Pacific Flyer

Take A Trip Around the USA In A J-3 Cub With The “Feels Like Flying” Folks
 

The FEELS LIKE FLYING! series features low-level aerial tours of scenic landscapes not accessible by road, and not normally visible to the public. The producers employed a wing-mounted camera on a J-3 Piper Cub to put the viewer in the cockpit to experience flight from the pilot’s point-of-view, at an altitude and speed designed to enhance the flying experience.

Norm Goyer, the respected editor of Private Pilot magazine commented after viewing volume one of the series, “The images make you feel so much like you’re flying that I started making imaginary control inputs when the Cub came too close to huge rocks and swarms of seagulls. What a great stress breaker; what a soothing ride before bedtime; what a great way to relax totally in the realm of flying.”

The magical perspective of low-level flight that was introduced in the first DVD, “Pilot’s Extended Edition” appealed to pilots who don’t fly anymore, to novices just learning to fly, and to those who are physically unable to enjoy the outdoors.

“We had lots of requests from customer for information about the scenes in the first video,” explains Mark Morris, the producer and director. “Now that DVD technology has matured, we are able to add all kinds of special features to the two new DVD’s, “Tree Top Travel” and “The Great Outdoors”, that give the viewer lots of great info about the places shown.

Morris adds, “we also decided to include the popular “Pilot’s Extended Edition” with new packaging that reflects the brand new look of the series. One noteworthy improvement is the addition of enthralling sound-score music from composer John Adorney whose credits include the Best New Age CD of 2002.”

Produced by Mark Morris and John Berzner, the producers’ previous releases include “Web of Secrecy: YF23 Black Widow Declassified” and “Denise Austin Power Zone” fitness DVD.

Airport Journals

True Tales From the Fred Baron (By Fred “Crash” Blechman)

There’s an expression among fighter pilots: “Speed is life!” In a dogfight, if you lose the speed advantage due to excessive or incorrect maneuvering, your opponent will probably shoot you down. But from the early days of aviation, speed has always been one of the elements that have drawn pilots—and spectators—to air races. While driving fast cars or motorcycles certainly can be exciting—and dangerous—there’s just nothing that can compare with flying fast at low altitude.

Cruising along 30,000 feet above the ground in an airliner with a couple of hundred or more people, even though you are splitting the air at over 500 miles an hour, doesn’t give you the sensation of speed. The ground slowly slips by, and unless there are strong terrain features like mountains and rivers, you hardly seem to be moving. And over large bodies of water, its downright boring unless there are interesting cloud formations.

But speed is very apparent, even when flying in a two-seat Piper Cub, just above the ground or water, dodging rocks along a shoreline, going under a bridge, chasing motorcycles down a road, or sneaking between turbines on a desolate lonely hill. That’s when you really feel like you’re flying. And that’s what it’s like watching a recently released DVD, “FEELS LIKE FLYING!”

Many worried mothers would caution would-be fliers to “fly low and slow.” Bad advice! Flying low is inherently dangerous, since air is soft, but ground and water are hard, and there’s less time to handle an engine failure. And flying too slow leads to stalling and loss of flight control. But flying low and FAST—even more dangerous—is the most fun.

Back in the early 1950’s, when I was flying F4U Corsairs in the Sixth Fleet, it was very rare when we could get to fly by ourselves. Most flights were from four to 16 planes, sometimes in close formation, or sometimes in combat spread. Sometimes it would just be you and one other plane for safety in case one of you had radio or engine failure. Except for landing and takeoff, we rarely flew low. And when flying close formation, you don’t get to look around and sightsee!

But I do recall one time when I was all alone on a flight from Jacksonville to Miami, and I decided to fly along the Atlantic Ocean coastline. Being a young and adventurous fighter pilot, I flew very low and very fast, just above the water and just off the shoreline. It was a kick to watch beachgoers startled as I went roaring by at well over 300 miles an hour just 100 feet or so off the beach from them.

What sensation of speed! And it was a real shock to visitors at the Marineland structure near Miami when they had to look DOWN at me as I streaked by—ah, to be young and stupid! (I have since evolved to being old and stupid!)

Perhaps this low flying is why I’ve so much enjoyed watching the “FEELS LIKE FLYING!” video. I plant myself close to the screen so my peripheral vision is not distracted and I’m immersed in the flight, even though its at the speed of a Piper Cub. Then, for an extra thrill, I double or quadruple the speed—which you can do with a DVD—and it’s like flying in a Corsair or a fighter jet! I particularly like the way the horizon tilts when the pilot banks the plane—just as I was fascinated on my first ride in a small plane when I was five years old. What power you have to make the whole world turn!

“FEELS LIKE FLYING!” is the first DVD featuring all aerial footage and targeted directly to private pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and all those who love the feeling of flying. It’s a mostly low-level aerial tour of scenic America, featuring many beautiful scenic wonders not accessible by road, and not normally visible to the public. The producers employed a wing-mounted camera to shoot landscape visuals at an altitude and speed designed to enhance the flying experience through nine states, from California to Wisconsin.

Norm Goyer, the respected editor of Plane And Pilot magazine comments, “The images make you feel so much like you’re flying that I started leaning and making imaginary control inputs when the Cub came too close to huge rocks and swarms of gulls. What a great stress breaker. What a soothing ride before bedtime. What a great way to relax totally in the realm of flying.”

I agree with Norm. With a calm musical background, this 63-minute DVD can be viewed over and over without the distraction of narration, information or actors. Its all about music, scenery and mood.

Now that is not to say that “FEELS LIKE FLYING!” can’t be improved. My personal feeling is that I would like to see a “menu” of scenes to select, which you can do with a DVD remote. I particularly enjoyed the sequence where you’re flying low and behind some fast moving motorcycles as they zoom past trucks on a long stretch of highway. This is about 37 minutes into the video, and I had to fast forward for some time to view that scene. Or going between the wind turbines, or under the bridge, or chasing our shadow. It would be easy to add a scene selection menu.

Also I’d like to see some landings and takeoffs, where speed is most evident, and maybe some close formation shots, and dodging cumulus clouds, and some mild aerobatics—although there is one short roll included.

Only a small plane—at tree top level and below—could provide views that allow the camera to soar close above the waves, lush croplands, mirror-smooth lakes, endless open highways, magnificent deserts and dense forests. Utilizing the flying skills of veteran pilots, the goal of the video is to provide audiences with the relaxing experience of flying over wide-open spaces with no cares.

Old-time pilots who no longer fly a lot, pilot wannabes, aviation enthusiasts and anyone who loves speed and flying will enjoy this video. As for me, I enjoy curling up in front of my screen, remote in hand, and watch the world twist, turn and roll by. It feels like flying!

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