People, Bottom Line & Video Reviews

Videos

Kiwi Airshowstars:

Last year will go down as one of the best airshow seasons New Zealand has ever experienced with three major events to satisfy even the most demanding of aviation enthusiasts.

Kiwi Airshow Stars documents the three major events, Nelson, Wanaka and Auckland, and studies in depth the wide variety of aircraft participating. The video is divided into segments devoted to each aircraft type giving a brief description of characteristics and its performance, fol- lowed by what are quite informative discussions with the machine’s display pilots, often revealing some interesting anecdotes and peculiarities of the type’s design.

Some of the more notable footage in the video includes that of the dogfight between the Spitfire and Messerschmitt 109 at Wanaka, the Beriev Mermaid operating from Auckland harbour and the always impressive flying display of the V/STOL Harrier. Other stars include aircraft of the RNZAF, the П1-76 freighter, warbirds such as the Mustang, Corsair, Sea Fury and Kittyhawk and the Roaring Forties Harvard aerobatic team.

Available from Media Force Productions, PO Box 27 299 Wellington, New Zealand for $NZ48. 95 including postage.

 the Seats of Their Pants:

Fortitude Productions/AVI: This high quality video is a study of Australia’s pioneer and trailblazing pilots, ranging from the very early flights in wire and fabric biplanes, through to the F/A-18s of today, plus everything in between.

A valuable historical account of Australia’s aviator heritage, this video details both the personalities and exploits of some of our best known pilots including Bert Hinkler and Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, as well as our pilots in both World Wars plus the Vietnam war. In addition, the video looks at those pilots who are today still flying by the seat of their pants, such as crop dusting, cattle mustering and Royal Flying Doctor Service pilots.

By the Seats of their Pants is recommended for those with an interest in the spirit of adventure that characterises some of Australia’s most daring aviators.

Available from Aerospace Publications, PO Box 3105, Weston Creek ACT 2611 or phone (06) 288 1677 or fax (06) 288 2021 for just $38. 46 including postage.

Sydney Helicopter School – Training Video:

The Sydney Helicoter School is producing a series of eight flying training videos for ab initio helicopter pilots via Japan, Northwest Airlines has now filed a complaint against Lufthansa and the German government after Lufthansa forced Northwest to stop its codesharing flights into Germany.

Northwest claims a German court order prevented it from operating codesharing terms, starting with “Effects of Controls”, with the remainder to be released shortly.

The School states that the lack of dedicated visual training aids available for rotary wing flight prompted the move to produce its own material using the ubiquitous Robinson R22.

The aim of the series is to provide the student witha clearer idea of what whatheorshe will see and experience in flight before they get off the ground, which means that the in flight training will be more effective. The end result equates to savings in time, machinery, and most importantly to the student, money.

The initial impression of the first of the series confirms the School’s statement that the films are tightly scripted and have been professionally produced to provide the information a student needs. The quality of the film and sound track is excellent.

The underlying philosophy of the train- ing method adopted is “Desired Approach”, which aims at the end result rather than the means of getting there. In other words it is “raise the nose rather than “pull back on the stick”, all the time conscious of aiming for the desired attitude.

The verbal and visual explanations of the primary and secondary effects of controls are first class, and lead a student with no prior knowledge of helicopter theory to the point where he/she should have a clear understanding of what each control actually does before the first flight.

The videos will take the place of the “long briefing” on each topic and should thoroughly prepare the student for the instructor’s preflight briefing. Each tape has a briefing sheet attached which is well set out and easy to understand.

In summary, the Sydney Helicopter School’s entry into the flying training video market marks yet another step forward in the professional approach being taken to helicopter training in this country.

The first tape is priced at a one off introductory rate of $44. 95, and is well recommended for all ab initio helicopter students. Available from Sydney Helicopter School on (02) 669 6544 for credit card sales, or fax on (02) 317 5835, or by mail from PO Box 689, Mascot, 2020.