Recommend me a DVD with flight scenes

[Martin]

I'm looking for a birthday present for an older person who is fascinated by airplanes (helicopters, balloons) but never took a trip on one (and never will for various reasons).
I'm thinking of some DVDs, two categories:
1) Action movies with impressive flight scenes.
2) Documentary (popular science) such as "what happens in the cockpit". A little technical detail but not a comprehensive "how to fly a helicopter" training.

There's a lot of material available on Amazon and EBAY and I assume a lot of it is not worth it.
Which aviation-oriented DVDs in these categories are worth watching ?

 

[Ras_Thavas]

You could always buy Microsoft Flight Simulator and let them fly the planes.

Or if they are not that computer literate you could fly and let them watch. Maybe hook your PC up to a large HDTV if you have one.

 

[TigerhawkT3]

The first one that popped into my head was Top Gun. Next was Apocalypse Now, then Star Wars.

How about RC aircraft?

 

[unnerv]

The magic of flight on IMAX was spectacular
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119595/

 

[Mash]

Here are a couple:

Speed and Angels
FIGHTER PILOT: OPERATION RED FLAG

 

[Martin]

The first one that popped into my head was Top Gun. Next was Apocalypse Now, then Star Wars.

How about RC aircraft?

RC is perfect for next year, Flight Simulator the year after !

For this year, Top Gun is definitely on the list.
The Magic of Flight, Vols Blanc and Fighter Pilot Operation Red Flag have their price, I think I will get two out of these three.

Thank you for the suggestions so far. If any more come to your minds, let me know !

 

[baterija]

For fiction I have to admit Top Gun was my first thought, and for helicopters nothing compares to that one scene in Apocalypse Now. Might also consider:
- The Blue Max for World War I air combat
- Blue Thunder - for a helicopter fix;the movie not the TV show
- Memphis Belle - WWII bomber action with a good chunk of the movie in the plane on mission

 

[Lynx_Arc]

iron eagle, some old WWII movies like flying tigers, black sheep squadron

 

[Threepio]

Take a look here: http://www.avshop.com/category/79 I've made purchases from these people and have been very happy with everything I've bought. I bought the Alaska Airlines 737 DVD and it was a very interesting "in-cockpit" view of several flights in Alaska.
--Bob

 

[nerdgineer]

Rocketeer...who needs a plane? (also had Jennifer Conelly). Final Countdown if you like to see carrier flight operations.

 

[Martin]

I've spent some time on YouTube and Amazon checking out all our suggestions. Finally I made my choice: Top Gun and Blue Thunder for fiction, one DVD of a flight to the north pole from a jumpseat perspective in an A330 (PilotsEYE.tv, similar to the ones Threepio linked) and a documentary on how students learn to fly. A good mixture plus I was able to buy German versions of all these works.
Thanks a lot for your help !

 

[24thMED]

Lots of good suggestions so far: Here's a few more...

Flight of the Intruder has some pretty good flight scenes.

Behind Enemy lines had some good flight scenes of an F-18 outrunning a Sam(trying to anyway) in it but the whole movie isn't about flying.

Flyboys is a good WWI flying movie.

The Tuskeegee Airman is a good one.

Midway and Tora Tora Tora are pretty good too.

I'm not a big fan of this movie but it has some good helicopter scenes in it... Firebirds.

The series on the History channel called Dogfights has some excellent recreations of Dogfights with views from the cockpit and ground as well as naration of what happened. Even though they are computer generated images, they are really good and historically accurate. (this would be my first choice)

You also might try Sportys Pilot shop online(google it). They have videos as well.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[e2x2e]

One Six Right
http://www.onesixright.com/

 

[Martin]

Just won "The Magic of Flight" on EBAY. I should be pretty well stocked, soon.

 

[Josey]

"Wings" is an awesome DVD. It's a documentary about bird migration, but the aerial photography is incredible.

You might also think about downloading Google Earth for them. I was talking to my girlfriend (former :sigh when she was driving down to Oregon, and I was following her progress on Google Earth. It was like I was flying with her. I could tell her when buildings and such were coming up. When she got lost, I got her back on track. Google Earth is wonderful, especially for anyone who likes to fly.

Josey

 

[e2x2e]

"Google Earth is wonderful, especially for anyone who likes to fly.
Josey

Which is why: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=196775