The Best And Worst Aviation TV Programs of all time!
Not so N, but still FG
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More theme song: "Faster than fast boys, higher than high, the do or die Aeronauts fly". I even had the annual. Sheesh.
Further details of this monument to cheese, or, rather, fromage, in my post on page 2 of this thread.
Further details of this monument to cheese, or, rather, fromage, in my post on page 2 of this thread.
Free Man, Not a Number
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Best of all has to be "The Pathfinders" or was it 617 Squadron? And of course (said before) but "The Aeronauts" (Do or die as the Aeronauts fly)
Howabout - UFO (being repeated on SciFi on Sundays at the moment) - great tight suits on the ladies and purple hair
Modern day - "A Plane is Born" - How do you get a job like that. I want one, first he builds a Cobra kit car nad now a plane.
Howabout - UFO (being repeated on SciFi on Sundays at the moment) - great tight suits on the ladies and purple hair
Modern day - "A Plane is Born" - How do you get a job like that. I want one, first he builds a Cobra kit car nad now a plane.
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BEST: Black Box
This has and probably always will be at the top of my list in terms of the best aviation related TV programme. I may be biased in a sense because I am highly interested in accidents and why they occur, but the main factor is that since that programme there have been many other programmes of a similar nature that have simply been very poor indeed. We have all seen the half an hour documentaries which do nothing but frighten the general public, especially when they are scheduled at the beginning of the major holiday season.
Black Box was different though, it had facts and looked deeply into why events occured as they did rather than a glimpse at several accidents with one common factor - they crashed.
This is one of the few aviation documentaries that is a "must see" in my opinion. In turn this leads me to what I consider to be the "worst programme." I have seen many programmes involved in aircraft safety and to be honest I can't really point a finger to say which one has been the worst, as I consider most as nothing but scaremongering to gain viewers at times when the TV compnaies know that people will be intrigued the most.
Regards
This has and probably always will be at the top of my list in terms of the best aviation related TV programme. I may be biased in a sense because I am highly interested in accidents and why they occur, but the main factor is that since that programme there have been many other programmes of a similar nature that have simply been very poor indeed. We have all seen the half an hour documentaries which do nothing but frighten the general public, especially when they are scheduled at the beginning of the major holiday season.
Black Box was different though, it had facts and looked deeply into why events occured as they did rather than a glimpse at several accidents with one common factor - they crashed.
This is one of the few aviation documentaries that is a "must see" in my opinion. In turn this leads me to what I consider to be the "worst programme." I have seen many programmes involved in aircraft safety and to be honest I can't really point a finger to say which one has been the worst, as I consider most as nothing but scaremongering to gain viewers at times when the TV compnaies know that people will be intrigued the most.
Regards
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Going back to programmes from childhood I seem to remember "Jimbo, The Jet Set" was quite a high quality aviation programme.
Skytruckers- Very good, liked that. Unfort. now CargoLion has gone bust.
Aviatrix - All about Pilots jobs. Perhaps my new favourite.
Current Worst:
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First Flights with Neil Armstrong - Unbelievable patriotic american tripe.
Can't help the person who wanted to know the name of a particular programme in a recent post, haven't heard of it.
Cheers for now...
Tri
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"Ayline 221 airbourne"
Skytruckers- Very good, liked that. Unfort. now CargoLion has gone bust.
Aviatrix - All about Pilots jobs. Perhaps my new favourite.
Current Worst:
--------------
First Flights with Neil Armstrong - Unbelievable patriotic american tripe.
Can't help the person who wanted to know the name of a particular programme in a recent post, haven't heard of it.
Cheers for now...
Tri
------------------
"Ayline 221 airbourne"
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I liked the episode of Junkyard Wars where the two teams were challenged to build manned gliders in a day, using materials scavenged from a scrapyard. They were then winched up and the one with the longest flight time was declared the winner. I'm curious, though- like the UK cable channels, the broadcaster here repeats every show dozens of times per year. I've seen them build racecars, diving tanks, submarines, cannons, you name it, all were aired several times- but the glider episode only aired once. Could the lawyers have nixed it for fear of being sued copycats who screw up? If so, why not any of the other episodes that depicted hazardous pursuits?
I liked that Discovery series about the YYZ-FRA flight- keep thinking I'd like to do something similar with light A/C as a training aid for the Air Cadet squadron I work with. Anyone in YYZ handy with a camera interested in a collaboration?
The worst I saw was on Fox a few years back- whatshername from X-Files hosted a show that was allegedly about how to survive a plane crash. Standard-issue scaremongering.
I liked that Discovery series about the YYZ-FRA flight- keep thinking I'd like to do something similar with light A/C as a training aid for the Air Cadet squadron I work with. Anyone in YYZ handy with a camera interested in a collaboration?
The worst I saw was on Fox a few years back- whatshername from X-Files hosted a show that was allegedly about how to survive a plane crash. Standard-issue scaremongering.
Yep, that prog with Gillian Anderson also screened in the UK a few years back (C5, I think)....can't remember the name, but awful!
Best: Black Box (factual, not sensationalist). The books are v. good aswell - one is just a catalogue of CVR transcripts, a bit gruesome, but fascinating
Reaching for the Skies - taped the whole series and have it stored away somewhere
Defence of the Realm - a BBC series from a couple of Years ago, with some v. good RAF and FAA stuff.
Incidentally, anyone know when the new "Airline", featuring Spotty M starts in the UK?
[ 10 August 2001: Message edited by: Wycombe ]
Best: Black Box (factual, not sensationalist). The books are v. good aswell - one is just a catalogue of CVR transcripts, a bit gruesome, but fascinating
Reaching for the Skies - taped the whole series and have it stored away somewhere
Defence of the Realm - a BBC series from a couple of Years ago, with some v. good RAF and FAA stuff.
Incidentally, anyone know when the new "Airline", featuring Spotty M starts in the UK?
[ 10 August 2001: Message edited by: Wycombe ]
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Cutter`s Goose.
But more importantly the Aeronauts were Tonguy and his sidekick ( the fat one ) Lavadieu.
The plots were exactly as FNG described so well, but also seemed like retreads of an earlier Wars of Castille and Aragon, sword and cannon fest that used the same actors, theme composer, dubbing mixer and more --- now what was that called ?.
I found the most memorable Aeronaut episodes were in the second series where the lads were on exchange to an Amazonian military regime and helped out with their stuff in Beavers on floats. The producers obviously had max asssistance from the Armee de l`air and other government departments because a lot of the flying footage was very good.
Has anyone mentioned The Planemakers ?. Top cast -- are they all dead yet ?.
Moonstrike was tale of everyday resistance folk made with the Citroens left over from Maigret. It probably just pre-dated The Great Escape and was `Allo `Allo without the laughs. Notable for the cardboard Lysander and Halifax in each episode.
Sad but true. GH
But more importantly the Aeronauts were Tonguy and his sidekick ( the fat one ) Lavadieu.
The plots were exactly as FNG described so well, but also seemed like retreads of an earlier Wars of Castille and Aragon, sword and cannon fest that used the same actors, theme composer, dubbing mixer and more --- now what was that called ?.
I found the most memorable Aeronaut episodes were in the second series where the lads were on exchange to an Amazonian military regime and helped out with their stuff in Beavers on floats. The producers obviously had max asssistance from the Armee de l`air and other government departments because a lot of the flying footage was very good.
Has anyone mentioned The Planemakers ?. Top cast -- are they all dead yet ?.
Moonstrike was tale of everyday resistance folk made with the Citroens left over from Maigret. It probably just pre-dated The Great Escape and was `Allo `Allo without the laughs. Notable for the cardboard Lysander and Halifax in each episode.
Sad but true. GH
Not so N, but still FG
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Garry, I think that the prog you are referring to was called "The Flashng Blade", which was endlessly repeated at the same time as White Horses, Belle and Sebastian, the Singing Ringing Tree etc. It was set in Northern Italy, and (my history tutor told me years later)based on a real incident during Francis I's wars with Emperor Charles V during the early sixteenth century. All I can remember of it was that the plot was incomprehensible, and that there was a lot of galloping through forests. Sadly, I can also recall snatches of the theme tune. Why do we remember all this sh*te? In the Aeronauts annual they flew a Catalina around French Polynesia, but I don't recall them doing that in the TV version.
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Because it's airing tonight I'm reminded of the absulute worst of all time- a made-for-TV movie called The Blackout Effect. Among the howlers:
1. Controllers stampeding up the stairs and fighting over payphones when a power failure cuts of all radio comms.
2. A pilot and controller arguing over an instruction for several minutes- controller sez one thing, pilot says TCAS shows conflict, repeated several times 'till mid-air collision takes place.
3. Investigators run computer simulation of collision involving 757, depicted on-screen with graphic of 747.
4. ILS on runway has a rotating dish antenna.
There are many others but I've forgotten most of them- guess it's true what they say about the mind blocking out traumatic experiences.
1. Controllers stampeding up the stairs and fighting over payphones when a power failure cuts of all radio comms.
2. A pilot and controller arguing over an instruction for several minutes- controller sez one thing, pilot says TCAS shows conflict, repeated several times 'till mid-air collision takes place.
3. Investigators run computer simulation of collision involving 757, depicted on-screen with graphic of 747.
4. ILS on runway has a rotating dish antenna.
There are many others but I've forgotten most of them- guess it's true what they say about the mind blocking out traumatic experiences.
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"Tales of the Gold Monkey" much better than "Wings", which was mostly a soap opera with a little flying, though all the flying parts well done. Was Gold Monkey using a Goose or a Widgeon?
Moldy oldies from U.S. are "Ripcord" about a skydiving school (okay, that's falling, not flying but great air to air shots and an intro that said everything you see is real, no tricks no illusions and don't do this at home boys and girls) and "Sky King" an old saturday am potboiler done on a low budget...seldom saw the airplane and when you did a lot was closeups of the "cockpit" being rocked around against a "sky" background, but what the heck I was only 5.
12 O'Clock High was a tv series too, with good acting and fairly good plots mostly. Lots of stock footage (the same ball turret, the same Bf109 ... oh well). Lots of combat footage over used and some footage of the unsinkable aircraft carrier they were operating from. What started me on wanting to go to a real pub.
"Ba Ba Blacksheep" modern series with F4Us and some other warbirds and lots of SNJs painted up like the bad guys etc. Not that great but not that bad from a airplanes point of view. Obviously not filmed on a south pacific island, can't go too far on the realism and technical details. Still shown on cable under another name, but is all reruns now.
Speedvision on cable gets some good airplane programming every so often. Made by different people and the quality is of course variable, but the good part with all that is to see footage that you don't see all the time from the big media houses.
edited to add "Hogan's Heroes" a situation comedy where the situation was Allied airmen in a German prison camp. Doesn't sound very good, I'll admit, but they managed to do a creditable job with comedy without really poor taste. Had to have seen Stalag 17 and Great Escape for it to be really funny though. Seldom has airplanes in it except the odd shadowy Lysander picking up someone from the resistance or shot down aircraew. (where best to hide shot down aircrew pending recovery than in a prison camp full or aircrew?)
[ 16 August 2001: Message edited by: RATBOY ]
Moldy oldies from U.S. are "Ripcord" about a skydiving school (okay, that's falling, not flying but great air to air shots and an intro that said everything you see is real, no tricks no illusions and don't do this at home boys and girls) and "Sky King" an old saturday am potboiler done on a low budget...seldom saw the airplane and when you did a lot was closeups of the "cockpit" being rocked around against a "sky" background, but what the heck I was only 5.
12 O'Clock High was a tv series too, with good acting and fairly good plots mostly. Lots of stock footage (the same ball turret, the same Bf109 ... oh well). Lots of combat footage over used and some footage of the unsinkable aircraft carrier they were operating from. What started me on wanting to go to a real pub.
"Ba Ba Blacksheep" modern series with F4Us and some other warbirds and lots of SNJs painted up like the bad guys etc. Not that great but not that bad from a airplanes point of view. Obviously not filmed on a south pacific island, can't go too far on the realism and technical details. Still shown on cable under another name, but is all reruns now.
Speedvision on cable gets some good airplane programming every so often. Made by different people and the quality is of course variable, but the good part with all that is to see footage that you don't see all the time from the big media houses.
edited to add "Hogan's Heroes" a situation comedy where the situation was Allied airmen in a German prison camp. Doesn't sound very good, I'll admit, but they managed to do a creditable job with comedy without really poor taste. Had to have seen Stalag 17 and Great Escape for it to be really funny though. Seldom has airplanes in it except the odd shadowy Lysander picking up someone from the resistance or shot down aircraew. (where best to hide shot down aircrew pending recovery than in a prison camp full or aircrew?)
[ 16 August 2001: Message edited by: RATBOY ]
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dingducky!!!!
I have been trying in vain to find out anything I can about "Air Scotia(Scotcha)" for years. I was not even if it really existed or was merely a figment of my warped imagination.
It was definitely the WORST. I think it might have been by the same guys who made "Are You Being Served". It contained the same crap jokes. Jokes based on slutty stewardesses, gay stewards and drunk/lost pilots. It was topped of with the same stock footage of a Trident parked at the gate.
If anyone knows anything about the show or can confirm what I have said about it I would love to hear. My memory of the show is very faded. It has been bothering me for years!!
I have been trying in vain to find out anything I can about "Air Scotia(Scotcha)" for years. I was not even if it really existed or was merely a figment of my warped imagination.
It was definitely the WORST. I think it might have been by the same guys who made "Are You Being Served". It contained the same crap jokes. Jokes based on slutty stewardesses, gay stewards and drunk/lost pilots. It was topped of with the same stock footage of a Trident parked at the gate.
If anyone knows anything about the show or can confirm what I have said about it I would love to hear. My memory of the show is very faded. It has been bothering me for years!!
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Discovery Wings is overall very good (IMHO) What really annoys me is the endless commercials inviting you to watch Dicovery Wings! I am already watching it for goodness sake! A bit of info about future programmes would be better than the mindless witterings and soft focus photography that features in their own "commercials" and the unspeakable geriatric skydiver - is it Baz Lurman? Words fail me!
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BJM,
The programme was called `The High Life' and starred Siobhan(?) Redmond as Shona and Alan Cumming as one of the stewards. Can't remember whom the Captain or other male was.
And I agree it was rubbish!
The programme was called `The High Life' and starred Siobhan(?) Redmond as Shona and Alan Cumming as one of the stewards. Can't remember whom the Captain or other male was.
And I agree it was rubbish!
Wycombe
The programme featuring MON satarts this Friday, not sure of the exact time, 8.30 rings a bell.
Will be watching with interest as I am flying with them to Papthos in mid September.
The programme featuring MON satarts this Friday, not sure of the exact time, 8.30 rings a bell.
Will be watching with interest as I am flying with them to Papthos in mid September.