

I could be interested on condition I get to take Alex Jones flying. :}

Miserable old bunch.

Anything, and I mean anything that can give some attention to aviation, ignite a spark is a good thing. All publicity is good publicity. Even bad. If we want to save GA aviation then we need to be welcoming to these efforts and not be insular or suspicious like some freemasons club. It's up to us to be collaborative or we won't have any GA left in a few decades.

I'd especially like to see a highlight on grassroots flying and aircraft ownership and try to help steer it away from the commonly held notion that one needs to be rich to fly. If this takes the form of profiling big 'characters' or a frightening emergency and adventure, then so be it.

Adam, you appear to have hit the nail on the head.
They are trying to show the wide variety of people who get into GA.
Speaking with some of the team, they were not aware of the homebuilding community, or the fact that market traders rub shoulders with CEO's etc.

Had it been a reasonable BBC show, we could have been interested...

But in my opinion, The One Show really is complete and utter rubbish - presented by some rather vacant, often-unintelligible woman and a grouchy, sulking side-kick, in my opinion.

I invariably switch channels before the wretched programme starts as it is so cringingly awful....

Showing the home-building/LAA side of things would be great as it's a side the public doesn't get to hear about much. There is some great characters in microlighting as well.

Filming at a fly in or at Cromer airfield on a busy day would be fun too. Project propeller would also be a great one.

Or how about showing a modern microlight such as a C-42? I have a share in one and wouldn't mind taking part in filming if it would promote the club at Chatteris.

Getting some great results here folks
Can there be anything better than a grass strip on a warm Sunday afternoon among friends. Pootling around in a t'craft or cub.