Summary: Cautionary service film illustrating the dangers of careless flying in areas of heavy civilian traffic.
Description: Passengers, without ejector seats or parachutes, are entirely dependent upon their pilot. London Airport - the civilian traffic is monitored by the Air Traffic Control Centre. Service flights require greater flexibility, but must nevertheless accommodate commercial traffic patterns. Collisions will be avoided if regulations are observed. The film follows the course of an Official Inquiry convened after a Viscount has reported a near miss from an RAF training aircraft. The military authorities cooperate with the civil controller in locating the service pilot responsible, and he is questioned. The two pilots differ over the degree of their greatest proximity - airline pilots are described as "acutely sensitive" to neighbouring aircraft - but the evidence proves the military pilot to have erred. An accumulation of small factors - drift, changing wind velocity, inaccurate visual pinpoint without radio check - resulted in a potentially disastrous situation. The film comments: "Keep a proper lookout at all times. Observe the familiar routine in every detail. Don't let familiarity breed contempt. Equally, be ready for the unexpected. These are the kind of small points which add up to the quality we call good airmanship..."
Production Details: Air Ministry (Production sponsor)
British Films Ltd (Production company)
Durst, John (Production individual)
Lockstone, K L (Production individual)
Gould, Terry (Production individual)
Foley, John (Production individual)
Hipkins, Ben (Production individual)
Flynn, Francis (Production individual)
Everett, Brian (Production individual)
Green, Harry (Production individual)
Durst, John (Production cast)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Air Force (regiment/service)
Air Traffic Control Centre, Heathrow Airport (regiment/service)
Keywords: operations, British air civil - administrative: air traffic control (object name)
propaganda, British - practical: air safety (object name)
GB, England & Heathrow, Middx <Heathrow Airport> (geography)
Instruction (concept)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 16mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 650 ft; Running time: 18 mins
