ITV series - Fighter Pilot, the real Top Gun

[Unknown74]

On the subject of Moneypennys er no Samantha Bond’s commentary I think it was the best commentary I’ve heard since Ewan MacGregor on the JetSet programme a number of years ago.

[Hawkwind26]

I thought the second episode demonstrated to me the amount of information, procedures and scrutiny that these trainees have to absorb, practice and apply under the most extreme physical and mental pressure. How they retain their composure is beyond a mere mortal like myself. Yes, they say how incredibly privileged they feel to climb and fly in one of these aircraft but boy they deserve their wings.

[Snapshot1]

2 episodes in and I'm quite impressed that ITV haven't 'dumbed down' the content to excruciating levels (any airport or airline documentary to date).

Bit concerning that the USMC F-35 suffered from the curse of the 'run time error' and took 55 mins to boot. Presumably that kit is older than the RAFs.

[Zac Hinchcliffe]

Really enjoying it so far, the second episode especially. I have noticed that a few of the maneuvers e.g. vtol and missile strikes is portrayed as you only need to do one successfully and then you're passed. This seems to a little hasty and I am assuming that is for TV only and in fact they repeat the process several times (or at least practice in a simulator a lot first)

Zac

[Blackjack56]

Like Snapshot 1 i was expecting ITV to dumb it down probably with Holly willoughby or Phillip schofield in it somewhere but it is very well made and informative,the BBC usually do this sort of thing better but this is very good.well done ITV.

[mustang5861]

2 episodes in and I'm quite impressed that ITV haven't 'dumbed down' the content to excruciating levels (any airport or airline documentary to date).

Like Snapshot 1 i was expecting ITV to dumb it down probably with Holly willoughby or Phillip schofield in it somewhere but it is very well made and informative,the BBC usually do this sort of thing better but this is very good.well done ITV.

Assuming the series is judged a success by the ITV bosses, don't be surprised to see tele-plugs for a 'Celebrity Fighter Pilot' with one celeb voted off each week. Cue: 'I'm living the dream'; 'It's been an incredible journey' and all the other well-worn linguistic clichés!

One thing I've noticed in the two episodes so far: MCAS Beaufort is never referred to by name (correct me if I'm wrong on this); all the refs are to a Marine air base in South Carolina. Seems a bit odd given that RAF Valley is regularly referred to by name, but presumably it's at the request of the Americans/US Marine Corps?

[Vulcan74]

One thing I've noticed in the two episodes so far: MCAS Beaufort is never referred to by name (correct me if I'm wrong on this); all the refs are to a Marine air base in South Carolina. Seems a bit odd given that RAF Valley is regularly referred to by name, but presumably it's at the request of the Americans/US Marine Corps?
[/quote]


Hardly a secret!!

[mustang5861]

Hardly a secret!!

Hardly a secret to aviation enthusiasts, but we form only a small part of the target audience for the series. It just seems strange that one base (Valley) is mentioned by name, but the other (Beaufort) is not. A very good series thus far.

[Snoop 95]

Hardly a secret!!

Hardly a secret to aviation enthusiasts, but we form only a small part of the target audience for the series. It just seems strange that one base (Valley) is mentioned by name, but the other (Beaufort) is not. A very good series thus far.

Probably because its name would mean nothing to most viewers, but most will have heard of South Carolina.

[Supra]

Possibly, but they say 'RAF Valley, Anglesey' (Not adding Wales/UK) so "MCAS Beaufort, SC." (+/- USA.) would be the same level of enthusiast/public information?
Anyway, not everybody has heard of Wales!

[Thunder]

[quote
Anyway, not everybody has heard of Wales!
[/quote]

Seriously.........

you have Blue, Minke, Humpback and of course Free Willy to name a few

[Sparts99]

Having worked in telly I can assure you that the naming of the US and UK bases will have been through much discussion and multiple V/O takes and much back and forth in the edit to reach a decision that can't actually be explained. Blurring Hawk airframe details is an odd one though, as most people wouldn't notice any continuity errors, and they know whatever they do the enthusiast/anorak will find fault. Blurring adds to the post production workload therefore cost so there must have been a better reason than that. The duty logs are public domain somewhere, if we ever fancied a laugh we'd look them up. One that sticks in my mind was the incandescent indignant rage of one viewer who spotted a 1950's lawn mower in an Agatha Christie episode set in the 1920's, you'd have thought we'd shot the Queen's corgis.

[balamorybuzzed]

Beaufort is thanked at the end in the credits.

[big john]

Is that Beaufort Gwent?

[TARGET]

Enjoying it but somewhat surprised at the absence of any mention ( unless I missed it) of the substantial part simulators play in todays training.
TARGET

[Blackcat1]

Got to use the sims so they can practice getting below a cloud layer, i guess in theatre a show of force will only be conducted on TIC if it's clear?

[Blackcat1]

Windsurfers flying F35, whatever next

[Unknown74]

Congratulations to ITV for a well put together 3 part documentary. Probably one of the better Aviation documentaries I’ve seen in a while apart from the Channel 5 Red Arrows one earlier this year.

[Snapshot1]

Congratulations to ITV for a well put together 3 part documentary. Probably one of the better Aviation documentaries I’ve seen in a while apart from the Channel 5 Red Arrows one earlier this year.

I'll second that.

What's was all that not what you wanted Typhoon 'wooden spoon' disappointment all about??!! IT'S A TYPHOON and will start without a complicated password..."Is this a American keyboard? Wheres the £ sign?"

[Drinkmat]

I was surprised at the "drinking culture" type stuff at the end of the final episode, as I thought the RAF was playing that side of aircrew life down in recent years. Some good photography in the series, but I was getting a little tired of the New Dad references in the narration.