Movie Opens In Theaters Friday

The movie "Flight", which opens Friday and is loosely based on actual events, apparently has some harrowing, if computer-generated, scenes of an airliner that at one point is flying upside down. While the plane lands and most everyone on board survives, the pilot is found to have alcohol and drugs in his system ... and we know the ramifications of such a situation.

In a release timed to coordinate with the release of the movie, the Air Line Pilot's Association International (ALPA) says that viewers should remember that it's just that ... only a movie.

“We all enjoy being entertained, but a thrilling tale should not be mistaken for the true story of extraordinary safety and professionalism among airline pilots,” the union said in the release.  “Hollywood dramas can make riveting entertainment and a compelling character study may sell tickets, but fiction on a movie screen doesn't represent a profession in the real world.

“The more than fifty thousand ALPA pilots in the United States and Canada embody the highest possible standards of training and professionalism. These standards are borne out every day, as we safely transport hundreds of thousands of passengers and tens of thousands of tons of cargo across the country and around the world."

FMI: www.alpa.org