View from the cockpit
Ever wanted to experience modern aerial combat from the pilot’s seat? Private John Wellfare checks out the new Imax film, Fighter Pilot.

 

CAPT John Stratton pilots his F-15 in a steep climb after taking off from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, USA.

CAPT John Stratton.

CLIMB into your flight suit, strap yourself into the cockpit and utter some ridiculous fighter-jock phrase in a theatrical southern drawl – we’re going into the danger zone.

Fortunately, Fighter Pilot is not a reincarnation of Top Gun. In fact, for a documentary on the US military, it’s surprisingly tame, over-the-top patriotism-wise.

That’s not to say there isn’t a lot of patriotism – it’s a documentary on the US military – but not enough to make you sick.

I don’t recall a single US flag-waving close-up and there was only one sentimental salute in the whole 50-minute film.

Fighter Pilot follows the story of US Air Force Captain John Stratton, a newly graduated fighter pilot flying in Exercise Red Flag, widely regarded as the largest and most intense air-training activity in the world.

The sentimental link in the story is that Captain Stratton’s grandfather was awarded three Distinguished Flying Crosses as a fighter pilot in World War II.

Of course, it’s the high-flying visuals that will draw the crowds to this film and it doesn’t disappoint.

It’s hard to fight off the sense of vertigo as the ground drops away on takeoff and mountains rush beneath your feet during low-level flying.

The enormous Imax screen makes the most of the intense aerial scenes and some clever camerawork helps viewers feel they’re part of the action.

Away from the cockpit, the film draws attention to all the support staff who make the aerial missions possible, from the mechanics, flightline and fire-fighting crews to the AWACS operators and combat search and rescue teams.

There’s a good sense of “team” in Fighter Pilot, but at times viewers may find themselves yearning to get back in the pilot’s seat.

If you can get to an Imax screen in the next few months, this film is well worth the effort. If you’ve ever had aspirations of being a fighter pilot, this is must-see cinema.

Exercise Red Flag

WAR experience showed that a pilot who survived his first 10 combat missions had a very high chance of surviving all subsequent combat missions.

The aim of Exercise Red Flag, established in 1975, is to embark pilots on those first 10 missions in the most realistic environment possible.

Pilots and crews from around the world, including some from Australia, have participated in Red Flag exercises.

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