Flight Video Productions Pilatus PC-12

By Michael Meinhardt (18 April 2005)

Click here to watch a preview video in the FlightSim.Com Cineplex

Some time ago, I came across an ad on the FlightSim.Com website featuring a flight video of the Pilatus PC12. Flight Video Productions, the company producing the video, did not ring a bell, so I visited their website. Everything looked quite professional there, the screenshots appealed to me and there was even a trial movie available for download. Most importantly to me, the video would feature the entire flight from start to finish, including flight preparations, start-up and shut-down. This is still very rare on the flight video market and critical for those who would like to recreate the experience in their flight simulation program at the highest possible degree of realism.

So, after thinking it over for a couple of weeks (I am German and, as many Germans, I am of the suspicious, greedy type) I broke down and bought the video online for $18.95.

Now, two days later, the keenly awaited DVD is sitting in my mailbox. Flight Video Productions advertised 2-5 business days by USPS from Oregon. Three greens so far. Opening the shipping envelope, I am quite amazed to discover that the DVD box and design come across as very professional too. Just like the website. My buyer's remorse almost disappears. But not quite. The suspicion again.

I have the usual fight with the seemingly innocent cellophane wrapper around the cover box, but these fights all end the same way: Earlier or later, I win. Knives, forks, chain saws. Whatever it takes. With the cellophane silently uncrinkling in the trash can and me breathing heavily, I slide the disk in the player and feel a slight shiver rolling up my spine as I finally press: “PLAY”.

A white haired gentleman wishes me a good morning and introduces himself as Tom Halvorson, director of flight operations at Western Aircraft in Boise, Idaho.

He goes on to introduce the video at hand and explains why his company prefers to fly the Pilatus. Then he swivels around his chair, so as to face the computer screen behind him, and commences the weather check online for this flight to Sun Valley, also located in Idaho.

I don’t think there was much editing done on this part of the movie. I couldn’t figure out anything that was missing, anyway. This really is a very detailed video. After the weather check comes the flight planning and filing of the IFR flight plan.

Those of you, who don’t like all the technical, procedural stuff, will be pleased to learn that the DVD menu lets you jump to the more exciting parts of the flight, such as take-off, leveling at cruising altitude and landing.

For those who purchased the movie because of the technical stuff and want to see the whole thing, the video continues on the Boise apron.

Ah, at last, the airplane. We are on the tarmac and Tom performs a preflight visual check. And he doesn’t just run through it in a hurry, but explains everything he does and why he does it. I almost feel a little sorry for the guy when he kneels down on the concrete to look into the wheel well. On a 747 you just walk up to it and stare right in. The Pilatus makes you work just a tad harder for the privilege of flying her.

The camera man follows everywhere except under the wheel well. I forgive him, but I would like to ask him to wipe clean that camera lens next time. There were some dried water spots on it that took away from the otherwise impressive film quality during the outside shots, because of direct sunlight. No big deal really, but something that could have been avoided.

The preflight check is done; we are in the cockpit. Captain Halvorson scans the cockpit for loose ends, then flips on the battery switch and the Pilatus comes to life. Here again, apparently little editing on part of the production crew. This points to their professionalism and love for detail. After all, this is not a Hollywood flick in which, quite miraculously, airplanes are started up and ready for take-off in under 10 seconds.

The 1200 hp engine is started up and at this point the cockpit becomes a noisy place. No problem, however. The audio is switched to the cabin intercom system and lets us hear everything the same way the pilot hears it. This is very important, because now the ATC comes into play. The sound quality is very good. Only the VOX (voice operated control) for Tom’s microphone sometimes cuts off a syllable or two at the beginning of his sentences, but I can live with that. My suggestion to Flight Video Productions to overcome this problem is twofold. Number one: Turn up the VOX gain. Number two: Use subtitles for the spoken dialogue and other information you deem noteworthy.

Tom gets the IFR clearance from a nice lady at Boise delivery followed by the taxi clearance and our turboprop is in motion. During taxi the captain does the final checks and gets the “Cleared for Take-off” from the tower.

While to me the take-off is the second-most exciting part of every flight, Tom makes it sound like a trip to the convenience store. “We are looking at a take-off speed of 80 knots, which we have right now…” …and by the way, the weather is nice too. He doesn’t say that last bit. But he may as well. I don’t think he is aware of the comical value of his matter of fact commentary, but I think it’s priceless. The man is truly a pro.

The Pilatus is climbing effortlessly into the Idaho sky and now we are treated to some outside views from the cockpit and passenger windows on both sides of the plane. The camera technique is very good and I feel like I am getting the views that I would have wanted on that flight. Also, there is almost no vibration or camera jerking in this movie. I am no expert on video equipment, but I believe that this is a great achievment and very pleasing to the eye of the person watching.

Cruising to KSUN at 15,000 feet only takes a few minutes. Then it’s down again, through the clouds, affording a beautiful view of the mountains to the north. This part of the flight, incidentally, is controlled by the autopilot which was activated during climb.

ATC tries to disconcert our even-tempered captain by ordering him into an unexpected holding pattern for spacing, but even that rolls of his shoulders without complaint. All said, we only do one turn in the hold and then enter into the approach to Sun Valley.

At this point I would like to point out that the camera crew did a great job at zooming in to the respective instruments or displays according to their operational need. Either they are pilots too, or they prepared extremely well.

The final approach is very scenic as Haley Airport sits right in a valley surrounded by respectable mountains. I guess this puts KSUN into the category of more challenging approaches. It reminds me a lot of Innsbruck Airport in the Austrian Alps.

The landing is superb and out pilot in full control of this great airplane. We are exiting the runway and taxiing to our parking position. Tom Halvorson comments on all the individual steps again and after parking the airplane next to a business jet, switches off the engine, followed by the battery, which officially concludes our little adventure.

Video data: Aircraft: Pilatus PC-12 Turboprop Route: Boise, Idaho to Sun Valley, Idaho Run Time: Approx. 50 minutes Format: Download version or DVD (NTSC or PAL)

In summary, I would have to say, that of all cockpit videos I have watched so far, this one takes the lead. The attention to detail is top notch, the choreography professional and the execution very well organized. Even the little quirks which one commonly attributes to low budget productions, and which are also present here, seem to add to the realism and the feeling of really “being there”.

The German in me rises up, but it looks like I am going to purchase another video from FVP. This time the Piper Meridian, or maybe the Cessna 172, which is being produced right now.

Michael Meinhardt
meinhardt@bellsouth.net

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