Flight Training - August 2013 - 16

PREFLIGHT»

NEWS

Training aircraft
deliveries down
in first quarter
Total piston deliveries up, but training
market sagging
DELIVERIES OF ALL piston aircraft were
up in the first quarter of the year, according to statistics released recently by the
General Aviation Manufacturers Association, but Cessna training airplanes were
down sharply. Only 16 Skyhawks rolled
out of the Independence, Kansas, factory
in the first quarter, compared to 25 in the
first quarter of 2012. The Skycatcher was
equally soft, with no deliveries reported,
compared to five in the first three months
of 2012. Much of that decline is likely
attributable to a softer training market, as
other manufacturers reported small delivery numbers for trainers. The exception is
Diamond, which saw a modest increase in
DA40 and DA42 shipments.

US Aviation
unveils app
US AVIATION OF Denton, Texas, has
created an app that can be used by registered students and flight instructors, as
well as other student pilots (www.us
aviationacademy.com).
A free version available to all users
includes access to some FAA and US
Aviation training publications, training
videos, and information about airline
pilot career training.
US Aviation registered students and
flight instructors can unlock the full version, which is customized to the user’s
training course and includes access to
USAA’s full training library. The full
version features an e-kneeboard function that provides sectionals and allows
for overlay of weather, traffic, and
approach, as well as some easy flight
planning.

16 /

FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

NEWS

BY SARAH BROWN

Filmmakers sought real pilot insight
for animated ‘Planes’
JUST HOW REALISTIC can you make an airplane with eyes, a mouth, and a dream of
competing in an international air race?
DisneyToon Studios took on the challenge with the upcoming Disney’s Planes, an
expansion of the Cars franchise that takes viewers into a crop duster’s quest to prove
he can become more than what he was built for. At an aviation media event June 6,
filmmakers described a research process that brought them to small airports across the
Midwest, introduced them to airshow performers, and resulted in a film with references that ring true to pilots while children revel in the adventure.
In the film, which hits theaters August 9, crop duster Dusty (voiced by Dane Cook)
dreams of leaving behind the cornfields to compete as an air racer. But Dusty is not
built for racing, and, complicating matters, is afraid of heights. (Being an ag plane—a
composite of the Air Tractor AT-502, Cessna AgWagon, and Dromader—he has never
flown above 1,000 feet agl.) He seeks help from World War II naval aviator Skipper, an
F4U Corsair, and gets support from the community at home in Propwash Junction.
In keeping with Disney executive John Lasseter’s commitment to “truth to material,”
the airplanes don’t bend their wings, and generally behave like real aircraft in the air.
You won’t see Dusty doing pushups to bulk up for the big race. Aviation adviser Sean
Bautista said the initial idea for Dusty’s preparations included a Rocky-Balboa-style
training sequence, with the ag plane pulling a fuel truck behind him and working out to
get stronger. “When I first saw it, I didn’t get it,” he said. Why wouldn’t Dusty prepare
like an actual racer? He suggested a more authentic preparation sequence.
Pilots may notice references to trading altitude for airspeed, vertical wind shear, and
wake turbulence (“swirlies”); some will empathize with Dusty’s first encounter with
New York City airspace and procedures. And pilots who frequent Leaders/Clear Lake
Airport in Minnesota may find Propwash Junction faintly familiar. Filmmakers found
inspiration in the privately owned, public-use field surrounded by cornfields.
While filmmakers emphasized the importance of research in making the aviation
references ring true to aviators, director Klay Hall also highlighted the film’s universal
appeal: “I think people will really relate to Disney’s Planes because it’s a great underdog
story,” he said in a media release. “It has a lot of heart and a message we can all use: If
we can believe in ourselves, step out of our comfort zones and get past whatever fear is
holding us back, we’d be surprised with the results.”

http://www.usaviationacademy.com http://www.usaviationacademy.com http://FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

Flight Training - August 2013

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